The war of the red and white roses who won. War of the Roses - "The War of the Scarlet and White Roses" - The Tudors. preconditions for war. Lancastrian rule

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455 - 1485) - the struggle for the English throne between the two side branches of the royal Plantagenet dynasty - the Lancasters (the coat of arms with a scarlet rose) and the Yorks (the coat of arms with a white rose). The confrontation between the Lancasters (the ruling dynasty) and the Yorks (a wealthy aristocratic feudal family) began with separate clashes not related to the war, which took place both before and after the war. The war ended with the victory of Henry Tudor of the Lancaster dynasty, who founded a dynasty that ruled England and Wales for 117 years.
Causes
The reason for the war between the two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty - the Lancasters and the Minks (we note that the traditional name of this confrontation appeared already in the 19th century thanks to Walter Scott) - was the dissatisfaction of the nobility with the policy of the weak-willed King Henry VI from the Lancaster branch, who was defeated in the Hundred Years War with France. The instigator of the conflict was Richard of York, who was eager for the crown.
Confrontation. Course of events
2 years after the Hundred Years War, an internecine war began in England, which will last 30 years. 1455 - the confrontation first moved to the battlefield. The Duke of York, gathered his vassals and moved with them to London. 1455, May 22 at the battle of St. Albans, he was able to defeat the supporters of the Scarlet Rose. Soon removed from power, he again rebelled and announced his claims to the English crown. With an army of his adherents, he won victories over the enemy at Blore Heath (September 23, 1459) and North Hampton (July 10, 1460); in the latter, he captured the king, after which he forced the upper house to recognize himself as the protector of the state and heir to the throne.

However, Queen Margaret, wife of Henry VI, with her supporters suddenly attacked him at Wakefield (December 30, 1460). Richard's troops were completely defeated, and he himself fell in battle. The victors cut off his head and displayed it on the wall of York in a paper crown. His son Edward, supported by the Earl of Warwick, defeated the supporters of the Lancastrian dynasty at Mortimers Cross (February 2, 1461) and Toughton (March 29, 1461). Henry VI was deposed; Margarita fled to Scotland, and the king was soon caught and imprisoned in the Tower. The severed heads of defeated opponents were erected on the city gates of York, in the place where the head of the defeated Richard used to flaunt. The winner became King Edward IV.

The confrontation continues
1470 - Lancastrians, thanks to the betrayal of the brother of King Edward IV, the Duke of Clarence, were able to expel Edward and return Henry VI to the throne. Soon, Edward IV, who had fled to the mainland, returned with an army, and the Duke of Clarence again went over to his brother's side. This brought victory to the Yorks in 1471 at the Battle of Tewkesbury. The son and heir of King Henry VI Edward died in it, and soon the unfortunate king himself was killed in the Tower. This marked the end of the Lancastrian branch of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Richard III
There was a break in the wars, which for many seemed to be its end. Edward IV confidently ruled England until, in 1483, he died unexpectedly on the eve of his 41st birthday. His son, 12-year-old Edward V, was supposed to be the new monarch, but he suddenly found a formidable rival. This time it was not Lancaster, but York - another younger brother of Edward IV, Richard of Gloucester.
During the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, Richard remained faithful to his brother, not retreating from him even in the days of defeat. And after his death, he declared his rights to the crown, declaring the sons of the deceased brother illegitimate. Two young princes were imprisoned in the Tower, and Richard of Gloucester was proclaimed king under the name Richard III.
What happened to his nephews, nothing is known even after five centuries. According to the most common version, the crowned uncle ordered them to be killed. Whatever it was, the princes were gone forever.

The reign of the Tudors
However, there was no peace in the state, opposition to the Yorks intensified, and in 1485 a detachment of French mercenaries arrived from the mainland, who were hired by supporters of the Lancasters, led by Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, landed in Wales, who had no rights to the throne.
August 22, 1485 - At the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor was able to defeat King Richard III. Richard III himself was knocked off his horse and immediately slaughtered. Thus broke off the York branch. The victorious Henry Tudor was crowned immediately after the battle in a nearby church under the name of Henry VII. Thus was founded the new royal Tudor dynasty.

