Page 34 - All About History - Issue 70-18

Wars of the Roses

quickly. Cecily sent Richard to the Burgundian
The most famous portrait of
Richard III takes from the late Netherlands for safety but Edward won the Battle
16th century and is probably a of Mortimer’s Cross on 2 February 1461. He then
copy of an original likeness
entered London with his powerful ally the earl of
Warwick on 4 March.
Edward was proclaimed as King Edward IV and
on 29 March he won a very bloody but decisive
victory at Towton. The Lancastrians were routed
and Richard was able to return to England.
In June that year, Edward was crowned at
Westminster Abbey, and Richard became Duke of
Gloucester, which was a title he would hold until
he became king himself.
Four years later, the 12-year-old Richard moved
to the household of Warwick, who was the most
powerful nobleman in England. Edward appointed
Warwick as Richard’s tutor and it was under his
tutelage that he served his military apprenticeship.
Over the course of five years, the young prince
followed Warwick around his northern fortresses.
Serving in the north of England was arduous but
Richard would have been familiarised with the
frequent border warfare with Scotland.
the Realm by Parliament of England and ruled on In military terms this would have been
Henry’s behalf. Although the king regained his invaluable for a prince who was being taught the
mental faculties, York was reluctant to relinquish art of warfare in a tough environment by a highly
power and civil war broke out in 1455. The conflict experienced commander.
between the houses of York and Lancaster became However, the fraught politics of the era
known as the Wars of the Roses and would rage returned and Richard witnessed the disintegrating
for 30 years, only ending with Richard’s battlefield relationship between Warwick and Edward. In
death at Bosworth. 1464, Edward married Elizabeth Woodville
Richard grew up in a tense who was a relatively lowborn
atmosphere where military fortunes noblewoman. Warwick, who
influenced his childhood. York Richard’s had been a staunch Yorkist, Richard III famously fought
was initially successful but after brother, King disapproved of the match and at Bosworth wearing a crown
his defeat at Ludford Bridge resented Edward’s patronage of on his helmet, which would
have made him highly
in 1459 he sent his eldest Edward IV, was the Woodville family. visible on the battlefield
sons into exile. The seven- supposedly 6’5”, Richard returned to court
year-old Richard remained at making him the tallest in 1469 but Warwick revolted
Ludlow Castle with his mother British monarch of in the same year and captured
and youngest siblings. The all time Edward before imprisoning
Lancastrians pillaged Ludlow and him. The king was released in
Cecily was reputedly “unmanly and September 1469 and it is possible
cruelly treated” by the soldiers. Richard that Richard negotiated with his
may have been witness to his mother’s assault. former mentor to free his brother. Edward
York fought back, and Henry was captured at soon appointed Richard to the high military
the Battle of Northampton but then took a drastic post of Constable of England. In September 1470,
step. He persuaded Parliament to accept him as Warwick revolted again and Edward and Richard
Henry’s heir but this brazen attempt to claim the fled to the Netherlands. Warwick released Henry
throne led to further conflict. VI from captivity in the Tower of London and
Henry’s queen, Margaret of Anjou, raised an restored him in a spectacular volte-face that
army and the Lancastrians decisively defeated earned him the sobriquet of ‘Kingmaker’. Edward
York at the Battle of Wakefield in December 1460. received Burgundian support and landed in
York was killed (along with Richard’s elder England with Richard in March 1471. His military
brother Edmund) and his head was displayed training was about to be put to the test.
wearing a paper crown to mock his royal
ambitions. Richard, who was only eight years Battle of Barnet
old, was profoundly affected by his father’s Edward, who was a daring military commander,
death and oversaw his formal reburial quickly outmanoeuvred Warwick and successfully
many years later. took London. Henry VI was recaptured and
His eldest brother Edward, Earl of Warwick offered battle 16 kilometres from the
March, was now the Yorkist leader capital near Barnet in Hertfordshire on 14 April The Battle of Barnet was
and despite the setback at 1471. This was Richard’s first major battle and he Richard’s first command,
Wakefield events moved would have to fight his former tutor. Chroniclers leading the vanguard

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