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CAUSES OF THE WARS OF THE ROSES: An Overview by Anniina Jokinen
1) EFFECTS OF THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR (THE FRENCH WARS)
The English had just suffered their final defeat in the Hundred Years' War: Maine was surrendered in 1448, Normandy was lost in 1450, and finally Bordeaux in 1453. Nearly a hundred years and five generations' worth of battling and occupying France, and finally losing was a cause of great upset to the populace. Furthermore, to the landowners who lost their French holdings, the financial loss was considerable.
Every version of the complaints put forward by
the rebels in 1450 harps on the losses in France.1
2) FINANCIAL PROBLEMS AND SOCIETAL CHANGES
The Black Plague, which had first arrived in England in 1348 and made several returns, had caused enormous losses in population, which in turn caused a dearth of labor force to tend the crops. This caused severe inflation in the prices of labor and agricultural products, and, in years of crop failures, periods of grave famine. Furthermore, the death toll of the plague had caused a great shift in the social order; previously minor landholders grew wealthy and upwardly mobile, taking over lands whose owners had all died. The French Wars also had put a strain on the royal treasury.
"Livery and Maintenance"
Since the fall of feudalism, the "Livery and maintenance" system meant that the great peers of the kingdom could call upon minor lords in their dominions to come fight on their side, under one banner. These, combined with career soldiers turned mercenaries after the French campaigns, meant that the peers could rouse large armies for themselves as easily, and in some cases more easily, than the king. When fighting a common enemy for a century was no longer an option, it was perhaps just a matter of time until the great warriors began to fight each other.
3) DYNASTIC PROBLEM
After the leadership of King Henry V, "The Flower of Chivalry" and the "Mirror of all Christian Kings," the weak and placid Henry VI was a great disappointment. Somerset and Suffolk, the king's favourites, were nearly universally loathed for their undue power and unwise wielding of the same. Many of the nobles, including Richard of York who had been superseded in France by Somerset, also harbored personal resentments and grudges against Henry's ministers, for slights and lacks of preferment.
Suffolk bore the brunt of the upset over the losses in France (although they were largely due to Somerset's inability). He was impeached on a trumped-up charge of treason and exiled by Parliament. Finally, he was murdered on board the ship carrying him out of England. Henry VI was unable to effect a strong central government, alienating many of his powerful lords by his unwavering support of Somerset. Henry VI further upset the Commons, who wanted Somerset gone, by ignoring their request to have Somerset exiled as well. A tentative peace existed for a few years (1450-53), because the nobles could content themselves with the fact that, should Henry VI die without an heir, they had a strong successor in Richard, Duke of York [see York's claim to the Crown]. Somerset, and the whole Beaufort line, had been excluded from succession by Henry IV's Parliament in 1407.
Richard of York was the only person, save Henry VI, who possessed an unbroken legitimate male descent from King Edward. He was in fact heir
to the reigning sovereign, whether male or female claims were preferred.2
The birth of an heir in 1453 complicated matters—now, if the King were to die or be incapacitated, the kingdom would fall to an infant prince, most likely governed by the loathed Somerset. In 1453 King Henry VI did indeed become incapacitated; he suffered from complete mental derangement to the point of imbecility. He did not even understand that an heir had been born to him. York took over as Protector, but when the King regained his sanity a year later, Somerset was restored to power, and the Yorkists were thrown out. And thus followed the first battle in the Wars of the Roses: The First Battle of St. Albans, 1455.
This is, of course, a simplified explanation of the contributing factors leading up to the Wars of the Roses. For an in-depth discussion, continue on to:
- Webster, Bruce. Wars of the Roses. 40.
- Oman, C. The History of England from the Accession of Richard II to
the Death of Richard III, (1377-1485). NY: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1906. 355.
How to cite this article:
Jokinen, Anniina. "Causes of the Wars of the Roses: An Overview."
Luminarium Encyclopedia. Online Resource.
26 Apr 2007. [Date you accessed this article].
<http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/roseswarcauses.htm>
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This page was created on April 26, 2007. Last updated February 22, 2023.
