POWER

1 Power in medieval Britain c1000–c1485 1.3 A constant struggle for power: who ruled in the medieval period?
Case study 5: The Wars of the Roses 1455–85
This is the final twist in our tale of power in the medieval period – a struggle for
power between two great noble families. Here is an outline of the main events.
1413 Lancastrian Henry Bolingbroke, who had seized the throne from Richard II, dies. His
son becomes Henry V.
1413–22 Henry V is a successful monarch. England is peaceful and orderly and the king wins
an important victory against the French at Agincourt in 1415. He dies of dysentery while
fighting in France.
1422–47 Henry VI is only nine months old when he becomes king. A council of nobles rules
until he is 16. England is relatively stable. There are some disagreements among the nobles
but for the most part they put their own interests second to the good of the kingdom.
1437–50 Henry VI rules in his own right. Unfortunately he is a weak and ineffective king
who dislikes making decisions. The French win back a lot of the territory that Henry V
had taken. Senior nobles try to rule in Henry’s name but discontent arises because of poor
government and increasing economic problems in England. A violent protest breaks out
in 1450.
1450–55 The situation worsens. Two of the most powerful nobles – the Duke of York and
the Duke of Somerset – clash as each man thinks he was the right person to be Henry’s chief
adviser. They fight a battle at St Albans. Somerset is killed.
1455–61 Most nobles understand that civil war would be disastrous and hope that this will
be the end of the dispute. They feel a duty to stay loyal to Henry VI. However, by 1459 the
Lancaster family is beginning to suspect that the Duke of York plans to depose Henry VI.
Each side builds up an army and a series of battles takes place. York is killed but his son,
Edward, wins the decisive Battle of Towton. He deposes Henry VI (who flees from England)
and makes himself Edward IV.
1461–68 Edward gradually restores peace and stability, with the help of the powerful Earl of
Warwick. By 1464, the remaining Lancastrians are defeated and Henry VI is captured before
escaping to Scotland. However, Warwick and Edward IV fall out over what to do about
war with France and Edward’s marriage (he had secretly married for love, but Warwick had
expected him to make a political alliance). Edward has also refused to grant Warwick more
power in government.
1469–71 Warwick rebels against Edward and forces him to flee the country. However,
Edward gains help from the Duke of Burgundy and returns with an army to defeat and
kill Warwick in 1471. Edward orders the murder of Henry VI and his son to remove
potential rivals.
1471–83 Edward rules and England becomes relatively stable again.
1483 Edward IV dies and his 13-year-old son becomes Edward V. The young king’s reign
lasts only three months. His uncle, Richard, seizes the throne and becomes Richard III
before Edward V is even crowned. Edward and his younger brother disappear – probably
murdered.
1485 Richard III faces opposition from those who believe he has seized the throne illegally.
Rebels rallied around Henry Tudor, a distant relative of Henry VI. In August 1485, Henry
invades England and kills Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth.
Uncorrected proof
FOCUS TASK
How do you interpret the Wars of the Roses?
Historians have long been fascinated by the Wars of the Roses. Over time, the events of this long period
of civil war have been reinterpreted in different ways. The main lines of thinking can be summed up as follows.
1 Study the outline of events above.
a Choose five events that seem to support the first view. Explain how they support the view.
b Now choose five events that support the second view. Explain how they support the view.
Remember, the same event might support both views, depending on how you interpret it.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1 Describe two examples of
the work of the Church in
medieval England. (4)
2 Explain why kings and
barons clashed in the
medieval period. (8)
3 What was the significance
of Magna Carta? (14)
4 ‘The most significant
problem faced by medieval
monarchs was war.’ How far
do you agree with this view?
(14)
KEY QUESTION REVIEW
A Why did monarchs clash with their subjects in the period
c1100–c1485?
You have been collecting examples of the following causes of tension:
powerful churchmen
weak monarchs
religion
• money
• war
other.
powerful barons
1 Rank these causes in terms of their importance in causing tension.
Explain your order, giving examples. These examples will be useful in
your written work. Think about which you would use if you were answering
this question:
Explain why there was so much instability in England in the later 1300s and
1400s. (8)
B How did the balance of power between monarchs and subjects
change in the period c1100–c1485?
2 Look back to the chart on page 31. Decide how the power bars should look for
each reign. Explain your chart.
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