The Alliance with Margaret of Anjou

Hello friends and welcome to another episode of This is History A Dynasty to Die for Before we launch into this episode, I need to warn you that it contains pretty much a full house of medieval mayhem Bloody battles brutal sieges questionable marriages, in veterate schemers bad royal uncles, and a long winded, foul mouthed gag about things you really shouldn't do in a farmyard Don't say I didn't warn you As ever, if you want to find out more about the history behind this episode, then do listen to this week's bonus episode, where producer Al and I will be taking a trip down backstory Lane by way of the fascinating Paston letters And on Patreon this week, we're also giving away signed copies of my book The Plantagenates on our Medieval Jokes thread. Patreon. com forward slash this is History for all of that But first Let's go to Calais After this short break America is turning two hundred and fifty years old and that's a reason to celebrate. This fourth of July start your celebration at total wine and more. They've got a huge selection with the lowest prices. America only turns two hundred and fifty years old one time, pick up a great bottle of wine or bourbon and cheers to this milestone Shop total wine and more today and get ready for an unforgettable fourth the July. Spirits are not sold in Virginia and North Carolina, drink responsibly be twenty one Hey everyone, It's Jonathan Vaness from Getting Better with Jonathan Vanes. Everywhere you look right now, people are talking about America's two hundred fiftieth anniversary. And while a lot of folks are celebrating, there are also people trying to use this moment to rewrite history. Christian nationalists are pushing the idea that America was founded to be a Christian nation where one religious movement gets to decide who belongs. But that's not what this country was founded on America was founded as a democracy committed to liberty and justice for all That's why I want to tell you about America's United for separation of Church and state. They work every day to protect church state separation and defend everyone's right to live as themselves and believe as they choose so long as they don't harm others. The stakes are real. These attacks show up in censorship efforts, attacks on public schools, restrictions on reproductive freedom assaults on LGBTQ plus rights and attempts to give government favoritism to one version of religion. If you're looking for a way to stand up for freedom this summer, consider supporting Americans United. Americans United, supporting everyone's right to live as they choose so long as they don't harm others. Learn more at au d. org slash betterter Out of the great Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame in the English town of Calais. There comes a wedding party july eleventh, fourteen sixty nine and the Plantagenate military and commercial compound in Northwest France is buzzing The wedding party leaving the cathedral is led by George Neville, Archbishop of York, the second most senior churchman in England Close behind him is the beaming father of the Bide, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the most powerful non royal nobleman in the realm Behind him come the newlywightits And what a lovely young couple they are The bride is seventeen year old Isabelle Neville, a pretty young woman with a high forehead and large, heavy lided eyes. She's the elder of Warwick's two daughters, and since he has no sons, she's his heiress Her husband, as of about five minutes ago, is George Duke of Clarence, the nineteen year old brother of England's Yorkist king Edward IV He's a fine figure of nobility too, with towled brown hair, ruddy cheeks, and a characteristic long plantagenate nose. What's more, since King Edward has no sons yet, Clarence is heir presumptive to the throne. So, as all the revellers in the wedding party know, this is a sensational match up It's created a power couple convincingly claim the crown if anything should happen to the king. O indeed Nothing should happen to the king Because back in England Rom amongers in spreading the word that Edward IV might not actually have as water tight a claim to the throne as he makes out The gossips, encouraged by Father of the Bide Warwick Putting it about that when Edward was born father and mother weren't married that he's a bastard. Unfit to rule. Whether that's true and relevant or more likely untrue and irrelevant Warwick doesn't much care Because ever since Edward married his queen, Elizabeth Woodville in fourteen sixty four Warwick has been nursing a festering grievance against the king Earlier this summer, it burst into the open. Warwick gave his secret backing to a series of rebellions in Northern England And now right at the moment when the king asked him for help in suppressing the disorder He's come here to Calais with Isabellel and Clarence to make a domestic move The wedding is the start of a full blown coup Tmorrow Warwick will flood England with copies of a political manifesto, condemning Edward's government calling for the removal of the Queen's woodvill relatives from power then the talk. will be followed by action As soon as this party is over, Warick and his followers are going back to The way Warwick sees it He put Edward on the throne back in fourteen sixty one And there's no reason why now remove him from the throne and install someone more to his tastes Plan A is for that to be the happy couple, George and Isabellel But there's a plan B too History will remember Richard Neville as Warwick the Kingmaker Plantagen at England find out why I'm Dan Jones And from Sony Music Entertainment, this is history Season ten of a Dynasty to die for Episode four Kingmaker strikes back. One of the oldest pub jokes in the world is the story of Paddy the Gat It doesn't have to be paddy Let's call him something else Bob the go Dan the Gost? No, no Let's say Johny