The history of our country and other countries of the world is rich in many facts and events. School program physically cannot accommodate many of them. Ignorance is very important points, for erudite young people, will not add respect and will not free you from questions on the exam.
Even though these questions will not affect the overall assessment, the opinion about your knowledge is an important component. Many pages of history, in addition to being fascinatingly interesting, are also reflected in the works of classics. This topic includes the War of the White and Scarlet Roses - a long and bloody confrontation between two respected families in England. What do you know about this period in the life of the British?
15th century English kingdom
War is war, but why is such a romantic name attached to these difficult and terrible events?
Each English noble family rightfully possessed a unique coat of arms. The York family had a rose on their coat of arms white, Lancaster - scarlet. The period of intense confrontation between the rivals was between 1455 and 1485.
The historical period It was difficult for England. One hundred years of exhausted war (the Hundred Years) ended in defeat. The easy booty that the plunder of French lands brought was over. The nobility of the country is mired in sorting out relations among themselves. King Henry VI of Lancaster took on the role of peacemaker, but these efforts were in vain.
It could not have been otherwise - Henry was ill, his attacks of madness led to the fact that the kingdom was actually ruled by the Dukes of Somerset and Suffolk. The political atmosphere was heated to the limit, it seemed that the slightest spark would ignite a destructive fire. It was Jack Cad's rebellion, which began in 1451. They managed to stop the rebels, but this did not diminish the anarchic sentiments; on the contrary, they gained momentum.
White took the first step
The Duke of York, Richard, decided to take serious actions that he had been nurturing for a long time. In the same year, 1451, he made a speech against the actions of the Duke of Somerset, the royal favorite. Members of Parliament who sided with Richard York expressed their support for him. Moreover, they declared him heir to the throne. But Henry VI was so angry that he dissolved the disobedient parliament. These actions greatly shocked him and led to another long-term attack and loss of reason. Richard took advantage of the situation and received the very important position of public protector.
Only the Duke did not have to rejoice at the victory for long. The king came to his senses and directed all efforts to restore justice - depriving his brother of his position. Richard was not going to give up what he had achieved so easily, and gathered supporters for decisive action. At the same time, he entered into an alliance with the Earl of Salisbury and Warwick. The unification of two strong armies in the spring of 1455 opposed the king. This was the beginning of the war of the two roses.
The small town of St. Albans became the site of the first battle. In England, they briefly, and without a shadow of regret, announced what had happened, emphasizing only the main thing: the king’s loyal supporters and his close favorite Sommerset died. Henry VI is captured.
But it so happened that Richard’s rejoicing did not last long. A woman entered the game - Queen Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. She led the supporters of the Red Rose and removed York from power. Richard had no choice but to rebel. That's what he did. Victory over the Lancasters was achieved. The battles of Blore Heath (September 23, 1459) and Northampton (July 10, 1460) were victorious. King Henry was again captured by the enemy.
Richard relaxed with joy, but Margaret of Anjou, who remained free, did not simply give up her position. She managed to deal Richard an unexpected blow, defeating his troops at the Battle of Wakefill. This event took place on December 30, 1460. The ambitious Richard died as a hero on the battlefield. Margaret ordered, for the edification of all rebels, that the head of the rebel, wearing a paper crown, be put on public display on the wall of York.
Victory of the Scarlet Crest
The owners of the white coat of arms lost. It would seem that everything was over, but the end of the war was still so far away. Interesting Facts the distant past did not end with these events. Edward, son of Richard, also known as the Earl of March, could not accept defeat and formed new army for the offensive. February 3, 1461 was marked by a new battle. The decisive battle at Mortimer Cross ended in a resounding victory. The Lancasters fled from the battlefield. Their losses reached three thousand soldiers. The white rose again sparkled with victorious radiance on the York coat of arms, but...
The Queen of Anjou, having strengthened her troops with an army that joined the confrontation with the heir of Henry VI, Prince Edward, made a retaliatory strike. Her actions were swift and took the enemy by surprise. The Queen defeated the White Rose and freed the King.
