Why did the Nevilles support York? (1453-55)

Question 1

What are the main reasons for the Nevilles supporting York by 1453?

Answer 1

Alienation from Royal Court;
Disputes between Warwick and Somerset;
Conflict between Percies and Nevilles

Question 2

Alienation from Royal Court

Answer 2

• Felt pushed out (like York?): Nevilles didn’t receive offices/possessions they claimed after resumptions 1450-53 (e.g. Warwick wanted the Channel Islands back)
• Promotion of Tudors: Henry ennoble half-brothers Edmund and Jasper Tudor (as Earls of Richmond and Pembroke respectively),
  also gave them 1000 marks pension each,
  Edmund gained lost Neville lands which Salisbury thought he had secured,
  no longer premier gentry family, Tudors granted precedence over Nevilles

CA: awarded for loyalty after Dartford 1452 (Warwick receives £300 and confirmation of Welsh lands), May 1452 appointed to Commission of Peace in Warwickshire by King, June 1452 sent to punish York’s supporters after Dartford

Question 3

Disputes between Warwick and Somerset

Answer 3

• Beauchamp Lands: Henry Beauchamp (former Warwick) died in 1446 passing his title to his sister Anne who married Richard Neville (current Warwick). But Anne’s 3 half-sisters also claim some inheritance, and Eleanor married Somerset, so he claimed some Beauchamp lands from Warwick
• Despenser Lands: Warwick also claimed some land from Anne’s mother, Isabel Despenser, but young relative George Neville also had claims to the lands in Glamorgan. George’s claimed land went to Somerset as a Ward chosen by King, angered Warwick. Forced to hand over lands to Somerset in July 1453 by a Council at Sheen

CA: Warwick was already land rich so it barely mattered, and this doesn’t explain why the whole Neville family switched and not just Warwick

Question 4

Conflict between Percies and Nevilles

Answer 4

• Nevilles eclipse Percies: gentry Nevilles steadily gain power through patronage and titles, beginning to overtake the traditional Percies, causes tension in the North
• Marriage of Thomas Neville (son of Salisbury) and Maud Stanhope (heiress of Lord Cromwell): Cromwell lands were claimed by Percies and they didn’t want the Nevilles to gain these lands,
  in August 1453 (after royal letters to enforce peace were ignored) Percies ambushed Nevilles at the Battle of Heworth
• Both sides sought support, leading to Nevilles joining York (due to their existing feud with Somerset), so Percies joined Somerset

CA: the families had peacefully co-existed for 50 years prior, only recently enemies