The history of our country and other countries of the world is rich in many facts and events. School program physically cannot accommodate many of them. Ignorance is very important points, for erudite young people, will not add respect and will not free you from questions on the exam.

Even though these questions will not affect the overall assessment, the opinion about your knowledge is an important component. Many pages of history, in addition to being fascinatingly interesting, are also reflected in the works of classics. This topic includes the War of the White and Scarlet Roses - a long and bloody confrontation between two respected families in England. What do you know about this period in the life of the British?

15th century English kingdom

War is war, but why is such a romantic name attached to these difficult and terrible events?

Each English noble family rightfully possessed a unique coat of arms. The York family had a rose on their coat of arms white, Lancaster - scarlet. The period of intense confrontation between the rivals was between 1455 and 1485.

This historical period was difficult for England. One hundred years of exhausted war (the Hundred Years) ended in defeat. The easy booty that the plunder of French lands brought was over. The nobility of the country is mired in sorting out relations among themselves. King Henry VI of Lancaster took on the role of peacemaker, but these efforts were in vain.

It could not have been otherwise - Henry was ill, his attacks of madness led to the fact that the kingdom was actually ruled by the Dukes of Somerset and Suffolk. The political atmosphere was heated to the limit, it seemed that the slightest spark would ignite a destructive fire. It was Jack Cad's rebellion, which began in 1451. They managed to stop the rebels, but this did not diminish the anarchic sentiments; on the contrary, they gained momentum.

White took the first step

The Duke of York, Richard, decided to take serious actions that he had been nurturing for a long time. In the same year, 1451, he made a speech against the actions of the Duke of Somerset, the royal favorite. Members of Parliament who sided with Richard York expressed their support for him. Moreover, they declared him heir to the throne. But Henry VI was so angry that he dissolved the disobedient parliament. These actions greatly shocked him and led to another long-term attack and loss of reason. Richard took advantage of the situation and received the very important position of public protector.

Only the Duke did not have to rejoice at the victory for long. The king came to his senses and directed all efforts to restore justice - depriving his brother of his position. Richard was not going to give up what he had achieved so easily, and gathered supporters for decisive action. At the same time, he entered into an alliance with the Earl of Salisbury and Warwick. The unification of two strong armies in the spring of 1455 opposed the king. This was the beginning of the war of the two roses.

The small town of St. Albans became the site of the first battle. In England, they briefly, and without a shadow of regret, announced what had happened, emphasizing only the main thing: the king’s loyal supporters and his close favorite Sommerset died. Henry VI is captured.

But it so happened that Richard’s rejoicing did not last long. A woman entered the game - Queen Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. She led the supporters of the Red Rose and removed York from power. Richard had no choice but to rebel. That's what he did. Victory over the Lancasters was achieved. The battles of Blore Heath (September 23, 1459) and Northampton (July 10, 1460) were victorious. King Henry was again captured by the enemy.

Richard relaxed with joy, but Margaret of Anjou, who remained free, did not simply give up her position. She managed to deal Richard an unexpected blow, defeating his troops at the Battle of Wakefill. This event took place on December 30, 1460. The ambitious Richard died as a hero on the battlefield. Margaret ordered, for the edification of all rebels, that the head of the rebel, wearing a paper crown, be put on public display on the wall of York.

Victory of the Scarlet Crest

The owners of the white coat of arms lost. It would seem that everything was over, but the end of the war was still so far away. Interesting Facts the distant past did not end with these events. Edward, son of Richard, also known as the Earl of March, could not accept defeat and formed new army for the offensive. February 3, 1461 was marked by a new battle. The decisive battle at Mortimer Cross ended in a resounding victory. The Lancasters fled from the battlefield. Their losses reached three thousand soldiers. White Rose again sparkled with a victorious glow on the York coat of arms, but...

The Queen of Anjou, having strengthened her troops with an army that joined the confrontation with the heir of Henry VI, Prince Edward, made a retaliatory strike. Her actions were swift and took the enemy by surprise. The Queen defeated the White Rose and freed the King.

The cruel Margarita entered London and showed all her love for her people. Looting, terrorism, robberies are what her army brought with it, bringing Londoners to an extremely disastrous state. When March and Warwick approached the gates of the capital, the residents gladly let them through. On March 4, 1461, Edward March was proclaimed King Edward IV. March 29 was a dark day for the Lancasters. The king and his devoted wife shamefully fled to Scotland.