The results of the war
As a result of the civil wars of the Scarlet and White Roses, the former Plantagenet dynasty left the political arena due to feuds, the state was ruined, English possessions on the continent (except Calais) were lost, and many of the aristocratic families suffered enormous losses, which made it possible for Henry VII to curb their. On the battlefield, scaffolds and prisons, not only the descendants of the Plantagenets perished, but also a significant part of the English lords and chivalry.
From the accession of the Tudors, English historians count the New Age as a period of strengthening the centralized royalty, the weakening of the aristocracy and the exit of the bourgeoisie to the leading positions.

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses is an internecine feudal conflict for the English crown in the second half of the 15th century. (1455–1487) between two representatives of the English royal Plantagenet dynasty - the Lancasters (the image of a red rose on the coat of arms) and the Yorks (the image of a white rose on the coat of arms), which eventually brought the new royal Tudor dynasty to power in England.

preconditions for war. Rule of the Lancasters.

The English King Richard II Plantagenet was deposed in 1399 by his cousin Duke Henry of Lancaster, who declared himself King Henry IV, and imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he was soon put to death. The Lancasters brutally persecuted their political opponents and the Lollards (followers of the church reformer John Wycliffe), executing and burning them at the stake as heretics. After the death of Henry IV of Lancaster, his son Henry V ascended the throne and resumed the Hundred Years' War in France. The actions of Henry V were the most successful in the history of the Hundred Years War with France. After the crushing defeat French army by the British at the Battle of Agincourt (1415), an ally of Henry V, Duke of Burgundy John the Fearless captured Paris. The mentally ill French king Charles VI concluded an alliance with the British in Troyes in 1420 and married his daughter to Henry V, whom he declared his heir. The real heir to the French throne (son of King Charles VI), the Dauphin Charles (later King Charles VII of France), was deprived of his rights to the throne. However, in 1422 Henry V died unexpectedly. King Charles VI of France survived the death of the English king and, thus, the treaty of 1420, signed in Troyes, was annulled, because. legally had no force and did not give the right to the French throne to the new English king Henry VI.

In France, a liberation movement began under the leadership of Joan of Arc, as a result of which the Hundred Years' War was lost by the British, in whose hands the only port of Calais on the French coast remained.

The hopes of the feudal nobility of England after the defeat and expulsion from France to receive new lands "overseas" were finally lost.

The uprising of 1450 led by Jack Cade.

In 1450, a major uprising broke out in Kent under the leadership of one of the vassals of the Duke of York, Jack Cade. People's Movement It was caused by an increase in taxes, failures in the Hundred Years' War, a breakdown in trade and increased oppression by the English feudal lords. On June 2, 1450, the rebels entered London and presented a number of demands to the government. One of the demands of the rebels was the inclusion of the Duke of York in the royal council. The government made concessions and, when the rebels left London, the royal troops treacherously attacked them and subjected the rebels to a beating. Jack Cad was killed on June 12, 1450.

First stage of the war. York rule (1461–1470). After the suppression of the Jack Cade uprising, a wave of hatred and resentment against the ruling Lancaster dynasty swept through England. Taking advantage of this, the Duke of York ensured that in 1454 he was appointed regent for the mentally ill King Henry VI. However, the Lancasters succeeded in removing the Duke of York from the regency of the King of England.

In response, the Duke of York gathered an army of his supporters and gave battle to the king near St. Aublens. The Lancastrian supporters were defeated by the Yorks and were forced to recognize Richard of York as the heir to King Henry VI. However, already in 1457, the Queen of England, Margaret of Anjou (the wife of the mentally ill King Henry VI), with the help of France, regains power in the kingdom.

The closest associate of the Duke of York, the Earl of Warwick, wins french navy, which supports the Lancasters, and fortifies the port of Calais on the Continent.

Following this victory, Richard of York in 1459 was defeated by the troops of Lancaster. Surrendering to them the fortified citadel of Ledlow after a bloody assault, he retreated to the north of England. However, in the summer of 1460, the Earl of Warwick captured London and moved his troops to Northampton, where on July 10 he utterly defeated the army of King Henry VI, taking the latter prisoner.

