Bosworth Field: The Climactic Final Battle of the Wars of the Roses

[@geographicstravel]

Try it for free on your first device or go to www.dashlane.com/Geo50 and use my promo code Geo50 to get 50% off and upgrade to a premium plan across unlimited devices.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

Do i smell a *Wars of the Roses* warographics episode coming up ?

[@Batesy20]

I'm local to Market Bosworth, I grew up in the village of Stoke Golding which is about 3-4 miles from the battle of Bosworth site. St Margaret's Church in Stoke Golding actually has graffiti on the walls identified with a date around the time of the battle. There have been several archaeological digs at the site with no evidence of a battle found. Digs reported on back in 2009 and 2010 dug up a large amount of medieval Artifacts including a pin badge worn by Richards knights in a field just outside Stoke Golding and the Battle of Bosworth visitor centre actually now takes you on a walk to include the area. However, in recent times, part of the battlefield has been taken up by MIRA to be used as a driverless vehicle test track.

[@Angl0sax0nknight]

Henry Tudor also did something no other king did. He rewrote history by claiming the day before the battle at Bosworth field he was King and anyone that fought against him was a traitor to the Crown..

[@duncancurtis1758]

Henry Tudor the tightwad.

[@Louis_Davout]

Fuck you KZbin by not showing ALL comments

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

I remember watching Blackadder a couple of years ago and saw the Battle of Bosworth part lol, I highly recommend it

[@als3022]

The true history of the Blackadder

[@Giveme1goodreason]

That’s where I heard of bosworth field. Dad had me watching Blackadder from 8.

[@SkunkApe407]

Most anything Sir Tony touches is absolute gold. He and Professor Mick Aston are the reason I became an Archaeological Surveyor. I miss Time Team.

[@duncancurtis1758]

Yep Uncle Richard turnipped by Edmund over a horse.

[@nikbear]

"Ahhh Edna" 😂

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

The War of the Roses has always been interesting to me and it also Inspired Game of Thrones

[@sweetrios]

The War of the Roses and Henry VIII has always been far more fun and gets the plays and miniseries done about them, but the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution is far more important.

[@geodkyt]

The actions of Henry VIII, after the Tudors won the War of the Roses, ultimately *caused* the English Civil War and Glorious Revokution.

[@jjenfield7444]

Say what you want about Richard iii , but the fact he killed two of Henry’s knights one of which being a highly skilled knight, then refusing to retreat despite being surrounded. Richard fought his way to be within a swords length from Henry. King Richard was a brave beyond words.

[@MrInitialMan]

Even his enemies recognized him as being brave; they described him as being cut down in the thick of battle rather than, say, a sniveling coward who was hunted down.

[@oscaburns]

Great vid, again, Simon. Bosworth is just up the road from where I live. The museum, and the field itself, is a great day out.

[@christopherjohnrudma]

I love your videos, and all your other channels but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Include more maps! I’m fortunate with this one that I’m English and knew where you were talking about, but most don’t and most understand movement across countries better with maps.

[@bluebelle8823]

Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois have one of those relationships that make me smile. So few people know about it (unless they are a history nerd) but I wish more did. Jesus the things they were risking.

[@will2Collett]

Richard the 3rd is still an unsung hero. Destroyed by Tudor ridicule and discontent.The Tudor tradition still lives in history

[@jaybee9269]

Such a nice fellow, too.

[@will2Collett]

@@jaybee9269 Consider what followed him.Six of one, half dozen of another.

[@jaybee9269]

“History is the lie agreed upon.”-Napoleon I

[@bcreech17]

@@jaybee9269”History is the lie agreed upon” - Duke of Wellington

[@achimhaun2726]

My mate Dave always starts explaining the wars of the roses to everyone who would listen after a couple of drinks.... and neither of us is even remotely British xD

[@lauriepenner350]

Is Dave related to my dad?

[@achimhaun2726]

@@lauriepenner350 XD

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:30 - Chapter 1 - Edward 2:30 - Chapter 2 - Richard 4:00 - Chapter 3 - Succession to usurpation 7:05 - Mid roll ads 8:25 - Chapter 4 - Henry 11:10 - Chapter 5 - War planes 13:05 - Chapter 6 - March to bosworth 15:00 - Chapter 7 - The battle lines are drawn 17:00 - Chapter 8 - To die like a king 19:55 - Chapter 9 - Long live the king

[@sydhenderson6753]

When Richard died, the most obvious heir (ignoring the illegitimacy claim), was, in fact Elizabeth of York, so, though Henry VII had to defeat a couple of pretenders, Henry VIII really was the heir of both Lancaster and York. Mary Queen of Scots and James I both got their claim through Margaret, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York's daughter. Mary was Margaret's granddaughter.