The cruel Margarita entered London and showed all her love for her people. Looting, terrorism, robberies are what her army brought with it, bringing Londoners to an extremely disastrous state. When March and Warwick approached the gates of the capital, the residents gladly let them through. On March 4, 1461, Edward March was proclaimed King Edward IV. March 29 was a dark day for the Lancasters. The king and his devoted wife shamefully fled to Scotland.
The scarlet flower has withered...
At this time, discontent began in the White Rose camp. The Earl, the son of the deceased Richard, is dissatisfied with the king who has ascended the throne. He, having entered into an alliance with Edward's brother, attacks the army of Edward IV and defeats it. The king is captured - victory smiled on Wark. But the count, believing Edward’s promises, releases him from captivity. Promises were not kept - enmity flares up with new strength.
Margarita of Anjou, who ran away shamefully, did not even think about calming down. The events of London gave the queen the idea of bringing justice back. Having gathered an army, the restless Margaret approaches the Welsh border. There she was to unite with the army of Jasper Tudor. Her plans were thwarted by Edward IV, who did not allow the Scarlets to reunite and defeated them in battle. Margaret is captured, and the only heir, Henry VI, dies in battle. Edward IV rules the country until his death. The long-awaited calm is being restored in England.
White, Alaya - reunion
But in the Kingdom of England, final peace was still far away. Events kept shaking the country. This lasted until the accession of Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Taking as his wife Edward IV's daughter, Elizabeth, heiress of York, he created a coat of arms from the coats of arms of the two warring parties. On it, the White rose and the Scarlet rose were reunited for centuries.
All the events of the Roses had dire consequences for England. They are still studied by historians. The last point has not yet been reached...
Period evaluation
"Monstrous, mad times..." - William Shakespeare;
"The Wars of the Roses" - Walter Scott
"The Wars of the Roses are one of the most colorful pages English history" - Egor Neverov.
In conclusion, it is worth saying that in our training courses we examine all topics both in the history of Russia and World history. This is why our students pass the Unified State Exam in History with 90 points or higher, and this is their average result.
The long and bloody feud between the two noblest English families, which went down in history as the “War of the Roses,” brought a new royal dynasty to the throne - the Tudors. The war owes its romantic name to the fact that the coat of arms of one of the rival parties - York - was depicted White Rose, and on the coat of arms of their opponents - Lancaster - scarlet.
In the middle of the 15th century. England has fallen on hard times. Having been defeated in the Hundred Years' War, the English nobility, deprived of the opportunity to periodically plunder French lands, plunged into a showdown of internal relations. King Henry VI Lancaster was unable to stop the feuds of the aristocracy. Sick (Henry suffered from bouts of madness) and weak-willed, he almost completely handed over the reins of power to the Dukes of Somerset and Suffolk. The signal that foreshadowed the approach of serious unrest was Jack Cad's rebellion, which broke out in Kent in 1451. The royal troops, however, managed to defeat the rebels, but anarchy in the country was growing.
White starts, but doesn't win.
Richard, Duke of York, decided to take advantage of the situation. In 1451, he tried to increase his influence by opposing the king's all-powerful favorite, the Duke of Somerset. Members of parliament who supported Richard York even dared to proclaim him heir to the throne. However, Henry VI unexpectedly showed firmness and dissolved the rebellious parliament.
In 1453, Henry VI lost his mind as a result of a strong shock. This is the opportunity for Richard to achieve the most important position - protector of the state. But the Disease receded, and the king again ousted his ambitious brother. Not wanting to give up his dreams of the throne, Richard began to gather supporters for a decisive battle. Having concluded an alliance with the Earl of Salisbury and Warwick, who had strong armies, he moved against the king in the spring of 1455. The war of the two roses has begun.
The first battle took place in the small town of St. Albans. Earl Warwick and his detachment entered through the gardens from the rear and struck the royal troops. This decided the outcome of the battle. Many of the king's supporters, including Sommerset, died, and Henry VI himself was captured.
