English Kings During The War of Roses

Henry V

(1387 - 1422) A member of the House of Lancaster, Henry V's biggest accomplishment was the Battle of Agincourt, in which the greatly outnumbered English were able to defeat the French.

Henry VI

(1421 - 1417) Henry VI, crowned king when he was an infant, ruled until 1453 when he was struck with a mental illness and had to be replaced by his successor.

Edward IV

(1442 - 1483) Edward IV was a Yorkish king who, upon discovering that he didn't have enough forces to defeat the Lancastrians, fled to Holland in 1470.

Henry VI

(See above) Henry VI regained the crown for a short time in 1470, but upon Edward's return, he was captured by Edward and executed.

Edward IV

(See above) After returning from Holland, Edward IV had Henry VI executed, and, dying in 1483, he left his sons Edward V and Richard as his heirs.

Edward V

(1470 - 1483) Edward V was set to become king until his uncle Richard III allegedly locked him and his brother Richard in the Tower of London, and they were both mysteriously killed later.

Richard III

(1452 - 1485) Made the Duke of Gloucester at age nine, Richard III was later crowned king after the death of Edward V and Richard, but was defeated by Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

Henry VII

(1457 - 1509) After defeating Richard III, Henry VII became the first king of the Tudor line, and was able to retain this position by fighting off many other Yorkish attempts at the crown until his death at age 52.