In December 1460, the Lancaster army laid siege to the city of Wakefield, where the Duke of York was located, and, having ambushed him, destroyed his detachment. Duke Richard of York was killed in action. Supporters of the Scarlet Rose severely dealt with the vanquished, executing Edmund, son of the Duke of York, brother of the Earl of Warwick, and others, and the severed head of the Duke of York himself with a paper crown on his head was put up on one of the walls of the city of York.

At the head of the York party stood the son of the murdered Richard of York - Edward. Already at the beginning of 1461, he twice defeated the Lancastrians, captured London and proclaimed himself King Edward IV. The deposed King Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower. Edward IV managed to seize power for a long time (1461–1470). Not wanting to share power with his recent ally the Earl of Warwick and other members of his own family and the York party, Edward lost his supporters, some of whom went over to the side of the Lancasters.

Second stage of the war. York rule 1470–1483.

In 1470, the Earl of Warwick recaptured London, released Henry VI from captivity and announced the return of English throne. Edward IV fled to the Netherlands, and the Lancasters re-seized power in England.

However, in 1471 Edward IV returned to England and defeated the army of the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet. In this battle, the Duke of Gloucester, the younger brother of Edward IV, the future King Richard III, distinguished himself. The Earl of Warwick himself died on the battlefield at the hands of the Duke of Gloucester. Then, at the Battle of Tewkesbury, Edward IV defeated the army of Prince Edward, the son of Henry VI. Prince Edward, like the Earl of Warwick, died during the battle, and Henry VI was again imprisoned in the Tower and killed there (presumably by the Duke of Gloucester). Edward IV regains the English crown. Having established himself on the throne, the king confiscated all the possessions of Lancaster supporters and distributed land to feudal lords loyal to him, and set up trade that had been upset during the time of unrest.

Soon a struggle broke out in the York family. In 1483, Edward IV died, and his brother Richard III seized power, killing his nephews, the children of Edward VI. The York Party split.

Third stage of the war. The reign of the Tudors.

Supporters of the family of King Edward IV united with the remnants of the Lancaster party and went on the offensive against Richard III, who had usurped power. On August 22, 1485, a general battle took place near the Bosworth between the army of Richard III and the troops of the Lancasters, mostly consisting of French mercenaries. The troops of the anti-royal coalition were commanded by Henry Tudor, who was related to the Lancasters. During the battle, the troops of Richard III were defeated, and he himself died on the battlefield. Henry Tudor immediately proclaims himself King of England under the name of Henry VII. He married the daughter of Edward IV - Elizabeth of York, thereby uniting both warring parties.

Feudal turmoil was of great importance in the future political development England. The era of the feudal Middle Ages of the country came to an end. During the bloodshed civil war most of the old feudal nobility destroyed each other. The reign of the new royal Tudor dynasty finally took the form of absolutism.

At the end of the 17th century, Henry Tudor from the Lancaster family took over the English throne - the founder of a new royal dynasty that remained in power for a century. This was preceded by a bloody dynastic conflict between the descendants of two branches of the ancient royal family of Plantagenets - Lancasters and Yorks, which went down in history as the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, a brief historical description of which is the subject of this article.

Symbolism of the warring parties

There is an erroneous opinion that the war owes its name to the roses allegedly depicted on the arms of these opposing aristocratic families. In fact, they were not there. The reason lies in the fact that, going into battle, the supporters of both parties, as a distinctive sign, fixed a symbolic rose on their armor - the Lancasters - white, and their opponents the Yorks - red. Elegant and regal.

Reasons for bloodshed

It is known that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses began due to the political instability that prevailed in England in the middle of the 15th century. Most of society expressed dissatisfaction and demanded a radical change in government. This situation was aggravated by the incapacity of the weak-minded and often completely unconscious King Henry VI of Lancaster, in which the actual power was in the hands of his wife, Queen Margaret, and her many favorites.

Start of hostilities

Duke Richard of York stood at the head of the opposition. A descendant of the Plantagenets, he had, in his own opinion, certain rights to the crown. At active participation this representative of the White Rose party, the political confrontation soon developed into bloody clashes, in one of which, which took place in 1455 near the city of St. Albans, the supporters of the duke utterly defeated the royal troops. Thus began the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, which lasted thirty-two years and was described in the works of Thomas More and Shakespeare. Summary their work paints us a picture of those events.

