Battles of the Wars of the Roses Quiz

Answer: Somerset, Northumberland, Clifford

Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset; Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and Lord Thomas Clifford, all fighting on the side of Henry VI, were killed in the battle. Somerset, and possibly Northumberland, were targetted by York and his Nevill allies, the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, though Clifford most likely died defending the barricades leading into the town.

Answer: Thomas and John Nevill

Salisbury's middle sons, Thomas and John, were captured after Blore Heath and imprisoned in Chester Castle. They were released after the Battle of Northampton.

Answer: Andrew Trollope

Although the Calais garrison were loyal to Warwick, Captain of Calais, they were not prepared to take up arms against their king, Henry VI. When Henry offered pardons to all who would come to his side, Trollope led a sizeable number away from York's camp, leaving him sorely under-defended.

The Yorkists fled, York and his son Edmund, Earl of Rutland to Ireland, while Warwick, Salisbury and York's oldest son, Edward Earl of March, fled to Calais.

Answer: Alice Montacute Countess of Salisbury

Alice Montacute may well have been at Ludlow Castle and left at the same time as her husband, son and the Duke of York. She was certainly in Ireland shortly after that. It isn't clear from the sources just why Alice was attainted, but it was quite possibly for raising troops on her husband's behalf.

Answer: The Great Seal of England

George Nevill, Salisbury's youngest son, became chancellor of England for the first time in 1460 at the age of 28. He continued in the role until personally sacked by Edward IV in 1465. In 1470, his brother, Warwick, reinstated him during the Readeption of Henry VI. ('Readeption' is the recognized historical term).

Answer: It could have been any of these reasons.

While there is no proof that York was betrayed, and it is doubtful that he was quick tempered enough to respond to insults, either of these reasons could conceivably be correct. The most likely reason (though also by no means proven) was that he rode out to protect a group of returning foragers.

Answer: Lynched by a mob at Pontefract Castle.

The Earl of Salisbury survived the Battle of Wakefield and was taken to Pontefract Castle where he was to be placed in captivity. Possibly with the connivance of Robert Holland, Bastard of Exeter, he was seized by the mob and beheaded - also possibly by Holland.

Answer: John Nevill Lord Montagu

John Nevill was captured after the second Battle of St Albans and imprisoned, with several others, in York when Queen Margaret led her army in retreat to the north of England. He was freed after the Battle of Towton.

Answer: A parhelion

A parhelion is an optical illusion where it appears there are three suns in the sky. Edward Earl of March used this to convince his troops that God and the Trinity were on their side. He later adopted the Sun in Splendour as a personal badge.

Answer: Katherine de Valois

Owen Tudor had been married to Henry V's widow, Katherine de Valois. Their sons (Edmund, Jasper and Owen) were Henry VI's half-brothers. Edmund Tudor was the father of Henry Tudor (later Henry VII).

Answer: Thomas Nevill Bastard of Salisbury

Though this is just about the only mention of him, Hall says that Thomas Nevill, illegitimate brother of Warwick, was killed at Ferrybridge.

Answer: False

Edward was killed ten years later at the Battle of Tewkesbury. In 1461, he was 7 years old.

Answer: John Nevill Lord Montagu

John Nevill led the Yorkist forces to victory at Hedgeley Moor.

Answer: Henry Beaufort Duke of Somerset

Somerset, who had briefly been in the confidence of Edward IV, defected after a short time and returned to support Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. He was taken prisoner by John Nevill after Hexham and beheaded.

Answer: John Conyers

John Conyers had been a staunch supporter of the Nevills for some years, serving as Steward of Middleham Castle and marrying Alice, the daughter of William Nevill, Lord Fauconberg.

Answer: Losecote Field

The rebels, led by Henry Lord Fitzhugh, discarded their armour so fast in the defeat and rout that the battle earned the nickname Losecote Field.

Answer: False

This is romantic nonsense dreamed up by people who couldn't (or can't) accept that John Nevill changed sides. In stripping him of the Earldom of Northumberland, Edward IV raised John's anger and disappointment. Feeling that his loyalty had not gone rewarded, he joined his brother Richard Earl of Warwick, in rebellion.

There was no privacy in a medieval army camp and anything of this nature would have been spotted very quickly by sharp eyes and John wouldn't have made it to take the field alive.

Answer: Princess of Wales

Anne Nevill, younger daughter of Richard Earl of Warwick, was married to Edward Prince of Wales who was killed either during or immediately after the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Answer: Margaret Beaufort

Thomas Stanley's first wife was Richard's cousin, Alianor Nevill. After her death, he married Margaret Beaufort.

Answer: nephew

John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, was the oldest son of Richard III's sister Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk. Although never officially recognised as such, after the death of Richard's son Edward Prince of Wales, Lincoln was seen as his heir presumptive.