However, Richard's triumph did not last long. Queen Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, who stood at the head of the supporters of the Scarlet Rose, managed to remove York from power. Richard again rebelled and defeated the Lancastrians at the battles of Blore Heath (September 23, 1459) and Northampton (July 10, 1460), and in the latter battle King Henry was again captured. But Margaret of Anjou, who remained free, unexpectedly attacked Richard and defeated his troops at the Battle of Wakefill (December 30, 1460). Richard himself fell on the battlefield, and his head, wearing a paper crown, was displayed for all to see on the wall of York.
White wins, but not for long.
However, the war was still far from over. Having learned about the death of his father, Richard's son Edward, Earl of March, forms a new army in the Welsh possessions of York. Forces are gathering in the Wigmore and Ledlo area. On February 3, 1461, the two armies met in a decisive battle at Mortimer's Cross (Herefordshire). The supporters of the White Rose won an undoubted victory. The Lancastrians left the battlefield with 3,000 casualties.
Meanwhile, Queen Margaret of Anjou, with Henry VI's only heir, Prince Edward, and a huge army, rushed to the rescue of her husband. Having unexpectedly attacked the enemy, in February of the same year she defeated the White Rose supporter Earl of Warwick in St. Albans and freed her husband.
Inspired by the victory, Margarita decides to unite with the army of Jasper Tudor and march on London. And the Earl of March and Warwick head towards the Allied camp in the Cotswolds. Only by a miracle did the Scarlet and White manage to avoid a meeting, which would have been extremely undesirable primarily for the Yorks. Entering London, the queen's army began to loot and terrorize the townspeople. Eventually, riots began in the city, and when March and Warwick approached the capital, Londoners joyfully opened the gates to them. On 4 March 1461, Edward March was proclaimed King Edward IV, and on 29 March he dealt a crushing blow to the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton. The deposed king and his wife are forced to flee to Scotland.
Backed by France, Henry VI still had supporters in the north of England, but they were defeated in 1464 and the king was imprisoned again.
White WINS.
At this moment, strife begins in the White Rose camp. The Earl of Warwick, who leads the Neville clan, teams up with Edward's brother Duke of Clarence and raises a rebellion against the newly enthroned king. They defeat the troops of Edward IV, and he himself is captured. But, flattered by tempting promises, Warwick releases the king. Edward does not keep his promises, and enmity between former like-minded people flares up with renewed vigor. On July 26, 1469, at Edgecote, Warwick defeated the royal army commanded by the Earl of Pembroke and executed the latter along with his brother Sir Richard Herbert. Now Warwick, through the mediation of King Louis XI of France, goes over to the side of the Lancastrians, but just a year later he is defeated and dies at the Battle of Barnet.
Margaret of Anjou returns home from France just on the day of defeat. The news from London shocked the queen, but her determination did not leave her. Having gathered an army, Margaret leads it to the Welsh border to join the army of Jasper Tudor. But Edward IV overtakes the Scarlets and defeats them in the battle of Tewksbury. Margarita is captured; the only heir, Henry VI, fell on the battlefield; the latter died (or was killed) in captivity that same year. Edward IV RETURNED TO LONDON, AND THE COUNTRY WAS RELATIVELY CALM UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1483.
White and scarlet roses on one coat of arms
A new drama unfolds with the death of the king. Edward's brother, Richard Gloucester, joins the struggle for power. According to the law, the throne had to pass to the son of the deceased monarch - the young Edward V. Lord Rivers, the queen's brother, sought to speed up the coronation. However, Richard managed to intercept Rivers with the young heir and his younger brother on the way to London. Rivers was beheaded and the princes were taken to the Tower. Later, the uncle apparently ordered the murder of his nephews. He himself takes possession of the crown under the name of Richard III. This act makes him so unpopular that the Lancasters regain hope. Together with the offended Yorks, they unite around Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, a distant relative of the Lancastrians who lived in France.
In August 1485, Henry Tudor landed at Milford Haven, passed through Wales unmolested and joined forces with his followers. Richard III was defeated by their united army at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485. The usurper king was killed in this battle. Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty, ascended the English throne. Having married Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth, the heiress of York, he combined scarlet and white roses in his coat of arms.
