The Great Turning Points of British History by Michael Wood

Author:Michael Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472107787
Publisher: Constable

OTHER KEY DATES IN THIS PERIOD

1450 Crisis over the loss of Normandy. France had the upper hand in the Hundred Years War in the mid-fifteenth century. The loss of Normandy as an English possession in 1449 caused an acute political crisis. In February 1450 an unruly Parliament impeached Henry VI’s chief minister. Through 1450 there was extended and widespread unrest among the lower classes aimed at the government. This became outright revolt in July, with Cade’s Rebellion, centred on Kent, when the rebels took control of London for several days.

1453 End of the Hundred Years War. On 17 July the English defeat at the battle of Castillon put an end to centuries-old English rule in Aquitaine and to the last vestiges of English rule in France, apart from Calais and a small enclave around it. This was the effective end of the Hundred Years War. It was hearing the news of this defeat in August that allegedly caused Henry VI to lose his reason for nearly eighteen months.

1455 Beginning of the Wars of the Roses. The first battle of St Albans on 22 May was the start of the Wars of the Roses. Royal forces confronted the army of the duke of York in what was little more than a skirmish. The Yorkist victory gave the duke control of Henry VI – who, though recovered from madness, was now only a figurehead king – and enabled York to direct government until he lost power to the queen, Margaret of Anjou, in mid-1456.

1461 Accession of Edward IV. York, having returned from exile to claim the throne in 1460, had been defeated and killed by royalist forces at the battle of Wakefield. His son Edward took up his father’s cause, defeated the Lancastrians at Mortimer’s Cross in Wales, entered London and on 4 March proclaimed himself king, making good his claim by a great victory on 29 March over the Lancastrians at Towton in Yorkshire.

1470 Brief return of Henry VI. Warwick and Clarence (Edward IV’s own brother), having fled to France after an abortive rebellion, and there made peace with Margaret of Anjou and her son, Prince Edward, returned, restoring Henry VI to the throne in October. Edward IV escaped but returned in March 1471, reclaiming his throne. Warwick was killed at Barnet in April, and invading Lancastrian forces were defeated at Tewkesbury in May and Prince Edward was killed. Edward IV ordered Henry VI’s murder.

1478 Death of Clarence. Clarence had deserted Warwick on Edward’s return from exile and had been pardoned but remained troublesome. In 1471–4 he quarrelled with Gloucester over the Warwick inheritance. He was a destabilizing influence in the regions where he was most powerful and there were rumours of treason. In 1478 he was condemned in Parliament and subsequently killed in the Tower, allegedly drowned in a butt of malmsey. His destruction indicates Edward’s dominance and ruthlessness at this time.

1482 Recovery of Berwick. This key frontier town had been surrendered to the Scots in early 1461 in the last throes of Henry VI’s rule.

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