Background
Warwick was born Richard Neville, the son of a hard-bitten Yorkshireman whose marriage made him Earl of Salisbury; in the same way Warwick acquired his earldom by marrying the heiress to it in 1449.
Warwick was born Richard Neville, the son of a hard-bitten Yorkshireman whose marriage made him Earl of Salisbury; in the same way Warwick acquired his earldom by marrying the heiress to it in 1449.
When the War of Roses began he backed the cause of his uncle Richard, Duke of York, against the House of Lancaster headed by the pious, dim-witted Henry VI. Warwick first gained prominence by his valor at the battle of St. Albans, in May 1455. Appointed Captain of Calais, Warwick made himself the talk of England by his exploits at sea; and when the Yorkists were driven from the realm in October 1459, he and York's son Edward used Calais as a springboard from which to invade England in June 1460. Defeating a Lancastrian army at Northampton a month later, Warwick and Edward set up a government in Henry VI's name. After the Duke of York was killed in a battle at Wakefield in December 1460, Warwick, now leader of the Yorkists, fought and lost the second battle of St. Albans (February 1461). He managed however to join forces with young Edward and entered London toward the end of February. The Lancastrians retired into Yorkshire with Henry, and Warwick had Edward proclaimed king on March 4. The new monarch, Edward IV, and his mentor then marched in pursuit of their enemies, crushed Henry's army at the bloody battle of Towton (March 29), and while Henry and his fiery queen, Margaret of Anjou, took refuge in Scotland, Edward and Warwick set about restoring order in the kingdom. For three years, while the king seemed content to enjoy himself, Warwick was "the packhorse of his great affairs, " subduing the Lancastrians in the north and carrying on an intensive diplomacy. But then Edward's attitude changed. Warwick was determined to ally England with her old enemy France, and arranged with the French King Louis XI for Edward to marry Louis's sister-in-law Bona of Savoy, only to discover that Edward had secretly married Elizabeth Woodville, a beautiful Lancastrian widow with two children. This marriage, as well as favors bestowed upon the queen's family, Edward's refusal of the French alliance, and his apparent determination to rule for himself, inspired disaffection in Warwick and drove him to secret plotting. After Edward had dismissed Warwick's brother George from the chancellorship and flouted Warwick's French policy by allying himself with Charles, Duke of Burgundy (1468), Warwick fomented a rising in Yorkshire in 1469. The rebels defeated an army marching to the king's aid at Edgecot in July, and Warwick and the king's treacherous brother George, Duke of Clarence, took Edward captive and the realm into their hands. But the country was so shaken by upheavals and discontented that Warwick, encountering no support, was forced to relinquish his prize in September. Within six months thereafter Warwick, along with the feckless Clarence, now his son-in-law, were driven from England and took refuge in France (May 1470). Under the wily auspices of Louis XI Warwick allied himself with his bitterest foe, Henry VI's queen Margaret, by marrying his younger daughter Anne to Margaret's son Edward.
Invading England in September, the new champion of Lancaster forced King Edward to flee to his brother-in-law, the Duke of Burgundy. For six months, from October 1470 to March 1471, Warwick headed a shaky Neville-Lancastrian government, with Henry VI back on the throne. Then Edward, supported by Burgundy, landed in Yorkshire on March 29 and marched on London. The Kingmaker confronted his former protegéprotege in battle at Barnet, ten miles north of the capital. On Easter Sunday, April 14, after a three hours' struggle waged in heavy mist, Warwick and his brother John, Marquess Montagu, were slain and their forces routed. The battle of Tewkesbury three weeks later completed Edward's triumph over the Lancastrian forces.
Invading England in September, the new champion of Lancaster forced King Edward to flee to his brother-in-law, the Duke of Burgundy.
The rebels defeated an army marching to the king's aid at Edgecot in July, and Warwick and the king's treacherous brother George, Duke of Clarence, took Edward captive and the realm into their hands.
Marquess Montagu
On Easter Sunday, April 14, after a three hours' struggle waged in heavy mist, Warwick and his brother John, Marquess Montagu, were slain and their forces routed.
