Margaret of Anjou Biography

Birth of Margaret of Anjou, daughter of Isabel of Lorraine and Ren‚ I

Margarets betrothal to Henry VI

Succeeds as Queen of England, wife of Henry VI

The marriage depends upon England giving up possessions in France. Negotiated by William de la Pole. Margaret of Anjou marries Henry VI

Henry VI becomes temporarily insane & Margaret assumes power

Death of Richard of York, Neville & Edward take up the Yorkist cause

Defeat at Towton forces Margaret, Edward & Henry into exile in Scotland then France

Defeat at Towton forces Margaret, Edward & Henry into exile in Scotland then France

Joins with Neville to invade England and restore Henry VI

She briefly wished to return to France, but Prince Edward persuaded her to gamble for victory.

Somerset and the Earl of Devon had already raised an army for Lancaster in the West Country.

Their best hope was to march northwards and join forces with the Lancastrians in Wales, led by Jasper Tudor.

While Margaret sheltered at nearby Cerne Abbey, the Duke of Somerset brought news of the disaster at Barnet to her.

Urged on by Louis XI, Margaret had finally sailed on 24 March. Storms forced her ships back to France several times, and she and Prince Edward finally landed at Weymouth in Dorsetshire on the same day that the Battle of Barnet was fought. Lands with a Lancastrian force in Weymouth, same day as the Battle of Barnet

Margarets army had reached Bath, on its way towards Wales. She turned aside briefly to secure guns, reinforcements and money from the city of Bristol

This record states: He sent urgent messages to the Governor, Sir Richard Beauchamp, ordering him to bar the gates to Margaret and man the citys defences.

This record states: King Edward realised that the Lancastrians were seeking to cross the River Severn into Wales.

This record states: The nearest crossing point they could use was at the city of Gloucester.

This record states: When Margaret arrived in the morning of 3 May, Beauchamp refused Margarets summons to let her army pass, and she realised that there was insufficient time to storm the city before Edward's army arrived.

At Tewkesbury, the tired Lancastrians halted for the night. Most of their army were footmen, and unable to continue further without rest, and even the mounted troops were weary.

By contrast, King Edward's army was composed mainly of mounted men, who nevertheless dismounted to fight on foot as most English armies did during this period.

Hearing from his "prickers" or mounted scouts of Margarets position, Edward drove his army to make another march of 6 miles (9.7 km) from Cheltenham, finally halting 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Lancastrians. The Lancastrians knew they could retreat no further before Edward attacked their rear, and that they would be forced to give battle

Tewkesbury Abbey was just behind the Lancastrian centre. A farmhouse then known as Gobes Hall marked the centre of the Lancastrian position; nearby was "Margarets camp". Margarets only son Edward is killed & Henry VI is captured.

The Yorkists capture Margaret of Anjou after the Battle of Tewkesbury. The Lancastrians took up a defensive position a mile south of the town of Tewkesbury. To their rear were River Avon and the Severn.

Margaret is ransomed by Louis XI for 50,000 crowns

Renounces all claims to the throne of England & returns to France

Death of Margaret of Anjou