Source – Large illustrated encyclopedia
Date 1455 1485 Place England Result Victory of the Lancastrians and their minions. Liquidation of the Middle Ages in England... Wikipedia
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- The War of the Scarlet and White Roses... Russian spelling dictionary
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- (in England, 1455–1485) ... orthographic dictionary Russian language
War of the Scarlet and White Roses Date 1455 1485 Place England Result Victory of the Lancastrians and their minions. Liquidation of the Middle Ages in England... Wikipedia
A long (1455 85) internecine war of feudal cliques, which took the form of a struggle for the English throne between two lines of the royal Plantagenet dynasty (See Plantagenets): Lancaster (See Lancaster) (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and York... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- (1455 1485) fight for English. the throne between two lateral lines of queens, the Plantagenet dynasty Lancaster (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and York (white rose in the coat of arms). Lancastrian Confrontation ( ruling dynasty) and York (the richest... ... The medieval world in terms, names and titles
1455 85 internecine war in England, for the throne between two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty, Lancaster (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and York (white rose in the coat of arms). The death in the war of the main representatives of both dynasties and a significant part of the nobility made it easier... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Scarlet and White Roses, war- (Roses, Wars of the) (1455 85), an internecine feud, a war that resulted in a protracted struggle for the English throne, lasted, flaring up and then dying out, for 30 years. Its reason was the rivalry between two contenders for the English throne of Edmund Beaufort... ... The World History
WAR OF THE SCARLET AND WHITE ROSE 1455 85, internecine war for the English throne between the royal dynasties (Plantagenet branches) of Lancaster (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and York (white rose in the coat of arms). During the war, the Lancastrians (1399 1461) ceded power... ... Modern encyclopedia
Books
- War of the Roses Petrel, Iggulden Conn. 1443 The Hundred Years' War is nearing its end. The forces of England are exhausted, and Henry VI sits on the throne - a pale shadow of his illustrious father, a weak-willed ruler, gradually sliding into...
- War of the Roses Petrel, Iggulden Conn. 1443 The Hundred Years' War is nearing its end. The forces of England are exhausted, and Henry VI sits on the throne - a pale shadow of his illustrious father, a weak-willed ruler, gradually sliding into...
England 15th century. The country is in the midst of an armed conflict for the throne between the related two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty. For more than thirty years, the country passed from hand to hand...
England 15th century. The country is in the midst of an armed conflict for the throne between the related two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty. For more than thirty years, the country passed from hand to hand, like a piece of fabric.
The war ended with the complete destruction of the York and Lancaster dynasties. The throne passed to the Tudors. They ruled England for one hundred and seventeen years. In a bloody mess civil war A huge number of the oldest families of England were killed. Children and wives died.
Causes of the war
England lost the Hundred Years' War with France. The defeat plunged the country into a state of incomprehensible economic chaos. The English feudal lords did not know how to work. They robbed France. And they didn’t know what to do next. And on the throne was the half-mad King Henry VI, Lancaster.
In fact, the country was ruled by a queen, Margaret of Anjou, supported by a group of wealthy Englishmen. This outraged the progressive strata of English society. They knew for sure that England needed free trade and the development of crafts.
Wealthy citizens and middle class grumbled. The royal treasury is empty, a huge armed army, returning from the continent after defeat, wanders in a hungry, exhausted country. There is no national idea.
Society is disappointed, the ground is ready for civil strife to begin, and the mechanism of civil war has been launched. England as a state is of no interest to anyone. Everyone just wanted profit. There are two Houses left vying for the throne.
As a result, England was divided into two camps: the Lancasters became the head of the northern barons, and the Yorks led the more stable economically, southeast. The scarlet rose has entered the warpath with the white rose. In addition, the white rose was actively supported by poor nobles, merchants and townspeople.
Richard, Duke of York, on a May day in 1455, defeated the army of the scarlet rose. But thanks to intrigues within his army, he was removed from power. Another riot broke out, in which he again won, capturing the king.