Luck is on the side of the opposition

Such a brilliant victory of Richard of York over legitimate authority convinced the members of Parliament that it was better not to annoy this cutthroat, and they declared him protector of the state, and in the event of the death of the king, heir to the throne. It is difficult to say whether the duke would hasten this death or not, but in the next battle with the troops of the opposing party, he was killed.

After the death of the instigator of the war, the opposition was led by his son, who fulfilled the old dream of his father, crowned in 1461 under the name of Edward IV. Soon, his troops finally crushed the resistance of the Lancastrians, once again defeating them in the battle of Mortimer Cross.

The betrayals that the war of the Scarlet and White Rose knew

The summary of the historical work of T. More conveys the depth of despair of the deposed Henry VI and his frivolous wife. They tried to escape, and if Margarita managed to escape abroad, then her unlucky husband was captured and imprisoned in the Tower. However, it was too early for the newly-made king to celebrate the victory. Intrigues began in his party, caused by the ambitious claims of the aristocrats closest to him, each of whom sought to get the largest piece in the division of honors and awards.

The injured pride and envy of some deprived Yorkers pushed them to betrayal, as a result of which the younger brother of the new king, the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, having violated all the laws of honor, went over to the side of the enemy. Having gathered a fair army, they rescued the unfortunate Henry VI from the Tower and returned him to the throne. It was the turn of Edward IV, who had missed the throne, to flee. He and his younger brother Gloucester safely reached Burgundy, where they were popular and had numerous supporters.

New plot twist

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses, briefly described also by the great Shakespeare, this time prepared an unpleasant surprise for the Lancastrians. The king's brother Clarence, who so shamefully compromised himself by betrayal and returned the throne to Henry, having learned with what a strong army his relative was returning to London, realized that he was in a hurry. He obviously did not want to be on the gallows - the most suitable place for traitors, and he, having appeared in Edward's camp, convinced him of his deep repentance.

Reunited, the brothers and their numerous York supporters defeated the Lancastrians twice at Barnet and Tewkesbury. In the first battle, Warwick died, the same one who committed treachery with Clarence, but, unlike the latter, did not have time to return to his former master. The second battle proved fatal for the crown prince. Thus, the Lancaster dynastic line was interrupted by the War of the Scarlet and White Roses that captured England. Read on for a summary of subsequent events.

What does history tell us about the following events?

Having won, Edward IV again sent the king he had deposed to the Tower. returned to his usual and habitable cell, but did not stay there for long. In the same year, his death was announced with deep regret. It is difficult to say whether it was natural, or whether the new overlord simply decided to save himself from possible troubles, but since then the ashes of Henry VI, abandoned during his lifetime by both his wife and subjects, have rested in the dungeon. What can you do, the royal throne is sometimes very shaky.

Having got rid of his predecessor and potential competitor, Edward IV ruled until 1483, when he suddenly died for an unknown reason. On a short time the throne was taken by his son Edward, but was soon removed from power by the royal council, as there were doubts about the legality of his birth. By the way, there were witnesses who claimed that his late father was not born from the Duke of York, but became the fruit of the secret love of the mother duchess and the handsome archer.

So it really was or not, they didn’t begin to dig, but just in case, the throne was taken away from the young heir, and the brother of the late King Richard of Gloucester, crowned under the name Richard III, was erected on him. Fate did not prepare him for long years calm government. Very soon, an open and secret opposition formed around the throne, poisoning the life of the monarch with all its might.

Return of the Scarlet Rose

Historical archives of the 15th century tell how the War of the Scarlet and White Roses developed in the future. The summary of the documents stored in them indicates that the leading representatives of the Lancastrian party managed to gather a significant army on the continent, consisting mainly of French mercenaries. Led by Henry Tudor, she landed in 1486 on the coast of Britain and began her victorious journey to London. King Richard III personally led the army that went out to meet the enemy, but died in the battle of Bosworth.

