The Wars of the Roses Politics and the Constitution in England, c.1437}}}1509 [Hardcover]

This book presents a truly coherent account of the Wars of the Roses.The Wars of the Roses were a period of major crisis in English politics and in the lives of the English landowning classes. This book attempts to explain why the Wars occurred, and with what results, by placing them in the context of the ruling classes' expectations of kingship and governance at this time. The book draws on a large amount of detailed work written over the last 25 years on local and national politics, to present a coherent synthesis of what can seem a baffling and incoherent period.The Wars of the Roses were a period of major crisis in English politics and in the lives of the English landowning classes. This book attempts to explain why the Wars occurred, and with what results, by placing them in the context of the ruling classes' expectations of kingship and governance at this time. The book draws on a large amount of detailed work written over the last 25 years on local and national politics, to present a coherent synthesis of what can seem a baffling and incoherent period.The Wars of the Roses was a period of major crisis in English politics and in the lives of the English landowning classes. This book attempts to explain why the Wars occurred, and with what results, by placing them in the context of the ruling classes' expectations of kingship and governance at that time. The book draws on a large amount of detailed work written over the past twenty-five years on local and national politics, to present a coherent synthesis of what can seem a baffling and incoherent period.Introduction; 1. Sources and historiography; 2. The governance of England in the fifteenth century (i); 3. The governance of England in the fifteenth century (ii); 4. The Lancastrian kings to c. 1437; 5. Henry VI's adult rule: the first phase c. 143750; 6. The road to war: 145055; 7. The end of Lancastrian rule: 145561; 8. Edward IV's first reign: 146171; 9. The triumph of York: 147183; 10. Richard III andlcC