1461: Key Battles Flashcards
What were the key battles in 1461?
Battle of Mortimer’s Cross
Second Battle of St. Albans
Battle of Ferrybridge
Battle of Towton
When was the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross? What was the visual phenomenon that appeared in the morning? Who exploited it for morale?
2 Feb 1461
Parhelion (“sun dog”)
Edward of March
Which nobles participated in the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
March, Devereux + Herbert
vs
Wiltshire, Owen Tudor, Jasper Tudor
How many men were on either side in the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
5,000 Yorkists
vs
6,000 Lancs
What happened BEFORE the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
1) Lancs approaching London intercepted by Yorkists
2) Edward convinces his men the Parhelion was a symbol from God of victory, boosts morale
What happened DURING the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
1) Wiltshire attacks Devereux on the Right, but is held back
2) Jasper attacks Edward in the Centre, also held
3) Owen’s failed encirclement on the Left results in the Centre breaking
4) Lancs flee
What were the consequences of the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
- Owen Tudor caught escaping, executed in Hereford
- Edward demonstrated as strong military leader
When was the Second Battle of St. Albans? What was the weather like?
17 Feb 1461
Rain
Which nobles participated in the Second Battle of St. Albans?
Warwick, Norfolk + John Neville
vs
Somerset, Northumberland, Clifford + Trollope
How many men were on either side in the Second Battle of St. Albans?
10,000 Yorkists
vs
12,000 Lancs
What happened BEFORE the Second Battle of St. Albans?
1) Warwick and captured Henry position North of St. Albans
2) Margaret’s army swerve West and take Dunstable
What happened DURING the Second Battle of St. Albans?
1) Trollope attacks, warded off by archers in houses
2) attacks again through different route, no resistance
3) John Neville’s battle weakened by trying to support defences within the town
4) Awkward positioning, Neville’s weakness and breaking artillery due to wet gunpowder meant Warwick decides to withdraw to Chipping Norton
What were the consequences of the Second Battle of St. Albans?
- Henry VI returned to Lancs
- Plunder of St. Albans Abbey becomes a reason Lancs are barred from London
- Lord Bonville and Sir Thomas Kyriell executed
When was the Battle of Ferrybridge?
28 Mar 1461
Which nobles participated in the Battle of Ferrybridge?
Fauconberg, Blount + Horne
vs
Clifford
What happened DURING the Battle of Ferrybridge?
1) Both sides wanted control of Ferrybridge, a key crossing of the River Aire
2) Yorkists outflank Lancs at Castleford upstream and meet the Lanc right wing
3) Clifford retreats North but caught at Dinting Dale and killed
What were the consequences of the Battle of Ferrybridge?
- Yorkists take control of Ferrybridge crossing
When was the Battle of Towton? What was the weather like?
29 Mar 1461
Snowing and windy
Which nobles participated in the Battle of Towton?
Edward IV, Warwick, Fauconberg + Norfolk
vs
Somerset, Northumberland, Exeter + Trollope
How many men were on either side in the Second Battle of St. Albans?
25,000 Yorkists
vs
30,000 Lancs
What happened BEFORE the Battle of Towton?
1) Lancs set up, with their backs to Cock Beck
2) Yorkists set up to face Lancs on a ridge, wind blowing towards the Lancs as snow begins to fall
What happened DURING the Battle of Towton?
1) Fauconberg orders the Yorkist archers to fire, and the wind carries the arrows deep into the Lancs as they’re blinded by the snow
2) in response, Lanc archers returned fire, unable to see the arrows fall short due to the snow
3) Fauconberg orders Yorkists to return fire again, using the Lanc arrows in front of them
4) Lancs advance to engage in close-combat
5) as the left Yorkist wing fell into disarray, Edward IV took control and killed his horse as a symbol of standing his ground. This was a large morale boost
6) the indecisive fighting continued for 3 hours, until Norfolk arrives late with reinforcements and routs the Lancs, breaking their formation as they flee
7) Lancs massacred as they flee, ditching their armour to run faster and were chopped down, or as they drowned attempting to cross Cock Beck and the River Wharfe
What were the consequences of the Battle of Towton?
- Henry, Margaret, Somerset and more flee to Scotland, weakening the Lanc position in England
- Edward IV’s reign was consolidated
