First Battle of St Albans
1455 - 1487 · Early Modern
The First Battle of St Albans on May 22, 1455, marked the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, a series of English civil wars fought between the Houses of Lancaster and York for control of the throne. These conflicts lasted until 1487 and ultimately resulted in the victory of the House of Tudor, which was descended from the House of Lancaster.
Key Figures
Henry VIRichard, Duke of YorkMargaret of AnjouEdward IVRichard Neville, Earl of Warwick
Locations
LondonSt AlbansTowtonTewkesburyBosworth Field
Topics
Civil WarEnglandPlantagenet
Connected Events — 2 Connections
The Wars of the Roses established the Tudor precedent for legitimizing contested royal succession through ceremony and public spectacle, a tradition that evolved into the modern British coronation's emphasis on continuity and divine sanction Coronation of Elizabeth II
Henry VIII's break with Rome was enabled by the strong Tudor monarchy established after the Wars of the Roses, which had eliminated the feudal power structures that previously checked royal authority Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII
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