Lions of the Red Rose-The Percys and the Wars of the Roses

Here I prophesy: this brawl today ..shall send between the red rose and the white, A thousand souls to death and deadly night.”   William Shakespeare Henry VI Part 1

The Wars of the Roses constituted one of the most brutal and costly inter-family struggles imaginable.  This included the most horrific single battle ever fought on British soil, the Battle of Towton. Fought for ten hours in brutal hand-to-hand combat between an estimated 50,000 soldiers in a snowstorm on Palm Sunday, the Yorkist army eventually achieved a decisive victory over their Lancastrian opponents at enormous cost to both sides. The loss of English lives was only ever exceeded by those of the Battle of the Somme, which lasted for well over 100 days.. It is thought that there were so many dead at Towton that they had to be interred in pits in the centre of the battlefield, but were later disinterred, in order to be reburied in a Christian manner in consecrated ground. As a result of the battle, Edward IV deposed the Lancastrian Henry VI and secured the English throne.

This account of the whole 30+ year conflict was written by Ralph Percy, the current Duke of Northumberland, and  covers all the events in which Percys were involved, These included the Battle of Hedgeley Moor (1464), where the Percys fought on the Lancastrian side, and the Battle of Bosworth (1485), where Henry Percy, 4th Earl, led the rearguard for Richard III but did not commit his troops to the Yorkist forces- which is believed to have contributed to the king’s defeat. Ralph Percy is a direct descendent of many key figures involved. It is a sister volume to his original work “Lions of the North” currently also available from Bailiffgate Museum shop whilst stocks last.

Large Format 23cm x 27cm, softback

Please note: This book and its companion would both make ideal gifts. Copies may be purchased to collect from the museum shop online or in person during normal opening hours. The book can also be posted to anywhere in the UK mainland.  You can also select a different delivery address to your own during the checkout process if required.

Only one P&P will be applied for an order of multiple books.

NB Our packing is by volunteers, so please allow 3-4 working days for dispatch.  The museum is now closed for winter maintenance, so there will be no further despatches of books until the 13th Jan  2026.  You are, however welcome to order, so as to have the books you require reserved until then.