[@chrisyanover1777]

I am pretty sure it's well known that Game of Throne is entirely based on the War of the Rose's ( Well minus the magic stuff).

[@emmaleigh837]

This would be far more interesting with dragons though!

[@rodchallis8031]

Well, with generous smatterings of other real historical events thrown in for good measure.

[@mattyb7183]

The claim that Henry VII faced no real opposition after his coronation is a bit misleading. He spent his whole reign worried about possible uprising and there where just enough people upset with the idea of him being king and who had the resources available to make it happen. Indeed, he faced two major attempts. The first was in 1487 when there was an attempt to place the then 11 year Edward, Earl of Warwick (a nephew of Richard III and at the time a 'guest' in the Tower) on the throne using an imposter pretending to be Edward in order to rally support and act as a figure head for the rebellion, the imposter was later discovered to a young boy called Lambert Simnel. That uprising was crushed at The Battle of Stoke Field in 1487 and Simnel was pardoned by the King (who saw the then 10 year old as clearly an unwitting pawn being used by the people behind the plot) and Simnel was even given a job in the Royal kitchens and later trained Henry's hunting hawks (he reportedly lived a long and very low profile life). The second was an attempt in 1491 when a mysterious figure appeared in Cork, Ireland. Rumours quickly claimed he was Richard of York, one of the missing "Princes in the Tower". This rebellion would rumble on until 1497 and was funded by a mix of Yorkish exiles and the French and Scottish kings. It was during a third failed attempted invasion of England that the pretender was unmasked as a man called Perkin Warbeck. He was initially spared by Henry (who had him imprisoned in the Tower), but in 1499 Warbeck got himself involved in another plot to overthrow Henry and ended up being hanged at Tyburn and his body thrown into an unmarked grave.

[@kevinb1574]

This was a great video. Seems like it would be better in your other channel called Warographic? Either way great content!

[@cugelchannel4733]

Richard III had numerous mistresses and several bastard children: "Richard III had two known illegitimate children, who outlived his only legitimate son. Both illegitimate children were publicly acknowledged. His son, John, was knighted by Richard, and his daughter, Katherine, made a good marriage." Richard was not nearly the profligate libertine as brother Edward, who was a considerable rake hell, and apparently died from acute liver disease from his constant practice of stuffing himself with meat and drink and then purging his stomach so that he could feast again. But, he was hardly.

[@xessenceofinsanityx]

I would like to point out that most of what we know about Richard III should be taken with a large grain of salt - history is written by the victors, as they say, and Henry VII definitely had a vested interest in making Richard out to be a cartoon villain. There's a source who, during Richard's reign, described him as outstanding and just, then only two years later accused him of murdering his nephews. Conveniently, this accusation was made after the ascension of Henry. Even more interesting is the evidence that many portraits of Richard had been altered later to give him a hunchback. The Woodvilles were also VERY unpopular amongst other members of the aristocracy (they were considered 'commoners' by some) so there were quite a few Lords who wanted to see them ousted, and some evidence that they pushed Richard to step in and arrest the Woodvilles. So yeah, Richard did some terrible things, and we may never know his motivation. But in terms of being a terrible villain - he probably wasn't any worth than most other English kings 🤷‍♀

[@--enyo--]

Yeah, all this^

[@gnenian]

His body was found a few years ago (DNA match etc). He a slight scoliosis or curve and hunch to his spine but it was very exaggerated by Tudor propaganda. He seems to have been very active too etc.

[@user-ti5cw1ug6l]

Honestly, we have retained a lot of positive things about Richard III despite the Tudor victory such as his popularity with the common folk especially in the north for his low key progressive legal reforms for them and his effective administration and also everything you said about him launching a counter coup to stop the initial Woodville coup. Richard still retained support as King of England and was actually favored to win at Bosworth. His defeat was one of the big twists in world history and it seemed he was unlucky. Had he lived he might've been remembered as one of the more capable kings among the sea of bad ones but he only reigned for 2 years. Still, his defeat is what romanticized him as the underdog or "the fallen great king who never was" type to his contemporary supporters. Despite being the loser he is remembered as the valiant warrior king at Bosworth, not Henry Tudor.

[@johnburns9634]

I read somewhere, that the day before Richard defeated Henry's champion in a duel at Bosworth.

