On May 22, 1455, the War of the Scarlet and White Roses began - a series of armed dynastic conflicts between factions of the English nobility in 1455-1485 in the struggle for power between supporters of the two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty - Lancaster and York. Despite the established historical literature chronological framework conflict (1455-1485), separate war-related clashes took place both before and after the war. The war ended with the victory of Henry Tudor of the House of Lancaster, who founded a dynasty that ruled England and Wales for 117 years. The war brought significant destruction and disaster to the population of England; big number members of the English feudal aristocracy.
The cause of the war was the dissatisfaction of a significant part English society failures in the Hundred Years War and the policy pursued by the wife of King Henry VI, Queen Margaret and her favorites (the king himself was a weak-willed person, who sometimes fell into madness). The opposition was led by Duke Richard of York, who demanded for himself first the regency over the incapacitated king, and later the English crown. The basis for this claim was that Henry VI was the great-grandson of John of Gaunt, the fourth son of King Edward III, and York was the great-great-grandson of Lionel, the third son of this king (in the female line, in the male line, he was the grandson of Edmund, the fifth son of Edward III), in addition, Henry VI's grandfather Henry IV seized the throne in 1399, forcibly forcing the abdication of King Richard II, which made the legitimacy of the entire Lancastrian dynasty questionable.
The fuel element was numerous professional soldiers, who, after the defeat in the war with France, were out of work and, being in large numbers within England, posed a serious danger to royalty. War was a habitual trade for these people, so they willingly hired themselves into the service of large English barons, who significantly replenished their armies at their expense. Thus, the authority and power of the king were significantly undermined by the increased military power of the nobles.
The name "War of the Roses" was not used during the course of the war. Roses were the distinctive badges of the two warring parties. Who exactly used them for the first time is not known exactly. If the White Rose, symbolizing the Virgin, was used as a distinctive sign by the first Duke of York, Edmund Langley in the 14th century, then nothing is known about the use of Aloy by the Lancastrians before the start of the war. Perhaps it was invented in contrast to the emblem of the enemy. The term came into use in the 19th century with the publication of Anna of Geierstein by Sir Walter Scott, who chose the name based on a fictional scene in William Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part I, where the opposing sides choose roses. various colors at Temple Church.
Although roses were occasionally used as symbols during the course of the war, most participants used symbols associated with their feudal lords or protectors. For example, Henry's forces at Bosworth fought under the banner of the red dragon, while the York army used Richard III's personal symbol, the white boar. Evidence of the importance of rose symbols rose when King Henry VII at the end of the war combined the red and white roses of the factions into a single red and white Tudor rose.
The armies of the parties were represented by numerous feudal detachments of professional warriors, as well as detachments of warriors called to war by special royal orders, which gave the right to the bearer of the document to convene and arm soldiers on behalf of the king or a major magnate. Warriors from the lower social strata were mainly archers and bilmens (warriors armed with traditional English weapons - a type of guisarma). The number of archers traditionally exceeded the number of men-at-arms in a ratio of 3:1. Warriors traditionally fought on foot, cavalry was used only for reconnaissance and collecting provisions and fodder, as well as for movement. In battles, commanders often also dismounted to inspire their supporters. Artillery began to appear in large numbers in faction armies, including handguns.
The confrontation turned into open warfare in 1455, when the Yorkists celebrated the victory at the First Battle of St. Albans, after which the English Parliament declared Richard York protector of the kingdom and heir to Henry VI. However, in 1460 Richard York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield. The party of the White Rose was led by his son Edward, who was crowned in London in 1461 as Edward IV. In the same year the Yorkists won victories at Mortimer's Cross and at Towton. As a result of the latter, the main forces of the Lancastrians were defeated, and King Henry VI and Queen Margaret fled the country (the king was soon caught and imprisoned in the Tower).
Active fighting resumed in 1470, when the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence (younger brother of Edward IV) who went over to the side of the Lancastrians returned Henry VI to the throne. Edward IV and his other brother the Duke of Gloucester fled to Burgundy, from where they returned in 1471. The Duke of Clarence again went over to his brother's side - and the Yorkists won victories at Barnet and Tewkesbury. In the first of these battles, the Earl of Warwick was killed, in the second, Prince Edward, the only son of Henry VI, was killed, which, together with the death (probably murder) of Henry himself that followed in the same year in the Tower, was the end of the Lancastrian dynasty.
