London and the Wars of the Roses

Saintly Henry VI
The dragging feuds of the Wars of the Roses left London relatively unscathed.
Merchants, as a caste, tended to be too busy with their own business affairs to worry
overmuch about the coups, battles and blood-lettings of their leaders. Yet the reign of
Henry
VI who suffered from catatonic schizophrenia and whose rule brought the collapse of
Englands aspirations to rule parts of France, economic depression, and the widespread
collapse of law and order was disastrous enough to jolt the merchants of London out
of their stolid passivity.
The city grew so unhappy with the Lancastrian King Henry that London citizens chose
to support his rival, Edward of York a decision that helped Edward to the throne and
helped him decide on what he was to call a policy of grace towards the merchants.
The city grew so unhappy with the Lancastrian King Henry that London citizens chose
to support his rival, Edward of York a decision that helped Edward to the throne and
helped him decide on what he was to call a policy of grace towards the merchants.
Londoners suspicions of the Lancastrian King crystallised when, in 1456, there were
riots in London, led by mercers apprentices, against the London Lombards. Londoners
resented the fact that King Henry VI had chosen Italians, rather than English merchants,
from whom to borrow money. The rioters were savagely punished by King Henrys
choice of investigator, the Duke of Exeter. Exeter had a reputation for violence. The
rack at the Tower of London, where he was Constable, was called the Duke of Exeters
daughter. Exeters decision to send the apprentices to the gallows did nothing to endear
King Henry to the merchants.
Four years later, in July 1460, London let in a Yorkist army, lent its leaders 1000, and,
while the army went north to fight, allowed one leader, the Earl of Salisbury, to stay
with his men and blockade King Henrys Lancastrian garrison in the Tower of London.

The Tower garrison was commanded by Lord Scales, a brutal veteran of the wars in
France. For the first time in history, he turned the Towers guns on the very citizens they
were supposed to be defending. As well as guns, Scales used the weapon intended to be
used against enemy ships that might need to be driven away if they appeared on the
Thames. Called wildfire, it was the periods napalm. It clung to targets and burned if
water was thrown on it. Women and children in the streets were maimed by it.

Map of medieval London

Outraged by this Lancastrian savagery, Londoners rushed to help the Yorkist rebels.
Heavy cannon were mounted opposite the Tower, on the Thames south bank, and fired
so that part of the fortresss outer walls came down. Mercer John Harowe was among
the fighters besieging the Tower from St Katherines in the east so no food could get
in. Every alderman contributed 5, then 10, then another 10, to pay boatmen for their
blockade of the Tower and navvies working on fortifications. When, on July 19, the
Tower garrison surrendered, Lord Scales tried to escape down the Thames in a river
boat, but was recognized and lynched by a mob of boatmen. Covered in stab wounds,
his body was thrown naked into the churchyard of St Mary Overy. It was a sign that
Londoners sympathies now lay firmly with the Yorkists.
For the moment, the Yorkist side, helped by its London supporters, was in the
ascendancy. But, by 1461, the war was going the Lancastrians way again until, that is,
the people of London got their revenge.
Mad King Henrys fierce French wife, Queen Margaret of Anjou, had raised an army
which had destroyed the Yorkist leader (Edwards father) in the North Country. She and
that army then marched south towards London to deal with Edward himself marching
towards London from Wales at the head of another army and Edwards ally, the Earl
of Warwick, who was in the south at the head of another Yorkist army.

Yorkist brothers: Richard III and his elder brother Edward IV

The Queens northern army caused devastation, looting whatever towns it came near;
Londoners were terrified of the faithless Northerners, people prompt to rob, whose
speech sounded like the hounds of Hell barking. The Prior of Croyland Abbey
described them as an execrable and abominable army sweeping like a whirlwind from
north like so many locusts. By the time the Queen and her army turned up at the gates
of London, having defeated Warwick, demanding to be let into the City, Londoners
were thoroughly rattled. The sheriffs one was John Lambert summoned Londoners
to take up arms and defend the City. The gates were closed and guarded. Shops were
shut. Owners stayed home and mulled over the rumour that the Queen had granted the
Northerners leave to spoil and rob London because she didnt have the money to pay
them. When the Mayor told Londoners to stay in their homes as the Lancastrian army
marched in, the terrified townspeople started rioting. They took the keys of the gates to
stop the troops entering.
The Queen decided to retreat with her hungry army rather than anger London any
further a disastrous decision for the Lancastrians.
Shortly afterwards, Edwards Yorkist army reached London. He had no trouble gaining
entry to the City. He rode in with Warwick and his Yorkist troops and got a rapturous
welcome. On March 4, 1461, he was acclaimed as a rival, Yorkist, king Edward IV
at St Pauls Cathedral. The Milanese observer Camulio wrote: London is entirely
inclined to side with the new king and Warwick, and as it is very rich and the most
wealthy city in Christendom, this enormously increases the chances of the side it
favours.
Sheriff John Lambert was present at the ceremonies. He was also one of those funding
the new royal household. City aldermen gave Edward IV 150, and the Mayor and
aldermen also lent 4,000 for the military campaign that still needed to be fought
against the Lancastrians. Edward was to come regularly to the City for loans.

Londons only other real brush with the war came a decade after that, in 1471. The
decisive battle of Barnet took place just north of the City, in modern suburbia. Here the
Earl of Warwick who had changed sides, betrayed Edward IV, and briefly put the
Lancastrian King Henry VI back on the throne was killed. A few days later, the
Lancastrian fleet, denied access to London, laid siege to the City. Its bombardment
continued for several days until the Lancastrians withdrew to Kingston. Their allies a
rabble of pirates led by Lord Fauconbergs son, the Bastard of Fauconberg, and an army
of Kentishmen led by the Mayor of Canterbury, were executed. Their heads ended up on
London Bridge, looking towards Kent. The episode gave Londoners a big fright, and
encouraged them to greet the returning King Edward and his 30,000 men with extra
enthusiasm.