The Wars Of The Roses - 1181 Words

et was a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England. The military action, along with the subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury, secured the throne for Edward IV. On 14 April 1471 near Barnet, then a small Hertfordshire town north of London, Edward led the House of York in a fight against the House of Lancaster, which backed Henry VI for the throne. Leading the Lancastrian army was Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, who played a crucial role in the fate of each king. Historians regard the battle as one of the most important clashes in the Wars of the Roses, since it brought about a decisive turn in the fortunes of the two houses. Edward s victory was followed by fourteen years of Yorkist rule†¦show more content†¦On their return to the battlefield, Oxford s men were erroneously shot at by his allies commanded by John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu. The Lancastrians lost the battle as cries of treason spread through their line, di srupting morale and causing many to abandon the fight. While retreating, Warwick was killed by Yorkist soldiers. Warwick had been such an influential figure in 15th-century English politics that, on his death, no one matched him in terms of power and popularity. Deprived of Warwick s support, the Lancastrians suffered their final defeat at the Battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May 1471, which marked the downfall of the House of Lancaster and the ascendancy of the House of York. Three centuries after the Battle of Barnet, a stone obelisk was raised on the spot where Warwick purportedly died. Contents [hide] 1 Background 2 Commanders 2.1 Yorkist 2.2 Lancastrian 3 Prelude 4 Fighting in the mist 5 Post-battle 6 Legacy 6.1 Shakespearian dramatisation 6.2 Battlefield 7 Notes 8 References 9 Bibliography 10 External links Background[edit] Further information: Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses were a series of conflicts between various English lords and nobles in support of two different royal families. In 1461, the conflict reached a milestone when the House of York supplanted its rival, the House of Lancaster, as the ruling royal house in England. Edward IV, leader of the Yorkists, seized the throne from the