Shakespeare A to Z | Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses, a series of struggles over the English crown, were fought from 1455 to 1485 between the rival houses of Lancaster and York. According to legend the Lancastrians’ symbol was a red rose, while the Yorkists’ was a white rose. Shakespeare used the Wars of the Roses as the basis for four plays: Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; Henry VI, Part 3; and Richard III.
The primary cause of the civil conflict was poor leadership by Henry VI. This weak king was unable to stop the discord in which his nobles and his queen, Margaret, were engaged. In 1453 he...
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