Over five hundred years since victory on the field of Bosworth proclaimed the advent of the Tudors, the Wars of the Roses continue to fascinate amateur and professional historians alike.
Richard III, whose reputation was blackened by his Tudor vanquishers, must be judged on far more than his (extremely likely) involvement with the death of his nephews in the Tower of London. Rather, we must consider wider issues concerning 15th-century attitudes to kingship and Richard's problems in manipulating the complex networks of patronage which could make or break a late medieval monarch. Through a close examination of the lives and reigns of four very different English Kings (the warrior Henry V, the dazed and confused Henry VI, the remarkably Clintonesque Edward IV, and the usurper Richard III), we will study the workings of monarchy and high politics in what has often been seen as one of the most turbulent periods of English history.
The military and chivalric ethos of the English aristocracy and gentry clearly influenced ideas about effective government. Success in battle and the ability to manage men were powerful propaganda weapons in the royal armoury, but so too was the careful cultivation of myths, which enveloped the royal person. We will investigate old and new historical interpretations of the period 1399–1509, as well as drawing upon the rich reserves of documentary and visual source material to contextualise the birth of the Tudor dynasty.
Learning outcomes
- To gain an understanding of the major events of the period 1399–1509;
- To identify and evaluate the workings of monarchy and high politics relevant to the period;
- To examine a variety of primary sources to contextualise the birth of the Tudor dynasty.
