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BATTLE OF TEWKESBURY

On the same fateful day as the Battle of Barnet, a small number of troops landed in Weymouth, England. They were led by Margaret of Anjou and had sailed over to England from France to secure the throne of England for Margaret's son, Prince Edward of Lancaster, the Prince of Wales. However, her plans were instantly thrown into turmoil as she learned that The Kingmaker, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, had been killed that very same day in battle. This led Margaret, accompanied by Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and John Courtenay, Earl of Devon, to start recruiting troops from around Devon and Cornwall and the West Country. Margaret also intended to join forces with Jasper Tudor in Wales. To get to Wales she would need to cross the River Severn at Gloucester, but on arriving they found the city had closed its gates against them.

Edward, knowing that the next crossing point over the Severn from Gloucester would be Tewkesbury, rapidly marched his troops there. On the 3rd of May, Margaret and her by now exhausted army set up camp on a ridge just south of Tewkesbury. She knew that the Yorkists would not be far behind and that her army would not have time to cross the river that night, so she had her army set up a defensive position ready for the following morning. Edward decided that he would force a battle while Margaret’s troops were still tired and vulnerable.

On the morning of May 4th, Edward advanced his army and split them into three groups, with Richard, Duke of Gloucester commanding the vanguard, Hastings the rear guard, and the main force being commanded by Edward himself. The Yorkists first began to use artillery and archery fire to break up the strength of the Lancastrians, then charged down to strike at Somerset’s right flank. The Lancastrians, although greater in number than Edward's men, were undoubtedly shaken by the fate of Somerset's vanguard and quickly broke under attack, joining the already fleeing right. The slaughter during the retreat was heavy; perhaps 2,000 men perished in the battle and on the banks of the Severn. Margaret made good her escape, but her son was killed, the only Prince of Wales to ever fall in battle. The victorious Yorkists forced their way into Tewkesbury Abbey, where many of the Lancastrians had sought sanctuary, and the resulting bloodshed caused the building to be closed for a month until it could be purified and re-consecrated. Somerset was taken from the sanctuary of the abbey and executed.

After Tewkesbury, ex-king Henry, locked in the Tower yet again, was apparently mortally affected by hearing the disastrous news of the death of his young son. The tragic figure passed away "from pure displeasure and melancholy", according to the official account.

This malaise had a rather remarkable effect, the only case ever known to medical science where melancholia caused the back of the skull to collapse, as was discovered when his skeleton was exhumed early in the 20th Century. It appears he was struck a heavy blow from behind, legend has it whilst kneeling at prayer at a chapel in the Tower. It was certainly done on Edward's order, suggestion, or instigation. The unusual way in which Henry's nose bled whilst lying in state may also indicate that his head injury was not immediately fatal, and he lingered for a while in a deep coma... a macabre possibility.

Tewkesbury was a tremendous victory. Between that battle and Barnet, Edward had eliminated his most dangerous rivals and had also destroyed his most dangerous future rival, the son of Henry VI. The Lancastrians now had no one to advocate. No one had seriously wanted a madman for a king, but so long as he had a son there was hope for the future. Tewkesbury removed that hope. The death of Henry, his son and virtually all Lancastrian lords of any consequence, meant that Edward was secure at last.