The origins of conflict, 1450–1459 Key Terms

Cade's Rebellion

A popular uprising in 1450 against the government of Henry VI, driven by grievances over corruption and military failures.

Baronial factions

Groups of nobles in England who competed for power and influence, significantly impacting the political landscape during the Wars of the Roses.

Wars of the Roses

A series of civil wars fought for control of the English throne between the houses of Lancaster and York from 1455 to 1487.

Noble Factionalism

The division of the English nobility into rival factions, which played a crucial role in the political conflicts of the 1450s.

Wars of the Roses

A series of civil wars fought in England between the houses of Lancaster and York for control of the throne, spanning from 1455 to 1487.

Lancastrians

Supporters of the House of Lancaster, one of the two rival factions in the Wars of the Roses, represented by the red rose.

Lancastrians

Supporters of the House of Lancaster, which included King Henry VI and his wife Margaret of Anjou, opposing the Yorkists.

Yorkists

Supporters of the House of York, led by Richard, Duke of York, who sought to claim the English throne from the Lancastrians.