The king's smart, cunning and cruel wife, Margaret of Anjou, stood up for her crazy husband. In battle, the queen was not inferior to men in courage and military skill. She became the symbol of the House of Lancaster instead of her husband.
Rose of York
Rose of Lancaster
Tudor Rose
The War of the Roses brought significant destruction and disaster to the population of England, and many people died during the conflict. big number representatives of the English feudal aristocracy
In that battle, the knights of the scarlet rose won, and the leader of the white rose died. His head, decorated with a paper crown, adorned the wall of the city of York for some time. The heir, son Edward, led troops and destroyed the Lancastrians near Towton.
The royal couple took refuge in Scotland, and the winner was crowned under the name Edward IV. 40,000 people died in the battle, and the river that flowed nearby was red.
The year was 1464. Edward IV, trying to achieve absolute submission, opposed the Lancastrians in the northern provinces. Having won the victory, he captured the king and locked him in the Tower. The irrepressible desire for power, for the subjugation of the nobility, for the limitation of won freedom, provoked another uprising against the king.
The leapfrog on the throne continues. The king was overthrown and expelled from England in 1470. Henry VI, and therefore Margaret, is again in power. But the year 1471 brought victory to Edward IV over Margaret, supported by France.
The Tower received the deposed king in last time. He died in captivity. Consolidating power, the king deals with the Lancasters and Yorks. Death calmed and reconciled the king with his opponents. And the throne went to Crown Prince Edward V.
Richard, the brother of the late king, seized power under the pretext of regency over the child king. Brave and ambitious, he sends his nephew and brother to the Tower. No one ever saw them again. The boys' uncle declared himself King Richard III.
The disappearance of boys and the usurpation of power outraged the warring nobility of England. Having reached an agreement with each other with difficulty, they invited Henry Tudor, from the Lancaster clan, who lived on bitter bread at the royal court of France.
Representation of the apocryphal scene in the Temple Gardens in Part I of Henry VI, where supporters of the warring factions choose red and white roses
The adventurer landed on the coast of England with an armed army, and teaming up with the rebels, defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry himself died. The throne went to Henry VII, born Earl of Richmond. On his father's side, he belonged to an ancient Welsh family.
Results of the civil war
Once upon a time, a long time ago, the Earl of Richmond's ancestor had a love affair with the French princess Catherine of Valois. He became the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Consolidating power and hoping for a peaceful outcome, the new king was legally married to the daughter of the late king. Irreconcilable enemies have made peace.
The civil war on the island, accompanied by terrible and cruel executions and murders for thirty years, slowly began to decline. Two ancient royal dynasties perished. The people of the country were exhausted under the yoke of taxes, the treasury was plundered, trade was not profitable, and there was open robbery of the population.
King Louis XI of France
Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold
The feudal aristocracy was destroyed, the confiscated lands now belonged to the king. He bestowed them on the new nobles, merchants, and rich townspeople. This population became the support of the absolute power of the Tudors.
By the way, during the Civil War the names “Scarlet Rose” and “White Rose” were not used. The term began to actively appear in the 19th century, with light hand Walter Scott, who found a scene (fictional) in Shakespeare's play Henry VI, where enemies in the church choose different roses.
King Henry Tudor used a red dragon on his banners, and Richard III carried a banner with a white boar. The disgusting system of corrupt, bastard feudalism influenced the beginning of the Thirty Years' War.
Ambitious ambitions, desire for wealth, profitable marriage alliances gave good soil for betrayal, betrayal. Almost every feudal lord had his own private army. England is fragmented into small counties and duchies.
This was the last rampant of feudal anarchy in England. The Tudor dynasty established the absolutism of its own power. New dynasty gave the world a great ruler, about whom the whole world knows - Elizabeth - the Virgin Queen. The Tudors were in power for 117 years.
Reason for starting the war
1454 The King of England is Henry VI. He is not mentally healthy, so his ability to rule is in doubt. At court, the struggle for real power in the country begins.
Duke of York Richard seeks the position of regent for the king who is unable to rule. This is a thoughtful move, since the Duke is a descendant of King Edward III, and therefore has the right to lay claim to the throne in the future.