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Index of Encyclopedia Entries:
Medieval Cosmology Prices of Items in Medieval England
Edward II Isabella of France, Queen of England Piers Gaveston Thomas of Brotherton, E. of Norfolk Edmund of Woodstock, E. of Kent Thomas, Earl of Lancaster Henry of Lancaster, Earl of Lancaster Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster Roger Mortimer, Earl of March Hugh le Despenser the Younger Bartholomew, Lord Burghersh, elder
Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)
Edward III Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England Edward, Black Prince of Wales John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall The Battle of Crécy, 1346 The Siege of Calais, 1346-7 The Battle of Poitiers, 1356 Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley, Duke of York Thomas of Woodstock, Gloucester Richard of York, E. of Cambridge Richard Fitzalan, 3. Earl of Arundel Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March The Good Parliament, 1376 Richard II The Peasants' Revolt, 1381 Lords Appellant, 1388 Richard Fitzalan, 4. Earl of Arundel Archbishop Thomas Arundel Thomas de Beauchamp, E. Warwick Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford Ralph Neville, E. of Westmorland Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk Edmund Mortimer, 3. Earl of March Roger Mortimer, 4. Earl of March John Holland, Duke of Exeter Michael de la Pole, E. Suffolk Hugh de Stafford, 2. E. Stafford Henry IV Edward, Duke of York Edmund Mortimer, 5. Earl of March Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland Sir Henry Percy, "Harry Hotspur" Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester Owen Glendower The Battle of Shrewsbury, 1403 Archbishop Richard Scrope Thomas Mowbray, 3. E. Nottingham John Mowbray, 2. Duke of Norfolk Thomas Fitzalan, 5. Earl of Arundel Henry V Thomas, Duke of Clarence John, Duke of Bedford Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury Richard, Earl of Cambridge Henry, Baron Scrope of Masham William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk Thomas Montacute, E. Salisbury Richard Beauchamp, E. of Warwick Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter Cardinal Henry Beaufort John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset Sir John Fastolf John Holland, 2. Duke of Exeter Archbishop John Stafford Archbishop John Kemp Catherine of Valois Owen Tudor John Fitzalan, 7. Earl of Arundel John, Lord Tiptoft
Charles VII, King of France Joan of Arc Louis XI, King of France Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy The Battle of Agincourt, 1415 The Battle of Castillon, 1453
The Wars of the Roses 1455-1485 Causes of the Wars of the Roses The House of Lancaster The House of York The House of Beaufort The House of Neville
The First Battle of St. Albans, 1455 The Battle of Blore Heath, 1459 The Rout of Ludford, 1459 The Battle of Northampton, 1460 The Battle of Wakefield, 1460 The Battle of Mortimer's Cross, 1461 The 2nd Battle of St. Albans, 1461 The Battle of Towton, 1461 The Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 1464 The Battle of Hexham, 1464 The Battle of Edgecote, 1469 The Battle of Losecoat Field, 1470 The Battle of Barnet, 1471 The Battle of Tewkesbury, 1471 The Treaty of Pecquigny, 1475 The Battle of Bosworth Field, 1485 The Battle of Stoke Field, 1487
Henry VI Margaret of Anjou Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York Edward IV Elizabeth Woodville Richard Woodville, 1. Earl Rivers Anthony Woodville, 2. Earl Rivers Jane Shore Edward V Richard III George, Duke of Clarence
Ralph Neville, 2. Earl of Westmorland Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick Edward Neville, Baron Bergavenny William Neville, Lord Fauconberg Robert Neville, Bishop of Salisbury John Neville, Marquis of Montagu George Neville, Archbishop of York John Beaufort, 1. Duke Somerset Edmund Beaufort, 2. Duke Somerset Henry Beaufort, 3. Duke of Somerset Edmund Beaufort, 4. Duke Somerset Margaret Beaufort Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke Humphrey Stafford, D. Buckingham Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham Humphrey Stafford, E. of Devon Thomas, Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby Sir William Stanley Archbishop Thomas Bourchier Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex John Mowbray, 3. Duke of Norfolk John Mowbray, 4. Duke of Norfolk John Howard, Duke of Norfolk Henry Percy, 2. E. Northumberland Henry Percy, 