Edward IV - the first king of the York dynasty - reigned peacefully until his death, which followed unexpectedly for everyone in 1483, when his son Edward V became king for a short time. However, the royal council declared him illegitimate (the late king was a great hunter for female and besides his official wife, he was secretly engaged to another woman (or even several); in addition, Thomas More and Shakespeare mention the rumors that circulated in society that Edward himself was not the son of the Duke of York, but a simple archer), and Edward's brother IV Richard of Gloucester was crowned the same year as Richard III. His short and dramatic reign was filled with struggles against overt and covert opposition. In this struggle, the king was initially lucky, but the number of opponents only increased. In 1485, a force of Lancastrians (mainly French mercenaries), led by Henry Tudor (John of Gaunt's great-great-grandson in the female line), landed in Wales. In the Battle of Bosworth, Richard III was killed, and the crown passed to Henry Tudor, who was crowned as Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. In 1487, Earl Lincoln (nephew of Richard III) tried to return the crown to the Yorks, but was killed at the Battle of Stoke Field.
In their youth, many read historical, adventure novels. Stories about the noble knights of Europe, their ladies of the heart, equestrian tournaments, where the winner received not only the favor of the reigning monarch, but also the love of his chosen one, had a special attraction. But there were still numerous battles with enemies, including those for the desecrated honor of the ancestors, the restoration of justice, the return of family castles and estates - you can’t count everything. Alas, but this is only a very ennobled, almost perfect distortion of reality, which is famous, unfortunately, not only fiction. In fact, the same White and Scarlet Roses in England is a typical civil strife, and during it there were big problems with nobility, all the more lofty goals. But first things first.
No, this is not about the Civil War in Russia, where there were completely different heroes on both sides, but about the confrontation between the Scarlet and White Roses in medieval England:
This widespread, beautiful legend with symbols romanticizing fratricidal confrontation, fragrant, in fact, is far from roses, but horse sweat, manure, the human aroma of unwashed medieval fighters, blood and many other extremely unpleasant smells of war, had a hand as historians, and writers and poets who are grateful to them for the magnificent plot for numerous plays, novels, poems, songs. Among them, which do not need special introduction:
- William Shakespeare as the author of the plays "Henry VI" and "Richard III".
- Robert Louis Stevenson with an exciting adventure novel "The Black Arrow", which literally all the youth of the Land of the Soviets were reading.
In the television series Game of Thrones, which deservedly enjoys great interest, based on the books by George Martin, included in the epic A Song of Ice and Fire, he brought under the representatives of the fictional Lannister dynasty - medieval earthly Lancasters, and Starks appear instead of Yorks. If we take into account that for a long time England was ruled by the Stuarts, who were very consonant with them, then the intrigue is not yet over, and the continuation, as usual, will follow.
A curious twist of history is that the results of this war did not bring victory to any of the Plantagenets - neither the Yorks nor the Lancasters:
- During 30 years of battles and subsequent periods of accumulation of forces, funds, attracting allies among the royal houses of Europe, hiring professional fighters there, victory alternately went to both sides of the conflict, for which they paid with thousands of corpses of titled nobility of various denominations.
- A point in this civil war that wore out England, destroyed the color nobility- the foundations of autocratic power, set by King Henry VII, who founded a new dynasty of rulers - the Tudors, who occupied the throne for more than a century, until 1603.
- Indirectly, however, it is possible with a large degree of assumption to give a technical victory "on points" to the Lancasters, since Henry VII Tudor was their relative in the female line.
He made a beautiful gesture, combining both symbols, the Scarlet with the White Rose, into one - the Tudor Rose, which began not only to personify their dynasty in heraldic science, but still all of England, because. depicted on the royal coat of arms.
