Category: Henry VI

Medieval, 15th Century History, Henry VI, Local History, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Religious history

The true beginning of troubles? The Parliament of Bats, 1426

Dr Hannes Kleineke explores the acrimonious ‘Parliament of Bats’, which first met in Leicester on this day 600 years ago, amidst tensions between two of Henry VI’s closest political advisors. At the end of 1425, just three years into the reign of the infant Henry VI, the English polity, such as it was, was in turmoil. Although arrangements for the conduct of government during the … Continue reading The true beginning of troubles? The Parliament of Bats, 1426

Hannes KleinekeLeave a comment
The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Buildings and Architecture, Henry VI, Local History, Medieval, Military history, Social history

The town of Shrewsbury and the Wars of the Roses: The campaigns of 1459-61

Dr Simon Payling, of our Commons 1461-1504 section, explores the political allegiance of the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury during the Wars of the Roses. While, during the Wars of the Roses, the political allegiances of individual noblemen are relatively easy to determine, those of individual towns are generally obscured. This is not surprising, for the notion of the corporate allegiance of a town is a … Continue reading The town of Shrewsbury and the Wars of the Roses: The campaigns of 1459-61

Simon PaylingLeave a comment
The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Henry VI, Local History, Medieval, Military history

‘No deed of shame so foul’: the treachery of Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthin, and the battle of Northampton, 10 July 1460

On 10 July 1460 the Battle of Northampton was fought. This was a major battle in the Wars of the Roses and saw the Yorkist army reverse their previous misfortune. Simon Payling from our Commons 1461-1504 project discusses this dramatic battle. The ‘Wars of the Roses’ were notable for their striking reversals of fortune, but perhaps none was so extreme as that which occurred between the rout of … Continue reading ‘No deed of shame so foul’: the treachery of Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthin, and the battle of Northampton, 10 July 1460

Simon PaylingLeave a comment
Medieval, 15th Century History, Health and Medicine, Henry VI

In with the new – the appointment of Lord Chancellor Richard Neville in 1454

It was confirmed yesterday that the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party will be travelling to Balmoral next week, rather than Buckingham Palace, to receive the Sovereign’s invitation to form a government. This news comes amidst knowledge of HM the Queen’s ongoing mobility issues. But in 1454, when a new chief minister needed to be appointed it was the mental, not physical, faculties of … Continue reading In with the new – the appointment of Lord Chancellor Richard Neville in 1454

Hannes Kleineke2 Comments
Medieval, 15th Century History, Economic history, Edward IV, Henry VI, Military history, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

Funding the defence of the realm (or not…)

As questions of defence spending continue to be discussed in the chambers of Westminster, here Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, looks into 15th century attempts to secure more money for this purpose, to varying degrees of success… The story of the rise of the English Parliament is inextricably interwoven with the Crown’s acceptance in the 13th century that it should not … Continue reading Funding the defence of the realm (or not…)

Hannes KleinekeLeave a comment
Conferences, Seminars and Events, 15th Century History, Elections, Electoral Reform, Henry VI, Medieval

Parliamentary Elections in the reign of Henry VI

Ahead of next Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Hannes Kleineke, of the History of Parliament. On 1 June 2021, between 5.15 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., Hannes will be responding to your questions about his pre-circulated paper on parliamentary elections in the reign of Henry VI. Details of how to join the discussion are available here, or by contacting seminar@histparl.ac.uk. The importance … Continue reading Parliamentary Elections in the reign of Henry VI

Hannes Kleineke1 Comment
The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Henry VI, Medieval, Military history

An empty victory: Queen Margaret and the second battle of St. Albans 17 Feb. 1461

Today Dr Simon Payling from our Commons 1461-1504 project marks the anniversary of the second battle of St. Albans. The battle may have been a convincing victory for the Lancastrian side, but was it a blessing in disguise for their Yorkist foes? The Lancastrian victories of the civil war of 1459-61 have a curious quality. Any victory in a campaign that ends in defeat has the … Continue reading An empty victory: Queen Margaret and the second battle of St. Albans 17 Feb. 1461

Simon Payling5 Comments
The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, Constituencies, Henry VI, Local History, Medieval

Bristol and the Readeption Parliament of Henry VI

This winter marks the 550th anniversary of the Readeption Parliament of 1470-1, the circumstances and proceedings of which are the subject of a recent blog. Today Dr Charles Moreton from our Commons 1461-1504 project looks closer at the Parliament’s impact in Bristol and the period of the short-lived restoration of Henry VI in which this assembly sat. There are no extant election returns for the Parliament, and the names of just 41 of its MPs survive. Forty, if not all of these men, sat for urban constituencies, the archives of which preserve their election. As it happens, the … Continue reading Bristol and the Readeption Parliament of Henry VI

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
Medieval, 15th Century History, Buildings and Architecture, Edward IV, Henry VI, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

Turning back the clock: the Readeption Parliament of Henry VI, 1470-71

In today’s blog Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, looks back to the winter of 1470, as Henry VI found himself on the throne once more… On 26 November 1470 a Parliament assembled at Westminster. This was in itself no remarkable event, even if there had been no such assembly for over two years. What was remarkable was that for the first … Continue reading Turning back the clock: the Readeption Parliament of Henry VI, 1470-71

Hannes Kleineke2 Comments
The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Factions, Henry VI, Legal history, Medieval, Military history

The brief triumph of Richard, duke of York: the Parliamentary Accord of 31 October 1460

Our latest blog comes from Dr Simon Payling, senior research fellow in our Commons 1461-1504 project. In October 1460 Richard, duke of York attempted to claim the English throne from his cousin Henry VI. He was technically unsuccessful, but Parliament agreed to an unusual arrangement… On 10 October 1460 there occurred the most dramatic event in the history of the fifteenth-century Parliament. Henry VI’s cousin, … Continue reading The brief triumph of Richard, duke of York: the Parliamentary Accord of 31 October 1460

Simon Payling9 Comments