End of the European Middle Ages

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses in England was drawing to a close. A summary of Shakespeare's account of these events recreates the picture of how, having reached the British capital without much trouble, Tudor was crowned under the name From that time on, the Lancaster dynasty was firmly established on the throne, and their reign lasted one hundred and seventeen years. The only serious attempt to overthrow the king was made in 1487 by Earl Lincoln, nephew of Richard III, who rebelled, but was killed in the ensuing fight.

It is generally accepted that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-1487) is the final link in the European Middle Ages. During this period, not only all the direct descendants of the ancient Plantagenet family were destroyed, but most of the English chivalry. The main disasters fell on the shoulders of the common people, who in all ages became a hostage to foreign political ambitions.

In the second half of the 15th century, Great Britain was shaken by a terrible civil war between supporters of the two branches of the ruling Plantagenet dynasty - the Lancasters and the Yorks. Since, going into battle, supporters of the Lancasters attached a scarlet rose to their armor, and a white flower was the symbol of the Yorks, the poetic name “War of the Scarlet and White Roses” was attached to the bloody events of 1455-85 with the light hand of Walter Scott.

Background and causes of the conflict

Henry V Lancaster ruled Britain from 1413-22. He was one of the greatest generals of his time and a talented ruler. Like his predecessors, Henry V fought the French in the Hundred Years' War. In this matter, Henry V achieved great success. He not only included part of the French possessions in his state and married the French princess - Catherine of Valois, but also insisted that in the future his son and Catherine become the king of both powers.

However, fate played a cruel joke with the English king. At the age of 35, he died of an illness, and his heir, Henry VI, who received the throne at the age of one, became an adult, not only deprived of his father's talents, but also mentally ill.

Henry VI was rapidly losing control over the French lands, on which the troops under the leadership of Joan of Arc operated. In 1453 the Hundred Years' War ended with the loss of all English possessions on the continent, with the exception of the city of Calais. However, the internal affairs of the mad king were not much better. After the defeat in the Hundred Years' War, the nobles decided that Henry VI, whose mental health had seriously deteriorated in recent years, needed a regent. As such, it was decided to make the king's cousin - Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. This proposal greatly frightened the queen - Margaret of Anjou, who believed that Richard would push her and Henry's son, Edward, from the throne. During periods of her husband's madness, Margarita herself ruled the country - an educated and powerful woman, however, she did not enjoy great popularity among the British. Therefore, the protests of Margarita did not meet with the support of the nobles (a powerful party of large feudal lords had formed around the Duke of York by that time) and Richard Plantagenet received the title of protector.

By 1455, Henry VI's fortunes had improved significantly and he decided to return to independent rule. Marguerite insisted that the York party be expelled from the Grand Royal Council. The Duke of York was not ready to give up his high title, therefore, having enlisted the support of the powerful earls of Salisbury and Warwick, he gathered an army in order to regain the throne by force.

Thus, the causes of the war of the Scarlet and White Roses were:

the results of the Hundred Years' War, which not only led to economic collapse, but also hit the authority of the royal power hard;
peasant uprisings of 1450-51;
the attitude of the British towards the Frenchwoman Margaret of Anjou;
political instability associated with the health of the English king;
the crisis of patrimonial landownership caused by outdated feudal orders;
the presence of different branches of the Plantagenet dynasty that fought for power.

In a broad sense, the War of the Scarlet and White Rose was not just a clash between different members of the royal family, but rather between two lifestyles and economic systems. The ruling king and his wife were supported by the northern barons - staunch conservatives, whose possessions were located in the most economically backward region of the country, and the inhabitants of the economically developed south-east of England - merchants, artisans and the most progressive nobles - supported the Yorks.

Course of events

The first military clash between the Yorks and the Lancasters took place in May 1455 at St. Albans. The army of Henry VI turned out to be smaller and weaker, so the victory remained with the White Rose. Many high-ranking Lancastrian supporters fell in this battle. The victory allowed the head of the White Rose to declare himself Lord High Constable of England and heir to Henry VI. Small skirmishes between the two parties continued until 1460, when the Yorks inflicted a crushing defeat on the Lancasters at Northampton. The king was captured by the Yorks, so Richard York was able to enter London unhindered. However, the struggle was continued by Margarita Anzhuyskaya, who escaped captivity. Through her efforts, the Lancastrian supporters managed to defeat the Yorks at Wakefield that same year. In this battle, Richard York died without receiving the coveted English crown.

