Today, the 30th December, 1460 was fought a small battle at Wakefield, Yorkshire, in the North of England. It was almost a skirmish, some same an ambush. The Lord Protector, Richard of York, and his 2nd son, Edmund, were killed. The King, Henry VI, was a prisoner. It was the War of the Roses.
Richard’s death would see the return of the rightful, but weak, king. Not an end to the civil war. Two of Richard’s sons would sit on England’s throne and it would be 25 years before Henry’s ancestors would finally sit safely and develop into the Tudor dynasty.
The new head of the York House would prove himself a great medieval prince, winning many battles, the 1st at 18 years of age just 6 weeks later at Mortimer’s Cross(20 miles from me).He finally saw off the Lancastrian threat, by killing Henry’s son, also called Edward, at Tewkesbury, Glos.(been there) in 1471.
When he died in 1483, probably of his excesses, his youngest brother Richard, had his children and rivals murdered to assume the throne. Like his father he died in battle, Bosworth 1485. Many think he would have made a good king.
Richard of York’s legacy was a good one.
