Ethan Bale looks at the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487, a ‘forgotten’ fight which finally secured the throne of England for Henry VII and the Tudor dynasty. It’s the perfect pub quiz gotcha: What is considered to be the last battle of the Wars of the Roses? If you said “Bosworth Field” you’d be […]
The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite
1461. Through blood and battle Edward of York has gained England’s throne – king by right and conquest – 18 years old and unstoppable. Cecily Neville has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, the first to claim the title King’s Mother. But to win a throne is not to keep […]
Hawker and the King’s Jewel by by Ethan Bale
August 1485, the eve of the Battle of Bosworth. King Richard III summons his loyal and grizzled retainer, Sir John Hawker, and charges him with one final mission. After the battle, he must return a priceless ruby – one of the mysterious Tears of Byzantium – to its giver, the Doge of Venice. Richard believes […]
The enduring mystery of the Princes in the Tower
The mystery of the fate of the two Princes in the Tower, Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York, has fascinated people for over 500 years. Theories come and go. Possible murderers are put forward and knocked down. Richard III is still the favourite culprit, but there are plenty of other views, as […]
Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders by Nathen Amin
On 22 August, 1485, Henry Tudor emerged from the Battle of Bosworth victorious. His disparate army vanquished the forces of Richard III and, according to Shakespeare over a century later, brought ‘smooth-faced peace, with smiling aplenty and fair prosperous days’ back to England. Yet all was not well early in the Tudor reign. Despite later […]
What’s in a Date?
‘History is just a list of boring dates!’ Joanna Hickson considers the importance and meaning of certain dates in the life of Henry VII. We’ve recently had a royal wedding and millions cheered the happy couple – history in the making. But how many times do Historia readers hear people say, ‘I don’t like history, […]