After the death of the Duke of York, his eldest son, Edward, became the head of the White Rose. In 1461, the new king inflicted several defeats on the Lancasters. The largest was the Battle of Towton, as a result of which Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower, and Margaret of Anjou and her son were forced to flee the country. After the victory, Edward York was crowned in London under the name of Edward IV, bypassing the legitimate heir to the throne. By decree of the new king, the Lancasters themselves and their supporters were declared traitors.

However, Edward IV could not find a common language about his subjects. The king was distinguished by a tough temper, which led many of his supporters to prefer to go to the Lancastrian camp. Among the defectors were the younger brother of the king - the Duke of Clarence - and an experienced intriguer Earl of Warwick, who was given the nickname "kingmaker" by his contemporaries.

In 1470, the Lancasters, with the support of new allies, opposed Edward IV. The young king was forced into Burgundy. Meanwhile, Warwick managed to free and return Henry VI to his former place. The Lancastrian king, whose mental state was completely shaken by that time, did not participate in state affairs in any way, the powerful Earl of Warwick had real power at court. The "Kingmaker" planned in the future to replace the mad king from the Lancaster family with his younger brother, George. To do this, the Earl of Warwick implemented another intrigue: having provoked the opponents of the Lancasters to another performance, he convinced Henry VI to move on a deliberately failed punitive campaign. The king fell into a trap and the cunning count took him to one of his castles, ostensibly for protection. In fact, to capture. Henry VI realized too late that his former ally had betrayed him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Meanwhile, Edward IV raised a new army, made peace with the Duke of Clarence and resumed the fight for the throne. In 1471, he managed to inflict several serious defeats on the Lancasters. In one of them, the Earl of Warwick was killed. But the real disaster awaited the Lancasters at Tewkesbury. After the battle, this place was called the "bloody meadow". In this battle, not only almost all the supporters of the Lancasters were destroyed, but also the only heir to Henry VI - Prince Edward. Margaret of Anjou and the young widow of the prince who died on the battlefield were captured by Edward IV. Henry VI survived his son by only a few days. Shortly after the victory of the Yorks in the "bloody meadow", it was announced that Henry VI Lancaster had died of grief upon learning of the death of his son. Both historians and contemporaries of those events had every reason not to believe in the version that explained the death of the former king by natural causes. It is likely that Edward IV decided to get rid of the last legitimate claimant to the English crown.

For some time, relative calm reigned in England. But in 1483 Edward IV of York died. By law, his young son succeeded to the throne under the name of Edward V of York. However, this decision was opposed by the boy's uncle, Richard of Gloucester, one of the younger brothers of the deceased king. He declared his brother's sons illegitimate and ordered that the boys be sent to the Tower. Historians know nothing more about their further fate. Obviously, the princes were killed and secretly buried on the orders of their uncle. So Richard III of Gloucester became the new English king. The new king began to restore internal order, however, he had to face strong opposition from the Yorks and the seemingly completely broken Lancasters.

The power of resistance returned to the Scarlet Rose camp after it was led by Henry Tudor, the grandson of Catherine of Valois and the nephew of Henry VI. After the death of Henry V, Catherine of Valois was still a young woman, so she soon began a secret affair with a Welsh nobleman, Owen Tudor. From this relationship, the couple had six children, including the father of Henry Tudor.

In August 1485, Henry Tudor, who had lived almost all his life in France, traveled across the English Channel with his army and landed on the English coast. Richard III met him at Bosworth Field. During the battle, many nobles left the camp of Richard III, running to his opponent. The king himself was killed and Henry VII Tudor was proclaimed the new ruler of England. In 1487, one of the nephews of Richard of Gloucester tried to overthrow Henry VII from the throne, but this attempt failed. Thus, the civil war in England ended with the nominal victory of the Scarlet Rose, but in fact with the suppression of the Plantagenet dynasty.

