War-o-t-Roses-art - 9/4/00

ÒThe War of the RosesÓ by Jan van Seist.

NOTE: See also the files: Isabella-art, Joan-of-Arc-art, Lamoral-art, 
Margaret-art, Otto-T-Great-art. 

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NOTICE -

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set 
of files, called StefanÕs Florilegium. 

These files are available on the Internet at:
http://www.florilegium.org

Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author.

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be 
reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first
or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.

                               Thank you,
                                    Mark S. Harris
                                    AKA:  Stefan li Rous
                                         stefan@florilegium.org
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[NOTE - originally written for Storm Tidings, the newsletter of the 
Shire of Adamastor (Cape Town) in the Kingdom of Drakenwald]

The War of the Roses
by Jan van Seist

	As the mundane history lessons that many of us recieved in our youth 
concentrated excessively on the mundane, many of the nobles of our fair shire 
(HUZZAH!), have been left with a confused picture of mediaeval history.  In 
order to add to the confusion, I have provided for your pleasure a brief 
synopsis of one of the less rational events in mediaeval history:  the War of 
the Roses.

	In the mid 15th century, the English regent, John, duke of Bedford, 
brought the hundred years war to a successful conclusion by allowing the French 
to take France (thus introducing some badly needed common sense into 15th 
century political geography).  This freed the English to fight the only foe 
truly worthy of their steel - the English.  This in turn left the rest of Europe 
free to renaisse to their hearts content.

	Following JohnÕs regency a new king, Henry VI, was crowned (HUZZAH!).  A 
thoroughly nice, peace loving and honourable man, Henry VI was obviously unfit 
to rule.  Moreover, as his opponents pointed out, any member of the Plantagenet 
family who wasnÕt a bastard was undoubtably illegitimate.  Therefore, on the 
advice of Neville, earl of Warwick, HenryÕs cousin, Richard, duke of York, 
declared himself king (HUZZAH!) on the grounds that either his grandfather or 
his great grandfather was the third son of Edward III.  King Henry VI disagreed 
on the grounds that he was King Henry VI.  War seemed inevitable.

	The nobility were delighted at the prospect of the first decent war for 
months.  They promptly picked sides and proceeded to rape, pillage and plunder 
in all directions.  Those that supported Richard took the white rose as their 
badge and those that supported Henry took the red rose.  Most of them forgot to 
consult either Richard or Henry.

	Why were roses chosen as the symbols of the two factions?  Consider the 
rose:  pricks for the most part but dressed in beautiful clothes and adorned 
with exotic scents.  Consider the English nobility ...

	The situation deteriorated rapidly.  Henry abdicated in favour of Richard 
to avert war.  HenryÕs wife, Margaret of Anjou, declared war to avert Richard.  
Henry de-abdicated and re-armed to avert both of them.  Various battles were 
fought in various places.  Henry & Margaret generally lost but Richard was the 
first to die.  Therefore, RichardÕs supporters crowned his son, Edward, King 
Edward IV (HUZZAH!).

	Then on the advice of Neville, earl of Warwick, Henry had another go.  His 
fortunes improved and he was recrowned Henry VI (HUZZAH!).  Neville then 
rejoined EdwardÕs side.  Edward overthrew Henry and was, yet again, Edward IV 
(HUZZAH!).  The two kings and various lesser royals chased each other around the 
countryside for a bit and some of the nobility got into the act.  The duke of 
Beaufort volunteered to be king if anyone wanted him and Thomas Mowbray, duke of 
Norfolk, toured the country looking smug and pointing out that HIS grandfather 
had warned King Richard II YEARS AGO that this would happen but NO ONE had 
listened ...

	Eventually, even Neville grew tired of the chaos and Edward IV was 
confirmed as king (HUZZAH or else!) as he had killed or imprisoned all his 
rivals, heirs and successors, except for his two young sons and his brothers 
Clarence, duke of George and Richard, duke of Gloucester.  After Edward IV was 
crowned for the last time, he executed Clarence and then promptly died, rapidly 
followed by the two young princes, one of whom survived just long enough to be 
King Edward V (HUZZAH! *oops*).  Richard, the only surviving Plantagenet, was 
crowned King Richard III by default (HUZZAH?).

	This brought the war of the roses to an end and everyone lived happily 
ever after.  Well, for a few years at any rate until, on the advice of Neville, 
earl of Warwick, Henry Tudor ...

------
Copyright 1997 by Dr. I.G. van Tets. <ivantets@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>

Mitrani Dept. of Desert Ecology
Blaustein Institute for Desert Research
Midreshet Ben-Gurion
84990 Israel 

Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, 
provided the author is credited and receives a copy.

If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in
the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also
appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being
reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	War-o-t-Roses-art	3