How strong was the Lancastrian position before Towton in 1461? Flashcards
what were the 5 main reasons the Lancastrians were in a strong position before Towton?
- they had gathered some support
- they generally managed to gather larger armies than the Yorkists
- Margaret had made an alliance with Scotland
- they had possession of HVI
- some of the prominent Yorkists were dead
who did the Lancastrians gather support from before Towton, meaning they were in a strong position?
- nobles such as Lord Clifford, the Percies, Talbot, Stafford, Bishop of Norwich, Duchess of Suffolk, Northumberland, Duke of Somerset, Earl of Devon, Lord Roos, Lord Greystoke, Lord Neville (senior branch), Lord Latimer
- they had the support of more noble families than the Yorkists and they were powerful Earls and Dukes, not just Sirs
how did Margaret make an alliance with Scotland, meaning the Lancastrians were in a strong position before Towton?
Margaret impressed the young king James III’s mother, Mary of Guelders and a marriage was agreed (although it never occurred) between Prince Edward and Princess Mary, the Scottish king’s sister. Margaret also offered to surrender the key border town of Berwick to the Scots to seal the deal.
where were the terms of Margaret’s Scottish Alliance made public?
The terms of the agreement were made public before a large assembly of nobles (including dukes of Exeter and Somerset, earls of Northumberland, Westmorland, and Devon, and Lords Neville, FitzHugh, and Roos) in York on 20 January 1461.
who did Margaret believe would also become her ally, after her Scottish Alliance, meaning the Lancastrians were strong before Towton?
the support of the old ally of Scotland, Charles VII of France
what evidence is there that Margaret’s Scottish Alliance also gained her the support of France, putting the Lancastrians in a strong position before Towton?
Charles VII of France opened the harbours of Normandy to the supporters of Margaret
how did the Lancastrians gain possession of HVI before Towton?
gained him in the Second Battle of St Albans 17 Feb 1461 where Warwick was defeated
why was it useful for the Lancastrians to have possession of HVI before Towton?
this took away the Yorkist claim that they were acting on behalf of the king
where did many prominent Yorkists die, before Towton?
Wakefield 30 December 1460: included Salisbury, Rutland, York, Bonville
what are the 7 main reasons the Lancastrians were in a weak position before Towton?
- they had generally a lack of support from the people
- they had undermined HVI
- poor military leadership
- Scottish Alliance made some english people wary
- they had lost control of London
- they had violated the Act of Accord
- they were in a poor financial position
what are the 4 main ways the Lancastrians alienated the people, putting them in a poor position before Towton?
- regional polarisation
- alienation of the merchants
- alienation through the household
- diplomatic alienation
how did the Lancastrians create regional polarisation, putting them in a weak position before Towton?
- had concentrated their power and control in the midlands and north-west, so even though there were efforts made to defend Southern England, there were doubts as to the loyalty of the people there
- no sympathy in London for the Lancastrian court after they had deserted London for the midlands
- Long-term disillusionment with the royal government, demonstrated in Cade’s rebellion, had not been dealt with and Yorkists able to cite many of the same grievances in 1460 that Kent rebels had in 1450
how did the Lancastrians alienate the merchants, putting them in a weak position before Towton?
- May: government’s declaration of a monopoly on the wool trade aligned Staplers with Calais lords
- commercial policies of the Lancastrian government alienated many of the merchants of London; there was an economic recession which had not yet recovered, and there was resentments against Henry VI’s government’s perceived favour of foreign merchants
how did the Lancastrians alienate many nobles through the househol, putting them in a weak position before Towton?
- from late 1456 onwards, Margaret promoted her own people to positions in government and removed those close to the Yorkists
- Margaret’s appointment of household men as sheriffs in the late 1450s was A policy that excluded others and so turned people against her regime and An indication that she lacked the wider support of the gentry so had to fall back on the few household men that she trusted.
- Margaret used the authority held by her young son, to maximum advantage through the prince’s council est. Jan 1457, appointing men like Wiltshire and Beaumont
how did the Lancastrians alienate other countries, putting them in a weak position before Towton?
Lancastrian government alienated the Venetians by attempting to commandeer their ships, leading many to escape before their ships were seized
