The Wars of the Roses – October 2026.

Wednesday 23 September, marks 566 years since the Battle of Blore Heath took place in 1459. A major early battle in the English War of the Roses, it resulted in a decisive victory for the House of York.

The wars started in the 1450s as noble rivals backed or challenged the weak King Henry VI. Intermittent fighting and plotting lasted into the 1480s, before Henry VII ended open conflict.

From battle accounts to claims to the throne, follow the story of the Wars of the Roses through the National Archives’ records.