the goat They're up infinite versions of this joke, but essentially it goes like this A stranger walks into a bar and sees a sad looking gezer there sitting nursing a pipe What's up? says the stranger. Well, says the miserable guy You see this pub built it with my bare hands, wore my fingers to the bone, spent every penny I had on it Do they call me Johnny the Bar buildilder? Do they help Th then he points to a shelf of books beside the bar I wrote every single one of those, he says bestestselling novels, brilliant works of history, elegant works of political philosophy. Do they call me Johnny the book wrriter? No, they do not Then he points to a row of certificates above the bar outlining his medical credentials ot just first aid, but his right to practice all fields of medicine from basic first aid to open heart surgery Call me, Johnny the lifesaver There's a long pause in which the stranger feels more and more awkward. Then eventually the guy looks up to him and shakes his head sadly and says But ye One goat Now I'm sure many of you knew some version of that joke. Do share your own favorite jokes over on our Royal Favorites thread on Patreon this week I'll be giving a sign book away to my favorite If you're wondering What it's got to do with the vagaries of fifteenth century politics? Well Let me explain Richard Nvill Earl of Warwick is unquestionably a singular man of his age open handed, generous lord who feeds thousands of ordinary people in his houses. He's a live player in the tangled politics of Northern England and the Midlands As capaptain of Calais, he drives English foreign policy at sea And as a diplomat, he has a significant voice in the wider politics of Western Europe But in history You get one nickname And Warwick earns his from the antics he gets up to between fourteen sixty and sixty one When he helps to put Edward I Fth on the throne fourteen sixty nine to seventy one which we're about to dive into in two bursts of scheming, plotting fighting He hands the English crown around like it's a past the parcel It's hard to think of anyone in medieval history who becomes quite so synonymous with the role of power broker Hence Warick, the go for Warwick the Kingmaker With that in mind, let's get back to july fourteen sixty nine When Warwick the Kingmaker broken up with Edward, married his daughter to the king's brother and heir. and is flooding England with hot political slander tryrying all and sundry and calling for a revolution On july sixteenth Five days after the big wedding. Warwick lands with hundreds of followers in Kent and set up cam in Cnterbreak Then he heads north mooving to the Midlands, where he aims to join up with a large band of Northern rebels These guys are complaining about royal government Oensciibly, led by a character called Robin of Reeddale Though in truth, the strings are being pulled by Warriick's agents While all this is happening, Edward is monitoring events from Nottingham He's charged two loyal Earls, William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Devon, with taking military action to suppress the Northern rebels. On july twenty fifth, they run into a group of rebels near Banbury, at a place known as Danes Moor or Edgecot Moor He is fighting, involving as many as ten thousand men And within a few hours, the royal soldiers had been defeated Pembroke is captured and taken to face Warwick in the nearby town of Northampton Warwick has it beheaded When news of this reaches Edward, he seems to be totally dumbfounded For reasons best known to himself, he still hasn't accepted the magnitude of what's happening with his old Pal Warick, and events are running way ahead of his ability to process them On july twenty ninth, four days after the Battle of Edgecot Edward is traveling towards Northampton to try and figure out exactly what Warwick is up to When he's on the road, he's confronted by Warwick's brother, Archbishop Neville. The Archbishop advises him that he'd better come along to Warwick Castle, where he'll be safe It's a polite way of taking him into custody And the reality is as stark as it is shocking Less than a month ago, Edward was convinced that he'd managed to pour oil on Warwick's troubled waters that they were powers again, just like in the old days that he'd love bombed the Kingmaker into acquiescence Now He's locked up. It's incredible just how wrong he's been. From july twenty ninth, the king is a prisoner in Warwick's home castle, while across England, Warwick's goons run riot Hunting down men they consider traitors In the second week of August, they managed to capture the Queen's father, Earl Rivers and one of his sons, Sir John Woodville. who are trying to get to safe houses in Wales. The two men are executed Less than a week later, Earl of Devon the royal commander who escaped the Battle of Edgecot is apprehended in Somerset He too, beheaded blistering pace and with absolute ruthlessness Warwick has seized control of England He's loopped the heads off a significant number of his political rivals and he has the king under lock and key. He's the master of the realm And it's up to him to decide how it should be governed Kingmaker is ascendant Now he has power in his hands Does he know What to do with it Hey guys, this is Molly Sims, host of Lipstick onn the Rim. So I have a little bit of a pet peeve that I think you're going to relate to this. I'll be having a great day, feeling good and someone will say to me You look tired, and I'm like, I promise you I'm not really tired But here's what I've learned My eyelids, they do sit a little low. And once my doctor explained that to me, it actually kind of made a lot of sense. 