Soldiers and Warfare during the Wars of the Roses: 1455-1487

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Soldiers and Warfare during the Wars of the Roses: 1455-1487

 

 

 

 

 

One summer’s morning of 1455, only two years after the end of the Hundred Years War and English expulsion from France, Richard Duke of York attacked Henry VI’s royal army at the fortified town of St Albans. A conflict was started that would only end thirty-two years later at the battle of Stoke. During that time warfare was characterized by bloody battles fought, mainly, between over-powerful noblemen and their retinues. The battles themselves were similar to those fought in France, yet aspects of warfare still evolved to suit the soldiers now fighting their own countrymen.

 

To a large extent the men who fought, and won battles in the last years of the Middle Ages were experienced professionals. This is because a system now known as ‘Bastard Feudalism’ was in use where instead of having a standing army, the king would call upon his nobles to bring their own troops to his aid in times of unrest or war. A typical lord’s troops were made up of the men of his household, his tenants and above all his retainers.

 

The men known as retainers came from many sorts of social background, ranging from the bourgeoisie to the knights and gentry. These men would sign a contract with their lord known as ‘livery and maintenance’ where military service was exchanged for a salary and the lord’s protection. The retainers in turn brought their own tenants and troops with them to join their lord. As such, single noblemen had vast numbers of soldiers at their call. At the peak of his power, the mighty Earl of Warwick could raise 20,000 retainers from all over the country.

 

England’s only official standing army was the garrison of Calais, but cut off by

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