The Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars in England that lasted from 1455 to 1487. Two branches of the royal family fought over who should be king. One side was the House of Lancaster, whose symbol was a red rose. The other was the House of York, whose symbol was a white rose. The wars finally ended when Henry Tudor won the crown and united the two families.

Two Families, One Throne

Both the Lancasters and the Yorks were related to the same royal family. Each side believed they had the right to be king. The fighting went back and forth for many years. Sometimes the Lancasters were in power, and sometimes the Yorks were. Kings were crowned and then overthrown. It was a confusing and dangerous time to live in England.

How the Wars Ended

In 1485, Henry Tudor, a Lancaster, defeated King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry became King Henry VII. To bring peace, he married Elizabeth of York. This joined the two families together. He created a new symbol, the Tudor rose, which combined the red and white roses. The Tudor family would rule England for over a hundred years.

Fun Facts

• King Richard III's bones were found under a parking lot in England in 2012!
• Shakespeare wrote several plays about the Wars of the Roses.
• The Tudor rose, combining red and white, is still a symbol of England today.

Did You Know?

The wars are called the Wars of the Roses, but soldiers did not actually wear roses into battle. The name was made popular much later by writers and historians.