The History of England

After a period of grace, the 15th Century posed serious challenges for Magnates and the rural economy - prices fell, wages rose, Magnates had to cancel parties. But every cloud has its silvery lining; and trouble for some was opportunity for others - the new Farmers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A rest from politics. The population of England remained stagnant or falling throughout 15th century. But that didn't meant there was no opportunity for towns or for commerce. You just had to look for it a bit harder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edward's troubles were not over with the victory at Barnet. He still faced two more invasions - the Queen and Prince, and Fauconberg in the South East. It was the final showdown between Lancaster and York. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1470, Henry VIth was released by Warwick from the Tower, and re-established as the rightful king of England. The Usurper Edward IV was banished forever. Sadly for the Lancastrians, Edward IV was determined to reclaim the throne when he landed at Ravenspur in 1471. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1470 the spin of the wheel of fortune was dizzying. Warwick had won, lost, won...where it ended nobody knew. But the most extraordinary thing of all was an alliance to be made, with the help of Warwick's 14 year old daughter, Anne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1468, Warwick had a decision to make - as he himself said, 'It is a matter of being either Master or Varlet'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a new faction at court - the Woodvilles, and they were there en masse. Were they really so bad? Had Edward boobed? And what did Warwick think - what would he do? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first three years of Edward's reign were spent dealing stamping on the fires of the Lancastrian resistance. But then, he found time for something much more controversial than dis-embowelling, and he found it under an oak tree. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the aftermath of Towton, Edward started his work to restore a broad based regime - crushing the recalcitrant, welcoming the turncoats, re-establishing royal justice. He also had a party. Margaret meanwhile traveled to build support for another return. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1461 the Queen failed to seize London,and retreated to the north. Warwick and Edward walked through London's empty gates and then chased north for the largest, and bloodiest battle of English soil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the victory at Northampton and the Act of Accord, it looked as though all Richard of York had to do was wait or the crown to be his. But in the north and west, the Lancastrian opposition was growing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warwick swashed and buckled his way up and down the channel until the Yorkists were ready to invade England again. But on his return from Ireland with horns and trumpets blowing, Richard of York had a shock for his allies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1459 the trigger point was finally reached; after a year of phony war, both sides preparing for war, the call for a great council in 1459 proving the trigger point. By the end of 1459 the fortune of one of the two sides would lie in ruins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1455 it briefly looked as though York had won; but in fact it solved nothing - the king remained the centre of power, and the king was weak. By 1457, he had lost his status as Protector, and the Queen was effectively the new ruler of England.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1455, the quality and nature of the arguments and disputes about the king's fitness to reign and the need to reform the way England was governed changed very significantly. At St Albans, blood was spilled.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1452 and 1453 Henry enjoyed a brief spell where he was on top of his job after the events at Dartford. But fate had something in mind.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did previous generations view the Wars of the Roses? What are the interpretations of the Wars of the Roses now? This, and an introduction to some key families, are what this week is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's still 1450. Because it was something of an eventful year. Richard of York, sat in Ireland, was worried - his name had been bandied about by Jack Cade and his rebels. See what happens... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1450 was an eventful year. The fall of Suffolk, and now Kent was once again in flames, just as it had been in 1381. This time the leader that emerged was one Jack Cade.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 1445, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk was clearly Henry's most trusted adviser. He faced a difficult task - to steer a bankrupt nation into the harbor of peace. Avoiding the ship of France trying to sink her on the way in. Would they make it?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through the late 1430's and early 1440's the situation in Normandy got no better, Alice Chaucer until a failed expedition convinced Henry and Suffolk that peace was required at any price. And the result was the Treaty of Tour and a royal marriage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In December 1431, Henry VIth became the only king of England crowned king of France in France. Which sounds great. But in fact it was a sign of English weakness than English strength. And at Arras things got substantially worse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1428, the English were still sweeping all before them. Then came a figure so famous, that she was selected by Bill and Ted for their history project - and what greater recognition can there be than that?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's really often little practical difference between what we call politics and some of what we call crime. Essentially it the history of the struggle for power by a bunch of aristocratic families. And a smidgen of life on the Borders. 

While Bedford and talented commanders like Salisbury were alive, the cause of the English in France was far from dead. But in 1423, buoyed by the arrival of the Scots, the French launched a fresh campaign into Normandy, and quickly took the mighty town of Verneuil