1. Introduction: Causes of the Wars of the Roses
- Henry VI and Richard, duke of York
- Relations between Crown and nobility
- Relations with France
- Economics of the fifteenth century
- Rise of Parliament
2. Interpreting the Sources: Chronicles, Letters, Ballads and Governmental Rolls
- How to interpret narrative sources
- Genealogies
- Chronicles
- Letter collections
- Parliament Rolls
- Manifestoes, tracts and ballads
- Cultural material
3. Henry VI: Minority, Rule and Revolt
- Regency government of England 1422–37
- French wars
- Henry VI’s majority
- Marriage to Margaret of Anjou (1430–82)
- Economic crisis and rebellion
- 1453-5: The king’s illness and the beginning of hostilities
4. The Fall of the House of Lancaster: Edward IV's Challenge
- 1455: Aftermath of the battle
- Attempts at reconciliation
- The Act of Accord
- 1461: King Edward IV and the Battle of Towton: Two kings in England
- Elizabeth Woodville
- Warwick’s rebellion
5. The Wars of the Roses: Warfare, Armies and Military Tactics
- Tactics
- Weaponry
- Logistics and feeding a medieval army
- Military leadership and a warrior queen
- Chivalry, ransom and prisoners of war
- Modern research into the casualties from the Battle of Towton (1461)
- The common soldier
6. The Wars of the Roses: Local Experiences
- Early family background
- Elizabeth Paston: Marriages, rebellion and treason
- John Paston Snr and his wife Margaret (Margery) Mautby
- Local violence and warfare
- Sir John Paston (2nd)
- Changing allegiances: local and national politics
7. Return of Henry VI and the Victory of Edward IV
- Edward IV in exile and the Burgundian connection
- Edward IV returns to England
- Battle of Barnet: 14 April 1471
- Battle of Tewkesbury: 4 May 1471
- The victory of Edward IV and the death of Henry VI
- The cult of King Henry VI
- Edward IV’s 2nd reign (1471–83)
8. Royal Power: The Reputation of Richard III
- Early background: Constable of England and royal lieutenant of the north
- Richard and the Wars of the Roses
- Protector of the realm and the princes in the Tower
- King (1483–85) and the man
- Henry Tudor’s rise and the Battle of Bosworth
- Posthumous reputation: Man or myth?
- What will the discovery of the remains of Richard III mean to history?
9. Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses and the ‘Tudor Myth’
- Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses plays
- Shakespeare’s plays: Henry VI part 1
- Shakespeare’s plays: Henry VI part 2
- Shakespeare’s plays: Henry VI part 3
- Shakespeare’s plays: Richard III
- Shakespeare and the ‘Tudor Myth’
10. The legacy of the Wars of the Roses: Early Tudor government
- King Henry VII and the nobility
- Catherine of Valois
- Margaret Beaufort
- Henry VII’s marriage to Elizabeth of York
- Henry VII’s foreign policy
- Rebellions and threats to Henry VII’s reign
- Henry VII’s legacy
We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral, and very rewarding, part of the course and the online learning experience.