The results of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses in England

Henry VII managed to establish peace in the country. He married the daughter of Edward IV, as if combining the Scarlet and White Roses together. However, the war ended, rather, due to the fact that the country was completely drained of blood, and only their most insignificant representatives remained from the huge noble clans, incapable of a serious struggle for power. Thirty years of conflict has led to a variety of consequences:

establishing Tudor power;
complete eradication of the oldest and noblest English noble families. Although the Scarlet and White Roses were represented by compatriots, many of whom were related, the clashes between the two sides were marked by great bloodshed. Noble clans were massacred completely, including women, the elderly and children. No one was taken prisoner, the enemy was destroyed in the bud;
the complete renunciation of England's claims to French lands;
the strengthening of the merchant class, which took the place of the nobility and became the main social pillar of the Tudors.

The tragic events of the 15th century, replete with almost detective plot twists, became a source of inspiration for many authors: William Shakespeare with his plays "Henry VI" and "Richard III", Walter Scott and George Martin.

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The content of the article

SCARLET AND WHITE ROSES WAR. The War of the Scarlet and White Roses is an internecine feudal conflict for the English crown in the second half of the 15th century. (1455–1487) between two representatives of the English royal Plantagenet dynasty - the Lancasters (the image of a red rose on the coat of arms) and the Yorks (the image of a white rose on the coat of arms), which eventually brought the new royal Tudor dynasty to power in England.

preconditions for war. Rule of the Lancasters.

In France, a liberation movement began under the leadership of Joan of Arc, as a result of which the Hundred Years War was lost by the British, in whose hands the only port of Calais on the French coast remained.

The hopes of the feudal nobility of England after the defeat and expulsion from France to receive new lands "overseas" were finally lost.

The uprising of 1450 led by Jack Cade.

In 1450, a major uprising broke out in Kent under the leadership of one of the vassals of the Duke of York, Jack Cade. The popular movement was caused by an increase in taxes, failures in the Hundred Years War, a breakdown in trade and increased oppression by the English feudal lords. On June 2, 1450, the rebels entered London and presented a number of demands to the government. One of the demands of the rebels was the inclusion of the Duke of York in the royal council. The government made concessions and, when the rebels left London, the royal troops treacherously attacked them and subjected the rebels to a beating. Jack Cad was killed on June 12, 1450. First stage of the war. York rule (1461–1470). After the suppression of the Jack Cade uprising, a wave of hatred and resentment against the ruling Lancaster dynasty swept through England. Taking advantage of this, the Duke of York ensured that in 1454 he was appointed regent for the mentally ill King Henry VI. However, the Lancasters succeeded in removing the Duke of York from the regency of the King of England.

The Duke of York's closest associate, the Earl of Warwick, defeats the Lancastrian-backed French fleet and fortifies the port of Calais on the Continent.

Second stage of the war. York rule 1470–1483.

In 1470, the Earl of Warwick recaptured London, released Henry VI from captivity and announced the return of the English throne to him. Edward IV fled to the Netherlands, and the Lancasters re-seized power in England.

However, in 1471 Edward IV returned to England and defeated the army of the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet. The Duke of Gloucester, the younger brother of Edward IV, the future King Richard III, distinguished himself in this battle. The Earl of Warwick himself died on the battlefield at the hands of the Duke of Gloucester. Then, at the Battle of Tewkesbury, Edward IV defeated the army of Prince Edward, the son of Henry VI. Prince Edward, like the Earl of Warwick, died during the battle, and Henry VI was again imprisoned in the Tower and killed there (presumably by the Duke of Gloucester). Edward IV regains the English crown. Having established himself on the throne, the king confiscated all the possessions of Lancaster supporters and distributed land to feudal lords loyal to him, and set up trade that had been upset during the time of unrest.

Soon a struggle broke out in the York family. In 1483, Edward IV died, and his brother Richard III seized power, killing his nephews, the children of Edward VI. The York Party split.

Third stage of the war. The reign of the Tudors.

The feudal turmoil was of great importance in the further political development of England. The era of the feudal Middle Ages of the country came to an end. During a bloody civil war, most of the old feudal nobility destroyed each other. The reign of the new royal Tudor dynasty finally took the form of absolutism.