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War Of The Roses Essay

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The Wars of the Roses was a series of civil wars in England between the royal Houses of Lancaster and York from 1455-1485. While the Wars have been described by many historians as dynastic, resulting from the Lancastrian usurpation of the throne in 1399 after the death of Richard II, that argument rose up in the 1460s after the Wars had already started. The truth of the matter is that here are multiple reasons for the conflict. First was the administrative failures of the Lancastrian government of King Henry VI that contributed to an already strained English economy mired in war-debt and recession. Second was the public perception of corrupt government officials, particularly the King’s inner circle leading to calls for reform. Finally, there was the rise of aristocratic discord, particularly between Richard, 3rd duke of York, and Edmund Beauford, 4th earl of Somerset.
In 1437 when King Henry VI of England came into power after having his paternal uncles rule in his place while he was in minority the Crown was already in a financially precarious position. From 1337 to 1452, England was at war with France and periodically also at war with Scotland resulting in a financial burden.
To make financial matters worse, England, along with the rest of …show more content…

Henry VI’s government attempted to reduce costs by terminating the French war, a move criticized by the English people, but diplomacy also cost money. However, curtailing military expenditure from 1444 alleviated rather than solved the problems and had disastrous military and financial side effects. For example, the loss of the Bordeaux wine region resulted in a collapse of the wine trade. By 1450, the Crown’s debt had rocketed from £160,000 to

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