In this case, the Wars of the Roses. It must be said that in England, later in its successor - Great Britain, the patriarchy, usual for most countries under the rule of monarchs, was not so magnificently manifested. So, in the history of England there are much more queens than in other states of Europe, moreover, extraordinary personalities who left a noticeable mark on world history, both glorified their country and compatriots who filled it with blood. One of them was Queen Margaret of Anjou (1430–1482), wife of Henry VI, who actively participated in the Wars of the Roses:
The final results of her activities were sad: she lost her only son Edward, her husband died or was killed in 1471, as a prisoner of the Tower of London, and she herself was captured by the Yorks. The French king Louis XI saved her from death, having redeemed her from them.
The War of the White and Scarlet Roses in England put an end to feudal anarchy. The Tudors, who came to power, established their absolute power, and the time of their reign was later called the period of the Renaissance of the country.
A dynastic conflict with a romantic name took place in England between the Lancaster (Scarlet Rose) and York (White Rose) families and lasted 30 years.
So, as short as possible.
“... it is much easier for the crown sovereign, whose subjects have managed to get along with the ruling house, to retain power than the new one, for for this it is enough for him not to violate the custom of his ancestors and subsequently apply himself to new circumstances without haste.” (c) N. Machiavelli.
Edward III of the Plantagenet dynasty is considered one of the greatest English kings. His mother was the daughter of the king of France, so Edward decided that he had certain rights to the French throne. When his claims were rejected, he went to war. This war was the longest in world history and was later called the Hundred Years.
Edward III (1312-1377, king from 1327) and his wife Philippa of Gennegau (1314-1369):
Edward and Philippa had 15 children, including seven sons. Three of them are related to this story: Edward, nicknamed the "Black Prince" (1330-1376), John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399) and Edmund Langley, Duke of York (1341-1402).
The Black Prince and John of Gaunt:
The Black Prince predeceased his father and Edward III was succeeded by his grandson under the name of Richard II.
Richard II (1367-1400), King of England 1377-1399:
At the beginning of his reign, Richard often went to extremes and was influenced by favorites. But over time, there was hope that his reign would become more conscious and wise. However, unsuccessful campaigns in Ireland, as well as a brutally suppressed peasant uprising Wat Tyler contributed to his decline in popularity. In 1399, Richard's cousin, the son of John of Gaunt, Henry Bolingbroke, returned from exile and revolted. As a result, Richard was deposed and imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died a year later. According to one version, he was starved to death. With the death of Richard, the Plantagenet dynasty came to an end. Henry Bolingbroke became king under the name of Henry IV. So the Lancaster dynasty came to power.
Lancasters.
Scarlet Rose of Lancaster
The Lancaster dynasty is represented by three kings: Henry IV (1367-1413, king from 1399), his son Henry V (1387-1422, king from 1413) and his grandson Henry VI (1422-1471, king from 1422-1461). G.) :
The first two monarchs were strong and gifted rulers, especially Henry V, who was also a brilliant commander. His military talent manifested itself in the war with France - for example, in the battle of Agincourt (Agencourt) - and if he lived a little longer, the outcome of the Hundred Years War could be completely different, and Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses it probably wouldn't have happened at all. But Henry V died at 35, and his only son at that time was not even a year old. His uncle, the Duke of Bedford, became regent under him.
(United Tudor Rose)
The Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt (father of Henry IV), was married to his mistress Catherine Swynford, a woman of lower birth, by a second marriage, so she was not considered a legal wife for a long time. From this marriage he had a son, John Beaufort (or Beefort), who in turn also had a son, John Beaufort II, and his daughter was Margaret, who married Edmund Tudor. Their son later became King Henry VII.
Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) and her son Henry VII (1457-1509, king from 1485):
Before the birth of her son, Margaret was viewed as a pretender to the throne in the event of the early death of Henry VI. In this she was supported by the Beauforts and her closest relatives, the Lancasters. As for Edmund Tudor, he was the half-brother of Henry VI, born in the semi-legitimate marriage of Queen Catherine, the widow of Henry V, and her second husband, the Welsh nobleman Owen Tudor. The Tudors were subsequently legitimized, but the fact remains that in both cases, both paternal and maternal, they were considered illegitimate for a long time.
