玫瑰战争.ppt

Wars of the Roses
Origins

When Edward III died in 1377, he left behind him several sons. In order to care for his brood, he had created the first English dukedoms for them, bestowing unprecedented power upon the royal litter. After the old King’s death, though, it was not a son but a grandson who eeded him: Richard II, the youth who, in his fourteenth year fared so admirably during the Peasant’s Revolt. Unfortunately Richard never demonstrated such leadership, wisdom and ability, and later in his reign managed to alienate both his family and the nobility. Inevitable disaster struck in 1399, when his powerful cousin, Henry of Lancaster took the crown. For the next few decades Henry’s heirs ruled England in relative peace, until the early 1450’s when Richard, Duke of York, a descendant of Edward III started making trouble.
Richard
Henry
The current king of England, Henry VI was a weak and ill man, little suited to the burdens of kingship. Henry had no children at the time so the Duke York was considered next in line for the throne. Unfortunately York had not the power that befitted his status as Henry’s heir; other nobles constantly persuaded Henry to keep him out of politics by giving him overseas duties . After some years as Captain of Calais, York had spent thousands of pounds of his own money paying the garrison and providing for their needs. He was then relieved of his post by the Duke of Somerset. If this injustice failed to anger York, his own appointment of Captain of Ireland and subsequent exile must have, as he watched Somerset surrender the cities and towns that had belonged to England for decades. After the fall of Rouen Somerset returned to England and to the surprise of everybody was ed home by King Henry.
In 1452 York returned secretly to England and marched with several thousand retainers and supporters on London, halting at Blackheath where he found the road blocked by the Royal army. York demanded that Somerset be put on trial for hi