UNIT Y105 - Lancastrians,
Yorkists and Henry VII
A LEVEL HISTORY
OCR
,Background to Henry VI’s reign
- Tyranny vs Anarchy
- Did not use enough power - Henry VI
- Feared treason - no one said anything
What makes a good king ?
Win battles - lead army , gain territory
Religion - pious defender of church rights
Hierarchy - great chain of being
Have children - son
Economy stable - rule parliament successfully
Live off his own - off of his own resources / estates
Royal splendour - dress luxuriously , big castles
Powerful defence against france and scotland
United nobility
Impressive wealthy court
Low levels of crime and disorder
Decisive leadership
,1413-22 King Henry V: the ideal king 1461-64 Edward IV takes control
Henry V was extremely successful. He beat the French at the Edward gradually restored peace, working closely with his
battle of Agincourt, conquered northern France and there was powerful supporter, the Earl of Warwick. They defeated the
peace and order in England. He was seen as the ideal king - Lancastrians by 1464 and captured Henry VI who was
but could his successors recreate his success? imprisoned.
1422-37 A child king: surprising success 1464-68 Edward’s first successes
Henry VI became king at 9 months old, so the council of nobles The battles seemed over and England was more peaceful.
ruled England until Henry was 16. There were quarrels Edward adopted a policy of conciliation with Lancastrians, tried
amongst the nobles and some defeats in France but overall the to tackle retaining and signed an important trade deal with
nobles did a successful job, putting loyalty to the young king Burgundy. However Edward did not give Warwick the influence
before personal ambitions. he wanted and disagreed with him over foreign policy. Edward
1435 , Henry VI uncle dies and leaves a big gap at the top of also made a very surprising marriage, in secret, to Elizabeth
english leadership and in France Woodville.
She is a Lancastrian - in marrying her he ignores all advice
from Warwick - Warwick was seeking to marry his two
daughters into the royal family
1437-55 Henry VI: failure as an adult 1469-71 Warwick briefly topples Edward
Henry VI was never an effective king. He always remained In 1469 Warwick rebelled, failed, then tried again in 1470,
childlike, unable to take decisions and uninterested in war and forcing Edward to flee abroad to Burgundy. Warwick made
government. The nobles tried to govern in his name but Henry VI king again but Edward returned with the Duke of
serious problems developed - the French lands were lost - to Burgundy’s help. Edward killed Warwick at the battle of Barnet;
Charles VII the new french king after his uncle- and violent killed Henry’s son at the battle of Tewkesbury and Henry VI
disorder increased. In 1450 there was a major popular revolt was executed in the Tower of London.
called Cade’s Rebellion. This was falling a very long way from Lancastrians have mostly been killed , Edward can now have a
Henry V’s success. more successful rule.
Priority to faith over his responsibilities
Easily swayed
Unable to make tough decisions
1455 The first battle 1471-83 Edward IV’s next successes
The first battle was a fight between the Dukes of Somerset and With Henry VI dead Edward made England more peaceful.
York over who should be King Henry’s chief councillor. York Again people thought the battles were over. An important
won and Somerset was killed. Everyone hoped that this would peace treaty was signed with France and Edward’s
be the only battle and they could rebuild England as a strong, troublesome brother Clarence was executed in 1478. But aged
united country. just 40 years old, Edward suddenly died in 1483.
Ambitious nobles seek to become the chief counsellors as
Henry is not an effective King - they want to become important
in England.
1455-59 A phoney peace 1483 Richard III becomes king; Edward V
There were no more battles for four years. Nearly all the disappears
nobles wanted peace and to stay loyal to Henry VI despite his Edward IV’s early death left Edward, his 13 year old son, to
failures. However, in 1459 war broke out because of distrust become king. But to everyone’s surprise, young Edward’s
between the leaders. uncle Richard seized the crown and became King Richard III.
Edward and his younger brother Richard vanished. This
enabled Richard to crown himself as Richard III.
1459-61 The fight for the crown 1483-85 Richard is killed at Bosworth
The Lancastrians (supporters of Henry VI) feared that York Richard’s seizure of the crown created enemies. One rebellion
wanted to depose Henry. York feared that the Lancastrians failed in 1483 but the rebels fled to Brittany to join Henry Tudor
would attack him. Their mutual fears led them to build up who was now Richard’s rival for the crown. In August 1485
armies and six battles were fought in 18 months. York was Henry Tudor invaded England and killed Richard III at the
killed but his son, Edward, won the battle of Towton, deposed battle of Bosworth. Now it was Henry’s turn to try to restore
Henry and became King Edward IV. Henry and Margaret fled England to the success of Henry V’s reign 70 years earlier.
to Scotland. This was the period of greatest violence - England Starts era of the Tudors
had sunk a long way from the successes of Henry V.
York is killed in battle in 1460 so his role falls to his son
Edward who defeats Henry.
, Henry V’s legacy a benefit or burden ?
Historical tradition dates the Hundred Years War between England and France as
running from 1337 to 1453.
Causes of the 100 years war
1) The overseas possessions of the English kings were the root cause of the
tensions with the kings of France, and the
tensions reached right back to 1066. William the Conqueror was already duke of
Normandy when he became king of England. His great-grandson Henry II, at his
accession in 1154, was already count of Anjou by inheritance from his
father and duke of Aquitaine (Gascony and Poitou) in right of his wife Eleanor.
These trans-Channel possessions made the kings of England easily the mightiest of the
king of France’s vassals, and the inevitable friction between them repeatedly escalated
into open hostilities. The Hundred Years War grew out of
these earlier clashes and their consequences.
2) France and Scotland are allied
The 1294 outbreak coincided with Edward l’s first clash with the Scots, and
thenceforward the French and Scots were allied in all subsequent confrontations with
England. It was indeed French support for David Bruce of Scotland, in the
face of Edward III’s intervention there, that triggered the breakdown between England
and France and culminated in Philip VI’s confiscation of Aquitaine in 1337 - the event
that precipitated the Hundred Years War.
3) Many claims to the thrown when Charles IV dies with no male heir
Edward’s 1337 riposte - challenging Philip's right to the French throne -
introduced a new issue that distinguished this war from previous confrontations.
In 1328, Charles IV of France had died without a male heir. A claim for the
succession had been made for Edward, then 15 years old, through the right of
his mother Isabella, daughter of Philip IV and Charles IV’s sister. But he was
passed over in favour of Philip, the son of Philip IV’s younger brother, Charles of
Valois.
4 ) Edward revives his claim to the throne
Edward now revived his claim, and in 1340 formally assumed the title 'King of France
and the French Royal Arms'.
He could use it to stir up trouble by encouraging French malcontents to recognise him
as king instead of Philip. He could also use it as a powerful weapon in negotiation, by
offering to renounce his claim against very large territorial concessions, for instance the
independence of Aquitaine from France - possibly even the cession of Normandy and
Anjou on the same terms.
