War of the Roses

Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses were a series of bloody civil conflicts fought from 1455-1485 for control of the throne of England.  The rival houses of Lancaster and York, symbolized by the red and white rose respectively, were members of the ancient royal House of Plantagenet.  The Wars of the Roses led to the termination of the male heirs of York and Lancaster, and Henry Tudor assumed the Lancastrian claim to the throne.  Henry defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses, and was crowned King Henry VII.  After the Wars of the Roses, Henry married Elizabeth of York, ending the long years of discord between the houses of York and Lancaster.  The Tudor Dynasty then began.

Wars of the Roses

Undisputed King: The Battle of Tewkesbury

By David Alan Johnson

King Edward IV could not have asked for better news. On the evening of May 3, 1471, his scouts reported that the army of his Lancastrian archrival, Queen Margaret of Anjou, was camped a few miles south of the abbey town of Tewkesbury with its back to the River Severn. Read more

Yorkist troops led by the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of York storm through the streets of St. Albans on May 22, 1455. The rebels captured King Henry VI, killed the Duke of Somerset, and ignited the 30-year-long War of the Roses. Painting by Graham Turner.

Wars of the Roses

Roses In The Snow

By Mike Phifer

On March 1, 1461, English Chancellor George Neville faced a large crowd of Londoners in St. John’s Field outside the city. Read more