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Breezzily is a collection of drapey, pants, shorts, and tanks designed to mix a notch with your wardrobe as the weather warms up It's all made in our lightweight, stretchy swift fabric Throw on these everyday staples after practice and bring an airy feel to your daily moves. Shop the brizzly collection now at Lululeemon. com Mayhem has erupted in Londbon Mobbs run through the streets, picking fights with easy prey The capitol turns a shade of amber as looters ransack shops Throughout the capital there are running battles between the city authorities and violent rioters. It's only been a few weeks since Warwick took King Edward captive, but already the Kingmaker seems to have lost control of the realm's capital And it's not just London either. Across England, public order is dissolving From East Anglia to the Cotswolds, landowners' feuds that have been kept in check up until now flare up Private armies show at private homes and lay siege to them At Cester Castle in Norfolk, there's a particularly nasty crutch The castle is owned by the Paston family, but the Duke of Norfolk has long had his eye on it With the king in a cell, the duke figures all bets are off He rolls up to Cester Castle with hundreds of armed men, surrounds it, and tries to starve the pastons out. Gunfire and crossbow shots fly back and forth A letter survives from Margaret Paston, who's monitoring the siege from a nearby town, vividly describing the action Some of the family's loyal servants are dead, she writes. And diverse are greatly hurt. The Duke has the greatest multitude of people outside the castle and they purpose them to make a great assault with their great multitude of guns and with other shot and ordnance The Duke is especially confident, Margaret claims, because he has the backing of George Duke of Clarence, Edward's brother, heir to the throne, and, as of recently, Stooge of Warwick for Kingmaker The whole thing is an unholy mess. Desperation hums from the page of Margaret Paston's letter But old Mar Paston is far from the only person in England tearing their hair out Because since Warwick, with Clarence in his back pocket, grabbed control of the country Everything's been going to hell What's going on? It's easy to say that Warwick is experiencing the consequences of his own actions He wanted to be in charge and here he is in charge. And guess what It's not as easy as it looks. It would be equally easy to point the finger at George Duke of Clarence, his willing sock puppet. may be handsome, with his regal features and fine head of hair, but's weak wills, easily swayed, disloyal veryer bright Shakespeare will call him False, fleeting, perjured Clarence You and I might say he's a congenital shitbird Be that as it may actually a deeper problem with the king in prison at Warwick's pleasure which goes way beyond personality defects and political competence It's a matter of fundamental principles England's political system and its stability founded on having a legitimate king in active charge. Lock up the king and you shatter the whole basis for normality The rules simply don't work It's every man for himself and made the strongest prosper That's a recipe for disaster whichich Warick puffed up on his own importance ust to learn the hard way Within six weeks of Edward being imprisoned Warwick has realized that he simply can't rule England without a functioning king leaves him a choice. oppose Edward and install Clarence or let Edward out of prison and try once again to control him hoping that this is a bit easier Now that a whole bunch of Edward's favorites are dead Warwick goes for the latter. On september twelfth, Edward is out of jail and has summoned all the loyal members of his royal council to meet him so they can make a formal entry to London and show that he's back in the hot seat. In mid October, he makes a grand entrance to the Citol, which has calmed down. Now that news has got around that daddy's coming home Warwick's Grand Cp fizzled out Amazingly Warwick isn't punished Nor is Clarence It seems like, as a condition of letting Edward out of prison cut a deal where they won't suffer any serious retribution In fact, on the surface, Edward seems to be making out like nothing ever happens dealing cheerfully with the guys who just banged him up Indeed, the Neville family actually gets rewarded for Warwick's treachery Warwick's nephew is betrothed to Edward's eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York A new settlement is reached in the north, where the old Lancastrian affiliated Percy family are restored to their noble titles But in return The Nevills get a huge chunk of land in the south Edward is generous almost to a fault But you'd think Wry Faced with a resumption of the love bombing campaign You might understand that he's the luckiest POS to ever walk God's green earth and act accordingly In timees gone by Noble who'd gone as rogue as Warwick could expect to end up looking like a platter of freshly chopped dog meat Just ask Simon D Monk Thomas Earl of Lancaster, Archbishop Scro or a whole host of other misguided magnates who grasped at power and ended their days with their heads under their arms. are wearing their soft dangly bits as a goatee Let offffs like Warx don't happen Any sane man would recognize that and give thanks to God and the king for mercy. But if you think, that's how Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, works You don't know him at all The King's kiss of peace is barely dry on Warwick's forehead for the Kingmaker's trigger finger. cheap all over again Another groundhog day beckoning If we knew more about our sleep What will we do differently Would we go to bed at a consistent time or take steps to reduce interruptions to our sleep with Sleep score Apple Watch measures your bedtime consistency, interruptions, and sleep duration And then, every morning it combines these factors into an easy to understand score, from one to one hundred So you'll know how to take the quality of your sleep from okay to very high Know your sleep score with Apple Watch iPhone eleven or later required It's spring fourteen seventy, and King Edward is marching