Henry's increasing lack of popularity was due to a break down in law and order, an increase in corruption and the distribution of large tracts of land by the King to his royal favourites, as well as continuing military setbacks in France and a strained English economy. In 1447, the House of Commons became deeply dissatisfied with the Duke of Suffolk, who was one of Henry’s most unpopular supporters and widely considered a traitor by the English nobility. Henry sent the Duke of Suffolk into exile, in an attempt to protect him, but the Duke of Suffolk’s ship was attacked in the English Channel and his dead body later washed ashore at Dover.
Henry VI and the Hundred Years' War
In 1449, the Duke of Somerset reopened hostilities with the French in Normandy. By that autumn, the English were forced to fall back to Caen. By 1450, Normandy had fallen to the French, reversing many of the previous gains made by Henry V. The situation in England was made worse by the fact that many of the returning troops had not been paid, adding to the general sense of lawlessness, particularly in southern England. In 1450, the general sense of dissatisfaction led to the outbreak of a rebellion in Kent led by Jack Cade, who adopted the name John Mortimer as a show of sympathy for the Duke of York. Mortimer established his headquarters at the White Heart Inn. This was another deliberate action, as the white heart was one of the primary symbols of the reign of Richard II. Upon learning of the uprising, Henry sent an army to suppress the rebellion. Upon arriving in London, Henry discovered that Mortimer and most of his forces had fled the city, leaving only a small force behind at Sevenoaks. This proved to be a strategic withdrawal and Mortimer successfully ambushed Henry’s army at the Battle of Solefields before returning to occupy London. However, Mortimer’s rebellion amounted to nothing in the end, as London fell to Henry after a few days of chaos, thanks to the actions of the city’s residents.
In 1451, the Duchy of Guyenne, which had been an English possession since the reign of Henry II, fell to the French. In October, 1452, the English retook Boredeaux, but by 1453, Bordeaux had fallen to the French again, leaving Calais as the only remaining English possession in Continental Europe.
In 1452, the Duke of York returned from Ireland to claim his place as a member of Henry’s royal council. His cause was popular with Henry’s subjects, both noble and commoner alike, and the Duke of York quickly gathered an army at Shrewsbury. In the meantime, Henry’s supporters raised an army of their own near London and a stand-off south of London soon followed, at which the Duke of York presented a list of grievances and demands to Henry’s followers, including the arrest of Edmund Beaufort, the Duke of Somerset. Henry was initially willing to agree to these demands, however, Margaret intervened and by 1455, the Duke of York had become politically isolated. Henry’s position was further strengthened, following the news of Margaret’s pregnancy.
Henry VI's Mental Breakdown
In August, 1453, Bordeaux fell to the French. Upon receiving this news, Henry suffered a mental breakdown and became completely unaware of what was going on around him. Henry’s period of mental instability lasted for more than a year. During this time, Henry was oblivious to everything, even the birth of his son, Edward. Some medical experts have speculated that Henry inherited his condition from his grandfather, Charles VI, who was known to suffer periodic bouts of mental instability over the last 30 years of his life.
In the meantime, the Duke of York had gained an important political ally in the form of Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, who was both influential and highly wealthy. After Henry suffered his breakdown, the Duke of York was named Protector of the Realm in 1454. At the same time, Margaret, whose loyalties were regarded as suspect by the English nobility, was completely excluded, while Edmund Beaufort was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London by supporters of the Duke of York. They also began to spread rumours that the King’s child was actually fathered by Beaufort.
On Christmas Day, 1454, Henry regained his senses. Many disaffected nobles had grown in power during the previous year and responded to this sudden turn by taking matters into their own hands, backing the claims of the upstart House of York, first for the Regency, and then for the crown.
This triggered a violent power struggle, known as the War of the Roses, between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians. Henry VI was deposed on March 4, 1461, while his cousin, Edward was declared King. As a result, Henry suffered another bout of instability. Primary sources claim that Henry was seen singing and laughing during the Second Battle of St. Albans. Even though Henry’s supporters won the battle, Edward was still able to seize the throne. In the wake of the battle, Henry and Margaret fled to Scotland. During the early years of his reign, Edward IV experienced significant Lancastrian resistance to Yorkist rule, led by Margaret and a small number of loyal nobles from Wales and northern England. In 1464, Henry was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Meanwhile, Margaret, who had been force to go into exile, first in Scotland, then in France, was determined to win back the throne for her husband and her son. She was able to do little on her own, initially, but Edward had a falling out with two of his primary supporters, his younger brother, the Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Warwick. With the support of Louis XI, the King of France, the Earl of Warwick formed a secret alliance with Margaret, after arranging a marriage between the Earl’s daughter and Henry’s son. The Earl of Warwick returned to England, where he defeated the Yorkists in battle, restoring Henry to the throne on October 30, 1470. However, mental instability, imprisonment and years of hiding had taken their toll. Henry was King in name only.
Henry’s return to the throne lasted less than six months. Not long after Henry resumed the kingship, the Earl of Warwick overextended himself after he declared war on the Duchy of Burgandy. In response, the Burgundians gave their support to Edward IV, who was able to win back the English crown on May 4, 1471, despite the Lancastrian victory at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Henry’s son, Edward, the Prince of Wales, was killed during the battle.
The Death of Henry VI
Henry died in the Tower of London on either May 21 or 22, 1471. Modern historians believe that Henry was purposely kept alive by his enemies to prevent his son, Edward from claiming the crown. According to primary sources favourable to the House of York, Henry died of a broken heart upon being informed of the death of his son at the Battle of Tewkesbury. However, modern historians suspect that Henry was murdered while praying.
An important and long lasting achievement of Henry’s reign was the foundation of Eton College and King’s College, which today forms part of the University of Cambridge, both of which went on to become some of Britain’s most prestigious educational institutions. Each year the Provosts of Eton and King’s College, Cambridge, lay lilies and roses on the spot where Henry is thought to have been murdered in the Tower of London.
Following his death, Henry VI was buried in Chertsey Abbey. In 1485, Henry’s remains were moved to their current location in St. George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle.
Sources
Ashley, Mike. British Kings and Queens. Robinson: London. 2002.
Terry Long - I hold degrees in history and journalism. In addition to my contributions to Suite 101, I have also written for the Brampton Bulletin, the ...
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