What really happened at Wakefield? Traditional accounts of the Wars of the Roses describe the Duke of York losing his head, and the Earl of Rutland his life, after a martial conflict with the forces of Henry VI in Wakefield, Yorkshire. These deaths were a pivotal moment in English history, as they paved the way for Edward IV and the Yorkist dynasty. Some historians say there had been a pitched
Everyone knows that life in later medieval England was somewhat chaotic and uncertain. First there was the plague, followed by popular uprisings, religious reform movements, and then two different wars threatening upheaval in the lives of ordinary English people—not to mention the regular calamities of illness, injury, or bad weather that often struck unexpectedly. This talk explores a set of unusual astrological and medical manuscripts created in later fourteenth- and
Dr Lacey Bonar Hull, popular podcaster and educator at The History Desk substack, will speak about Richard III's sister, Margaret, the Duchess of Burgundy and a stalwart enemy of Henry Tudor. Despite being a woman, Margaret fearlessly blazed her own destiny as well as that of the Burgundian state. Stay turned - details forthcoming! William Caxton offering book to Margaret of York, MS at Huntingdon Library, US (public domain)
Longtime member and popular speaker Sally Keil explores the idea that the marriage of Richard Duke of Gloucester and Anne Neville was a love match. Numerous authors - especially in the historical fiction genre - have suggested as such, but by careful study of the timelines of their lives other conclusions can be reached. Sally will also review the role played by financial considerations in their marriage and the financial