White Rose of York.
The fourth son of Edward III, Edmund Langley, had a son, Richard, who bore the title of Earl of Cambridge. His son was also named Richard. He inherited the title of Duke of York.
THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT
Henry VI Lancaster and his wife Margaret of Anjou had no children for 9 years of marriage. All this time, Richard of York (his second cousin) was rightfully considered the heir to the throne. In 1452, a son was finally born to the royal couple, which made the York supporters extremely annoyed. And a year later, Henry VI fell into insanity - it was a hereditary disease transmitted through his mother Catherine of France. Being popular among the people, Richard of York began to challenge the guardianship of the king who had fallen into infancy from Margaret of Anjou. Before that, they always tried to keep him at a distance, appointing either the ruler of Ireland or the commander-in-chief in France (the Hundred Years War was in full swing). And so Richard returned, raised a rebellion, resulting in the first armed conflict between the Yorks and the ruling dynasty of Lancaster. During one of the battles, Richard, his son and younger brother were killed. As a deterrent, by order of Margaret of Anjou, Richard's head in a paper crown was impaled on a spear and presented to the participants in the uprising.
These events are considered the beginning Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses.
After Richard's death, his eldest son Edward became the leader of the Yorks. In 1461 he deposed Henry VI and became king under the name of Edward IV. Marguerite of Anjou fled to France with her son and husband, where she asked for help from King Louis XI, her cousin. In his turn, Edward entered into an alliance with the worst enemy of Louis, the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, and married his sister Margarita to him.
Louis XI (1423-1483, king from 1461), Charles the Bold (1433-1477, duke from 1467):
In 1470, with the support of the French, Henry VI was again restored to the throne.
The Yorkes fled to Burgundy to Charles the Bold.
A year later, a quarrel broke out between the French king and the Duke of Burgundy, as a result of which the latter unleashed civil war in England. Edward returned to power, Henry was imprisoned in the Tower and soon killed. A few months earlier, his only son had also died. The Lancasters had no more pretenders to the throne.
Children of Richard of York : 1) Edward, Earl of March, then Duke of York, and from 1461 King Edward IV (1442-1483) ; 2) Marguerite, Duchess of Burgundy (1446-1503); 3) George, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478); and 4) Richard, Duke of Gloucester, from 1483 King Richard III (1452-1485) :
In 1477 the Duke of Burgundy was killed in the Battle of Nancy. In connection with this event, the Lancasters could have used the help of Louis XI, now unlimited by anyone, but apart from Queen Margaret, none of them were alive. Louis bought her from Edward for 2000 pounds and gave her asylum in France, where she died 5 years later.
In 1483 Edward IV died. His son was never crowned, but in history he remained under the name of Edward V. He was 12 years old, so Richard of Gloucester proclaimed himself regent until his nephew came of age. Soon he declared the marriage of Edward's parents invalid (there were certain reasons for this), and he himself was illegitimate, and under this pretext seized power. Edward V and his brother the Duke of York were locked up in the Tower and have not been seen since. There were rumors that the princes were killed on the orders of their uncle. One work of Shakespeare contributed a lot to the vitality of this rumor. The refutation of this version can be the fact that Richard was a gifted ruler who gained popularity in his youth. Both the people and many representatives of the nobility preferred to see a mature and experienced Richard on the throne, rather than his young nephew. If Richard ordered the death of his nephews, he committed fatal mistake. If not, then this was a case that played a no less fatal role in his life, because. after this, the popularity of Richard III began to decline.
At the same time, Henry Tudor, who was in France, began to gather supporters. Louis XI had by then died and was succeeded by his 13-year-old son under the regency of his sister Anne. Anne of France "sponsored" Henry's event by giving him 20,000 francs.
Anna of France (1460-1522, regent of France from 1483):
In 1485, the famous Battle of Bosworth took place, in which Henry defeated Richard's troops. History ends with Henry Tudor's rise to power Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses. To strengthen his rights, Henry married the daughter of Edward IV, Elizabeth of York, and chose as an emblem a united rose - white against a scarlet background.
