Wars of the roses

• Signs of a successful King (5)

  Strong, decisive leadership

  United nobility

  Impressive, wealthy court

  Strong defence against France + Scotland

  Low levels of crime and disorder
• Signs of a failure King (5)

  Weak, indecisive leadership

  Powerful, rebellious nobility

  No signs of wealth or splendour at Court

  Danger from France and Scotland

  High levels of crime and disorder
• Important things to remember about nobles and the peace (4)

  Warfare was not constant but in intervals

  Nobles weren't constantly planning rebellions

  Nobles wanted a successful monarchy

  Loyalty and servitude was most important
• Steps to being a successful King (12)

  Make all important decisions

  Punish lawbreakers severely without mercy

  Don't reward Royal Household too lavishly

  Risk of looking poor + weak to them

  Display wealth and power through court dress

  Poor King = powerless King

  Royal officials like Chancery, the Exchequer

  Don't tax too heavily

  Meet with Parliament and dictate grants

  Don't ignore the House of Commons

  Don't let strangers deal with high crimes

  Appoint loyal officials
• What was happening in France 1449?

  Terrible year for the English

  French ships attacked coastal towns + ships

  Close to retaking all lands taken by Henry V

  Duke of Suffolk blamed for failures
• What happened in 1450 to English territories in France?

  Suffolk sold them to France

  Accused of treason by Parliament

  Sent to Tower

  Mid May, imprisonment was revoked

  Suffolk exiled for 5 years

  Ship intercepted by rebels, he was killed
• Accusations of Cade's rebels towards evil advisors

  Robbing the King and enriching themselves

  The King gave lords more land than needed

  Resulted in the King being too poor

  Resulted in less benefits to the poor

  Saye had lots of land in Kent and E. Anglia

  Hijacking courts of law for own benefit

  Fined for nonexistent crimes

  Assets seized or prison or both

  Suffolk upholder of morally wrong practices

  Preventing royal nobles' voices

  Blocking Royal voices in council

  Corrupt system

  York was an upholder of this belief

  Critical to Suffolk and Somerset for this
• How England lost France

  Duke of Burgundy allied with France

  Charles VII effective ruler

  Normandy left defenseless

  Shattered national pride

  Treachery by Suffolk and allies

  Took French bribes
• Consequences of the loss of France

  Slump in the cloth trade - access to markets

  French attacks in coastal towns increased

  Refugee crisis - migration from Normandy
• Local complaints against the regency around 1450

  Fear of penalisation for Suffolk's murder

  Corruption across local lords and landowners

  Fear of poverty and hunger - trade slump
• National complaints against the regency around 1450

  King's wealth stolen by evil advisors

  Bribery and threats in court of law

  Leading royal nobles isolated from King

  Loss of English territories in France
• Major cause of complaints against regency around 1450

  Suffolk and his corrupt advisers
• Ultimate cause of complaints against regency around 1450

  Henry VI's inability to control councillors

  Inability to pursue justice

  Inability to audience correct nobles
• All about the Duke of York

  Lieutenant of France 1436-7, 1440-5

  Lieutenant of Ireland 1447

  Very loyal to Henry VI

  Extremely wealthy with land all over England
• All about the Duke of Somerset

  Soldier and war-leader

  Record ruined in 1447 - English surrender

  Had a relationship with Henry VI's mother

  Few lands, little income (comparatively)
• York's power grab events 1450-1

  Abroad during Cade's Rebellion

  Somerset becoming Henry's right hand man

  Somerset had lots of noble support

  Earl, of Shrewsbury, John Talbot

  Hoped Somerset would restore authority

  York returned 1450

  Rebels proposed York as lead adviser

  Anxiety from central government

  Advisers sent by Somerset to arrest York

  York sent sophisticated propaganda to Henry

  Won support of Lords and Nobles

  Called Somerset a traitor for French auction

  Many nobles sided with Somerset

  Strong belief York was troublesome

  York excluded from power in 1451
• York's second failure of 1452

  York tried to restore peace between nobles

  York was accused of breaching the peace

  York marched on London 1452

  Pathetic surrender at Dartford - no support

  Nobles wanted peace, like Somerset

  York once again slated as troublemaker

  Enmity between Somerset and York increase
• Changes in fortune in 1453

  Nobility united with Somerset to keep peace

  Queen pregnant, continued birthright

  Fortunes changed in 1453

  Defeat in France, death of Shrewsbury

  Hopes of success in France destroyed

  King's collapse in 1453, in coma until Dec
• Noble feuds impact 1450-4

  Absence of Henry, quarrels over land

  Neville with York, then with Somerset 1452

  More chance of building authority under Som.

