War and the defeat of Richard, Duke of York

• Battle of St Albans 1455


  York + Warwick assemble their armies and march to St Albans. There were 2000 Lancastrians under Buckingham's command that arrived first and organised defences. After hours of failed negotiations, York launches a frontal attack. He suffered heavy casualties but they broke the defence which surprised the Lancastrian's. Warwick ordered a charge, the defenders realised they’d been outflanked and abandoned the barricades to escape. They killed Buckingham, Somerset and Northumberland and wounded the king. York is restored as lord protector. Margaret and son flee into exile.
• Consequence of the Battle of St Albans

  The development of vendettas. Somerset's son was determined to seek revenge against York when he became of age, distrust was increasing so much that nobles turned up to meetings with large armed retinues and the Yorkists hired bodyguards. It was blamed on Somerset.
• Impact of the Battle of St Albans on Henry VI

  • Henry's weak mental state shattered, only 2 weeks after the battle a physician was summoned to treat what they believed was a return of his illness
  • After this Henry couldn't rule in his own right, only able to assert authority on some occassions
• Impact of the Battle of St Albans on Margaret

  • Effectively leader of Lancastrians
  • determined to destroy York to make sure her son kept his place as heir to the throne
  • set up new court in Coventry, surrounded by supporters of the lancastrian cause and those hostile to York and the Nevilles
• Impact of the Battle of St Albans on York

  • became heart of policy and decision making
  • kings chief adviser
  • made protectorate when king was found to be incapable of ruling
  • made clear it wasn't treason but ridding England of 'evil advisers'
  • became constable of England, Viscount Bourchier made treasurer and Warwick made captain of Calais
• York is confident he can win over parliament the second time around. The Battle of St Albans is blamed on Somerset and the Yorkists are pardoned. It was claimed that Somerset had been hiding York’s letters which had proved his loyalty and the lengths he’d gone to avoid battle.
• Why was York restored to protectorate?

  He was given his powers to deal with the situation in the south-west that was quickly worsening (violence of Devon and Bonville). The King himself would not have tried to deal with the situation so a protectorate was essential. Support was not high and he was only appointed for a lack of alternative.
• Reforms in York's Second Protectorate

  • The Queen was limited to 10000 marks a year
  • Declared Duke Humphery of Gloucester to have lived and died a true subject- a popular move
  • limits on expenditure in the royal household
• His protectorate ended march 1456 after he tried to pass a law taking back royal land granted to nobles, which lost him support.
• There's an attempt on Warwick’s life in 1456 by the vengeful sons of the dead nobles
• Margaret's government

  • In Coventry (heart of Lancastrian power)
  • Nobles included: Beaufort, Devon, Exeter and the new Somerset who were enemies of York. 
  • MOST IMPORTANTLY in 1456 THE KING HIMSELF JOINED, she could now exert her control over him to place her own supporters in positions of authority over York’s men. (e.g Laurence Booth, Margaret’s private Chancellor, was made Keeper of the Privy Seal; a new chancellor, new treasurer)
  • BUT most nobles refused to take sides so her powerbase remained narrow despite the strengthening of her position and control of the government.
• Loveday 1458


  A demonstration of reconciliation between the Lancastrians and Yorkists held as requested by Henry VI. Rivals walked arm in arm through London to St Paul’s Cathedral. The irony was that all around them were armed soldiers.