Elizabeth York (1466-1503):
AT late XVII in. 2 skeletons were found in the Tower. It is believed that they belonged to the murdered princes. There is also a version that Edward V died of natural causes, and his younger brother was secretly taken out of England.
Edward V (1470-1483?) and his brother Richard York (1472-1483?):
But there is also a version, which is becoming more and more popular, that the princes were killed on the orders of Henry Tudor. With rather illusory claims to the throne, he was completely “uninterested” in leaving the sons of Edward IV alive ...
At the end of the 17th century, Henry Tudor from the Lancaster family took over the English throne - the founder of a new royal dynasty that remained in power for a century. This was preceded by a bloody dynastic conflict between the descendants of two branches of the ancient royal family of Plantagenets - Lancasters and Yorks, which went down in history as the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, a brief historical description of which is the subject of this article.
Symbolism of the warring parties
There is an erroneous opinion that the war owes its name to the roses allegedly depicted on the arms of these opposing aristocratic families. In fact, they were not there. The reason lies in the fact that, going into battle, the supporters of both parties, as a distinctive sign, fixed a symbolic rose on their armor - the Lancasters - white, and their opponents the Yorks - red. Elegant and regal.
Reasons for bloodshed
It is known that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses began due to the political instability that prevailed in England in the middle of the 15th century. Most of society expressed dissatisfaction and demanded a radical change in government. Such a situation was aggravated by the incapacity of the weak-minded and often completely unconscious King Henry VI of Lancaster, in which the actual power was in the hands of his wife, Queen Margaret, and her many favorites.
Start of hostilities
Duke Richard of York stood at the head of the opposition. A descendant of the Plantagenets, he had, in his own opinion, certain rights to the crown. With the active participation of this representative of the White Rose party, the political confrontation soon turned into bloody clashes, in one of which, which took place in 1455 near the city of St. Albans, the supporters of the duke utterly defeated the royal troops. Thus began the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, which lasted thirty-two years and was described in the works of Thomas More and Shakespeare. Summary their work paints us a picture of those events.
Luck is on the side of the opposition
Such a brilliant victory of Richard of York over legitimate authority convinced the members of Parliament that it was better not to annoy this cutthroat, and they declared him protector of the state, and in the event of the death of the king, heir to the throne. It is difficult to say whether the duke would hasten this death or not, but in the next battle with the troops of the opposing party, he was killed.
After the death of the instigator of the war, the opposition was led by his son, who fulfilled the old dream of his father, crowned in 1461 under the name of Edward IV. Soon, his troops finally crushed the resistance of the Lancastrians, once again defeating them in the battle of Mortimer Cross.
The betrayals that the war of the Scarlet and White Rose knew
The summary of the historical work of T. More conveys the depth of despair of the deposed Henry VI and his frivolous wife. They tried to escape, and if Margarita managed to escape abroad, then her unlucky husband was captured and imprisoned in the Tower. However, it was too early for the newly-made king to celebrate the victory. Intrigues began in his party, caused by the ambitious claims of the aristocrats closest to him, each of whom sought to get the largest piece in the division of honors and awards.
The injured pride and envy of some deprived Yorkers pushed them to betrayal, as a result of which the younger brother of the new king, the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, having violated all the laws of honor, went over to the side of the enemy. Having gathered a fair army, they rescued the unfortunate Henry VI from the Tower and returned him to the throne. It was the turn of Edward IV, who had missed the throne, to flee. He and his younger brother Gloucester safely reached Burgundy, where they were popular and had numerous supporters.
New plot twist
The War of the Scarlet and White Roses, briefly described also by the great Shakespeare, this time prepared an unpleasant surprise for the Lancastrians. The king's brother Clarence, who so shamefully compromised himself by betrayal and returned the throne to Henry, having learned with what a strong army his relative was returning to London, realized that he was in a hurry. He obviously did not want to be on the gallows - the most suitable place for traitors, and he, having appeared in Edward's camp, convinced him of his deep repentance.