[@Knight860]

It's interesting to think how history would of played out if the Stanley brothers didn't switch sides at Bosworth.

[@AKAZA-kq8jd]

Bosworth was the some what the end of War of the Roses but the bloodiest goes to Towton 1461 which you should bring on to your other channel.

[@georgerevell5643]

Such a great recap in there of the events, excellent writing and presentation.

[@AKAZA-kq8jd]

William Shakespeare took this as Tudor propaganda painting Richard III as a tyrant George RR Martin took this because it was awesome conflict between two kings over supremacy of their realm.

[@pyromania1018]

Well, what could Shakespeare do? Henry's granddaughter was his boss, and didn't exactly believe in freedom of speech.

[@ericmcconnaughey2782]

Any time I watch a video on the WotR, I need a chart in front of me to keep track of who's who. So many Edward's, Henry's, and Richard's on both sides, half the time I can't remember which side someone is supposed to be on.

[@thog4012]

imagine studying it for A level

[@johnburns9634]

Don't forget all of he Elizabeth's.

[@charleslarrivee2908]

Loyautie me lie! For Richard and for York!

[@Mr_Costington]

I thought the final Yorkist rebellion at Stoke Field in 1487 is accepted as the final battle of the War of the Roses?

[@connorbosley4431]

I don't know if it's mentioned, but there are some historians who consider the battle of Stoke field as the final battle of the wars. Also a biographics video on lambert simnel and/or perkin warbeck would probably be really interesting

[@blackcat2628zd]

Yes, the last battle of WOTR was the battle of Stoke field in 1487.

[@perniciouspete4986]

No, a video on a couple of fakes like Simnel and Warbeck would generate little interest.

[@authorandreapearson]

My husband discovered this one person who has all of these cool KZbin channels a couple of years ago. I didn't pay much attention until recently, when I heard a veeerrry familiar voice. Me: "Hey! That's Simon!!" Loving your focus in these videos. My husband especially loves them. We sure miss you in the indie community, though!!

[@hristoforminev1453]

It is him, it is the fack boy: Quentin and his Birdbox Orchestra featuring his 18th Century hand teacher

[@HeliophobicRiverman]

So many wars happened within the greater context of Europe's reformation wars, they are often viewed in an isolated manner, ignoring the larger context of more than a century of insane bloodshed. How about a video on the big picture of the reformation wars?

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@lauriepenner350]

Do a Biographics on Margaret de Beaufort please! She was an absolute badass. Probably the inspiration for Cersei from Game of Thrones.

[@kathyastrom1315]

You beat me to it!! I had never heard of her until several years ago when I saw the Dan Jones documentary miniseries on the Wars of the Roses. Margaret was the main person featured in the final episode. What a woman!! She was the perfect example of a survivor, knowing how to maneuver the shifting sands of who held the crown, all while dealing with the deaths of two husbands, the birth of a child while being not much more than a child herself, then having to protect that child from serious threats to his life. (I know some people hate it when personal links to famous people are mentioned in the comments, but…oh well, they can skip this parenthetical. I have to mention my recently discovered connection to her-in doing my family genealogy after the pandemic hit, I found out that one of my 17th great grandfathers Lionel de Welles was Margaret’s stepfather! As a Lancastrian, he fought and died at Towton, and his son and son-in-law headed the Welles Uprising before being executed by Edward. I was blown away by this discovery!)

[@Fitten06]

Kathy, I do appreciate your genealogical aside - that's so cool!

[@xessenceofinsanityx]

Seconding this! She was such a brilliant woman, in a time period where women were often side-lined, she was the real power behind Henry Tudor's ascent to throne. And she gave birth to him aged 13!

[@mt_baldwin]

See I thought that too, that Richard the Lionheart died on the battlefield. Got this wrong on a stupid quiz. I guess he didn't technically, he died a day or so later from the wound (or the gangrene). Richard III and Harold (arrow in the eye guy, battle of Hastings) are the only two English Kings that get credit for a battlefield death.

[@gizmoteknodekker7060]

Please could someone tell me the name & artist of the song at 4:00? Tia

[@UKinQ8Gaming]

Can someone please tell me the title to the song at 19:50. Many thanks in advance. Satie - Trois Gymnopedie No. 1

[@ryanmuldowney8995]

Why isn’t this on warographics?

[@roibrycker8897]

Great content!

[@patrickfahey7159]

This was fuckin' interesting. Great story in Medieval History.

[@Dr.RichardBanks]

So this isn't going to make it to WarOGraphics?