3. E. Northumberland Henry Percy, 4. E. Northumberland William, Lord Hastings Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter William Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel William Herbert, 1. Earl of Pembroke John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford Thomas de Clifford, 8. Baron Clifford John de Clifford, 9. Baron Clifford John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester Thomas Grey, 1. Marquis Dorset Sir Andrew Trollop Archbishop John Morton Edward Plantagenet, E. of Warwick John Talbot, 2. E. Shrewsbury John Talbot, 3. E. Shrewsbury John de la Pole, 2. Duke of Suffolk John de la Pole, E. of Lincoln Edmund de la Pole, E. of Suffolk Richard de la Pole John Sutton, Baron Dudley James Butler, 5. Earl of Ormonde Sir James Tyrell Edmund Grey, first Earl of Kent George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent John, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton James Touchet, 7th Baron Audley Walter Blount, Lord Mountjoy Robert Hungerford, Lord Moleyns Thomas, Lord Scales John, Lord Lovel and Holand Francis Lovell, Viscount Lovell Sir Richard Ratcliffe William Catesby Ralph, 4th Lord Cromwell Jack Cade's Rebellion, 1450
Tudor Period
King Henry VII Queen Elizabeth of York Arthur, Prince of Wales Lambert Simnel Perkin Warbeck The Battle of Blackheath, 1497
King Ferdinand II of Aragon Queen Isabella of Castile Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
King Henry VIII Queen Catherine of Aragon Queen Anne Boleyn Queen Jane Seymour Queen Anne of Cleves Queen Catherine Howard Queen Katherine Parr
King Edward VI Queen Mary I Queen Elizabeth I Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond
Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland James IV, King of Scotland The Battle of Flodden Field, 1513 James V, King of Scotland Mary of Guise, Queen of Scotland
Mary Tudor, Queen of France Louis XII, King of France Francis I, King of France The Battle of the Spurs, 1513 Field of the Cloth of Gold, 1520 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Eustace Chapuys, Imperial Ambassador The Siege of Boulogne, 1544
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Archbishop Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex Thomas, Lord Audley Thomas Wriothesley, E. Southampton Sir Richard Rich
Edward Stafford, D. of Buckingham Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford John Russell, Earl of Bedford Thomas Grey, 2. Marquis of Dorset Henry Grey, D. of Suffolk Charles Somerset, Earl of Worcester George Talbot, 4. E. Shrewsbury Francis Talbot, 5. E. Shrewsbury Henry Algernon Percy,
5th Earl of Northumberland Henry Algernon Percy,
6th Earl of Northumberland Ralph Neville, 4. E. Westmorland Henry Neville, 5. E. Westmorland William Paulet, Marquis of Winchester Sir Francis Bryan Sir Nicholas Carew John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford Thomas Seymour, Lord Admiral Edward Seymour, Protector Somerset Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury Henry Pole, Lord Montague Sir Geoffrey Pole Thomas Manners, Earl of Rutland Henry Manners, Earl of Rutland Henry Bourchier, 2. Earl of Essex Robert Radcliffe, 1. Earl of Sussex Henry Radcliffe, 2. Earl of Sussex George Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter George Neville, Baron Bergavenny Sir Edward Neville William, Lord Paget William Sandys, Baron Sandys William Fitzwilliam, E. Southampton Sir Anthony Browne Sir Thomas Wriothesley Sir William Kingston George Brooke, Lord Cobham Sir Richard Southwell Thomas Fiennes, 9th Lord Dacre Sir Francis Weston Henry Norris Lady Jane Grey Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Richard Sackville Sir William Petre Sir John Cheke Walter Haddon, L.L.D Sir Peter Carew Sir John Mason Nicholas Wotton John Taylor Sir Thomas Wyatt, the Younger
Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio Cardinal Reginald Pole Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester John Aylmer, Bishop of London Thomas Linacre William Grocyn Archbishop William Warham Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester Edward Fox, Bishop of Hereford
Pope Julius II Pope Leo X Pope Clement VII Pope Paul III Pope Pius V
Pico della Mirandola Desiderius Erasmus Martin Bucer Richard Pace Christopher Saint-German Thomas Tallis Elizabeth Barton, the Nun of Kent Hans Holbein, the Younger The Sweating Sickness
Dissolution of the Monasteries Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536 Robert Aske Anne Askew Lord Thomas Darcy Sir Robert Constable
