The Wars of the Roses
It all started in Edward III's time in the fourteenth century. His eldest son, the Black
Prince, died before he did. The Black Prince's son, Richard II, came to the throne.
He was not popular! From this time until 1485 descendants of Edward III's sons -
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Edmund, Duke of York - claimed the throne.
John of Gaunt married three times so there were lots of claimants! These claimants
were of the House of Lancaster like Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI and Henry VII. The
others were of the House of York like Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III.
Henry Bolingbroke took advantage of Richard II's unpopularity and put him off the
throne. He became Henry IV. But he was constantly worried by others who had a
better claim to be king.
Henry IV's son, Henry V, managed to stay king
because he was a good soldier. He took the
nobles to fight the French. It stopped them
fighting each other - and him!
Henry V died early and left a baby son to be
crowned Henry VI. Nobles ruled for him as
regents. But when he grew up Henry VI made a
weak king. Henry went mad from time to time.
The Yorkists took advantage of this by raising
an army to fight for the throne.
Henry VI of England,
The Earl of Warwick was a very powerful noble image from Wikimedia
who finally helped put Edward of York on the
throne - Edward IV.