England 1445-1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII.

suffolk charged with treason, exiled and murdered. This being as a result for the loss in Normandy. June 1450- Bishop of Sailisbury killed

Murder of the Duke of Suffolk as the Kentish people were afraid that tehy would be held accountable as his body was found on a Kent beach.
Taxes were unfairly levied
Taxes had been increased because the King had given away so much crown land in patronage to his favourites and affinity
Justice was not impartially administered
The Lords allowed to continue to hold their positions of office despite the losses in France and the misgovernment in England

Triggered by murder of the Duke of Suffolk (captured and killed by French pirates as he was on his way to Calais, his body found on a Kent beach. Further triggered by unfairly levied taxes due to the King haven given away much crown land to his affinities. Justuce noot impartially administered. Began in Kent led by Jack Cade (use the name John Mortimer). Army of discontented citizens and rebels gathered as they progressed through Kent, leading to a an army of over 46,000 as well as over a hundred nobles. This army reached Blackheath on 1st June.
AIMED FOR DUKE OF YORK TO BE KEY ADVISOR TO THE KING.
Resulted in the deaths of Lord Say and Lord Crowmer

This rebellion demonstrated the King's inability to cope with a crisis such as this, this rebellion demonstrated the qualms of teh English people not just the problems in Kent.
York did not rush back to England from Ireland following this rebellion and the calls from the people for him to return and take up the position of the King's chief advisor. This allowed time for the Duke of Somerset to take this place.
Those in power saw York as a threat and an enemy as he was challenging their positions as the King's advisors but challenging the throne itself.

York returned to England from Ireland where he was fulfilling the role of Lord lieutenant of Ireland. York was not asked to return by the king and the King who was under the guidance of Edmund, Duke of Somerset was suspicious of York's motives.
Somerset-returned from defeat in Normandy- filled the position left by Suffolk's death- became the King's chief councillor.
York felt that the position of Chief advisor to the crown was his right by birth. York had much land in Normandy which had been lost, Somerset being responsible for this.

Causes;
York continued to accuse Somerset of plotting against him- York claimed that he was acting before his enemies could act first.
York seeking the removal of SOmerset because of his failures in France (loss of Normandy)
Via this coup York decided to try force to remove Somerset from his position as the King's chief adviser as he had failed in trying to do this through Parliament.
Nevilles gave York their support at Dartford, when York challenged Henry's authority as they had sought York's help with the Percys following the attack at Heworth.

Margaret was stepping beyond the traditional bounds of Queen. Queen Eleanor in 1253 had been only previous female regent. Only Viscount Beaumont came out in her support.
Margaret putting herself forward to become regent demonstrated the first sign of Margaret's interest in political matters.
It has been suggested that once her husband, Henry VI had recovered in early 1455, she became further involved in political matters and may have even encouraged Henry VI, along with Somerset to call a great council at Leicester- convincing them that it was the Nevilles and York that were plotting treason. As it was Margaret who held the town to Leicester.
The 1455 Battle of St Albans, confirmed her suspicions of York as he had raised an Army against the King who had been injured by an arrow to the shoulder.

This began the struggle between Margaret, Somerset and York for power in place of Henry VI, during his illness where he was incapacitated to rule. York, through the Duke of Norfolk, repeated the claim that the Duke of Somerset was guilty of treason as well as being responsible for the loss of Normandy and the loss of Gascony. Continuing the feud between the Dukes of York and Somerset.
IMPACTS OF HIS ILLNESS;
open warfare between the Percy and Neville families broke out, the king was incapacitated to intervene and put a stop to this illegal behaviour after an attack upon the Nevilles at Heworth. The Neville family then seeking support in the Duke of York.

party of Nevilles were returning home from a family wedding when they were attacked at Heworth near York by over 700 Percy followers, result of the fight was inconclusive and led to fuether fighting between the two families. This is when the King's intervention was required to prevent further escalation of events between these two families however the king was incapacitated at the time due to his illness and the council lacked the confidence to act with sufficient firmness to quell the feud between these two waring families.
PERCYS AND NEVILLES WERE THE TWO GREAT FAMILIES OF THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. Nevilles held substantially more land, had gained more earldoms such as that of the earldom of Warwick and the earldom of Salisbury through advantageous marriages. The Percys had also rebelled against Henry IV and the Nevilles had been key beneficiaries of this land, fuelling further resentment. However both these families, the Nevilles and the Percys collaborated against their common enemy of the Scots.

This solved the question of succession however did nothing to deal with the problem of who should run the country during Henry VI's mental illness.
Duke of York was no longer heir presumptive (as the King's closest male relative) now that he had a son. York was now determined to acquire the leading position on any regency council should there be due to the King's incapacity.
Margaret of Anjou showed heavy support for the Duke of Somerset by having him involved in her newborn son's-Prince Edward's christening.

sent to the tower possibly for his own safety, he was never brought to trial, this suggesting that there may have been little legal validity to Norfolk's claims.
Margaret of Anjou was increasingly fearful for her sons inheritance following her husband-the King's mental decline and was determined to prevent the Duke of York from becoming regent and attempted to take thsi role of regent herself, however she gained little support, likely due to the combination of her female gender, her nationality (French) who were still heavily disliked by the English as well as England's lack of experience of female leadership.