The scarlet flower has withered...

At this time, discontent began in the White Rose camp. The Earl, the son of the deceased Richard, is dissatisfied with the king who has ascended the throne. He, having entered into an alliance with Edward's brother, attacks the army of Edward IV and defeats it. The king is captured - victory smiled on Wark. But the count, believing Edward’s promises, releases him from captivity. The promises were not fulfilled - hostility flares up with renewed vigor.

Margarita of Anjou, who ran away shamefully, did not even think about calming down. The events of London gave the queen the idea of ​​bringing justice back. Having gathered an army, the restless Margaret approaches the Welsh border. There she was to unite with the army of Jasper Tudor. Her plans were thwarted by Edward IV, who did not allow the Scarlets to reunite and defeated them in battle. Margaret is captured, and the only heir, Henry VI, dies in battle. Edward IV rules the country until his death. The long-awaited calm is being restored in England.

White, Alaya - reunion

But in the Kingdom of England, final peace was still far away. Events kept shaking the country. This lasted until the accession of Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Taking as his wife Edward IV's daughter, Elizabeth, heiress of York, he created a coat of arms from the coats of arms of the two warring parties. On it, the White rose and the Scarlet rose were reunited for centuries.

All the events of the Roses had dire consequences for England. They are still studied by historians. The last point has not yet been reached...

Period evaluation

"Monstrous, mad times..." - William Shakespeare;

"The Wars of the Roses" - Walter Scott

"The Wars of the Roses are one of the most colorful pages English history" - Egor Neverov.

In conclusion, it is worth saying that in our training courses we examine all topics both in the history of Russia and World history. This is why our students pass the Unified State Exam in History with 90 points or higher, and this is their average result.

Although historians are still debating the true extent of the conflict's impact on medieval English life, there is no doubt that the War of the Roses led to a political upheaval and a change in the established balance of power. The most obvious outcome was the collapse of the Plantagenet dynasty, which was replaced by the new Tudor dynasty, which transformed England over the following years. In subsequent years, the remnants of the Plantagenet factions, left without direct access to the throne, split into different positions as the monarchs continually pitted them against each other.

The War of the Roses virtually brought an end to the English Middle Ages. She brought about changes in feudal English society, including the weakening of the feudal power of the nobility and the strengthening of the position of the merchant class, as well as the rise of a strong, centralized monarchy under the leadership of the Tudor dynasty. The accession of the Tudors in 1485 is considered the beginning of the Modern Age in English history.

On the other hand, it has also been suggested that the horrific impact of the war was exaggerated by Henry VII to extol his achievements in ending it and bringing peace. Of course, the effect of the war on merchants and peasants was much less than in the protracted wars in France and elsewhere in Europe, which were filled with mercenaries with a direct interest in continuing the war. Although there were a few long sieges, they were in relatively remote and sparsely populated areas. In heavily populated areas that belonged to both factions, opponents, in order to prevent the devastation of the territories, sought a quick solution to the conflict in the form of a general battle.

The war was disastrous to England's already diminishing influence in France, and by the end of the fighting there were no English possessions left there except Calais, which was eventually also lost during the reign of Mary I. Although later English rulers continued to campaign on the continent, England's territory did not increase at all. Various European duchies and kingdoms played important roles in the war, particularly the kings of France and the dukes of Burgundy, who aided the Lancastrians and Yorks in their struggles against each other. Giving them armed forces And financial assistance, as well as offering refuge to defeated nobles and pretenders, they thereby wanted to prevent the emergence of a united and strong England, which would become a threat to them.

The post-war period was also the "funeral march" for the standing baronial armies that fueled the conflict. Henry VII, fearing further infighting, kept the barons under tight control, forbidding them from training, recruiting, arming and supplying armies so that they could not start a war with each other or with the king. As a result, the military power of the barons diminished, and the Tudor court became the place where baronial quarrels were decided by the will of the monarch.

Not only the descendants of the Plantagenets, but also a significant part of the English lords and knighthood died on the battlefields, scaffolds and in prison casemates. For example, during the period from 1425 to 1449, before the outbreak of war, many noble dynasties disappeared, which continued during the war from 1450 to 1474. The death in battle of the most ambitious part of the nobility led to a decrease in the desire of its remnants to risk their lives and titles.

The Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455 - 1485) - the struggle for the English throne between two side branches of the Plantagenet royal dynasty - Lancaster (coat of arms with a scarlet rose) and York (coat of arms with a white rose). The confrontation between the Lancasters (the ruling dynasty) and the Yorks (the rich aristocratic feudal family) began with separate non-war clashes that took place both before and after the war. The war ended with the victory of Henry Tudor of the Lancastrian dynasty, who founded a dynasty that ruled England and Wales for 117 years.

Causes

The cause of the war between the two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty - Lancaster and Nork (note that the traditional name for this confrontation appeared already in the 19th century thanks to Walter Scott) - was the dissatisfaction of the nobility with the policies of the weak-willed King Henry VI from the Lancaster branch, who was defeated in France. The instigator of the conflict was Richard of York, who was eager for the crown.

Confrontation. Course of events

2 years after the Hundred Years' War, an internecine war began in England that would last 30 years. 1455 - the confrontation first moved to the battlefield. The Duke of York gathered his vassals and marched with them to London. 1455, May 22 at the Battle of St. Albans he was able to defeat the supporters of the Scarlet Rose. Soon removed from power, he again rebelled and declared his claims to the English crown. With an army of his followers, he won victories over the enemy at Bloor Heath (September 23, 1459) and North Hampton (July 10, 1460); in the latter he captured the king, after which he forced the upper house to recognize himself as protector of the state and heir to the throne.

However, Queen Margaret, wife of Henry VI, and her supporters suddenly attacked him at Wakefield (December 30, 1460). Richard's troops were completely defeated, and he himself died in battle. The victors cut off his head and displayed it on the wall of York wearing a paper crown. His son Edward, supported by the Earl of Warwick, defeated the supporters of the Lancastrian dynasty at Mortimers Cross (February 2, 1461) and Towton (March 29, 1461). Henry VI was deposed; Margaret fled to Scotland, and the king was soon caught and imprisoned in the Tower. Severed heads defeated opponents were erected on the city gates of York, in the place where the head of the defeated Richard had previously stood. The winner became King Edward IV.

The confrontation continues

1470 - The Lancastrians, thanks to the betrayal of King Edward IV's brother, Duke of Clarence, were able to expel Edward and returned Henry VI to the throne. Soon Edward IV, who had fled to the mainland, returned with an army, and the Duke of Clarence again went over to his brother’s side. This brought victory to the Yorks in 1471 at the Battle of Tewkesbury. The son and heir of King Henry VI, Edward, died in it, and soon the unfortunate king himself was killed in the Tower. This marked the end of the Lancastrian branch of the Plantagenet dynasty.

1) Henry VI; 2) Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI

Richard III

There came a break in the wars, which seemed to many to be its end. Edward IV confidently ruled England until he died unexpectedly on the eve of his 41st birthday in 1483. His son, 12-year-old Edward V, was supposed to become the new monarch, but he suddenly found a formidable rival. This time it was not Lancaster, but York - another younger brother of Edward IV, Richard of Gloucester.

During the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, Richard remained faithful to his brother, not abandoning him even in the days of defeat. And after his death, he declared his rights to the crown, declaring the sons of his deceased brother illegitimate. Two young princes were imprisoned in the Tower, and Richard Gloucester was proclaimed king under the name -.

What happened to his nephews is still unknown even five centuries later. According to the most common version, the crowned uncle ordered them to be killed. Be that as it may, the princes disappeared forever.

1) Edward IV; 2) Richard III

Accession of the Tudors

However, there was no peace in the state, opposition to the Yorks intensified, and in 1485 a detachment of French mercenaries who arrived from the mainland landed in Wales, who were hired by Lancaster supporters led by Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who had no rights to the throne.

1485, August 22 - at the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor was able to defeat King Richard III. Richard III himself was knocked off his horse and immediately stabbed to death. Thus the York branch was severed. The winner, Henry Tudor, was crowned immediately after the battle. the nearest church under the name of Henry VII. Thus the new royal dynasty of the Tudors was founded.