The wife of the weak-minded monarch, Margaret of Anjou, used her influence and managed to remove the ambitious vassal from a promising position.
Richard responded to the court intrigue with force. Thus began the war.
Progress of the War of the Roses
Richard York united his supporters and in 1455 opposed the king's army. Opponents met at St. Albans. The fight ended in victory for the Duke. He is again a regent, but now also the official heir of the insane king.
This is the beginning of the feudal war, later called the War of the Roses.
The country was divided into two camps: supporters of Richard York (white rose) and those who supported the rightful king from the Lancaster dynasty (scarlet rose). Richard's powerful ally was the Earl of Warwick - he was called the kingmaker. The French monarch provided support to the king, and in fact to Queen Margaret.
After a short truce established as a result of negotiations in 1458, both sides returned to the use of force to resolve differences.
July 1460 – The Earl of Warwick took London and then captured Henry VI.
December 1460 - Richard of York was defeated at Wakefield and killed. But it is too early to sum up the results of the war - it did not end there: the deceased contender for the throne from the White Rose camp had sons who also aspired to supreme power.
1461, February - Richard's eldest son Edward defeats the supporters of the current king at Mortimer's Cross.
February 17 - the forces of the Scarlet Rose freed the king, but London did not open the gates to its ruler.
March 29 - the son of the fallen Duke of York, Edward, again defeats the troops of Henry VI, now at Towton, and proclaims himself king - Edward IV.
Margaret and Henry flee north, but in 1464 they are overtaken by the York troops. Henry is captured again, Margarita finds protection with her patron in France.
Edward did not want to share the captured power with anyone, which greatly upset the kingmaker Earl of Warwick. Now the White Rose camp has split.
1468 - Warwick Neville defeats the troops of the new king, and Edward himself is captured. Having kept him in captivity for prevention, Edward IV was again placed on the throne. It's still needed.
1470 - Warwick changes his mind again. From now on he is on the side of the feudal lords of the Scarlet Rose. The Count releases Henry VI from prison and gives him the crown. And Edward is forced to leave England.
But not for long. IN next year he returns, gathers allies and defeats the kingmaker's troops. Warwick himself met death on the battlefield. Presumably, in a duel with Edward's younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (he would later become Richard III). Henry was again captured by the victors, but he never left the Tower alive. The Yorks celebrate their victory over the Scarlet Rose camp. This was the intermediate result of the war. The subsequent years 1471-1485 can be characterized as a lull in the confrontation between the Scarlet and White Roses.
1483 - Edward IV dies. His 12-year-old son was placed on the throne under the royal name Edward V. The real power at court was held by the brother of the deceased ruler, Richard of Gloucester. First he becomes regent for the boy king. And then he declares the crowned nephew a bastard. On this basis, Edward V and his brother are locked in the Tower. The boys there soon die. Richard simply could not allow England to be left without a ruler. So he crowned himself and went down in history as Richard III.
During a fairly short period of reign, the newly-minted monarch managed to turn everyone against himself, even representatives of the White Rose camp (the relatives of Edward IV did not forgive him for the death of their children).
The logical result was the resumption of the war. Only now the forces of the Scarlet and White Rose have united to overthrow the usurper. The general army was led by Henry Tudor, who was related to the Lancastrians (scarlet).
1485, August 22 - the warring parties met in a duel at Bosworth. The result of the battle was the defeat of the army of Richard III from the army under the command of Tudor.
The symbolic end of the war was the wedding: the winner (scarlet) married Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth (white). The Tudor dynastic coat of arms depicts the union of two flowers that competed for 30 years for England.
Results of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses
The war wiped out the flower of the English aristocracy. The willfulness of the feudal lords brought devastation to the country: executions, robberies, tax extortions. After all these horrors, the need for a strong central government was beyond doubt. The weakened aristocracy surrendered its position to the new nobility (entrepreneurs) and merchants. It was these strata of society that accelerated the establishment of absolutism and became the support of the Tudor dynasty.
