War Of The Roses -

The (1455–1487) were a series of brutal dynastic civil wars fought for control of the English throne between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet : the House of Lancaster (symbolised by a red rose) and the House of York (symbolised by a white rose). The Origins of the Conflict

: The king’s reliance on unpopular and corrupt court favourites. War of the Roses

The seeds of the conflict were sown decades earlier, in 1399, when (later Henry IV) deposed his cousin Richard II, establishing the Lancastrian line. By the 1450s, the reign of Henry VI had become disastrous. Henry was a pious but weak king, prone to bouts of mental illness that left him unable to rule. Dissatisfaction grew due to: The (1455–1487) were a series of brutal dynastic

The fighting officially began in 1455 at the , where Yorkist forces captured the king. For the next 30 years, the crown changed hands multiple times through blood and betrayal: By the 1450s, the reign of Henry VI had become disastrous

: The loss of almost all English territories in France following the Hundred Years' War.

: Richard, Duke of York , possessed a strong hereditary claim to the throne and challenged the king's authority. Key Battles and Turning Points