Warwick's success is short-lived: he overreaches himself …
Years: 1471 - 1471
Warwick's success is short-lived: he overreaches himself with his plan to invade Burgundy in alliance with the King of France, tempted by King Louis' promise of territory in the Netherlands as a reward.
With Warwick in power in England, it is Charles of Burgundy's turn to fear a hostile alliance of England and France.
As an obvious counter to Warwick, he supplies King Edward with money (fifty thousand florins), ships and several hundred men (including handgunners).
Edward sets sail from Flushing on March 11, 1471 with thirty-six ships and twelve hundred men.
He touches briefly on the English coast at Cromer but finds that the Duke of Norfolk, who might have supported him, is away from the area and that Warwick controls this part of the country.
Instead, his ships make for Ravenspurn on the Yorkshire coast, near the mouth of the River Humber, where Henry Bolingbroke had landed in 1399 on his way to reclaim the Duchy of Lancaster and ultimately depose Richard II.
Edward's landing is inauspicious at first; the ships are scattered by bad weather and his men land on March 14 in small detachments over a wide area.
The port of Kingston-upon-Hull refuses to allow Edward to enter, so he makes for York.
initially claiming rather like Bolingbroke that he is seeking only the restoration of the Duchy of York.
He soon gains the city of York and rallies several supporters.
He now begins to march south.
Near Pontefract Castle he evades the troops of Warwick's brother Montagu.
By the time Edward reaches the city of Warwick, he has gathered enough supporters to proclaim himself King again.
The Earl of Warwick sends urgent requests for Queen Margaret, who is gathering fresh forces in France, to join him in England.
He himself is at Coventry, preparing to bar Edward's way to London, while Montagu hastens up behind the King's army.
Edward however, knows that Clarence is ready to turn his coat once again and betray Warwick, his father-in-law.
He marches rapidly west and joins with Clarence's men, who are approaching from Gloucestershire.
Clarence appeals to Warwick to surrender, but Warwick refuses to even speak to him.
Edward's army makes rapidly for London, pursued by Warwick and Montagu.
London is supposedly defended by the 4th Duke of Somerset, but he is absent and the city readily admits Edward.
The unfortunate and by now feeble Henry VI is sent back to the Tower of London.
Edward then turns about to face Warwick's approaching army.
They meet on April 14 at the Battle of Barnet.
In a confused fight in thick fog, some of Warwick's army attack each other by mistake and at the cries of "Treachery!"
his army disintegrates and is routed.
Montagu dies in the battle, and Warwick is cut down trying to reach his horse to escape.
Locations
People
- Charles the Bold
- Edward IV of England
- Henry VI of England
- John Neville
- Louis XI of France
- Richard III of England
- Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
- Thomas Neville
Groups
- Burgundy, Duchy of
- France, (Valois) Kingdom of
- Netherlands, Burgundian
- England, (Plantagenet, Lancastrian) Kingdom of
