England's Plantagenet Era: Conflicts and Change PDF

England’s Plantagenet Era: Conflicts and Change Henry III 1216 to 1272 Under Henry, the crown's authority declined, leading to the establishment of the first Parliament. Parliament was initially a tool for barons to monitor the King and gain more power Henry's popularity decreased due to...

England’s Plantagenet Era: Conflicts and Change Henry III 1216 to 1272 Under Henry, the crown's authority declined, leading to the establishment of the first Parliament. Parliament was initially a tool for barons to monitor the King and gain more power Henry's popularity decreased due to costly foreign wars, ineffective use of royal power, and the influence of his foreign relatives. In 1263, Baron Simon de Montfort rebelled against Henry, sparking the Second Barons' War. The war's turning point was the 1264 Battle of Lewes, where Henry was captured. Louis IX of France sided with Henry, and Henry's son Edward defeated Simon's army at the Battle of Evesham, ending the rebellion. Post-war, Henry focused on rebuilding the country. Henry died in 1272, was buried in Westminster Abbey in Edward the Confessor's former coffin, and was succeeded by his son, Edward I. Edward 1 Edward I of England is a renowned figure in English history. He ruled England from 1272 until his death in 1307. Edward I bolstered the power of both the crown and Parliament against the feudal nobility. He successfully subdued Wales, ending its autonomy. Edward I's reign is notable for its administrative efficiency and legal reforms. His work in defining and amending English common law has led to his nickname, the “English Justinian.” Edward II Edward II was the King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in 1327. His reign was marked by military failures, political strife, and the influence of his favorites at court.. Edward was eventually deposed by his wife, Queen Isabella, leading to the ascension of his son, Edward III. His death in 1327 remains controversial, with allegations of a brutal murder. The Hundred years’ war 1337- 1453 The Hundred Years' War occurred from 1337 to 1453. Causes: Triggered by disputes over: 1-Territorial Claims: England's possession of French territories like Aquitaine caused friction. 2-French Throne Succession: After Charles IV of France died without a male heir, England's Edward III, his nephew, claimed the throne, conflicting with French succession laws. 3-Economic Interests: Control over economically important regions like Flanders, vital for England's wool trade but loyal to France, heightened tensions. Consequences and Effects on England: 1-Military Innovations: Introduction of the longbow, changing warfare tactics. 2- Financial Strain: War expenses heavily burdened England's economy. 3-Political Instability: Contributed to internal conflicts. 4-Territorial Losses: England lost most of its continental possessions in France by the war's end. The Black Death: 1347 and 1351  The Black Death ravaged medieval Europe between 1347 and 1351, killing thousands of people, challenging the feudal system, and weakening the Catholic Church's supremacy. The English population plummeted, with London dropping from 100,000 to 20,000. Feudalism, established by William I in 1066, tied peasants to the land, rendering them almost like slaves. Post-plague, the massive death toll led to labor shortages, prompting better wages and conditions for surviving peasants. The Black Death led to lower taxes. However, Jews faced persecution, and the Catholic Church's influence waned as the disease struck indiscriminately. War of Roses 1455–1485  When Edward III died in 1377 Richard II succeeded him because Edward, the black prince, died before his father. In 1399, whilst Richard was in Ireland, Henry of Bolingbroke returned to claim his father's inheritance. Supported by some of the leading baronial families (including Richard's former Archbishop of Canterbury), Henry captured and deposed Richard. Bolingbroke was crowned King as Henry IV. Risings in support of Richard led to his death, either by murder or by self-starvation. Henry IV spent much of his reign fighting to keep control of his lands, to stop a revolution led by Owen Glendower in Wales and the Percys, his supporters from Northumberland who turned against him and conspired with Glendower. When Henry IV was dogged by illness from 1405 onwards, his son played a great role in government. In 1413 Henry died and his son succeeded him as Henry V. Henry V was a brilliant general who had gained military experience in his teens, when he fought alongside his father. He claimed the French crown, fought France and gained control of Normandy as well as a recognition as the heir to the French throne in 1420. Henry died of dysentery in 1422, and his son, Henry VI, was just 9 months old when he became king. His uncles (who opposed one another) dominated, alliance with France was broken leading to the collapse of English rule in northern France. Normandy was lost in 1450. In 1453 the king became ill. Richard, Duke of York, was made protector in 1454. The King recovered in 1455, but civil war between the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions broke out, which was known as the Wars of the Roses. Richard, Duke of York, asserting his legitimate claim to the throne descended as he was, through his mother, from Edward III's second surviving son Lionel, Duke of Clarence (Henry VI was descended from Edward's third surviving son John, Duke of Lancaster). The Wars of the Roses were therefore a struggle to decide if the succession should keep to the male line or could pass through females. The Duke of York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. In 1461, his eldest survivng son, Edward, an able commander, defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton. Henry, who fled to Scotland, was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1465, but was restored to the throne in 1470 by an alliance of the Earl of Warwick and Queen Margaret. His brief period of freedom ended in the spring of 1471 when Edward IV returned from the Low Countries. Soon after, Henry was put to death in the Tower of London. The reign of Edward V of England was exceptionally brief, lasting only from April to June 1483. He was just 12 years old when he ascended to the throne. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who was appointed as Protector. The young king's reign ended in controversy and mystery when he and his younger brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, were declared illegitimate, and Gloucester ascended the throne as Richard III. The fate of Edward V and his brother, commonly referred to as the "Princes in the Tower," remains one of the most enduring mysteries in English history, as they disappeared and were presumed murdered. Henry VII fought Richard III to claim the English throne during the Wars of the Roses, a conflict between the Lancastrians (Henry VII) and Yorkists (Richard III). Henry's claim, though weak, was through his mother, a Lancastrian. Richard III's controversial rule, marked by his usurpation and the illegitimacy of his nephews, lost him noble support. Discontented nobles and foreign aid from Brittany and France bolstered Henry's army. The English desire for stable rule favored Henry. At the 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field, Henry's forces defeated and killed Richard III, ending Plantagenet rule and starting the Tudor dynasty. Henry's marriage to Elizabeth of York united both houses, concluding the Wars of the Roses. References  Jones, D. (2012). The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England. New York: Viking.  Prestwich, M. (2005). Plantagenet England, 1225-1360. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Weir, A. (1996). The Wars of the Roses. New York: Ballantine Books.