Knowra Battle of Towton Battle of Towton A major battle fought near Towton in Yorkshire on 29 March 1461, in which Edward IV’s Yorkist forces defeated the Lancastrians during the Wars of the Roses.
Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset : A Lancastrian nobleman and military commander who served Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses. He commanded the Lancastrian army defeated at Towton.
Wars of the Roses : A series of conflicts between rival noble factions for control of the English throne, chiefly from 1455 to 1487. Towton was among the bloodiest and most consequential battles in this dynastic conflict.
Edward IV : King of England from 1461 to 1470 and again from 1471 to 1483, who led the Yorkist cause. His victory at Towton established his rule, although this lens focuses on its political aftermath.
Towton battlefield : The landscape near Towton in North Yorkshire where the 1461 battle was fought. Its surviving landscape and archaeological finds help locate and interpret the fighting.
Yorkshire : A historic county in northern England, covering much of the region now divided into several counties. Towton’s open, exposed landscape shaped troop movement and the battle’s conditions.
House of York : A branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet that contested the throne during the Wars of the Roses. Its claim to the crown was the political cause behind Edward IV’s campaign.
Henry VI : King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, whose reign was interrupted by civil war. Towton’s defeat ended his first reign and left him a fugitive.
Towton Hall : A historic house near the site of the Battle of Towton in North Yorkshire. The hall is associated with the battlefield landscape and its local history.
Longbow : A powerful bow, typically made from yew, used as a military weapon in medieval England. Archery opened the battle, and the wind reportedly carried Yorkist arrows farther than Lancastrian volleys.
House of Lancaster : A branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet whose members ruled England from 1399 to 1461. Its supporters fought at Towton to restore Henry VI’s authority.
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