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History and Evolution:
By William E. Steinman:
Part 100, Henry VI:
February 21, 2005:
As we saw, Henry V died of dysentery in 1422 whereupon he was succeeded by his son Henry VI (1421 - 1471). At the same time, under the terms of his fathers coup in France, Henry VI was named King of France. It seems the French king Charles VI died in the same year, 1422, leaving the throne vacant. Notice that this kid was only one year old when he ascended to these thrones. Clearly someone else ruled in his stead. Actually the English kingdom was pretty much run by his uncles, Cardinal Beaufort and the Duke of Gloucester who spent as much time fighting each other as they did running the show. In France the Duke of Bedford became regent.
This minority status lasted until 1437 when Henry began to assert himself. However, at first his behavior was not exemplary. We must consider that Henry was still a kid of sixteen and was used to being pampered. In fact, he was a spoiled brat. Later, whatever caused it, he began to straighten up. The theory is he got religion. It seems possible. He did found two universities. Eaton was established in 1440 and Kings college in Cambridge was established in 1441.
Meanwhile, things were not going well in the English Kingdom or in France. The treaty of Troyes did not really sit well with Charles VII, the son of Charles VI. Oddly enough, he resented the English intrusions into his country. He consider himself to be the rightful ruler of France. For sure, he had a number of backers in France. England also had some support and alliances slipped back and forth with the changing tides.
The hundred year war was also going back and forth with the French making some gains in control of the countryside. Still, the English forces had Orléans under siege. Then along came a really crazy seventeen year old kid named Joan of Arc. She did make a difference. She put herself in the services of Charles and convinced him she was on a divine mission to free France. We will never know if he believed that or not, but he did furnish her with an army whereupon she managed to lift the siege of Orléans.
Thereafter, things went downhill for England. Charles VII was crowned at Reims and England lost pretty much everything it had gained in France. After years of murder, pillage, and conquest, England ended up with nothing. As is usual in war, a great deal of blood was shed for nothing at all. In 1453 the hundred year war ended in pretty much of a draw. Joan did not do well either. She was captured by the Burgundy allies of England and sold to the English. The English wanted her dead, but they did not want the blood on their hands. They turned her over to an ecclesiastical court at Rouen where she was tried by French clerics, no less. She might have got off with life in prison, but after recanting she changed her mind and stood firm. She became French Toast on May 30, 1431. Later, the very generous Church annulled the trial and in 1920 she became a saint. Isn't that just swell of them?
The losses in France were just the beginnings of Henry's troubles. It turned out there was a snorting contest between some of the powers of England which resulted in what is called the War of Roses. About the same time the war started (1455), poor Henry went bonkers. Who could blame him? The story is, this particular mental disease was hereditary from his mothers side of the family, that is the French house of Valois. While Henry was out of order, so to speak, Richard the Duke of York became protector of the realm. This Richard, of course, had ambitions of his own. It seems everyone in England who was anyone at all had their own army in those days including Richard.
Now here is the skinny on the War of Roses. It was really a civil war between two royal houses competing for the throne of England. The background for all of this silliness came out of the fact that old King Richard II died without an heir apparent. We went over some of this, but it ended with both of these houses having what they thought were legitimate claims to the throne. On the one side was Henry VI of the House of Lancaster. On the other was Richard, Duke of the House of York. Is this all silly or what? For sure, it provided some great material for Shakespear. Shakespear is the one who actually created the War of Roses imagery. The roses were "coat-of-arms" emblems worn on the sleeves of the competing households. The Lancaster's were red and the York's were white.
The way it all shakes out is Richard attacked Queen Margaret's
forces in 1455 and defeated them. Of course the queen had her
own army! As I said, everyone did. After whipping the queen, Richard
went on to capture Henry in 1460. Then he forced Henry to make
him heir to the crown. That was temporary because Henry managed
to escape. That was temporary too, because, lead by Richard's
son Edward, the York's whipped Henry's army at Towton and Edward
IV was named king. Is all of this complicated enough? There were
more goings on which we will get to when we get to Edward IV.
It all ended with Henry going to that good old Tower of London
where he was killed in 1471. That was the last king of the house
of Lancaster. Though there was one lapse, the house of York was
essentially established on the English throne in 1461.
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