WARS OF THE ROSES

WARS OF THE ROSES is the name given to a civil war in England from 1452 to 1486, between the Houses of York and Lancaster, so called from the badge of the former being a white rose and that of the latter being a red.

It was the most protracted and sanguinary civil war in English history, fought out during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III. between the adherents of the noble houses of York and Lancaster - rival claimants for the throne of England.

The war began with the first battle of St. Albans (1455), in which Richard, Duke of York, defeated Henry VI.'s forces under the Duke of Somerset; but not till after the decisive victory at Towton (1461) did the Yorkists make good their claim, when Edward (IV.), Duke of York, became king. Four times the Lancastrians were defeated during his reign. The war closed with the defeat and death of the Yorkist Richard III. at Bosworth (1485), and an end was put to the rivalry of the two houses by the marriage of Henry VII. of Lancaster with Elizabeth of York (1486).

It terminated with the accession of Henry VII., who united in his person the rival claims.