Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/622

 610 ENGLAND became Henry VI., and was soon the king of a large part of France, his French grandfather dying soon after his father. The king's uncle, the duke of Bedford, carried on the war, and the English were mostly victorious over the French and their Scotch allies. A variety of events, however, among which the exploits of Joan of Arc are the most remarkable, led to a change in the fortunes of the contest, and the French had in 1451 recovered all their country except Calais and two other small places. Hen- ry VI. proved to be a man of much amiability, but deficient in intellect and vigor. During his minority the court was the scene of in- trigues and contentions ; and when he had ar- rived at manhood, and married Margaret of Anjou, daughter of Rene, titular king of Sicily, Naples, and Jerusalem, that able princess be- came the real head of the state. The conflicts of parties were increased in fierceness, partly from the throwing of so many public men back upon England, who had lost all they had seized in France. That contest which is known as the war of the roses, or the contentions of the houses of York and Lancaster for the crown of England, commenced about 1452. Richard, duke of York, a descendant of the third son of Edward III., was the legitimate heir to the throne. Had Henry VI. been an able mon- arch, Richard's claims would have been of little practical importance ; but the weakness of the king and the fierceness of the party contests united to concentrate men's attention upon the duke, who had many strong points of character, and had served his country well in France and Ireland. He had married Ce- cily Neville, daughter of the earl of Westmore- land, a near connection of the earls of Salis- bury and Warwick, two of the greatest nobles of the realm. The duke expected to succeed quietly to the crown on the king's death, as Henry had no children for many years after his marriage ; but in 1453 Prince Edward was born. The king was reduced by illness to a state of imbecility, and York was made pro- tector ; but when Henry in 1455 recovered his intellect, he resumed power, and showed such favor to the duke's enemies that the Yorkists assumed arms, and a civil war began which did not fully end until 40 years later. The first battle was fought at St. Albans, May 22, 1455, and was won by the Yorkists, or party of the white rose. The king was now in their pow- er, and acceded to all the demands of York, who became protector again on the return of Henry's illness. The queen was less sub- missive, and nearly succeeded in her attempts to destroy the opposition chiefs. War was re- sumed in 1459, with various fortune. After the battle of Northampton, July 10, 1460, it was arranged that Henry should remain king for life, but that York should succeed him. Mar- garet resisted, and on Dec. 30 defeated the Yorkists at Wakefield. York and his young eon, the earl of Rutland, and his chief sup- porter, Salisbury, were put to death. The Yorkist claim now passed to Edward, earl of March, the duke's eldest son, a youth of 19, superior to his father in intellectual qualities, but his inferior in virtue and humanity. Ed- ward marched against one of the Lancastrian armies and defeated it, and then proceeded to London, where the people and some of the parliament acknowledged his claims. He was proclaimed king, March 4, 1461 ; and so prompt were his movements that he met the Lancas- trian army at Towton, a few miles from York, the 29th of the same month (Palm Sunday) ; 100,000 men joined battle, and after the most sanguinary conflict that ever occurred on Eng- lish ground, victory declared for Edward IV. Margaret renewed the contest with French and Scottish aid, but was beaten at Hexham, May 15, 1464. Henry fell into his rival's hands, and was imprisoned in the tower. The power of the Yorkists being established, they fell to quarrelling among themselves. The Nev- illes, at whose head stood the earl of War- wick, claimed more than the king could grant, and so became enemies of the royal house. The king's marriage with Elizabeth Woodville, widow of Sir John Grey, gave offence to War- wick. The duke of Clarence, a brother of the king, married the eldest daughter of Warwick, to the disgust of the monarch. In 1469 the Nevilles headed a rebellion, being aided by Clarence, and the king at one time was their prisoner. Released from confinement, Edward put down another rebellion, and conferred high favors on Clarence and Warwick ; but the quarrel was renewed, and failing to seize the king, the rebel chiefs fled to France, where Warwick, under the mediation of Louis XL, joined the party of Margaret of Anjou. Land- ing in England, and proclaiming Henry VI. king, Warwick was everywhere successful, and Edward fled to Holland; but in a few months he returned, and was as successful as Warwick had been. In four weeks he entered London, having been joined by his brother Clarence. The battle of Barnet was fought April 14, 1471, and the Lancastrians were de- feated, Warwick and his brother Montague falling on the field. On May 4 Edward again defeated the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury, Prince Edward, son of Henry VI., being taken prisoner, and at once put to death. Margaret of Anjou was made prisoner, and sent to the tower, where her husband perished soon after- ward. Edward was no more disturbed by the Lancastrians, but the dissensions at his court caused him great trouble. His brother Clarence he put to death. He invaded France at the head of a large force, but Louis XI. bought peace of him, and he returned to Eng- land. He died in 1483. His successor, Ed- ward V., was not quite 13 years old. The court was divided into two parties, the one consisting of the relatives of the young king on the maternal side, and the other of the old nobility. Richard, duke of Gloucester, the king's uncle, an able and- ambitious prince,