Book Description

The Wars of the Roses saw a series of bloody battles during one of the most turbulent periods of English history. The houses of Lancaster and York fought for control of the crown, devastating the nobility and bringing an end to the illustrious Plantagenet dynasty. Starting with an overview of the politics and events that culminated in the wars, this new history focuses on the seventeen battles that took place around the country between 1455 and 1487. It considers the causes, course and result of each battle, beginning with the first battle of St Albans on 22 May 1455, which was won by the Yorkist faction lead by Richard, Duke of York. The bloodiest battle ever known on English soil at Towton on 29 March 1461, and the victory there of the first Yorkist King Edward IV is described here in vivid detail. The battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May 1471 saw the death of Edward Prince of Wales, the last male heir of the Lancastrians, and the subsequent murder of King Henry VI at the Tower of London. The defeat and death of King Richard III at the battle of Bosworth on 22 August 1485 marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty. The last battle of the Wars of the Roses was at East Stoke on 16 June 1487 where the first Tudor King Henry VII crushed the Yorkist revolt. The final chapter of the book is devoted to the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, who disappeared at the Tower of London during the reign of King Richard III in 1483, and the suspects to their likely murders. Written with the most up-to-date archaeological and documentary research, and including many images of the main protagonists, battle sites, maps and genealogical charts, this is a fascinating new insight into the Wars of the Roses.