Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses

by David Santiuste

Indisputably the most effective general of the Wars of the Roses, Edward IV died in his bed, undefeated in battle. Yet Edward has not achieved the martial reputation of other warrior kings such as Henry V - perhaps because he fought battles against his own people in a civil war. It has also been suggested that he lacked the personal discipline expected of a truly great commander. But, as David Santiuste shows in this perceptive and highly readable new study, Edward was a formidable military leader whose strengths and subtlety have not been fully recognized. This reassessment of Edward's military role, and of the Wars of the Roses in which he played such a vital part, gives a fascinating insight into Edward the man and into the politics and the fighting. Based on contemporary sources and the latest scholarly research, Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses brings to life an extraordinary period of English history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, British Literature, Historical, Biography, Military History

208 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2010

About the author

David Santiuste is a historian of late medieval Britain. His interests include Anglo-Scottish relations, pilgrimage and the Wars of the Roses. He currently teaches history at the Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a general reader like myself, familiar with only a very basic outline of the Wars of the Roses, the shifting loyalties--and the shifting crown between Lancaster and York--can easily lead to confusion between historical figures and factions. While I'm reasonably conversant with the earlier medieval period of English history, I'm far less solid with the later middle ages.

I was pleased that David Santiuste spends just the necessary effort to build the background necessary to understand the dynastic wars and Edward's place in them. He often tells you what you need to know just when it is convenient to know it to understand the point he is making and this is an admirable way of telling history. To the author's credit, he neither burdens the reader with a great deal of unnecessary backstory, nor does he leave one wondering and confused.

Santiuste is cautious enough to advise the reader when he is speculating on his subject and discusses his historical sources and the opinions of other historians. He is quite willing to point out that there are ambiguities, contradictions and omissions in some of the historical records that could lead historians to multiple conclusions and he is competent and confident enough to offer his own conclusions without taking a disparaging view of the conclusions reached by others. This is refreshing, as I have read some history books which seem to revel in attacking the opinions of other learned scholars.

Santiuste offers sound reasoning for his own conclusions and uses copious notes and references to support his case. Because of the deficiencies in the sources, Santiuste often has to make do with presenting speculation and theory on battlefield events and sequencing, but he is confident enough to build his case on logical supposition and when matters are mysterious and beyond his ability to clearly reconstruct he says so. I respect and appreciate his responsible approach in his scholarship; too many historians have muddied the waters of history by stating false assumptions with authority.

Santiuste's writing style is clear, precise and easy to follow, despite the fact that the narrative must negotiate a difficult path of treachery, shifting allegiances and chance occurrences. Despite conflicting, biased and often incomplete sources, not to mention a cast of figures which often share the same names (i.e. multiple Edwards, Richards Henrys, Charles and a swarm of Nevilles and Woodvilles, among others), Santiuste keeps his narrative clear. It's an impressive feat.

All in all, I learned a great deal about the character of Edward IV through this study of his generalship in the Wars of the Roses and I learned a lot about the nature of the conflict itself. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in delving into the character of this interesting and probably underrated late medieval monarch.

[Tony Riches · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much do you really know about King Edward IV? If, like me, you were intrigued to find out more about the strangely two dimensional husband of the BBC’s ‘White Queen,’ then David Santiuste’s book is a great place to start. Fast paced and well researched, this book challenges the established views of Edward Plantagenet. New perspectives are offered by setting the generally accepted accounts of chroniclers firmly in the context of their time.

Everything his predecessor Henry VI had failed to be, Edward was over six foot tall and charismatic, a true warrior knight. He is often portrayed as a womaniser, manipulated by others, yet David reminds us that many of the criticisms of him can be traced to his young brother, Richard III. I was particularly interested in his complex relationship with the Earl of Warwick which was so central to any understanding of the Wars of the Roses.

His marriage to Elizabeth Woodville is typical of Edward’s very modern way of doing things. There is no mystery - he married for love, fully aware of the consequences. Now being described as one of the most successful medieval kings, Edward IV saw the wisdom of appointing people on merit and, after the Battle of Barnet, presided over twelve years of peace and prosperity.

I highly recommend Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses to anyone who would like to understand more about this enigmatic king and this fascinating period of English history.

[Éowyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good account of the military career of Edward IV, including an assessment of the reliability of sources. Very readable.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good and balanced account of the life of Edward IV, nor saint nor demon.

[Gabrielle Blin ( book reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book about King Edward the fourth, impressive !

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The romanticized conflict that was known as the Wars of the Roses had numerous colorful figures. From the sleeping king, Henry VI and his strong wife Margaret of Anjou to the cunning Kingmaker Warwick and the hotly debated figure Richard III, these men and women made this conflict rather fascinating. However, there was one man who would truly define this era in English history, Edward IV. He was a son of Richard duke of York who fought to avenge his father’s death and the man who would marry a woman, Elizabeth Woodville, who he loved instead of allying himself with a European power. These are elements of his story that most people know, but he was first and foremost an effective general, which is a side that is rarely explored when examining his life. David Santiuste decided to explore this vital part of Edward’s life in his book, “Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses”.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I have always been fascinated by this period in history, but I have not read a lot of books about Edward IV so I really wanted to read this one.

