At the outbreak of war in 1455, the Lancaster dynasty remained in power with Henry VI as king. The English defeat in the Hundred Years’ War in 1453, however, seems to have triggered a latent mental illness in the king, and in the following years England was occasionally led by a royal council in which various actors fought for influence. Duke Richard of York was one of the members of the royal council and a descendant of Edward 3 on both the father’s and mother’s side. He had been the king’s representative in Ireland and was very popular both among the people and in aristocratic circles. However, Richard’s influence was challenged by Henry VI’s queen, Margrete of Anjou, and the Beaufort family with Edmund, Duke of Somerset. After an internal power struggle and a temporary improvement of the king’s condition, Richard was forced out of court in 1455. He still continued to insist on his right to advise the king, and the same year he led a small force against London where he defeated the king’s forces in the Battle of St. Albans. At the same time, the king suffered an apparent relapse, and Rikard regained his position at court for a year before the king’s condition improved again. If you love history Remember to subscribe to my channel for more amazing contents, and don’t forget to hit the bell icon to get instant notification about our future video,
