Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

In which year did the last battle of the wars take place?
1487. This was the battle of Stoke, which Henry VII fought against the impostor Lambert Simnel. The battle of Bosworth field, in 1485, is the battle at which Henry defeated the then-king, Richard III.

What led to the falling-out between Edward IV and his staunchest supporter, Richard, Earl of Warwick, known as the Kingmaker?

Edward married Elizabeth Woodville, thwarting Neville's plans to marry him to a French noblewoman..

In 1399 Richard II was usurped by this man, which led to the establishing of the House of Lancaster, and ultimately to the Wars of the Roses. Who was this usurper?

Henry Bolingbroke.

Which foreign power sided with Edward IV during the wars?

Burgundy.

Hostilities broke out in 1455. Which is considered to be the first major battle of the War of the Roses?

Andrew Trollope. Andrew Trollope was the captain of the Calais troops. It is rumoured that that night, Andrew Trollope deserted from Warwick, taking the Calais garrison and the Yorkist plan of battle over to the king.

Henry VI had a famous or infamous wife, depending on your point of view. Who was this powerful woman?

Margaret of Anjou. Margaret often led the Lancastrian forces during the Wars of the Roses and is said to have dictated strategy. Henry is often seen as a weak king, ill suited to the role of a medieval monarch. Margaret was born in March 1430.

Richard Duke of York had a thin claim to the Crown and tried through force of arms to take it, he never actually got his hands on the crown. But which title did he attain?

Lord Protector. Richard's father, the Earl of Cambridge, had been executed for treason in 1415. In 1452, Richard Duke of York was made Lord Protector, but had to give up this position with the King's recovery from insanity and the birth of an heir, Edward, Prince of Wales, the following year.

Richard Duke of York was killed at which major battle?

Battle of Wakefield. Richard led his troops out of his fortress at Sandal Castle and, perhaps over confidently attacked the Royalist forces. He was defeated and killed, and his head was put on a pike by the victorious Lancastrian armies.

At the battle of Barnet in April 1471 a major figure on the Wars of the Roses was killed. Known as the "kingmaker", what was the real name of the Earl of Warwick?

Richard Neville. Referred to as "the kingmaker", Richard Neville wielded considerable power. The battle was marked by two unfortunate mistakes which contributed to the Lancastrian defeat. Firstly, the Yorkist army by luck drew up in the dark closer than expected to Warwick's army causing their artillery to over shoot. Secondly, in the fog of battle in the morning, Warwick's centre and left flanks mistook each other for enemey troops or traitors and set upon each other.

The Battle of Tewkesbury fought in 1471 effectively ended one period of the War of the Roses, being a decisive Yorkist victory. Who led the ill fated Lancastrian Army ?

Duke of Somerset. The Duke of Somerset led a numerically superior Lancastrian force at the battle and tried to outflank the Yorkist army. When this failed and the Lancastrian army was attacked in the centre it crumbled. Perhaps the most grievous lost to the Lancastrian force was the death of Edward Prince of Wales.

The battle of Stoke Field is usually considered the final battle of the War of the Roses. Henry Tudor's forces overcame the forces of a pretender to the throne. Who was this boy claiming to be king ?

Lambert Simnel. Lambert claimed to be Edward, Earl of Warwick and nephew of Edward IV and was crowned King Edward VI in Dublin. It is said Henry Tudor considered him harmless and employed Lambert later in his kitchens.