The War of the Roses was a civil war in England for the crown. It was between the two factions the Lancastrians, and the Yorkists. The War of the Roses was so called because each faction had a different colored rose on their badge, the Lancastrians had a red rose, and the Yorkists had a white rose.
This war had torn the country apart for 30 years, and had begun with the death of Edward III. Edward had 13 children, and married them off to different dukes and counts in England. One of his sons, Richard II, became king when he died, but the throne was usurped from him by Henry IV. Henry’s son, Henry V, also had the general approval of the people, with his success in the Hundred Years War, and became the next king.
But Henry V died suddenly, and his infant son, Henry VI, had to become king. Richard, the Duke of York, used Henry VI weakness to strengthen his grip on the throne, and marched into London with a small army in the year of 1455, and commenced the first battle at St. Alban’s the first battle in the War of the Roses.
Richard, though not getting his right to the throne, was named the Protector of the Throne. During this battle, Henry VI was wounded in the neck, and after recovering from his wounds and his illness, and retook the throne.
But people were more satisfied with the way that Richard ruled, such as the Earl of Warwick, and plots and schemes on both sides of the civil war were made.
The Archbishop, seeing how bad the things were, made a celebration called “love day” where the Lancastrian and Yorkist nobles walked hand in hand. But, as the archbishop should’ve have probably thought, the schemes continued after love day was over.
After two battles with the Yorkists, the Lancastrians finally expelled the from London, but the Yorkists wouldn’t give up so easily. They met again in the Battle of Northampton, and this battle turned the tides of the war. Richard captured Henry and claimed the throne.
In the end, people did vote for Henry to still be king, but Richard would be his successor. Richard went to see the Lancastrians, but was forced into a battle at Wakefield, and he and his sons were captured and executed, ending this part of the war with a victory for the Lancastrians.
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