Battle of Wakefield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Wakefield
Part of the Wars of the Roses
Date 30 December 1460 Location Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England Result Lancastrian victory
Belligerents
House of Lancaster Supported by: Kingdom of Scotland	House of York
Commanders and leaders
Duke of Somerset Earl of Northumberland Earl of Devon Baron Clifford Baron Neville Baron Ros Andrew Trollope	Duke of York  † Earl of Rutland  Earl of Salisbury
Strength
18,000	9,000
Casualties and losses
200	700–2,500

The Battle of Wakefield was a big fight that happened on December 30, 1460, near Wakefield in northern England. It was a key moment in the Wars of the Roses, a series of battles where two powerful families, the House of Lancaster (who used a red rose as their symbol) and the House of York (who used a white rose), fought to control the English throne.

On one side was an army loyal to King Henry VI and his wife, Queen Margaret of Anjou. King Henry was a prisoner at the time. On the other side was the army of Richard, Duke of York, who believed he should be king instead.

For years, the Duke of York had disagreed with King Henry's weak rule. When fighting broke out and Henry became his prisoner, York tried to claim the throne. But he didn't have enough support. So, they made a deal called the Act of Accord. This agreement said that Henry would remain king, but York would become king after Henry died. This meant Henry's young son, Edward, would not inherit the throne.

Queen Margaret and many important nobles were very angry about this deal. They gathered their armies in the north. Richard of York marched north to face them, but he found himself outnumbered. He stayed in Sandal Castle for a while, but then he led his army out on December 30. No one is completely sure why he left the castle. Some say he was tricked, others say he made a mistake. York was killed, and his army was defeated. Many important Yorkist leaders died or were captured and executed after the battle.

Why Did the Wars of the Roses Begin?

King Henry VI and the Royal Family

King Henry VI became king in 1422 when he was only nine months old. As he grew up, he wasn't a very strong ruler and often had periods of mental illness. This led to big disagreements among the people who governed for him.

The main arguments were about the Hundred Years' War with France. One important rivalry was between Richard, Duke of York, and Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. York wanted to fight harder to win back lands lost to France. Somerset wanted to make peace, even if it meant giving up some land.

Who Was Richard, Duke of York?

Richard, Duke of York, was very rich and powerful. He was also related to King Edward III through both his parents. This made some people think he should be the next king, especially since King Henry had no children for a long time.

Somerset, York's rival, was from the Beaufort family. They were distant cousins of King Henry. Even though they were not supposed to inherit the throne, there was always a chance this could change.

Early Conflicts and Power Struggles

York was sent away to Ireland, which was like being exiled from the royal court. Meanwhile, Somerset gained more power over the king. In 1452, York marched to London to try and make Henry fire Somerset. But York didn't have enough support then and had to promise not to fight the king.

In 1453, King Henry VI became very ill mentally. The Great Council of nobles chose York to rule the country as Lord Protector. York did a good job, but after 18 months, Henry got better and brought Somerset back into power. During Henry's illness, Queen Margaret had a son, Edward. This meant York's hope of becoming king if Henry died was gone.

Fearing he would be arrested, York and his allies, the Nevilles (the Earl of Salisbury and his son, the Earl of Warwick, known as the "Kingmaker"), decided to fight in 1455. At the First Battle of St Albans, many of York's enemies were killed, including Somerset.

After this battle, York said he was still loyal to King Henry. He was again made Lord Protector. But Queen Margaret still thought York wanted her son, Edward, to lose his place in line for the throne. The families of the Lancastrian nobles killed at St Albans also wanted revenge on York.

What Happened Before the Battle of Wakefield?

The Fight Continues

After a difficult peace, fighting started again in 1459. Richard of York was worried he would be accused of rebellion. He and the Nevilles gathered their forces near York's castle at Ludlow Castle. But at a battle called Battle of Ludford, some of Warwick's soldiers switched sides. York and the Nevilles quickly left their troops and ran away. The Yorkist army, without leaders, surrendered.

York went to Ireland, where he had strong support. Salisbury, Warwick, and York's oldest son, Edward, Earl of March, went to Calais in France. They just barely stopped the new Duke of Somerset from taking Calais back. The Lancastrians tried to regain control of Ireland and Calais but failed. York and his supporters were declared traitors.

Yorkists Take Control of London

In 1460, the Nevilles invaded England. They quickly took control of London and southern England, where Warwick was popular. Then they moved north to fight Henry's army. At the Battle of Northampton, part of the Lancastrian army switched sides, and the rest were defeated. Henry was captured again. He was taken to London and held in a bishop's palace.

The Duke of York arrived in Chester weeks later and traveled to London with much fanfare. He tried to claim the throne in Parliament, but everyone was silent. Even his closest friends weren't ready for such a big step. Instead, the House of Lords passed the Act of Accord. This meant Henry would stay king, but York would rule as Lord Protector. Henry's son was removed from the line of succession, and York or his children would become king after Henry died. Henry, who was powerless and scared, had to agree.

