Page 37 - All About History - Issue 70-18

06 A futile sanctuary
Somerset and other Lancastrians
take refuge in Tewkesbury Abbey but Edward
drags them out after two days, quickly has HOUSE OF HOUSE OF
them tried, and executes them. YORK LANCASTER
The Yorkists are victorious and the
Lancastrians lose around 2,000 men including Troops: c.4,000-5,000 Troops: c.5,000-6,000
Somerset, Devon, Wenlock and Prince Edward.
Queen Margaret is captured and paraded back
to London in triumph.

05 The Bloody Meadow
Many Lancastrians become trapped
06 near the River Severn and either drown or are
killed by the pursuing Yorkists through dykes
and hedges.
Such is the scale of the killing that the area
becomes known as the Bloody Meadow. LEADER LEADER

Edward IV Edmund Beaufort
By May 1471 Edward had spent years fighting for A diehard Lancastrian, the Duke of Somerset
and defending his crown against the Lancastrians. had been imprisoned by the Yorkists for
Tewkesbury was to be the final reckoning for the several years before escaping overseas.
throne of England. He returned to England in 1470 to assist the
Strengths Physically imposing, highly restoration of Henry VI.
experienced, undefeated in battle Strengths Loyalty to the Lancastrian dynasty, a
Weaknesses Edward had only recently won the favourite at the court of the duke of Burgundy
Battle of Barnet and had exhaustedly pursued the Weaknesses Militarily experienced but frequently
Lancastrians across the kingdom unsuccessful in battle, particularly in command

KEY UNIT KEY UNIT

Yorkist Spearmen Lancastrian Longbowmen
Edward IV hid a reserve of 200 spearmen at Longbowmen were a key feature of every English
Tewkesbury to surprise the Lancastrians if army during the late medieval period and were
they attacked. used on both sides during the Wars of the Roses.
Strengths Easy to hide, quick to deploy Strengths Extremely accurate archery.
Weaknesses Designed to be deployed as a Rapid loosing of arrows
reserve during an emergency Weaknesses Vulnerable to opposing archers

KEY WEAPON KEY WEAPON

Artillery Longbow
Cannons played an increasingly important part The longbow was Welsh in origin and had been
during the Wars of the Roses and Yorkist guns had used to great effect by the English during the
a significant impact on the Lancastrian lines. Hundred Years’ War. Every Englishman
Strengths Capable of firing barrages with a was required to train on the longbow from a
significant psychological impact young age, so archers were often highly skilled.
Weaknesses With some projectiles weighing up Strengths Cheap to produce. Deadly against
to several hundreds of pounds the cannons were armoured infantry and cavalry
heavy, cumbersome and extremely slow to load Weaknesses Required years of training.
and fire Bowstrings were vulnerable to rainfall

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