8. The Neville-Percy Dispute

Question 1

Where did the 2 leading noble families have substantial territorial claims?

Answer 1

Yorkshire, the Lake District and other northern counties

Question 2

What was Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy made in 1377?

Answer 2

earl of Northumberland

Question 3

How did the Nevilles gain prestige?

Answer 3

Via involvement in wars against Scots

Question 4

Who was the head of the Neville family?

Answer 4

Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury

Question 5

Why were their rivalries in land and prestige inevitable?

Answer 5

Proximity of their 2 estates

Question 6

What happened in 1403 that was a setback for the Percys?

Answer 6

Hotspur led a rebellion against King Henry IV so lands forfeited to crown.

Question 7

What led to the Percys regaining influence?

Answer 7

1416-1440, Hotspur’s grandson Henry negotiated to recover most of their forfeited land

Question 8

Why was the head of the Neville family significant?

Answer 8

He was a member of the King’s council 1440s and was an important adviser to the King

Question 9

Who did Richard Neville, the head of the family, ‘s son marry

Answer 9

The ‘kingmaker’ married wealthy heiress Anne Beauchamp

Question 10

What did Richard inherit in 1449?

Answer 10

At 21, inherited the title of earl of Warwick via marriage and vast estates especially in the midlands

Question 11

What increased Percy resentment?

Answer 11

Growing ascendancy of the Nevilles

Question 12

Who took the leading role in the major conflicts of 1450s?

Answer 12

The younger sons of both families:
Percy- earl of Northumberland’s sons, Thomas (Lord Egremont 1449), Ralph and Richard.

Neville: earl of Salisbury’s sons, Thomas and John

Question 13

Why was there a planned assassination at the wedding of Thomas Neville to Maud Stanhope?

Answer 13

The marriage would mean that Thomas would inherit two Percy Manors of Wressle and Burwell as Lord Cromwell had been given them in service to Henry VI, while Northumbrland was engaged in legal proceedings to take his land back from Cromwell

Question 14

Who were actively hostile June and July 1453?

Answer 14

Egremont and John Neville- outbreaks of violence between rival retinues

Question 15

Why did the sons of Neville and Percy disregard the king’s royal commands with impunity

Answer 15

Too weak and ineffective

Question 16

What fraught situation did the Neville-Stanhope marriage take place?

Answer 16

Aug- Henry’s mental collapse

Question 17

What happened 24 Aug 1453?

Answer 17

The Nevilles returned from wedding party to find a large force led by Egremont & Richard Percy who ambushed them & tried to assassinate Salisbury + other members of family

Question 18

How did the Nevilles escape this attack?

Answer 18

The skill and size of their own affinity

Question 19

What does the assassination attempt show?

Answer 19

How law & order had broken down during Henry VI’s reign and demonstrates how local rivalries & national politics were interlinked

Question 20

Who did the Nevilles support when there was a political crisis in terms of who should govern in Aug 1453?

Answer 20

Richard duke of York to be Defender & Protector of the Realm

Question 21

Who did the Percy support in the 1453 political crisis?

Answer 21

Margaret and the duke of Somerset

Question 22

Who did the Percies convince to support their cause because they were also in a land dispute with Lord Cromwell?

Answer 22

Henry Holand, duke of Exeter

Question 23

What happened on 27th March that concerned the governance of the country?

Answer 23

The duke of York was made Protector

Question 24

What happened to the Neville’s when the decision about the country was made 1454 27March

Answer 24

Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury, appointed chancellor

Question 25

How did the Percies react to Neville’s appointment and the new Protectorate?

Answer 25

By May, Lord Egremont, duke of Exeter and other rebels attempting to gain support in Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire for an armed rebellion

Question 26

How did the new Protectorate respond to the armed rebellion?

Answer 26

19 May- York arrived with strong military support, including backing of Lord Cromwell. Rebel leaders forced to flee

Question 27

Why was it difficult to implement legal redress against armed rebellion supporters?

Answer 27

Local law officials could find themselves at risk when trying to make arrests in the Percy strongholds of the North

Question 28

Who did York manage to capture in July?

Answer 28

Exeter & imprisoned him in pontefract castle

Question 29

When and where was there a resurgence of Neville-Percy violence?

Answer 29

Autumn 1454, in the environs of Stamford Bridge

Question 30

What happened in the winter of 1454-1455?

Answer 30

The political tide began to turn against York & Henry recovered from illness 1454. Henry released prisoners

Question 31

When was the First Battle of St Albans?

Answer 31

May 1455

Question 32

Who took up arms against who in the Battle of St Albans?

Answer 32

York against Henry VI

Question 33

Who was killed and who was captured during the Battle of St Albans?

Answer 33

Head of the Percy family, the earl of Northumberland, was killed.
Egremont was captured and imprisoned.

Question 34

Why was the capture of Egremont and later Exeter short-lived?

Answer 34

Yorkshire was a hotbed of lawlessness. Egremont escaped from prison 1456 & Exeter released

Question 35

What happened 25 March 1458?

Answer 35

Both sides took part in ‘Loveday’, a public ceremony of reconciliation in London at the request of Henry VI to end enmity caused by St Albans Battle