[@joncooke9975]

what's the piano music at 4 mins please :) love your videos btw

[@EAWanderer]

Now do a biographics on Richard iii👑 if you please!

[@aceundead4750]

It's time to duel!

[@harryharrison6285]

Can you go through the war of the roses on warographics?

[@blackcat2628zd]

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, accommodated young Edward in the Tower because it was a traditional place where kings waited for their coronation. Also it was a functional and busy royal palace. For it´s dark reputation it must thank to the Tudors. Richard wasn´t gorgeous as his big brother (nobody was) but was very handsome. It wasn´t Richard´s idea to become King, He was asked by the three estates of the realm to accept the crown and he did. William, Lord Hastings was a French spy and committed treason by planning a foreign invasion. His family wasn´t attained though, what other King would to this? Richard was welcomed as a King by most of the people, especially those who knew him well - in the North. Yes Richard was hated by some wealthy noblemen because he didn´t play their games, he championed poor people - gave them the same treatment as the rich ones had in the eyes of justice. He also didn´t take a bribes. His parliament bills and coronation speech were for the in English for the very first time so ordinary people could know what their representatives were doing and what their King is up to. Richard didn´t kill the princes. He was very pious which he was proving his whole life. One of his task was to take care of the "princes" (the boys weren´t princes at this time) and that´s what he did. To kill them and not show their dead bodies would be total nonsense. if he killed them he could blame someone else of doing it or natural causes. The rumour that Richard killed his nephew originated in France. Guess why. Even H7 never blamed Richard for killing the boys. Neither did Elizabeth Woodville and it would be great advantage for both of them. Richard was crying treason. He was given a horse and he could flee the battle. He refused and died bravely with his friends. The person who put the crown on Tudor´s head was most likely William Stanley, the younger brother. There was never any red rose. The Yorkists used roses mostly white but sometimes (Edward IV) gold. The whole red and white roses together, uniting, end of bloodshed and other crap was just Tudor PR. Very effective though. The last battle of the WOTR was battle at Stoke field 1487.

[@countdowntorevolution9986]

Never seen it stated before that Stanley threw in his lot with Henry at the start of the battle. Usually he's portrayed as having done so only after Richard launched his final charge.

[@blackcat2628zd]

Yes, Stanley never entered undecided battle.

[@multiyapples]

Rest In Peace to those that passed away.

[@brunolima7402]

The wrong side won. A win for the House of York would be beneficial for all.

[@strangemachines_]

Could somebody let me know what the piano song is through the video cheers

[@duncancurtis5971]

Prince Edmund my first decent battle since puberty...

[@toh786]

I felt like I was rewatching 2013s "The White Queen" xD

[@matthewmckever2312]

I wish they would do something on the civil war between Stephen and Maude.

[@Yakub121993]

A video about the battle of the boyne would be great

[@georgenettleton1857]

I thought that they'd found the bones of the 2 princes in the tower while doing some renovations to a staircase in the 1990/2000s?

[@multiyapples]

Simon and crew can you please cover Little Rock Central High School the desegregation of the school.

[@boldandthebeautifulgimbal2881]

Simon, That jacket is bespoke, isn’t it!! PS guess who’s bald now too, Someone say Business Blaze parity coming soon?

[@crispykitten]

English longbow!?!... You mean Welsh Longbow. The English couldn't make the longbow untill they stole the tech from the Welsh.

[@zaraisbackagain197]

I mean the oldest bow ever found, the holmegaard bow, and was found in Denmark, the Anglo Saxon homeland, so I doubt it

[@InquisitorGrox]

Is there a way to suggest a topic for a Geographics video that isn't putting a comment under one of the exsiting videos?

[@em1osmurf]

great final punch line.

[@kinggeorgev6471]

Great video

[@charlsvpieus7380]

GREAT JOB 🌚

[@rnklv8281]

Seems as if one aspired by birthright to be the King or Queen of England ("back then") , plan on killing the current reining King or Queen, and if one should accomplish that task and become the King or Queen , plan on someone else (feeling entitled to the throne) trying to kill you. "Uneasy lies the head that wear's the crown" ( me trying to quote/paraphrase Shakespeare).

[@jjwallnutts]

Stephen A’s jacket got me questioning what decade it is.

[@horuslupercal9936]

Now that we know the exact location of the battle pretty much, the next great question is, "What the he'll kept Percy out of the battle?"

