The Wars of the Roses took place in England from 1451 to 1483, marked by three royal families squaring off for dominance. The events of these years have come to be known as the Wars of the Roses, and are still discussed today.
The initial conflict was between two powerful families: the House of Lancaster and House of Tudor. Both houses claimed the throne, but only one would be crowned king.
The Houses of Lancaster and York jointly recruited a member to fight for them, with each claiming him or her was the legitimate king. This man was Richard III, who claimed the throne but was killed before he could take it.
After his death, another man rose to claim the throne: Edward IV of House York. This man was unsuccessful too, and in 1478 a peace treaty was signed between both sides setting up the new dynasty of Tudor England: House Tudor.
Lancastrian vs. Yorkist allegiances
For most of human history, everyone was on the same side: defend your country against invaders or get involved in some sort of social justice movement.
But in the late 1500s and early 1600s, things changed. Allegiances shifted frequently, people fell in and out of solidarity with astonishing speed, and wars between factions became standard procedure.
This was a time-and-place phenomenon: The Wars of the Roses were fought in England, even though both sides were from abroad. The factions fought each other in France and Germany, where they had allies and supporters.
It wasn’t just British troops who fought for one side or the other: In fact, some foreign leaders enlisted their enemies to fight for them. It was a period when everyone interested in politics could get involved, which is why we call it a political period.
The fall of the Plantagenets and the rise of the Tudors
Between 1485 and 1547, Europe was divided into three powerful Imperiums: the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Latin Roman Empire. All of these empires were composed of many different countries united by rulers who enforced their authority by force.
The fall of these powerful empires came at around the same time, which historians call the Age of Exploration. During this time, people colonized many new continents and brought back strange and powerful artifacts. These discoveries were so widespread that almost everyone in Europe claimed them as their own.
These new discoveries completely changed how people viewed the world and how they lived themselves.
Historians debate whether the true motive behind the war was a struggle for power or over ideological differences
The Wars of the Roses has been described as one of the greatest stories in world literature. It is the story of two powerful families, the Plantagenets and Tudors, fighting for control over England and ruling it for several centuries.
The Wars began in 1455 when Edward IV died and was followed by a series of kings named Edward. He was overthrown in 1461 by an unknown king who reigned for only one year. That king was killed just a year later and a new one, Richard III, took his place.
A few years later he was killed as well and another new ruler took his place. This person ruled for only a few months before he too was overthrown in a coup led by another ruler named Henry VII.
This history lesson will describe why these kings fought, what they were up to, and what effect they had on English society today. It will also talk about how their wars affected England both politically and culturally.
The beginning of the war of the roses
The conflict that would come to be known as The Wars of the Roses began in the late 14th century, with a series back and forth between two royal houses. These royal houses were the Lancaster and York families, and their claims to the throne.
The claim to the throne was not enough for both parties to go to war, so they agreed to divide up the kingdom. This was successful for several years, until one of the claimants died and a regent was appointed.
This regent disagreed with one of the claimants, and so he had him removed from power. This sparked a power struggle between these new rulers, resulting in war. Eventually, one side lost enough support that they decided to go together and fight their war alone.
Battle of St Albans
The most dramatic event in the history of the Plantagenets was the battle of St Albans.
At this battle, the Plantagenet kings decisively defeated their rival kings, the House of Lancaster. The king who won this battle would become Henry V.
The Battle of St Albans took place on 14 February 1455. It was one of the bloodiest battles in English history. More than 30,000 people were killed or gone missing at this time and thereafter.
This is an important event to remember because it marks the beginning of the end for the Plantagenets. After this battle, they never regained power in England and would soon be displaced by another dynasty – the Tudors.
This article will talk about why you should read The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors to learn more about this influential historical event.
Deaths in the war of roses
Between 1450 and 1513, around 200 people in England died in military conflicts, sieges, or political struggles. This was a very high rate of deaths during this period.
These wars were a way for leaders to remain in power by using force. Leadership was one of the things that mattered during this time. Wars were a way for nobles to strengthen their position and gain wealth and/or prestige.
Many leading figures died in these wars and they are important to look at, as they define what leadership looks like today. Many things that are valued today were not so much when these figures led or influenced others.
It is important to look at what influenced them and what they taught others to influence them so that we can learn from them today.
Effects of Wars of Roses
The wars of the roses had a significant impact on England and its people. Most notable was the shift in power distribution.
Prior to this period, the aristocracy controlled all political positions. Afterward, it was a matter of who you knew and what position you held.
This was not the case after then, as new generations established connections to influential people to gain power distribution. This new system worked well for a long time, until new factions formed and old grudges were brought up again.
New wars broke out which established new alliances and caused old problems to be solved. New leaders were found who could control these struggles and find an honest solution every time.
Henry VII succeeds in establishing a dynasty that lasts for three centuries
In A Familiar Stranger, you will learn about some of the key people and events in the Wars of the Roses. You will learn about who fought whom, when, and why. You will also learn about how this dynasty ruled England for three centuries before and after its founding member, Henry VII, became king in 1471.
This dynasty ruled England for three centuries until Queen Elizabeth I died at the age of 66. During her reign, she tried to end many wars between her country’s numerous noble families. She was not successful, but she did establish a dynasty that would last for three centuries!
Henry VII was crowned king at age 19 after his father died in battle. He married Elizabeth of York, who was already queen with another king. This union made him king but also gave him two sons with Elizabeth that he did not immediately rule as heirs to the throne.
