An Introduction to
the Wars of the Roses
(1455-1485/7)

The 30-year civil war known as The Wars of the Roses can be traced back to two sons of Edward III (1312 -1377): Edmund of Langley (1341-1402) his third son, and John of Gaunt (1340-1399), his fourth. The Lancastrians, descended from John of Gaunt and The Yorkists descended from Edmund of Langley. Both the Lancastrians (red rose) and Yorkists (white rose) claimed a right to the English throne.

Margaret Beaufort (1443 - 1509) was a rich heiress, a direct descendent of John of Gaunt, and cousin to King Henry VI. She married Henry VI’s half-brother, Edmund Tudor (1430-1456) and became pregnant aged 13, though Edmund, died 6 months later. She sought refuge with Jasper Tudor (1431-1495), her brother-in-law,  and Henry Tudor was born on 28 January 1547

Three sons of Richard, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460),  all had a good claim to the throne, which they were determined to make by force.

They were:

• Edward, Earl of March (later Edward IV) (1442 – 1483)

• George, Duke of Clarence (1449 –1478)

• Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Later, Richard III) (1452 – 1485)

Key battles during these struggles include:

• 1455 – The First Battle of St. Albans:  when Richard of York became Lord Protector

• 1460 – The Battle of Wakefield: which left England with two monarchs: Henry VI and Edward IV

• 1461 – The Battle of Towton: a victory for the Yorkists, leading Henry VI to flee to Scotland.

• 1471 – The Battle of Tewkesbury: where Henry VI’s heir was killed  and Henry himself died in the Tower. Leaving Edward IV free to rule.

Edward IV had two sons: Edward and Richard. George (Clarence) was executed after attempting to have the princes declared illegitimate, and Edward IV died in 1483 with his heir, Edward, only 12 years old. 

The prince’s uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester kept him and his younger brother in the Tower of London where they were both declared illegitimate. 

Richard was crowned king, but by the summer of 1483, the princes were believed to be dead and opposition grew against him.

After the Battle of Tewkesbury (1471) Edward IV entered London. Henry VI died in the Tower of London, most likely murdered, and Henry Tudor fled to France with his uncle, Jasper. Elizabeth Woodville (1437-1492), mother of the Princes,  and Margaret Beaufort agreed that Henry should claim the throne and marry Elizabeth of York, sister of the Princes, uniting the families. 

Henry and the Lancastrians met Richard III and the Yorkists at the Battle of Bosworth Fields on 22 August 1485, Richard was killed and Henry was crowned Henry VII of England.

To try and consolidate his hold on the throne, Henry married Elizabeth of York, uniting the Lancastrians and Yorkists, and dated his rule from the day before his victory. Pope Innocent VIII also supported his claim. 

However, his claim to the throne was not particularly strong. His father, Edmund, was only Henry VI’s half-brother. Though his mother’s great-grandfather was John of Gaunt, her great-grandmother,  Katherine Swynford (1349 –1403) was formerly his mistress, leading to concerns of legitimacy. 

All in all, this led to a precarious hold on the throne for Henry VII, who had to work strategically to ensure that this new dynasty (The Tudor dynasty) would flourish and endure. A final battle in 1487 - The Battle of Stoke Field - is considered by many to be the final battle in the Wars of the Roses, as it was the last major engagement between the houses of Lancaster and York.