  Neville vs Somerset feud

  Neville vs Percy feud over marriage and heir

  Cromwell vs Exeter feud -

  Exeter took Cromwell's land

  Armed feud between retainers

  Exeter enemies with Cromwell, sided Percy
• Events of York's protectorate 1454

  Nevilles and Cromwell sided with York

  Argued he would provide stable leadership

  York sworn in as Protector 1454

  Swore oath recognising Edward as heir

  +Edward would become protector when older

  Effectively dealt with rebellion

  Exeter planned to assassinate him

  Exeter and Egremont imprisoned

  Showed his success
• What happened after Henry recovered in 1454?

  Somerset was released from the Tower

  Restored back to central government

  Somerset backed Exeter and the Percys

  York's protectorate ended

  Anxiety arose from both factions

  Anxious about the retaliation from York

  Somerset called Great Council w/out York

  Nevilles alienated too

  York's only way to save pos. was to attack
• The Battle of St. Albans

  May 1455

  Negotiated for 2 hours - attempt to avoid fight

  Somerset barricaded in the town

  York unable to enter, Neville entered houses

  Somerset + Northumberland slain

  Warwick begged forgiveness of King

  King's neck grazed
• How Henry's illness turned the possibility of conflict into reality

  Caused feuds with nobles

  Somerset had no authority to control it

  Norfolk acted on behalf of York vs Somerset

  Nobody opposed, air of failure of Somerset

  No trial caused division at Court
• How Henry's recovery turned the possibility of conflict into reality

  Lead to conflict within 6 months

  Somerset reemerged in central govt.

  Tensions between York and Somerset again
• How mutual fear in 1455 was the trigger of conflict

  Drove to take action

  Somerset's action political

  York's action military

  Both wanted to retaliate first
• How public opinion made conflict more likely in 1455

  People wanted a new beginning

  People wanted their voices heard

  Gave York support with Cade's Rebellion

  Maneuvered York to be rival of Somerset
• How feuds between nobles made conflict more likely in 1455

  York was politically isolated

  York most likely to restore order, say Nevilles

  Exeter resented York's sudden power

  Helped two sides emerge but did not cause

  In Dartford 1452 York had no support
• How Henry VI's failure caused the possibility of conflict in 1455

  Barely involved in governing or leadership

  Did not stop Somerset and York quarreling

  Incapable of resolving noble feuds
• How enmity between York and Somerset caused the possibility of conflict in 1455

  Somerset opposed York for stirring disunity

  Somerset refused to give up opposition

  After 1450 there was lots of friction
• Why did York want to be the King's leading councillor?

  Strong sense of duty and destiny

  Restore good government, end evil advisers

  Put England right

  Denounced Somerset's surrender Normandy
• Somerset's success 1450-3

  York attempted and failed to replace twice

  Nobles allied Somerset opposing disunity

  Dartford 1452 - no support for York
• York's comeback 1453-4

  Somerset imprisoned 1454

  York Protector 1454

  Neville support
• Somerset restored and conflict 1454-5

  York's protectorate ended December 1454

  Somerset emerged, both men fearful

  York gathered army against Somerset

  Somerset killed, York begged forgiveness
• What did York and the Nevilles hope for after 1455?

  No more battles

  All political enemies defeated

  More fighting put successes at risk

  York's protectorate 1455
• What was Warwick's position in 1455?

  Captain of Calais

  Garrison soldiers under his command
• Margaret's small offensive in 1456

  York's protectorate ended

  Margaret restored her people to central govt.

  Court moved to Coventry - huge support

  Neither side attacked but found middle ground
• The re-emergence of conflict, 1458

  Loveday ceremony in London

  Armed retainer showdown in London

  Salisbury, York and Neville vs Lancastrians

  Lasted 2 months of negotiations

  Irony - Henry's attempt to bring peace led war

  Warwick attacked Margaret in London

  Outnumbered, fled to Calais

  Both sides then preparing for war

  1459 - Council assembled in Coventry

  York was not invited

  Fear of being accused of treason

  Yorkist nobles gathered at Ludlow Castle

  Intercept of Lancastrian army by Salisbury

  Battle at Blore Heath
• Battle of Blore Heath

  1459

  Warwick arrived from Calais w/ professionals

  Calais garrison would not fight Henry

  Yorkists deserted

  York fled to Ireland

  Salisbury, Warwick and Edward to Calais
• Parliament of Devils

  1459

  York not invited, accused of treason

  Act of Attainder passed

  York to be executed if caught

  Whole family impoverished

  York had no choice but to claim the crown
• Battle of Northampton

  1460

  York had no choice but to fight back

  Marched to London with Nevilles + Salisbury

  Greeted like heroes, headed North

  Lord Egremont killed

  Lord Grey defected to York

  Henry captured, but still loyal

  Yorkist victory