Oath of Supremacy The Act of Supremacy, 1534 The First Act of Succession, 1534 The Third Act of Succession, 1544 The Ten Articles, 1536 The Six Articles, 1539 The Second Statute of Repeal, 1555 The Act of Supremacy, 1559 Articles Touching Preachers, 1583
Queen Elizabeth I William Cecil, Lord Burghley Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Nicholas Bacon Sir Thomas Bromley
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon Sir Thomas Egerton, Viscount Brackley Sir Francis Knollys Katherine "Kat" Ashley Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester George Talbot, 6. E. of Shrewsbury Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury Gilbert Talbot, 7. E. of Shrewsbury Sir Henry Sidney Sir Robert Sidney Archbishop Matthew Parker Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich Sir Christopher Hatton Edward Courtenay, E. Devonshire Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland Thomas Radcliffe, 3. Earl of Sussex Henry Radcliffe, 4. Earl of Sussex Robert Radcliffe, 5. Earl of Sussex William Parr, Marquis of Northampton Henry Wriothesley, 2. Southampton Henry Wriothesley, 3. Southampton Charles Neville, 6. E. Westmorland Thomas Percy, 7. E. Northumberland Henry Percy, 8. E. Northumberland Henry Percy, 9. E. Nothumberland William Herbert, 1. Earl of Pembroke Charles, Lord Howard of Effingham Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk Henry Howard, 1. Earl of Northampton Thomas Howard, 1. Earl of Suffolk Henry Hastings, 3. E. of Huntingdon Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland Henry FitzAlan, 12. Earl of Arundel Thomas, Earl Arundell of Wardour Edward Somerset, E. of Worcester William Davison Sir Walter Mildmay Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Amyas Paulet Gilbert Gifford Anthony Browne, Viscount Montague François, Duke of Alençon & Anjou
Mary, Queen of Scots Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell Anthony Babington and the Babington Plot John Knox
Philip II of Spain The Spanish Armada, 1588 Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins
William Camden Archbishop Whitgift Martin Marprelate Controversy John Penry (Martin Marprelate) Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury John Dee, Alchemist
Philip Henslowe Edward Alleyn The Blackfriars Theatre The Fortune Theatre The Rose Theatre The Swan Theatre Children's Companies The Admiral's Men The Lord Chamberlain's Men Citizen Comedy The Isle of Dogs, 1597
Common Law Court of Common Pleas Court of King's Bench Court of Star Chamber Council of the North Fleet Prison Assize Attainder First Fruits & Tenths Livery and Maintenance Oyer and terminer Praemunire
The Stuarts
King James I of England Anne of Denmark Henry, Prince of Wales The Gunpowder Plot, 1605 George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset Arabella Stuart, Lady Lennox
William Alabaster Bishop Hall Bishop Thomas Morton Archbishop William Laud John Selden Lucy Harington, Countess of Bedford Henry Lawes
King Charles I Queen Henrietta Maria
Long Parliament Rump Parliament Kentish Petition, 1642
Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford John Digby, Earl of Bristol George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax Robert Devereux, 3rd E. of Essex Robert Sidney, 2. E. of Leicester Algernon Percy, E. of Northumberland Henry Montagu, Earl of Manchester Edward Montagu, 2. Earl of Manchester
The Restoration
King Charles II King James II Test Acts
Greenwich Palace Hatfield House Richmond Palace Windsor Palace Woodstock Manor
The Cinque Ports Mermaid Tavern Malmsey Wine Great Fire of London, 1666 Merchant Taylors' School Westminster School The Sanctuary at Westminster "Sanctuary"
Images:
Chart of the English Succession from William I through Henry VII
Medieval English Drama
London c1480, MS Royal 16 London, 1510, the earliest view in print Map of England from Saxton's Descriptio Angliae, 1579 London in late 16th century Location Map of Elizabethan London Plan of the Bankside, Southwark, in Shakespeare's time Detail of Norden's Map of the Bankside, 1593 Bull and Bear Baiting Rings from the Agas Map (1569-1590, pub. 1631) Sketch of the Swan Theatre, c. 1596 Westminster in the Seventeenth Century, by Hollar Visscher's View of London, 1616 Larger Visscher's View in Sections c. 1690. View of London Churches, after the Great Fire The Yard of the Tabard Inn from Thornbury, Old and New London
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