Category: The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Medieval, Speakers of the House

Why was Sir Richard Vernon chosen as Speaker in the ‘Parliament of Bats’ of 1426?

Although the modern Speaker of the House of Commons must remain politically impartial, this was not always the case. But, as Dr Simon Payling of our House of Commons 1461-1504 section explores, the choice of Sir Richard Vernon as Speaker in 1426 may have been due to his perceived neutrality in comparison with his competitors… The process by which the Speaker was chosen, in the early history of … Continue reading Why was Sir Richard Vernon chosen as Speaker in the ‘Parliament of Bats’ of 1426?

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The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 14th Century history, 15th Century History, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Medieval, Parliamentary Life

The poetic memorialization of late-medieval MPs

Producing biographies on late-medieval MPs comes with its unique set of challenges, notably the lack surviving records indicative of their character. Dr Simon Payling of our House of Commons 1461-1504 section explores how poetic memorializations help paint a more rounded, if overly positive, picture of two MPs: Sir John Berkeley (Leicestershire, 1372) and Sir John Burgh (Shropshire, 1445, 1453). The limitations of the sources mean that … Continue reading The poetic memorialization of late-medieval MPs

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The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Medieval

Legitimism and the origins of the Wars of the Roses: the motivations of Richard, duke of York

Following recent articles on the origins of the Wars of the Roses, Dr Simon Payling of our House of Commons 1461-1504 section explores the motivations of Richard, duke of York for asserting his claim to the throne in 1460… It has become unfashionable to argue that the primary cause of the Wars of the Roses was the dynastic uncertainty occasioned by the deposition of Richard … Continue reading Legitimism and the origins of the Wars of the Roses: the motivations of Richard, duke of York

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The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Buildings and Architecture, Local History, Medieval, Parliamentary Life

Lineage and Architectural Display: the ‘Golden Chapel’ at Tong (Shropshire) and the Commemoration of Sir Henry Vernon, governor of the household of Prince Arthur

Dr Simon Payling of our 1461-1504 section explores the life and remembrance of MP for Derbyshire Sir Henry Vernon, and his family’s enduring relationship with Tong (Shropshire). In the funerary landscape of late-medieval England, parish churches provided gentry families a hallowed setting, at the heart of their communities, in which their lineage and status could be publicly and enduringly expressed. The church of St Bartholomew at Tong in … Continue reading Lineage and Architectural Display: the ‘Golden Chapel’ at Tong (Shropshire) and the Commemoration of Sir Henry Vernon, governor of the household of Prince Arthur

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The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century History, Henry V, Medieval

Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and the Southampton Plot of 1415: a false conviction of treason? 

In August 1415, three conspirators were executed for their role in the Southampton Plot, an attempt to usurp Henry V. Although two of the plotter’s motives were clear, Dr Simon Payling of our 1461-1504 section explores how Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham’s intentions are harder to ascertain… The ‘Southampton Plot’, uncovered in the very final stages of Henry V’s preparations for the invasion of France … Continue reading Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and the Southampton Plot of 1415: a false conviction of treason? 

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The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, 14th Century history, 15th Century History, Henry IV, Henry V, Medieval

An unwilling ‘pretender’: reassessing the unfortunate career of Edmund Mortimer, earl of March (1391-1425)

Although heir presumptive to Richard II, Edmund Mortimer, 5th earl of March never took the throne after the Lancaster usurpation of Henry IV. Dr Simon Payling of our Commons 1461-1504 project investigates March’s claim to the throne and if his claim was something he even wanted to pursue… Both historical and contemporary verdicts on Edmund Mortimer, earl of March, have, with one notable exception, been … Continue reading An unwilling ‘pretender’: reassessing the unfortunate career of Edmund Mortimer, earl of March (1391-1425)

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History of Parliament Trust, 15th Century History, Medieval, Parliamentary Life, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

Paddington in Parliament

Dr Hannes Kleineke of our Commons 1461-1504 Section explores how Paddington Bear’s favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House of Commons… This blog must start with a disclaimer: there is of course no evidence (and no suggestion) that the Peruvian bear ever sat in the British House of Commons. What we do know, however, is that late medieval Members traded, inter alia, … Continue reading Paddington in Parliament

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Parliamentary Life, 15th Century History, 16th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Henry VII, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses, Tudor

Bosworth and other battles: the illustrious career of Sir Gilbert Talbot (d.1517) of Grafton, KG

Dr Simon Payling of our Commons 1461-1504 project explores the career of the early Tudor figure Sir Gilbert Talbot, who in service of Henry VII was rewarded with a commissioned painting from Raphael… When the Tudor antiquarian, John Leland, visited the Shropshire church of Whitchurch in the 1530s, he saw the tomb of Sir Gilbert Talbot, a ‘knight of fame’, and noted, with apparent approval, … Continue reading Bosworth and other battles: the illustrious career of Sir Gilbert Talbot (d.1517) of Grafton, KG

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15th Century History, Local History, Medieval, Military history, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

A Lancastrian City? Coventry and the Wars of the Roses, 1451-1471

This piece is in memory of Professor Peter W. Fleming, who died in April 2025. His publishing career spanned 40 years, from an article on the religious faith of the gentry of Kent in 1984 to a defining monograph on the history of late-medieval Bristol in 2024.  His career would have been yet more notable but for the ill-health that blighted his last years.  A … Continue reading A Lancastrian City? Coventry and the Wars of the Roses, 1451-1471

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15th Century History, Edward V, Henry IV, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Local History, Military history, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

From Lancaster to York and back again: the political evolution of the Derbyshire Blounts

Dr Simon Payling, of our Commons 1461-1504 section, explores the fortunes and shifting loyalties of one gentry family in Derbyshire during the Wars of the Roses. The troubled politics of the mid-fifteenth century are illuminated by the histories of leading gentry families just as much as they are by those of Neville, Stafford and other great aristocratic families. In one sense, lesser families offer a more … Continue reading From Lancaster to York and back again: the political evolution of the Derbyshire Blounts

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