Cardinal Kemp, the Archbuishop of Canterbury as well as the Chancellor of England, meant that drastic changes would have to be taken as the government could not act without a chancellor and the King could not provide a decision regarding appointment of a new chancellor. The Duke of York was then appointed Protector and Defender of the Kingdom demonstrating that Henry VI's illness had provided the Duke of York with the power that he craved.

York made Protector and Defender of the kingdom initiating his first protectorate following the death of Cardinal Kemp, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chancellor of England. King Henry VI, in his mental state was incapacitated and unable to choose a new appointment himself so the government made the decision.
Not long after York's appointment as Protector and Defender of England, the great offices of state were filled with men nominated by York such the earl of salisbury (York's brother-in-law) who became chancellor.

yorkists took to wearing padded jackets, fearful of attack.
Margaret of Anjou dislike by the people of London thus moving her court away from London to tje West midlands, encouraging her husband Henry VI to join her at Kenilworth castle.
episodes of rioting and attacks on foreign traders such as the Lombards and the Venetians

Somerset released from the tower

some of the worst violence was seen in December when the Courtenays attcked Bonville's men, murdering Bonville's lawyer Nicholas Radford and taking control of Exeter. Despite these highly illegal acts from the Courtenays, the King had taken no action against them to dispell this violence and prevent any more from occurring. Therefore Parliament's meeting in 1455 resulted in York gaining the power of (second) protectorate so that he would be able to deal with this violence in the South- west, not only was Parliament concerned with the violence in the south west but also with the King's deteriorating health which was preventing him from fulfilling what was required from him as King

a demonstration of reconciliation between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians- likely to have been held at the request of Henry VI. Involved Yorkists and Lancastrians walking arm in arm through London to St Paul's cathedral.
Queen Margaret walked hand in hand with the Duke of York

build up towards war- long period of peace following the battle of st albans in 1455 surprising. Open warfare in 1459 due to;
heirs of the nobles killed at the battle of st albans want vengeance,
Margaret of Anjou deadly enemy of teh Duek of York as she saw him as a threat to the reign of her son, beliveing that York wanted the throne in place of her son,
Henry VI too ill to govern thus whoever had control of Henry VI had control of government
complete lack of trust between the yorkists and the lancastrians- each side often turning up to council meetings with armed followers

the only significant Yorkist success after the resumption of open warfare in 1459
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_blore_heath.html
Richard;s advance to London was halted, Richard then decided to cenralise his forces around the town of Ludlow and launch a massive assault on the Lancastrians. Queen Margaret sent Lord Audley and almost twice as many troops to interceot Richard's forces, however Lord Audley and his forces were defeated by the Lancastrians and Lord Audley lost his life.

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of York)'s lieutenant Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick defeated the Lancastrians at Northampton and captured King Henry VI- a compromise was then made that Henry VI would remain king for the remainder of his life but Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York would be his heir and the crown would be passed down to the Duke of York's heirs rather than to Henry Vi's heir (thus making Margaret of Anjou a deadly enemy to the Duke of York)

large Lancastrian force near the city of York, Richard and Richard Neville,Earl of Salisbury (Yorkists)
Richard decided to ride out and meet the Lancastrian forces directly however he was overwhelmed and killed in battle. Richard Neville and Richard's son are executed

The Lancastrian forces of the 4th Duke of Somerset, Edmund Beaufort headed for Wales. King Edward IV heard of their intentions and sent an army to intercept, the two sides met at Tewkesbury. Lancastrian forces defeated, Prince of Wales killed, Somerset executed, Queen Margaret of Anjou captured

Richard III succeeded Edward IV as king. Henry Tudor landed in Wales on 7th August 1485 to take the crown, Richard went to intercept Henry Tudor and his forces where they then met at Bosworth. During the battle Lord Thomas Stanley and Sir William Stanley switched sides from the Yorkists to the Lancastrians as a result Richard III was killed and Henry became King Henry VII

last battle of the wars of the roses. Yorkist troops started to march towards London but were met at East Stoke and obliterated by the Lancastrian forces, Yorkist leaders were captured and imprisoned, Yorkist men killed and the last remnants of the Yorkist faction were destroyed

gains French pension in 1492.
Economy is weakened during the embargo

concerned enough about Warbeck to do a trade embargo

ideal time for nobility to rebel as Warbeck attacking from the north, attacks from south-west.
However the nobility do not rebel, suggesting that the power he has over them is significant, the risk is too high as england has been relatively peaceful- peace with the french.
Financial strain on the nobility is very high. Nobility resentful, general discussion of how long they could have put up with it.
The last time Henry VII faced noble rebellion had been at the battle of stoke.

Henry VII needs to secure his dynasty, foreign policy is hevaily affected by the loss of his son