Wars of the Roses (72 page)

1   Richard II. His reign was one of the most disastrous in English history.
(illustration credit 1)

2   John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. He saw his life’s work as maintaining the honour and integrity of the English crown.
(illustration credit 2)

3   Henry IV. The legitimacy of his title to the throne would remain a sensitive issue.
(illustration credit 3)

4   Henry V. He possessed all the attributes required of a successful mediaeval ruler.
(illustration credit 4)

5   Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, an intensely ambitious man who was Beaufort’s deadly rival for power during the minority of the young Henry VI.
(illustration credit 5)

6   Cardinal Henry Beaufort, a shrewd politician who exerted enormous influence over the King.
(illustration credit 6)

7   Henry VI as a young man. He was ‘neither intelligent nor experienced enough to manage a kingdom such as England’. (Jean de Waurin:
Chronicle
.)
(illustration credit 7)

8   Henry VI in later life. His severe nervous breakdown resulted in his withdrawal from normal life and precipitated the outbreak of civil war.
(illustration credit 8)

9   René, Duke of Anjou. Despite his landless status, he was a considerable power at the French court, and was rumoured to govern the realm in Charles VII’s name.
(illustration credit 9)

10   Margaret of Anjou. She was beautiful, talented, courageous, autocratic, changeable and vindictive – ‘more like to a man than a woman’.
(illustration credit 10)

11   Richard, Duke of York. He had a better claim to the throne than Henry VI, but preferred to promote himself as the champion of good government.
(illustration credit 11)

12   The Falcon and Fetterlock badge of the mediaeval dukes of York. Duke Richard inherited the fabulous wealth of the Mortimers and became the richest landowner in England.
(illustration credit 12)