4- How did Edward establish himself as King? Flashcards
When was Edward VI proclaimed King?
4th March 1461
What did Edward believe when he became King and why?
Rejected coronation in March, accepting the sceptre but refusing the crown, delaying the coronation until after he had destroyed Henry VI and bought peace to England
What did Edward VI need to do before he became King?
Defeat the Lancastrians, thus needed men and money to fund his army
How did Edward fund his army to fight against the Lancastrians?
- With the help of the City of London, who were pro-Yorkist and had lent £4,500 since July 1460. Londoners now offered a further boost £4,000.
- Got loans from merchants, they believed he would be better for future business than Lancastrians who amassed large debts and ran out of credit.
- Religious houses also contributed
Why did merchants help fund Edward’s army?
-Got loans from merchants, they believed he would be better for future business than Lancastrians who amassed large debts and ran out of credit.
How did London contribute to the provision of Edward’s army?
-With the help of the City of London, who were pro-Yorkist and had lent £4,500 since July 1460. Londoners now offered a further boost £4,000.
What was the build up to Edward going to London?
- Edward won Battle at Mortimer’s Cross February 1461
- Warwick had just been defeated at Second Battle of St Albans, so he fled West and they both linked up in Oxfordshire to return to London.
How did Edward and Warwick arrive in London?
-In March, at the head of an army made up of retainers from Edward’s own estates in Wales and the Welsh Marshes.
What did Edward announce of March 6th 1461?
- A proclamation in which any supporters of Henry VI who submitted to Edward within 10 days would receive a pardon, except those with an income over 100 marks per year.
- To gain support and cause a rift between Lancastrian lords and their followers
Why did Henry announce his proclamation on the 6th March?
-Aimed to recruit men/ gain popular support, as this method had worked previously for the Battle of Northampton in 1460.
In addition to weaken the capacity for the Lancastrians to form an army as they would have all moved to Yorkist support to be pardoned.
Where were the Yorkists able to gather support from?
- Plenty from Kent and East Anglia, historically Yorkist supporters.
- A contingent from Burgundy fighting for the future of Louis Xi of France
- According to Gregory’s Chronicle, they were able to gather an army of 200,000 by the time they had reached Pontefract in Yorkshire, from the Welsh Marshes
How many nobles did each army have?
-Yorkists 9, Lancastrians 20, but this power difference was ostensible as the small Yorkist number just disguised Edward and Warwick’s vast inheritances and thus the number of retainers at their command.
How many did each side have at the Battle of Towton when they met on the 28th March 1461?
50,000 men each
What happened at the Battle at Ferrybridge?
- The first battle at Towton, 28th March, Lancastrians forced to retreat with their Commander Lord Clifford being Med off.
- Warwick also took an arrow to the leg
What happened on the second day at the Battle of Towton 1461?
- Lancastrians lined up on the high ground at the chosen battle point on the 29th March. The windy and snowy conditions blew in the faces of the Lancastrians.
- Edward uses these conditions to his advantage and orders Yorkists to fire one flight of arrows and step back, to trigger Lancs and ensure their arrows would not reach due to distance and wind so Lancs arrows did not hit.
- Despite, Somerset driving Edward’s cavalry back in the field, the Lancastrians were again blinded by the conditions and did not see the arrival of Norfolk who aided the victory.
