This Day in History: 1486-01-18
In 1486 Tudor King Henry VII of England married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two houses, which led to the end of the War of the Roses.
The War of the Roses was a series of English civil wars fought during the late 15th century (1455–1487) between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The conflict is named after the symbols associated with the two houses: the red rose for Lancaster and the white rose for York. It was a struggle for control of the English throne and ultimately had significant effects on the country’s monarchy and aristocracy.
The War of the Roses came out of instability caused by the Hundred Years War, the spouts of mental illness that Henry VI suffered and disputes over royal succession following the death of King Edward III. His descendants split into the rival Lancaster and York factions, with competing claims to the throne.
This led to civil war as two great houses, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, fought for the throne which Richard III claimed on the 26th of June 1483 for the House of York. He reigned for over two years until Henry Tudor and his Lancastrian forces defeated and killed him in the Battle of Bosworth Field.
Henry Tudor became King Henry VII of England and was crowned on the 30th of October 1485. He later married Elizabeth of York on the 18th of January 1486, uniting the two houses which led to the end of the War of the Roses.