Results of the war

As a result of the civil wars of the Scarlet and White Roses, the former Plantagenet dynasty left the political arena due to clan feuds, the state was ruined, English possessions on the continent (except Calais) were lost, and many of the aristocratic families suffered colossal damage, which made it possible for Henry VII to curb their. Not only the descendants of the Plantagenets died on the battlefield, scaffolds and in prisons, but also a significant part of the English lords and knighthood.

From the accession of the Tudors, English historians count the New Age as a period of strengthening centralized royal power, weakening the aristocracy and the rise of the bourgeoisie to leading positions.

War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-85), an internecine war in England for the throne between two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty - Lancaster (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and York (white rose in the coat of arms). The death in the war of the main representatives of both dynasties and a significant part of the nobles facilitated the establishment of Tudor absolutism.

The causes of the war were heavy economic situation England (the crisis of the large patrimonial economy and the fall in its profitability), the defeat of England in the Hundred Years' War (1453), which deprived the feudal lords of the opportunity to plunder the lands of France; suppression of Jack Cad's rebellion in 1451 and with it the forces opposing feudal anarchy. The Lancasters relied mainly on the barons of the backward north, Wales and Ireland, the Yorks - on the feudal lords of the economically more developed south-east of England. The middle nobility, merchants and wealthy townspeople, interested in the free development of trade and crafts, the elimination of feudal anarchy and the establishment of firm power, supported the Yorks.

Under the weak-minded King Henry 6th Lancaster (1422-61), the country was ruled by a clique of several large feudal lords, which aroused discontent among the rest of the population. Taking advantage of this discontent, Richard, Duke of York, gathered his vassals around him and went with them to London. At the Battle of St. Albans on May 22, 1455, he defeated the supporters of the Scarlet Rose. Soon removed from power, he again rebelled and declared his claims to the English throne. With an army of his followers, he won victories over the enemy at Bloor Heath (September 23, 1459) and North Hampton (July 10, 1460); during the latter, he captured the king, after which he forced the upper house to recognize himself as protector of the state and heir to the throne. But Queen Margaret, wife of Henry the 6th, and her followers unexpectedly attacked him at Wakefield (December 30, 1460). Henry was completely defeated and fell in this battle. His enemies cut off his head and displayed it on the wall of York wearing a paper crown. His son Edward, with the support of the Earl of Warwick, defeated the supporters of the Lancastrian dynasty at Mortimers Cross (February 2, 1461) and Towton (March 29, 1461). Henry 6th was deposed, he and Margaret fled to Scotland. The winner became King Edward 4th.

Secret meeting of kings and dukes in the garden.

However, the war continued. In 1464, Henry IV defeated Lancastrian supporters in the north of England. Henry 6th was captured and imprisoned in the Tower. The desire of Edward 4th to strengthen his power and limit the freedoms of the feudal nobility led to an uprising of his former supporters, led by Warwick (1470). Edward fled England, Henry 6th was restored to the throne in October 1470. In 1471, Edward 4th at Barnet (April 14th) and Tewkesbury (May 4th) defeated the army of Warwick and the army of Henry 6th's wife Margaret, who landed in England with the support of the French king Louis 11th. Warwick was killed, Henry 6th was again deposed in April 1471 and died (presumably killed) in the Tower on May 21, 1471. War is over...

After the victory, in order to strengthen his power, Edward 4th began brutal reprisals against both representatives of the Lancastrian dynasty and the rebellious Yorks and their supporters. After the death of Edward the 4th April 9, 1483, the throne passed to his young son Edward the 5th, but power was seized by the younger brother of Edward the 4th, the future king Richard the 3rd, who first declared himself the protector of the young king, and then deposed him and ordered him to be strangled in the Tower along with his younger brother Richard. Attempts by Richard 3rd to strengthen his power were met by uprisings of feudal magnates. Executions and confiscations of property turned supporters of both groups against him. Both dynasties, Lancaster and York, united around Henry Tudor, a distant relative of the Lancasters, who lived in France at the court of King Charles the 8th. On the 7th or 8th August 1485, Henry landed at Milford Haven, marched unopposed through Wales and joined forces with his followers. From their united army, Richard III was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485; he himself was killed. Henry 7th, founder of the Tudor dynasty, became king. Having married the daughter of Edward 4th Elizabeth, the heiress of York, he combined scarlet and white roses in his coat of arms.

