1485 - The Battle of Bosworth

On 22nd August of 1485, Henry Tudor arrives in England after his years of exile in France. He manages to gather 5,000 troops for the Lancastrian 'team' and meets Richard III, the current king, who has amassed 10,000 men for 'team York'. On the sidelines, with 6,000 men, Thomas Stanley (Henry's stepfather)and his brother, William Stanley, have not yet decided which side to take.

As the battle ensues, Stanley and his men watch and wait until that fateful moment arrives when they witness Richard become horse-less. Stanley's men then swoop in and join team Lancaster.

Richard III - the last Plantagenet king - was killed; the final English king to die in battle.

Thomas Stanley crowns Henry, Henry VII and here we see the beginning of his secret plans and clever tricks. By dating his reign from the day before the battle, all those who fought against him are now traitors. This allowed him to snatch away properties and titles from the Yorkists to dangle as proverbial carrots whenever he needed a bit of loyalty.

And so the Tudor era began. Hold on to your heads.