20 Marker Q

• The Battle of Towton

  1. Two separate battles

  2. First battle at Ferrybridge on 28th March

  3. Lancastrians forced to retreat by Yorkists

  4. Fierce fighting with many lives lost, including Lancastrian commander Lord Clifford

  5. Earl of Warwick injured, taking an arrow in the leg

  6. Two sides met at Towton (chosen by the Lancastrians)

  7. It was snowing during the battle

  8. Edward used the snow to his advantage, ordering archers to fire one flight and then step back

  9. Lancastrians fired blindly back, arrows fell short and were gathered up to use against them

  10. Lancastrians looked to have advantage when Somerset drove Edwards cavalry from the field

  11. They failed to see the late arrival of the Duke of Norfolk, whose attack was the final blow
• After the Battle of Towton, Edward IV was crowned King of England and France on the 28th of June 1461 in London.
• Henry VI, the Queen, and Prince Edward have been able to escape to Scotland as a result of the Battle of Towton
• Henry VI was a problem for Edward IV because he was a figurehead for the Lancastrian cause.  Although he lacked drive like his wife, he still had the same blood as the great Henry V.
• Lancastrians, it came up against the Yorkist force lead by John Neville, the Earl of Warwick’s brother. Henry had escaped to the north-east of England, whilst Margaret and Prince Edward had fled to France.
• Edward didn’t order death upon Henry VI because it would give the Lancastrians hope that the young prince Edward could revive the Lancastrian line from the weak Henry VI.
• Margaret took on the role of trying to gather the support necessary to mount a credible challenge to the Yorkists which wasn’t easy due to her lack of finance. However, foreign enemies who would have liked to see the downfall of England (The Kings of France and Scotland) offered Margaret alliances.
• The King of Scotland:

  Ordered Berwick to be surrendered to Scotland which was a small town on the Scottish border which provided England with critical strategic importance (April 1461).
• Margaret's negotiations led to an attack on the Channel Islands


  Summer of 1461
• Death of Charles VII of France

  July 1461
• Louis XI


  The new King of France
• Louis XI supported Edward at Towton

  But was easily persuaded to support the Lancastrian line once promises Calais by Margaret
• Margaret faced a huge force from Henry VI


  Managed to flee back to France
• Edward followed this


  Created and completed truces with both France and Scotland which ended foreign Lancastrian support
• Edward attempted to deal with the problem of the nobility retaining private armies. At the start of his reign legislation was put in place to make retaining armies illegal by 1468.  This allowed the king to regain control of his nobility.
• The King of Scotland in 1461, was 10-years-old James III and such, Scotland was in no shape to involve itself in English affairs as the Scottish court was riven with problems normally associated with a minority thar saw two factions fighting for control. Then Scotland joined the French began an attack, in 1461, on the Channel Islands. The Death of King Charles VII of France saw the reign of King Louis XI. Louis had sent troops to support Edward in the Battle of Towton.
• Edward IV’s limited success as in July 1463 King James III of Scotland, King Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou and Mary of Guelders lead an army over the border and were met with a Yorkist army lead by Warwick and Montagu
• From 1466-67 both France and Burgundy were seeking English support against each other.

  • The Earl of Warwick favoured an alliance with the French due to it being the bigger power and it was seen as a better option for English goods. However, memories of the ‘Hundred Years War’ were still fresh and dislike for the French remained strong.
  • Edward Favoured and alliance with Burgundy due to popular sentiment especially that of London and the merchants.
• In November 1467, a commercial treaty was signed with Burgundy and the following spring a marriage treaty was agreed by which Edwards sister, Margaret, would marry Charles, the new Duke of Burgundy. The same year an alliance with Britany was made due to its fear of French expansion.

  The French responded by sponsoring Jasper Tudor in an attack on the West Wales in support of the Lancastrians still holding Harlech Castle.
• In 1470, Warwick quarrelled with Edward IV, it was King Louis XI who came up with the scheme to bring Warwick and Margaret of Anjou together which lead to Edward loss of the throne.
• Edward IV’s marriage to the widowed Lancastrian-supporting Elizabeth Woodville broke most of the conventions of that day in that they had a secret ceremony in May 1464. When the marriage market was being dominated by the Woodville’s and he had two daughters to provide matches for.

  • Warwick approached Edward to have his sister, Isabella, to marry Edwards brother the Duke of Clarence but Edward rejected that idea.
  • The Woodville match didn’t provide any political or economic benefits which made the match nationally unpopular.
• Warwick felt he was being replaced by the Woodville’s a lesser Nobel family, in his potions of influence over the King and was most unhappy about this.
• When Edward IV became King, Warwick had wanted control of South Wales, but this was given to William Herbert.

  • Herbert, like Warwick, was ruthless in his attempts to promote his own family.
  • William, Lord Hastings was made Edward IV’s chamberlain, a position he was told to hold until Edward’s death serving his loyalty beyond question. 
• Herbert, Hasting and Woodville were apart of the ‘new men’ through Edward expanding his power base. These were men that showed ultimate loyalty to not just the Yorkist cause but to Edward himself. Warwick saw these men as pushing him out of influence on the King.
• Edward asserted himself the most in his foreign relations. While Warwick was negotiating with France, Edward was negotiating with the Burgundians and ultimately closed an alliance with them in 1467. On 1468, Edwards sister Margaret married the Duke of Burgundy’s son Charles thereby cementing the alliance.

  • Edwards choice of burgundy over France, started King Louis XI’s plan to bring in Warwick and Margaret of Anjou to conspire against England.

   
• • Edward IV wasn’t the malleable King Warwick had hoped.
  • Edward had to bring the country under his rule as quickly and as peaceful as possible.
  • Warwick was resentful because of:
  • Edward’s Policy of Conciliation.
  • Edward’s idea of the ‘new men’.
  • The Woodville’s gaining power, due to the marriage.
  • King Louis XI of France conspired with Margaret of Anjou and Warwick to de-throne Edward.
• • Edward had two armies, Warwick, and Montagu, in the north and his army started to melt away and flee to Burgundy leaving the throne clear for Henry VI.
  • Edwards decision to get a treaty with Burgundy over France, France being the larger power and larger market for English goods.
• Clarence married Warwick's daughter Isabel


  1469
• Clarence married Warwick's daughter Isabel


  This union had been expressly forbidden by Edward
• Warwick's actions


  1. Went to Calais with a large party, including his brother Clarence

  2. Returned to Edgecote in July 1469

  3. Took revenge on the Woodville's, killing the Queens father Earl Rivers

  4. Captured Edward and took him to Warwick castle

  5. Tried to 'rule' the country
• The nobility refused to co-operate with Warwick's attempt to 'rule' the country
• Edward IV was released and headed to London with loyal Nobels such as Hastings and Gloucester