Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485

Battles of the civil war took place between 1455 and 1485, though conflict truly began in 1399 when Henry of Bolingbroke founded the House of Lancaster usurping the throne from cousin Richard II of the House of York. Henry of Bolingbroke's and the Lancaster lines' right to the throne was based off of their descent from Edward III (a Plantaganet king)'s fourth son, John of Gaunt. Richard II had been but ten at the time, Edward III's grandson whose father, the initial heir known as the Black Prince, had died. Henry of Bolingbroke's heir, Henry V, died whilst his son and heir Henry VI was but an infant, and his right to the throne was challenged by Richard, Duke of York, a descendant of Edward III's third and fifth sons.

The two houses quarreled and clashed often, but the first armed battles began in 1455. The war became more violent in 1459 and there were times when Yorkists were forced to flee the country before Richard of York became England's Protector and Henry VI was captured by one of York's supporters, the Earl of Warwick; at Wakerfield York and second son Edmund were slain by the Lancaster forces, who also recaptured Henry VI. It was under the deceased Richard of York's eldest son, who was proclaimed Edward IV by Warwick, who captured the capital, that the Lancaster forces were crushed at the 1461 Battle of London.

In 1464, Edward married for love against the wishes of Warwick, who had put him on the throne out of the belief that he would be his 'puppet'. Elizabeth Woodville had been related through her mother to one of Henry VI's uncles; Warwick despised Woodville and her clan, and Edward for allowing them such influence on him. He attacked and captured Edward and attempted unsuccessfully to rule through him, and in the face of rebellion, alas released him.

Warwick rebelled again in 1570 and defeated, fled to France where he gained support from Lancastrians from an invasion if he fought to restore Henry VI. Betrayed by Warwick's brother, Edward IV was forced to flee to Burgundy. France, supporting the Lancastrians, engaged in war against Burgundy, which was forced to gather an army to help restore Edward IV. Whilst reclaiming his dukedom Edward gained much support, took prisoner the restored Henry VI and won back his throne. While he left strong male heirs upon his 1483 death, his passing brought on immense complications, chaos, war, and ultimately led to the ascent of the House of Tudor.

no related posts/more information on Rise of the Tudors (07/04/12)

Rise of the Tudors

In 1483, Richard of Gloucester declared the marriage between his brother Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville invalid, making illegal all of their heirs and setting himself up as Richard III and allegedly murdering his two nephews. He was met with rebellion from the duke of Buckingham and others, but only Henry Tudor could stop him. Henry Tudor's claim to the throne was through being a great-great-grand son to Edward III; it was a very controversial claim being through his mother, great-granddaughter of John Gaunt, Edward III's illegitmate son. With the support of Buckingham's rebels, the French, and Lancastrians, Henry Tudor won at the battle of Bosworth when Richard III was betrayed by key military figures beneath him and died. To make amends with the Yorkists, Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII of England, wed the daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville: Elizabeth of York.

Unfortunately, this was not the final military challenge Henry VII was faced with.

no related posts/more information on Rise of the Tudors (07/04/12)

Marriage of Catherine of Aragon (1501/9)

Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella or Spain, and at 16-years-old arrived in England to wed the Prince Arthur, one year her junior. Arthur had always been somewhat frail, and died within months of their marriage. But in the years, decades to come, Catherine would learn that their brief marriage mattered little: it was the night of their wedding that meant everything. She was given the title of Princess-Dowager, and remained in England living a humble and secluded life until 1509.

At Henry VII's 1409 death, his only living son and heir, the seventeen-year-old Henry VIII came to power. He received a dispensation from the Pope Julius II to wed his brother's widow and married Catherine, who became instantly beloved by him and the English people. Catherine took with child almost instantly, but like almost all pregnancies to come, the child was miscarried. Babies continued to be miscarried, born dead, or die within weeks until 1516, when Mary Tudor was born.

Catherine took with child again, but no son was born and she continued to age. It soon became clear that from her Henry would never receive the male heir he and England needed. There were others with claims to the throne as or more solid than his, and the Tudor dynasty would fail without princes; by 1525/6 Henry alas concluded that his marriage was accursed and if he wished for a male heir, he had to cast Catherine and their daughter aside and seek annulment: not simply for himself, but for England.

related posts/more information on Catherine of Aragon