Battle of Towton Flashcards
When did the Battle happen?
Palm Sunday 1461
What suggests that both sides in the battle were evenly matched?
battle lasted approx 10 hours
Polydore Vergil in regards to Edward IV ‘His adversaries were as ready as he
Evidence to suggest that this battle was very brutal?
Great Chronicle of London - ‘son against father, the brother against brother, the nephew again nephew’
George Neville, Bishop of Exeter and Chancellor of England - dead bodies covered ‘an area six miles long by three broad.’
Reasons for the Lancastrian defeat?
Polydore Vergil - ‘King Henry saw the forces of his foes increase, and his own somewhat yield.’
Why was the Lancastrian defeat surprising - ground?
Lancastrians held higher ground
Why was the Lancastrian defeat surprising - supplies?
well supplied by local region
Why was the Lancastrian defeat surprising - support?
Henry VI had support from at least 18 nobles e.g. Exeter, Somerset, Northumberland, Devon and Wiltshire
Henry VI also had support from some Yorkist gentry e.g. Sir William Plumpton
support for Henry VI initially outnumbered that for Edward IV
How were the Yorkists able to win the battle of Towton - weather?
wind was behind the Yorkist longbowmen - arrows travelled further + Lancastrian arrows fell short
When Henry’s army charged they were blinded by arrows and sleet
How were the Yorkists able to win the battle of Towton - Commander?
Yorkist’s archers were well commanded by William Neville, Lord Fauconberg - ordered troops to collect the arrows fired short by the Lancastrians and use them against the enemy - Lancastrians forced to charge and end battle in hand to hand combat
How were the Yorkists able to win the battle of Towton - support?
Yorkists reinforcements led by Duke of Norfolk
What caused many deaths after the battle?
How did some manage to avoid dying in this way?
as the Lancastrians fled the field, many were drowned trying to cross the River Cock
bodies piled up in river and created a dam - some tried to flee across the corpses