Family tree of the kings of England:

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses was the last rampant of feudal anarchy before the establishment of absolutism in England. It was carried out with terrible cruelty and was accompanied by numerous murders and executions. Both dynasties were exhausted and died in the struggle. For the population of England, the war brought strife, oppression of taxes, theft of the treasury, the lawlessness of large feudal lords, a decline in trade, outright robberies and requisitions. During the wars, a significant part of the feudal aristocracy was exterminated, numerous confiscations of land holdings undermined its power. At the same time, land holdings increased and the influence of the new nobility and merchant merchant class, which became the support of Tudor absolutism, increased. In honor of this war, gardeners developed a new variety of rose, which has white and red flowers growing on one bush.

A dynastic conflict with a romantic name took place in England between the families of Lancaster (Scarlet Rose) and York (White Rose) and lasted 30 years.

So, as short as possible.

“.. it is much easier for a hereditary sovereign, whose subjects have managed to get along with the ruling house, to retain power than for a new one, because for this it is enough for him not to violate the customs of his ancestors and subsequently apply himself to new circumstances without haste.” (c) N. Macchiavelli.

Edward III of the Plantagenet dynasty is considered one of the greatest English kings. His mother was the daughter of the King of France, so Edward decided that he had certain rights to the French throne. When his claims were rejected, he went to war. This war was the longest in world history and was later called the Hundred Years.

Edward III (1312-1377, king from 1327) and his wife Philippa of Gennegau (1314-1369):

Edward and Philippa had 15 children, including seven sons. Three of them are relevant to this story: Edward, nicknamed the “Black Prince” (1330-1376), John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399) and Edmund Langley, Duke of York (1341-1402).

The Black Prince and John of Gaunt:

The Black Prince predeceased his father and Edward III was succeeded by his grandson as Richard II.

Richard II (1367-1400), king of England in 1377-1399:

At the beginning of his reign, Richard often went to extremes and was influenced by his favorites. But over time, hope arose that his rule would become more conscious and wise. However, unsuccessful campaigns in Ireland, as well as Wat Tyler's brutally suppressed peasant revolt, contributed to the decline of his popularity. In 1399, Richard's cousin - the son of John of Gaunt - Henry Bolingbroke returned from exile and rebelled. As a result, Richard was deposed and imprisoned at Pontefract Castle, where he died a year later. According to one version, he was starved to death. With the death of Richard, the Plantagenet dynasty came to an end. Henry Bolingbroke became king under the name Henry IV. This is how the Lancaster dynasty came to power.

Lancasters.

Scarlet Rose of Lancaster

The Lancastrian dynasty is represented by three kings: Henry IV (1367-1413, king from 1399), his son Henry V (1387-1422, king from 1413) and his grandson Henry VI (1422-1471, king from 1422-1461). G.) :

The first two monarchs were strong and gifted rulers, especially Henry V, who was also a brilliant commander. His military talent manifested itself in the war with France - for example, in the battle of Agincourt (Agencourt) - and, had he lived a little longer, the outcome of the Hundred Years' War could have been completely different, and Wars of the Roses most likely it would not exist at all. But Henry V died at 35, and his only son was not even a year old at that time. His uncle, the Duke of Bedford, became his regent.

(United Tudor Rose)

Duke of Lancaster John of Gaunt (father of Henry IV) was married for his second marriage to his mistress Catherine Swynford - a woman of lower birth - so her for a long time was not considered a legal wife. By this marriage he had a son, John Beaufort (or Beafort), who in turn also had a son, John Beaufort II, and his daughter was Margaret, who married Edmund Tudor. Their son later became King Henry VII.

Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) and her son Henry VII (1457-1509, king from 1485):

Before the birth of her son, Margaret was considered a contender for the throne in the event of the early death of Henry VI. In this she was supported by the Beauforts and her closest relatives, the Lancasters. As for Edmund Tudor, he was the half-brother of Henry VI, born into the semi-legal marriage of Queen Catherine, the widow of Henry V, and her second husband, the Welsh nobleman Owen Tudor. The Tudors were subsequently legitimized, but the fact remains that in both cases, on both the paternal and maternal lines, they were considered illegitimate for a long time.

White Rose of York.

Edward III's fourth son, Edmund Langley, had a son, Richard, who held the title of Earl of Cambridge. His son was also named Richard. He inherited the title Duke of York.

THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT

Henry VI of Lancaster and his wife Margaret of Anjou had no children during their 9 years of marriage. All this time, Richard of York (his second cousin) was rightfully considered the heir to the throne. In 1452, the royal couple finally had a son, which caused York supporters to be extremely annoyed. And a year later, Henry VI fell into madness - it was hereditary disease, transmitted through mother Catherine of France. Enjoying popularity among the people, Richard of York began to challenge the guardianship of the king, who had fallen into infancy, from Margaret of Anjou. Before this, they always tried to keep him at a distance, appointing him either the ruler of Ireland or the commander-in-chief in France (the Hundred Years' War was in full swing). And so Richard returned, raised a rebellion, which resulted in the first armed conflict between the Yorks and the ruling Lancaster dynasty. During one of the battles, Richard, his son and younger brother were killed. As a deterrent, by order of Margaret of Anjou, Richard's head in a paper crown was mounted on a spear and presented to the participants in the uprising.

These events are considered the beginning Wars of the Roses.

After Richard's death, his eldest son Edward became leader of the Yorks. In 1461 he deposed Henry VI and became king under the name Edward IV. Margaret of Anjou fled to France with her son and husband, where she asked for help from King Louis XI, her cousin. In turn, Edward entered into an alliance with worst enemy Louis by the Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold and married his sister Margaret to him.

Louis XI (1423-1483, king from 1461), Charles the Bold (1433-1477, duke from 1467):

In 1470, with the support of the French, Henry VI was again restored to the throne.

The Yorkies fled to Burgundy to Charles the Bold.

A year later, a quarrel occurred between the French king and the Duke of Burgundy, as a result of which the latter unleashed civil war in England. Edward returned to power, Henry was imprisoned in the Tower and soon killed. A few months earlier, his only son had also died. The Lancastrians had no more contenders for the throne.

Children of Richard of York : 1) Edward, Earl of March, then Duke of York, and from 1461 King Edward IV (1442-1483) ; 2) Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy (1446-1503); 3) George, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478); and 4) Richard, Duke of Gloucester, from 1483 King Richard III (1452-1485) :

In 1477, the Duke of Burgundy died in the Battle of Nancy. In connection with this event, the Lancasters could have used the help of Louis XI, now unlimited by anyone, but except for Queen Margaret, none of them were alive. Louis bought her from Edward for 2,000 pounds and gave her refuge in France, where she died 5 years later.

In 1483 Edward IV died. His son was never crowned, but remained in history under the name of Edward V. He was 12 years old, so Richard of Gloucester proclaimed himself regent until his nephew came of age. Soon he declared the marriage of Edward’s parents invalid (there were certain reasons for this), and he himself was illegitimate, and under this pretext he seized power. Edward V and his brother the Duke of York were locked in the Tower and have not been seen since. Rumors spread that the princes were killed on the orders of their uncle. One work of Shakespeare greatly contributed to the persistence of this rumor. A refutation of this version can be the fact that Richard was a gifted ruler who gained popularity in his youth. Both the people and many members of the nobility preferred to see the mature and experienced Richard on the throne rather than his young nephew. If Richard ordered the murder of his nephews, he committed fatal mistake. If not, then this was an incident that played an equally fatal role in his life, because... after this, Richard III's popularity began to decline.

At the same time, Henry Tudor, who was in France, began to gather supporters. Louis XI had died by then and was succeeded by his 13-year-old son under the regency of his sister Anne. Anne of France "sponsored" Henry's event, giving him 20,000 francs.

Anne of France (1460-1522, regent of France from 1483):

In 1485, the famous Battle of Bosworth took place, in which Henry defeated Richard's troops. History ends with Henry Tudor's rise to power Wars of the Roses. To strengthen his rights, Henry married the daughter of Edward IV, Elizabeth of York, and chose a united rose as an emblem - white against a scarlet background.

Elizabeth of York (1466-1503):

At the end of the 17th century. 2 skeletons were found in the Tower. It is believed that they belonged to the murdered princes. There is also a version that Edward V died of natural causes, and his younger brother was secretly taken outside of England.

Edward V (1470-1483?) and his brother Richard of York (1472-1483?):

But there is also a version, which is becoming increasingly popular, that the princes were killed on the orders of Henry Tudor. With rather illusory claims to the throne, he was completely “uninterested” in leaving the sons of Edward IV alive...