Why, Despite Setbacks, Was The Yorkist Campaign Against The Lancastrians Successful In The Years 1455-61?

However, to blame this entirely on Margaret would be wrong, for the Lancastrians had one main disadvantage and that was their leader, Henry VI, he wasn’t a strategic military man he was an insane monarch who aloud his advisors to manipulate him. The capture of Henry was another blow to the Lancastrians, at the battle of Northumberland, the Yorkists won and captured Henry. York was able to force the mad King into signing the Act of Accord and making Richard and his heir the successor to the throne. The capture of the King showed the Yorkist’s strengths against the Lancastrians and showed how they would turn the King over to their side with little trouble. This Act of Accord did anger Mararget and her supporters because it disinherited her son and branded her as a traitor, stirring her into rebellion against the Accord. On the other hand, as this was happening the military strength and skill of Edward, Earl of March (York’s son) was shown when he returned from his exile in Calais with 2000 veterans to take London for the Yorkist campaign. In comparison with Henry the Yorkist showed the true strength a medieval King needed at that time. Richard and Edward were strong leaders who led their men into battle, they were able to command armies and manipulate politics whereas Henry could only be used as a puppet. The stark comparison of the Yorkist and Lancastrian leaders was very obvious and this would have helped Edward when he and Warwick needed allies to take the throne after York’s death at the Battle of Wakefield. The nobility would have wanted a King that could fight battles and win, giving stability to the country and Henry could not offer this, he was insane. Henry VI had collapsed into insanity twice, allowing York to become protector in 1456 and for many months York was able to rule the county better than Henry. Although Henry was mad and his decisions often ended in failure, such as the Loveday agreement, the Yorkists also had the love London and much of southern England held for Edward and this was something the Lancastrians could not match. The Lancastrian’s had much of their support in the north and the midlands this was good for battles and getting men to support them but the Yorkists had London and that was where parliament met but also where the kings were crowned, the gave the Yorkists a better stance when it came to winning the throne.

On the contrary, in 1460, the Lancastrians were able to setback the Yorkists, Margaret was victorious at Wakefield, killing Richard, and again at the second battle of St Albans, Margaret freed her husband and Warwick fled to the welsh boarder, all seemed lost for the Yorkist campaign. Unfortunately for the Lancastrians, Margaret did not capitalise London after her victory and Edward was able to join up with Warwick and while she was in the midlands the Yorkists won the battle of Mortimer’s cross – let by Edward – and he had himself proclaimed king in London. However it is not certain that Margaret could have taken London even if she had wanted to, the Yorkists had their greatest support from London and the Lancastrians did not. Margaret was unable to reclaim the throne for her husband and son but she may not have been able to, Edward was intelligent and knew that his actions in proclaiming himself king meant many would support him and not Margaret who now stood opposed. This became evident at the Battle of Towton where Edward IV fought the bloodiest and biggest battle of the war, Henry VI, Queen Margaret and their son fled to Scotland and it was hailed a Yorkist victory. Edward had shown his skill at being a King, his was only young and he had won against the older King who had shown no skill for a medieval leader and the disliked queen was on the run. Nevertheless, the skills Edward possessed would not have helped him if he had not had the opportunities Margaret had left open to him, the madness of Henry would also have helped him succeed. Edward also had the help of Warwick and the disloyalty of Lancastrian nobles.

In conclusion the success of the Yorkist campaign was down to the mistakes of Margaret and the stark contrast of Henry and Edward. The difference between the two kings was obvious and when Margaret – who had aloud Edward to be proclaimed king – tried to reclaim the throne, support would have been hard to come by because of the skill March had shown on the battle field at such a young age, compared with the mistakes the Lancastrian queen had shown. Henry VI a puppet king to a troublesome queen was in no way a match for the charismatic young Edward IV.