Reunited, the brothers and their numerous York supporters defeated the Lancastrians twice at Barnet and Tewkesbury. In the first battle, Warwick died, the same one who committed treachery with Clarence, but, unlike the latter, did not have time to return to his former master. The second battle proved fatal for the crown prince. Thus, the Lancaster dynastic line was interrupted by the War of the Scarlet and White Roses that captured England. Read on for a summary of subsequent events.
What does history tell us about the following events?
Having won, Edward IV again sent the overthrown king to the Tower. returned to his familiar and habitable cell, but did not stay there for long. In the same year, his death was announced with deep regret. It is difficult to say whether it was natural, or whether the new overlord simply decided to save himself from possible troubles, but since then the ashes of Henry VI, abandoned during his lifetime by both his wife and subjects, have rested in the dungeon. What can you do, the royal throne is sometimes very shaky.
Having got rid of his predecessor and potential competitor, Edward IV reigned until 1483, when he suddenly died for an unknown reason. For a short time, his son Edward took the throne, but was soon removed from power by the royal council, as there were doubts about the legality of his birth. By the way, there were witnesses who claimed that his late father was not born from the Duke of York, but became the fruit of the secret love of the mother duchess and the handsome archer.
So it really was or not, they didn’t begin to dig, but just in case, the throne was taken away from the young heir, and the brother of the late King Richard of Gloucester, crowned under the name Richard III, was erected on him. Fate did not prepare him for long years of quiet rule. Very soon, an open and secret opposition formed around the throne, poisoning the life of the monarch with all its might.
Return of the Scarlet Rose
Historical archives of the 15th century tell how the further war Scarlet and White Roses. The summary of the documents stored in them indicates that the leading representatives of the Lancastrian party managed to gather a significant army on the continent, consisting mainly of French mercenaries. Led by Henry Tudor, she landed in 1486 on the coast of Britain and began her victorious journey to London. King Richard III personally led the army that went out to meet the enemy, but died in the battle of Bosworth.
End of the European Middle Ages
The War of the Scarlet and White Roses in England was drawing to a close. A summary of Shakespeare's account of these events recreates the picture of how, having reached the British capital without much trouble, Tudor was crowned under the name From that time on, the Lancaster dynasty was firmly established on the throne, and their reign lasted one hundred and seventeen years. The only serious attempt to overthrow the king was made in 1487 by Earl Lincoln, nephew of Richard III, who rebelled, but was killed in the ensuing fight.
It is generally accepted that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-1487) is the final link in the European Middle Ages. During this period, not only all the direct descendants of the ancient Plantagenet family were destroyed, but most of the English chivalry. The main disasters fell on the shoulders of the common people, who in all ages became a hostage to foreign political ambitions.
When he died in 1422 English king Henry V, his only son was nine months old. Unfortunately, his childhood was not followed, as was usual in the history of England, by a more or less glorious reign of an already grown up king. On the contrary, the years when the future Henry VI sat on the British throne marked the beginning of one of the most tragic pages English history. Naturally, at a tender age, the young king was surrounded by guardians who ruled the kingdom, but when in 1437, the young man came of age, nothing had changed. It became clear that Henry was the exact opposite of his father: from an early age he was too pious and devout for the first person of the kingdom, and later the disease hiding in him broke out - the king suffered from dementia. The only monument that is positively associated in public consciousness Englishmen with this king, this is the chapel of King's College at Cambridge University. Heinrich did not like to fight, he was clearly incapable of making any political decisions, so from the very beginning to the end of his life he was a real puppet in the hands of a more talented (or decisive) environment - first his uncles, and then a strong-willed and decisive spouses. His unsuccessful reign lasted about forty years, he spent ten years in exile or in captivity, watching how the power of the dynasty, which was one of the strongest and most influential in Europe at his accession to the throne, was collapsing before his eyes. It was the fact that King Henry did not show himself as a politician in any way that had a decisive influence on the political life of England in the middle of the 15th century.