[@yankeecrazy9]

Historians are conflicted on that score. His defenders point out that the narrow ridge on Ambion Hill restricted his movement, that he would have disrupted his own army's lines had he engaged, while his detractors claim that he deliberately did not engage out of some personal animosity towards Richard III.

[@thegamingtrainspotter4582]

@@yankeecrazy9 the battle wasn't on ambion hill

[@bobcosmic]

Malungu has shared this to Twitter !

[@BecauseItIsMyHeart]

why isn't this channel in podcast form like bio graphics?

[@--enyo--]

Thirteen year old pregnant widow… Yeah, the past was the worst.

[@Vanic00]

Long Live The King...

[@johnstevenson9956]

2 subjects that utterly confuse me, quantum physics and British history.

[@celter.45acp98]

Does anybody know why George Stanley was called lord strange

[@mmhthree]

Yes, he married and got that title from his wife... Joan le Strange - 9th Baroness Strange. They are my great grandparents through the 4th Earl of Derby's illegitimate daughter Dorothy Stanley by Jane Halsall of Knowsley. I have studied alot of the Lancashire families pretty extensively... let's just say they didn't mix it up too well.

[@celter.45acp98]

@@mmhthree thank you Idk how that never came up in any of my classes while I was earning my degree but glad to know it now

[@JerryListener]

Dammit someone beat me to the obligatory Blackadder bit....

[@johndunkelburg9495]

When the scientific team was analyzing the DNA from the skeleton in the car park and comparing it with known living relatives descended from Richard’s sister, it appeared that both Richard and Henry may both have been illegitimate through they grandfather, John of Gaunt. If true, then both leaders could only have claimed kingship by right of conquest.

[@user-ti5cw1ug6l]

All it proved is that there was a break in the line between Richard and the non royal Plantagenet descendents of today. It's far more likely that the break happened in the generations between then and now than with Richard III. Also, it was said that Richard had a strong resemblance to his father short stature and everything. Generally speaking, claims of illegitimacy would've been fairly easy to prove at the time so are usually unlikely. High lords lived very public lives so infidelity at that scale would've been impossible to hide. For this reason, Edward IV was probably legit as well.

[@bensonfang1868]

Richard wasn’t descended from John of gaunt…..

[@blackcat2628zd]

@@user-ti5cw1ug6l I agree. Also it´s difficult to imagine Cecily Neville having an affair which could destroy everything she had. And it seems she and Richard, Duke of York really love each other.

[@robertstrong6798]

The Tudor rose 🌹 is one of the most ingenious political moves in English history simply superb. Hay both York and Lancaster won my sons are of both blood 🩸 lol 😂 everyone’s a winner

[@animallover6645]

Richard is the villain as he should have actually looked after his nephews and made them king instead of him and maybe all the bloodshed would gave ended. The Woodville's were also terrible and should have stayed in their places instead of wanting to rise above it and love is not important at all. Henry the seventh is my fav King of England.

[@blackcat2628zd]

It wasn´t Richard´s idea to take the throne. Also I doubt that he had to make both his nephews kings. Edward became Edward V in the moment his father died. He wasn´t crowned. ... maybe all the bloodshed would gave ended. That´s very nice idea but impossible I´m afraid. Child king is almost always a disaster. Memory of Henry VI was very fresh. Or Richard II´s. One of the reasons why Richard was chosen was that he was an adult and experienced ruler.

[@kennyhoopaugh2451]

Roses really smell like poo-poo ooh.

[@Viper505repiV1]

There is a Yu-Gi-Oh game based on the War of the Roses 🙃

[@twocvbloke]

Given the way the UK is falling apart, county wars might return... :P

[@johnpeglau713]

Not quite true. The final battle was 2 years later at East Stoke, Notts. Henry7 defeated Richard's anointed Yorkist successor, John deLapole, Earl of Lincoln and Lambert Simnel the pretender Edward 6. Highly likely the Lancastrians under Margaret Beaufort & Henry Tudor had the most to gain by murdering the 2 Princes. To be clear by Medievil standards of succession Henry Tudir had none. He was of bastard stock. Clearly in his interests to have the 2 boys disposed of before he invaded England. East Stoke proved had the 2 boys been alive the threat to Henry7 would have been far greater .

[@alleynealisleem9777]

I'm Glad Henry Tudor Won Over defeated Richard III!😜💕

[@sivaramakrishna3215]

Interesting

[@Nikboyle]

Yeees 1st 🥇 comment and like 👍

[@babscabs1987]

Comnent

[@Pepsi_Addicted]

first

[@themthatjest]

bosworth gang rise!