War of the Roses: Choose the Battles! Quiz

Answer:

Even though Henry VI was eventually deemed able to rule again, the court intrigues that had been taking place during his illness continued. When the King called for the gathering of his Great Council, York, who was worried that Somerset, one of the King's favorites, planned to bring charges against him, encouraged his allies, including the Earl of Warwick, to bring their private armies and meet with the King. After Henry refused to dismiss Somerset from his Great Council, York and his followers attacked.

The First Battle of St. Albans took place on May 22, 1455, with fighting taking place in the gardens, lanes, and market place of the small town. Warwick's longbowmen killed members of the King's bodyguard, and even injured the King. More importantly, perhaps, York's rival, Somerset, was killed. The Duke of York, whose power was restored, was once again Lord Protector.

After the First Battle of St. Albans, both sides continued to raise support, but the next battle was not fought until September 23, 1459; an army led by the Yorkist Earl of Salisbury was confronted by Lancastrian troops led by Lord Audley as he tried to meet up with York's main army at Ludlow Castle. After attempts at peace talks failed, the Battle of Blore Heath took place. The distance between each side made the traditional volley of longbowmen arrows rather ineffective, and when one of the York leaders, Salisbury, pretended to leave, Audley ordered an ill-advised charge across a brook, and was killed in the terrible rout, with the Lancaster army loosing twice as many men in spite of the fact that their army was twice as large.

Hostilities continued on October 12-13, 1459, at the Battle of Lunford Bridge, which proved to be a disaster for the York faction. A large part of the army, led by Andrew Trollope, deserted; York and Salisbury fled the country. Although considered to be a Lancaster victory, within six months the York army was reformed and was ready to continue to fight.

The Battle of Northampton on July 10, 1460, was very short, but consequential. After about thirty minutes of fighting, the Earl of Warwick captured King Henry. All it took was a York promise to help Lord Grey of Ruthin in a property dispute. His men simply quit fighting, and three years later Ruthin was named Treasurer of England. The battle, however, was an important turning point of the war. Several Lancastrian nobles were killed that day trying to protect the King, leaving the Queen, Margaret of Anjou, in charge of the troops.

York forces suffered terrible losses at the Battle of Wakefield on December 30, 1460. They were foraging for supplies when surprised by the Lancastrian army. Although they fought bravely, the York faction was overwhelmed and suffered heavy casualties with the deaths of their leader, Richard of York, the King's heir, along with his son Edmund, the Earl of Rutland, and the Earl of Salisbury. Lancastrians displayed the heads of the fallen on Micklegate Bar in York, with Richard's being adorned with a paper crown. The balance of power shifted to the Lancaster side.

There were two Battles of St. Albans, with the second battle taking place on February 17, 1461. The Queen's army successfully avoided the York army; while being forced to retreat, the York army left behind a present - King Henry who was said to have been found singing under a tree! After the battle Henry knighted his seven year old son, Prince Edward, who subsequently knighted several of the Lancastrian leaders. The Queen's plundering army was not admitted into London, as the people there had barred the gates. The Earl of Warwick was allowed into the city, however, with Edward of March, the Duke of York's son. England now had two men who claimed to be King.

Said to be the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil, the Battle of Towton took place on March 29, 1461, during a snowstorm with approximately 50,000-60,000 combatants. An estimated 75% of all of the English peers fought in the battle. Beginning with the traditional volleys of arrows, York archers had to reuse arrows that had been sent by Lancastrian archers. Edward's leadership inspired the York army to continue its fight during the ten hour ordeal. When York reinforcements finally arrived, the Lancaster army retreated, throwing off their helmets and armor so they could run faster. King Henry was forced with his family into exile, with the power of the Lancasters greatly depleted. A York victory here secured the throne for Richard's son, Edward of March, who was crowned King Edward IV on June 28, 1461; his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, was crowned Queen on May 26, 1465.

The fighting that broke out on July 26, 1469, at the Battle of Edgecote, proved to be an important turning point in the War of the Roses. Faced with discontentment within the ranks of his army, Edward IV lost the battle, along with his brother and father-in-law, who were executed. While the power of the Earl of Warwick, who was already known as the Kingmaker, became stronger, it wouldn't be much longer before he made a startling move.

The Earl of Warwick parted company with King Edward IV, believing that his marriage to a commoner had been a slight to both his service and his daughters. He led the Lancastrian army at the Battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471, where the movements of both armies were hampered by a heavy fog. The battle was an important victory for the York army, as the Earl of Warwick was killed in the fighting. It did not end the war, though, as Margaret of Anjou was returning to England with an army.

Fought just three weeks later, on May 4, 1471, the Battle of Tewkesbury was a decisive victory for King Edward IV. He led the York troops at the battle, which resulted in the deaths of Prince Edward of Westminster, the son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, along with several Lancastrian noblemen. Queen Margaret was captured as well, and King Henry, who had been held in the Tower of London, died shortly after. These events brought England to a period of peace under Edward IV which lasted until his death 1483.

When Edward IV died in 1483, his brother, who took the throne as Richard III, became king after his two nephews, Edward's sons, disappeared. Henry Tudor, from the House of Lancaster, however, believed that he had a claim to the throne. On August 22, 1485, with help from his step-father, Thomas, Lord Stanley, Henry was able to receive important reinforcements at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Modern study shows that Richard, who decided to lead a cavalry charge, died during the battle of multiple head wounds - at least nine to the skull - that were probably inflicted by different assailants. Henry Tudor was proclaimed King Henry VII on the battlefield, after being brought Richard's crown. The war, however, wasn't over yet.

On June 16, 1487, the Battle of Stoke Field, which is considered to be the final battle of the War of the Roses, took place. Even though Henry VII had been crowned king, the York faction attempted to place a pretender named Lambert Simnel on the throne, claiming that he was the Earl of Warwick. The battle resulted in huge York losses, and, while Simnel was captured, King Henry pardoned him, recognizing that he was just a person who was being used.

All of the incorrect choices were battles fought during the Napoleonic Wars.