The main part of wars, coups and other "bloody" events, which are so frequent in history, fell on the second half of his reign. Most of the period of his tenure on the throne was without conflict. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the most powerful English magnates - Richard Beauchamp and Richard Neville, Earls of Warwick, and Richard, Duke of York, who theoretically could introduce an element of fermentation into the internal life of the British Kingdom, were busy at that time on the Continent - the Hundred Years' War with France continued. At this time, all political conflicts were resolved peacefully. While Henry was a little boy, and later for many years, three people dominated his mind and will, in whose veins royal blood also flowed. It's about John, Duke of Bedford, uncle of the king, who was an excellent ruler, a wonderful soldier and a respected person; it was he who held England's position on the Continent until Henry came of age. The second was Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, another uncle of the king. The most seemingly incompatible qualities were mixed in this man: he was a brave soldier and patron of writers, in political deeds he did not differ in grace and inclination to generally accepted standards of politics, but for a quarter of a century he was the brightest, downright enchanting figure on political scene in England. Another relative of Henry, Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, son of John of Gaunt, was also an extraordinary figure, although very controversial. At one time, Henry V did not allow him to take the post of cardinal, but later he nevertheless achieved his goal. Beaufort was very keenly interested in church politics on the continent - in the 20s he wanted to get the participation of the British army in campaigns against the Czech heretic Hussites. Apparently, his hidden dream was the desire to be at the papal court. However, throughout his adult life, from 1404, when he became chancellor, until his death in 1447, he had the most decisive influence on internal politics English kingdom. In his hands were huge financial resources, which he used with enviable success for the benefit of the crown and the country, not forgetting, of course, himself. Under the conditions of the Hundred Years' War, it was quite burdensome to keep a state ship afloat, and yet Henry Beaufort succeeded. It is said that the bishop gave huge sums of money in interest... Well, even if this act, which was rejected by the Catholic Church, was, the benefit from it for the kingdom was also very tangible.
In November 1422, Parliament adopted a special decree, which regulated the procedure for governing the country during the period of infancy of Henry VI. At first, Gloucester applied for the position of regent, but he was refused, because simply no one trusted this man. He was assigned to preside over a council of lords, bishops, and ministers, and to hold the post of protector of the realm, but only while away from Bedford England. It was Bedford who was most suitable for the post of ruler, but his constant absences from the islands to the continent led to unrest and constant disputes in the council and confrontation between Beaufort and Gloucester. Beaufort served as Bishop of Winchester from 1405, and he often provided money for the Lancastrian household as well. So he had a huge amount of funds that the government needed to carry out its policies. The House of Gloucester, having insufficient land, was constantly short of money. Therefore, all political combinations involving Beaufort, as a rule, led to success. Gloucester's constant attempts to solve the accumulated problems by force led to the fact that from 1422 to 1440 very serious crises periodically arose between him and Beaufort, which were barely resolved peacefully. While Beaufort constantly supported the war with France with money and personal participation, Gloucester waged his own special foreign policy, trying to use in the struggle both Burgundy and anti-Flemish sentiments, which were very noticeable at that time among the English wool and cloth merchants. The first serious conflict broke out in October 1425, when Gloucester, returning from military expedition from the Continent, disagreed with the council on funding and, after being barred from the Tower, appealed to the people of London for armed support. His appeal was by no means some kind of madness, as it might seem at first glance - Londoners were very unhappy with the protectionist measures that Parliament protected foreign manufacturers and merchants. Bedford rushed to England to restore order. In 1426, a special meeting of Parliament was held in Leicester, at which both opponents came to a truce with great difficulty, and a little later, in January 1427, Gloucester was forced to sign an agreement, according to which, following Bedford, he undertook to act only with the permission and approval of the council. However, in 1431, when Beaufort and the king were in France, Gloucester started a new turmoil. Referring to a number of legislative acts and agreements that existed between the cardinal and the pope, he achieved the complete replacement of all ministers, appointing his supporters in their place. Thus, he carried out a real coup d'état. Beaufort was forced to return to England, but now he had to answer to Parliament, which brought against him a number of accusations, however, almost completely unfounded. Having cleansed himself of them, he tried to restore his former power, but he managed to do this only after two years. In 1436, Gloucester once again succeeded for a time in coming to the forefront of the English political life. That year the Burgundian army laid siege to Calais and English army under the command of Gloucester went to Flanders. Very soon it became literally national hero. For a while, Beaufort was dealt a really hard blow.
