Medieval History

I decided today that if there is no pertinent news relating to medieval history, I will choose a topic of my own interest instead. Read on if you wish; disregard if you don’t. Either way, I am having fun writing .

The War of the Roses is generally known to have taken place between 1455 and 1487. However, I like to start a little earlier than that. Let us go back to 1399, and the slight on Henry IV by Richard II.

After the death of John of Gaunt (Third son of Edward III, Father to Henry IV)  in 1399, Henry was to to inherit his father’s title and lands. In an attempt to assert his authority, King Richard II decided to revoke Henry’s claim on the lands immediately upon John’s death. Richard instead demanded that Henry ask for the lands, suggesting the lands were not Henry’s to inherit, but rather Richard’s to give. A slight Henry would not take lightly.

Henry, after some reluctance, met with the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel. The two conspired against Richard, and began a military campaign in England while Richard was away on his own military ventures in Ireland. With Arundel at Henry’s side, he began taking lands from all who opposed him and very quickly gained enough support to declare himself Henry IV, King of England. Henry had Richard imprisoned and held his coronation on Oct. 13, 1399. Richard’s seven-year-old son and presumptive Edument de Mortimer would not take his father’s throne. Richard soon died in prison under mysterious circumstances.

Thus are the seeds planted that will germinate and later grow into the Wars of the Roses.

Sources:

Pollard, A.J., “Late Medieval England 1399-1509.” New York: Longman, 2000.

Ian Mortimer, The Fears of Henry IV: the Life of England’s Self-Made King (Jonathan Cape, 2007).

Peter McNiven, “The Problem of Henry IV’s Health, 1405–1413,” English Historical Review, 100 (1985), pp 747–772.