Battle of Bosworth Field (22 Aug 1485)
The un-officially established successor of the throne to Lancastrians was Henry Tudor who came from ancestors, on his mother's side, as one of the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt and an unauthorized contract of marriage between Owen Tudor and Katherine of Valois, on his father side. Through the great support and back up of the king of France, Henry Tudor together with his gathered armies from jails, professionally hired armies and the remaining armies of the Lancastrian forces, were ready to conquer England in 1485.
On the other hand, Edward IV of the Yorkest rebels died in the same year. Edward V his son was young (twelve years old) and unable to hold his heir to the throne, his father appointed his brother Richard to be the Protector of the kingdom. Richard captured Edwards's two sons and put them into prison, at the Tower of London were they reportedly vanished until he was crowned as King Richard III. What happened to the two princes (Edward's sons) is still not known, but they were likely killed on their uncle Richard orders. The story will always be a mystery.
Richard III left London in May of 1485, travelling to Windsor, together with his sovereign soldiers and esquires of his kingdom. While Francis (Viscount Lovel) went to Southampton to lead the York forces, in case Henry Tudor attacked the southern part of England. Duke of Norfolk named John was assigned in Essex and Robert Brackenbury was there to protect the capital Tower. Richard travelled again from Windsor, to Kenilworth and decided to move his niece, nephews and son to Sheriff Hutton and send information to the commissioner of all courtiers to be aware of the invasion about to happen. News was received by Richard that Tudor Henry was at Milford Haven in Wales with a two thousand strong army ready to attack, gathering additional force while marching to Shrewsbury, Stafford and finally to Atherstone. Richard ordered his captains together with his men to join him at the Leicester and finally took the final position on the Ambion Hill of Bosworth Field.
Richard had a twelve thousand strong army, but one third of his troops were under the direct authority of Stanley brothers (Lord Thomas and William Stanley) whose loyalty to him was suspicious. Henry Tudor had a total of five thousand men, that during the battle, Stanley's brother changed sides, shifting more advantage and the battle was in Tudor Henry favours. Lord Thomas, Earl of Northumberland and William Stanley, together with their men, waited the start of the war, while Richard's army covered Henry's exit, along with his French mercenaries.
The war was fought on all sides of Ambion Hill and persisted for two hours. Richard found a better angle to attack Oxford, while still positioning his troops, but did not take the opportunity which allowed Oxford to find way to attack the Duke of Norfolk, who was leading Richard's centre point battle troops. John (Duke of Norfolk) was killed trying a surprise attack on Henry Tudor, when Richards's troops, under Henry Percy (Earl of Northumberland) refuse to fight, maybe because they were jealousy the of way Richard exercised his power on the north. They just waited on the lines of the Bosworth battlefield until the war ended. In the first hour, the fight was equally matched, but finally Richard lost the battle when Stanley's brother traitorously joined the enemy.
To the north six thousand men waited under the command of William and Thomas Stanley, who had not yet joined the battle on either side. Second marriage of Lord Stanley to Lady Margaret Beaufort (mother of Henry Tudor) possibly the reason why Henry Tudor stopped during the battle to talk face to face with the brothers to persuade them to fight for him and not for Richard. As Tudor is marching towards Stanley's brother, along with his fifty men, King Richard charged the small group with his mounted soldiers wishing for a quick triumph but because of the courage, valour and loyalty of those fifty men, Henry survived. Richard killed William Brandon, general bearer of Tudor and John Cheney, known as the giant man. In a very short distance from Henry, Stanley's brother troop moved, enclosing and killing Richard and the rest of his army. As he moved his axe to kill him, he even shouted the word "treason" several times before brining the axe down and chopping off his head. The war finally ended because his men have no leader to follow and no-one to take command over them. Stanley's men were consigned to Henry, which marked his triumphed over the York rebels. Richard is the last king of Plantagenet to die in the field of war at the age of 32 and concluded the end of the War of the Roses.
Richard III's dead body was put at Greyfriars for almost two days while Francis, Thomas and Sir Humphrey Stafford move to St. John waiting for Tudor to land north. In an attempt to win the country again Tudor forcibly took Stafford from where he was hiding and killed him for treason in 1486. No one ever blamed Richard III of lack of courage, because he fought with endurance until the end, on the battle, having been abandoned by his men, allies and friends. History said that he was not killed with deserving pity and some conclusions told that his crown was found in the place where it had fallen below a tree near a small spring, with a shoulder length wall that partially covered the crown. Through treachery, Henry Tudor became his successor being crowned as King Henry VII, the first among Tudor rulers and begins the new primitive period of England.
King Henry VII dealings after the battle among Earls of Northumberland did not shows any feeling of being grateful and thankful which, he was put into custody among earls of Surrey and Westmoreland, They were isolated for a few months and released under strict behavioural conditions, not like with the expended treatment given to Stanley's brother treachery to Richard.
Original Authors: Phil Post
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 23/07/2008