Queen Margaret Gathers Forces

When the Battle of Northampton happened, Queen Margaret and her seven-year-old son Edward were at Eccleshall Castle. After many adventures, they fled to Harlech Castle in Wales. There, they joined other Lancastrian nobles who were gathering armies. Later, Margaret sailed to Scotland. She got troops and help from the Scottish queen, Mary of Guelders, by promising to give up the town of Berwick upon Tweed.

At the same time, other Lancastrians were gathering in northern England. Many of them, like the Earl of Northumberland and Lords Clifford and Ros, owned land and had influence in the north. They were later joined by the Duke of Somerset and the Earl of Devon. The Lancastrian forces gathered near Kingston upon Hull and were said to be about 15,000 strong. Many of these soldiers began looting York's and Salisbury's lands nearby.

How Was the Battle Fought?

The remains of the motte of Sandal Castle

On December 21, York reached his castle, Sandal Castle, near Wakefield. He sent small groups to check on the Lancastrian camp, but they were pushed back. York asked his son Edward for help, but before any help could arrive, he led his army out of the castle on December 30.

No one knows for sure why York left the safety of his castle.

• One idea is that he was tricked. Some stories say that half the Lancastrian army marched openly towards Sandal Castle, making it look like they were a smaller force. The rest of the Lancastrian army was hidden in the woods. York might have thought the enemy was no stronger than his own army and decided to fight them in the open.
• Another idea is that York was fooled by some soldiers who pretended to be his allies, making him think help from Warwick had arrived.
• Some accounts suggest York and Somerset had agreed to a truce over Christmas, but the Lancastrians broke it. They supposedly sent insulting messages to York for three days, trying to make him attack early. When York moved into the open, the Lancastrians attacked before the truce was over, catching York by surprise.
• The simplest idea is that York just acted too quickly. He might have led his men out to find food or rescue some of his soldiers who were under attack. As more Lancastrian groups joined the fight, York's army was outnumbered, surrounded, and defeated.

The Yorkists marched out of Sandal Castle towards the Lancastrians. It's generally believed that as York fought the Lancastrians in front of him, others attacked him from the sides and behind. This cut him off from the castle. One writer said York was "environed on every side, like a fish in a net." He fought bravely but was killed within half an hour, and his entire army was defeated.

Who Was Lost in the Battle?

Some sources say about 2,500 Yorkists and 200 Lancastrians were killed. Other numbers vary, but many Yorkists died.

The Duke of York was either killed during the battle or captured and immediately executed. Some stories say he was badly wounded and then fought to the death. Others say he was captured, mocked by his enemies, and then beheaded.

His son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, tried to escape over Wakefield Bridge. But he was caught and killed, possibly by Lord Clifford. Clifford might have done this to get revenge for his own father's death at St Albans. Rutland was 17, old enough to fight.

Many other important Yorkist leaders were also killed or captured and executed. The Earl of Salisbury escaped the battle but was caught later that night. He was taken to Pontefract Castle and then dragged out and beheaded by local people who disliked him.

What Happened After the Battle?

Monument to Richard of York

After the battle, the heads of York, Rutland, and Salisbury were put on display over Micklegate Bar, a gate in the city walls of York. The Duke of York's head even had a paper crown and a sign saying, "Let York overlook the town of York."

Richard of York's death did not end the wars. The northern Lancastrian army, made stronger by Scottish soldiers looking for loot, marched south. They defeated Warwick's army at the Second Battle of St Albans and rescued King Henry, who had been left alone on the battlefield again. However, the Lancastrians were not allowed into London. Warwick and Edward of March (York's son) reoccupied London. Within a few weeks, Edward of March was declared King Edward IV.

At the first Battle of St Albans, York was happy just to defeat his rivals. But after Wakefield, and in every battle that followed in the Wars of the Roses, the winners would kill not only the enemy leaders but also their family members and supporters. This made the fighting much more brutal and driven by revenge.

A monument stands where the Duke of York is thought to have died, though its exact location might be slightly different from an older one. A cross was also put up in Wakefield to remember Rutland.

The Battle in Stories and Sayings

Many people know William Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 3, which shows a very dramatic version of the events. In the play, Edmund of Rutland is shown as a small child who is cruelly killed. Then Queen Margaret torments York before killing him. In reality, Rutland was 17 and old enough to fight. Also, Queen Margaret was likely still in Scotland at the time of the battle.

Some people believe the battle is the source of the saying "Richard Of York Gave Battle in Vain," which helps remember the colors of the rainbow. The nursery rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York" is also sometimes linked to this battle, but it's more likely about a different Duke of York from the 1700s.

The phrase "Dicky's Meadow," a common saying in northern England, is thought to refer to Sandal Meadow, where the Battle of Wakefield took place. It suggests that Richard made a bad decision to fight there. The phrase is used to warn against risky actions, like "If you do that you'll end up in Dicky's Meadow." However, this phrase didn't appear until the 1860s, long after the battle.