Edward IV's Invasion 1471

In 1471, Edward landed in Yorkshire, with a small expeditionary force:

• He only had 1000 men (many of which were Flemish mercanaries), so Edward's chances were slim.
• Warwick was caught by suprise by Edward's invasion. 
• Margaret of Anjou and her son were still in France.

The Battle of Barnet:

• Edward claimed that he was merely returning to reclaim his duchy of York. 
• Although he only gained limited support from the noble, none of them were prepared to fight against Edward.
• Deserted by Clarence, Warwick's forces were not strong enough to prevent Edward's troops from entering London. 
• As a result, Edward regained control over Henry VI.
• Warwick's and Edward's armies met at Barnet.
• Warwick was decisively beaten and killed.

The Battle of Tewkesbury was the last battle:

• In West England, Margaret and her son had landed. 
• On the 4th MArch 1471, Edward IV was able to win again at the Battle of Tewkesbury because he was able to face his 2 main opponents in seperate conflicts. 
• The Lancastrian forces were decisively beaten. 
• The Prince of wales was killed which ended the threat to the throne.

The Results of this Battle:

• The male Lancastrian line was now exterminated as the Prince of Wales was killed. 
• Leading Lancastrians (John Beaufort,Marquis of Dorset, and the Earl of Devon) were killed, along with Somerset.
• As a result of this, the House of Beaufort on the male side had been nearly exterminated as Margaret Beaufort (the female line) survived. 
• Her son Henry Tudor was the new Lancastrian claiment to the throne. 

Thomas Neville (Warwick's cousin) attempted to storm London:

• He did this to release Henry VI from the tower, and possibly capture the queen and her family. 
• However, this attack had failed.
• Upon hearing the news of Tewkesbury, Neville eventually surrendered at Southhampton. 
• 5 months later he was executed. 

Henry VI was doomed because his heir was dead:

• Henry VI was killed as soon as Edward returned to London. 
• A story was spread that Henry died of 'pure melancholy', when he heard about the death of his son, which not everyone believed.

The fate of Margaret of Anjou:

• Margaret was captured after Tewkesbury, by Sir William Stanley and was completely broken in spirit. 
• Edward IV ordered her to be imprisoned in Wallingford Castle, and then the TOL.
• in 1475, she was ransomed by Louis XI of France.
• On the 25th August 1482, she died at the age of 52.