Osprey Men-at-Arms 145 : The Wars of the Roses

The civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses were fought between the Houses of Yorkshire and Lancashire, identified by white and red roses respectively, and lasted thirty bloody years, inflicting great damage to the land and its people and killing so many of the aristocracy that a new nobility had to be created in the reign of Henry VII - a good king who brought peace and prosperity to his kingdom, unlike his predecessor, the usurper Richard III, who stole the throne by deceit and foul murders. On the battlefields the longbow reigned supreme, while the knights and men-at-arms waddled around encased entirely in cumbersome plate armour, or rode great horses also wearing plate armour. A familiar story perhaps, yet not containing a word of truth. Terence Wise lays bare the real story of the Wars of the Roses and the parties involved, and examines the armies, liveries and badges of the conflict, in a text populated by numerous illustrations and photographs, including eight full page colour plates by Gerry Embleton.

Contents

• Introduction
• The Wars of the Roses
• 1455-1464
• 1469-1471
• 1483-1487
• The Armies
• Liveries and Badges
• The Plates