through the Midlands to tackle a spate of mass disorder in Lincolnshire Two local lords have been quarreling violently Ro has escalated into general violence And Edward has come to crack skulls and show everyone who B After a few days of pursuit, he's got the troublemakers in his sights. And now, on the afternoon of Monday the twelfth of March He's about to teach them a lesson I at a field near the town of Empingham lts his troops off the leash, and they charge at the rabble of rioters The rioters don't put up much of a resistance losing their battle formation and running away so fast they rip off their heavy outer clothes in their pants. The Battle of Loose Cke Field has its knowose. is hardly a battle at all Yet during the brief moments that the rebels put up a stand The Royal troops hear them yelling war cries blood run cold. They've been shouting Alarons Alarons and Aaric, Aaric This was supposed to be a spot of localised bother. But from the sound of things, the rebels reckon they're connected to the two men who gave Edward such a nightmare in fourteen sixty nine Warwick the Kingmaker, and Edward's brother, George Duke of Clarence Surely there's some mistake Well, you'd hope so But in fact, when some of the ring leadaders captured at Loose Coat Field are interrogated, they admit quite freely that Warwick and Clarence are partners and chief provokers in their mischief beggararss belief Despite Edward pardoning Warwick and Clarence for rising up in arms, slaughtering his relatives, and putting him in prison Chances mearily carried on scheming against him pushing your luck And then there's taking the Mickey Warrick and Clarence thinking Well Clarence's case That's a pretty straightforward one. Warwick has sold him the line that he could be king in his brother's place. Clarence has succumbed to pure greed As for Warwick Well, his inability to appreciate the bigger picture is staggering. After his first rebellion You might have felt cheerful to have got away with a list of treacherous crimes as long as you're arm. Instead, he's been stewing because some estates in South Wales that belong to the Earl of Pembroke, who he executed have been granted to someone else. In this case, the king's youngest brother Richard He's also got the raging hump Because in the north of England, the power of the Percy family has been boosted at the expense of the Nevilles that he's fortunate to be alive to see all this. doesn't seem to cross his mind At the first hint of unrest in the kingdom Warwick has once again turned rebel dragged Clarence along with him But now at long last Warwick has pushed Edward IV as far as the king will go. After Loosecoat Field, when it becomes clear that Warwick and Clarence have been plotting once more Edward goes after them with his army trying to hunt them down in Northern England He pursues them up north and then back down south, marching hundreds of miles from Yorkshire to Devon in a three week manhunt. sadly for Edward, but very happily for the wretched Warwick and Clarence, They managed to stay a step ahead of him By mid April, they've scuttled out of England and are once more heading for Warwick's favorite hideihole Kalli But this time Ki won't have them Deputy captain is a guy called Lord Wenlock a longt time Warwick ally But he won't open the gates. and sends a message telling Morick that if he did let him and Clarence in They could expect to be surrounded by English and Burgundian troops within days whichich means that Warwick has to come up with another plan It's clear enough that he's making this up as he goes along. daughter and Clarence's wife, Isabelle comes along with him once more, only this time she's heavily pregnant and has to give birth ab booard a ship. The conditions are so unsanitary The child dies. So here lies the question If they can't go to Calais Can Warwick and his motley little crew go Well, the answer to that is to head towards the one guy who can be guaranteed to take pleasure in seeing the King of England on the ropes. That's Louis the eleventh King of France In early May, Warwick brings his fleet of ships to the mouth of the river Sine. from which it's a few days sailing or riding, upriver to the French capital of Paris On june twenty second The meeting is arranged at Anjer, attended by both Warwick and King Louis There, Warwick rolls the dice one more time He asks the French aid in invading England with the explicit aim of dethroning King Edward. If Louis helps him do that, Warwick promises to put a man on the English throne who will be far more to Louis's liking. Someone who will be entirely biddable and reliably pro French Louis likes the idea And so does one other person at the meeting, who represents the king that Warwick and Louis have in mind This person has been waiting for their moment to get one over on Edward for a long time Now the moment' here. Fighting for words So who is that person not George Duke of Clarence, who at this moment remains the heir to the Yorkish throne not his wife Isabel, and not the Achbishop brother who's been Warwick's partner in crime for the past decade. A person at the meeting whose eyes light up once the talk of deposing Edward begins is someone far wilier, more resilient and experienced than anyone we've met in our storory so far It's Margaret de Vjouu exiled Lancastrian Queen of England and the Yorkist's greatest enemy For nearly ten years, she's been biding her time Trusting that a day like today would eventually come And here it is At Annger, Margaret reconciles with Warwick bygones be bygones and agreeing that there's one king of England who could work out perfectly for both of them They decide with Louis XI's backing to sail to England and do everything they can to replace Edward with none other than old Henry theI find out if they succeed Back next time For another episode of this is History Well, there she is, and I'm going to repeat myself Margaret of Annger