This book is not a traditional biography about Edward IV, but rather it is a study on the military leadership of the king. Santiuste takes the time to explain how the Wars of the Roses started to give a foundation for readers who are not quite familiar with the actual conflict. He also explores how armies were formed during this time as well as what weapons and types of equipment that a typical soldier would use on a field of combat.

Unlike the other kings who ruled during the Wars of the Roses, Henry VI and Richard III respectively, Edward IV never lost a battle in England. He could easily be compared to Edward III and Henry V as a warrior king, however, he was never able to win a victory overseas, even though he did try. Santiuste explores the sources of the time and the military strategies that Edward used in each of the battles that he fought in, especially the battles of Towton, Barnet, and Tewkesbury, to give the reader a better understanding of why the Yorkists won these battles. It is truly the re-examination of these sources that is the bread and butter of this new study of the warrior king. By doing a historiographical study of the sources, Santiuste is able to explore their validity which gives us a better understanding of the truth of Edward’s relationships and his military prowess.

What I found really interesting in this book was Santiuste’s examination of the relationship between Edward IV and the Earl of Warwick. It was a vital, if not tumultuous and complex, relationship between these two men that turned from friends to deadly enemies. Another intriguing aspect of this book was exploring Edward IV’s relationships with those who lived in other European countries, especially those who he interacted while he was in exile in the Netherlands. These relationships helped transform Edward IV from a regular warrior to a legendary warrior king.

Overall, I found this study by Santiuste enjoyable and thought-provoking. It was relatively easy to understand and it offered a fresh perspective to this king and this conflict. If you want to learn more about the Wars of the Roses and the enigmatic King Edward IV, I would highly recommend you read, “Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses” by David Santiuste.

[Mike Luoma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an okay survey of the battles won by Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses, but sometimes falls short of wanted details on the battles themselves - a bit frustrating as the book's blurb claims to contain those details. Ofttimes, those specifics simply are not available to the historian unwilling to speculate, and Santiuste seems to try to steer clear of too much in the way of speculation, which is a commendable trait. Not so commendable is Santiuste's handling of the changeable titles of the period - his shorthand occasionally left this reader flipping pages back to the index - "Wait... which Somerset??" To be fair, the account of Edward's last battle against the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury is well detailed and considered. On the whole, the book is extensively notated and draws from a number of contemporary and near-contemporary sources. It can be a bit dry to read.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how quickly this book was finished, he did an amazing job with the military portions of Edward IV's reign (which was 90% of his life it seemed) that perhaps the ending felt a bit rushed. But I can forgive that rush job because he blatantly said at the beginning "this isn't a book about Edward IV, its about his military campaigns" so he did his preface well and I'm like the other 3/4 who said IT CUT SO SHORT, WRITE MORE PLEASE. You also have to realize that 90% of Edward's life was filled with going to war, so his life was cut short before he could grow old.

As a history major who specialized in English/Scottish history I have to admit my knowledge of what kind of man Edward was was very limited, you mostly hear about his later years, the War of the Roses, etc that you never consider the man himself like you do of other kings like Edward III and I think that's a shame. Edward proved to be the right King for the right moment in English history; did he start a huge civil war? Technically his father did, but yes. Did it change the landscape of English history? Oh yeah, the ease in which kings and queens were over-thrown was much easier/yet harder after this. But when England needed a strong, war-like, intelligent king they got it in him. And yet perhaps it was his greatest weakness that caused his demise and the fall of his house, his inability to put duty over love and his love of pleasure, if he'd married a woman with a strong, high-born and army backed family his children might've been able to beat Richard from obtaining the crown in later years, but we'll never know how his eldest son might've reigned as he died before he got the chance.

The battles were well researched, its often frustrating how little actual detail is put into history during this time, but David doesn't try too hard by placing ideas in place of the pure fact that we often don't know what the actual size of an army was or where they traveled to a battlefield. I appreciated this in the book, its better to be told we simply don't have all the facts as opposed to making something up that through the decades becomes a false fact.

Overall a well written, interesting book about a man we know less than we should about considering how he changed the British islands for centuries to come. 4.5/5.

[Garry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted th learn more detailed about Edward IV. This is more a book you would use to put together a research paper. Full of facts, names, titles, places and a lot of detail about Edward IV reign of power. It provides a detailed account of Edward IV from a young man to his death in his 40's. It does a good job of going through the famous battles fought and won by Edward IV, and the book shows that he was truly one of England's best Warrior King.

[Peter Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written and interesting read, yet suffers from the rather swift and sudden conclusion after the significant events of 1471. The final 12 years of his reign are hardly given much attention at all which is disappointing given how well written the rest of the book is. I would however still recommend this book to anyone interested in his reign and the Wars of the Roses.

[J.P. Harker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good solid research book about this most underrepresented of kings. As the author mentions; were it not for the notoriety of Richard III, Edward would probably be remembered as one of our most sucessful monarchs.
Well-written and interesting, with some great insights into late medieval warfare, I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in the period.

[M. Deveau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward IV

This was a good book which offered an overview of the War of the Roses, England's Civil War. Alas, he was the only king of the York line. One gets to understand how Edward works and his campaigns. He accomplishes so much in little time. The author uses a lot of contemporary sources for his book. It is a good read to learn more about English history.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me, the heavy heavy focus on medieval battle strategies (endless trekking from city to city it seems to me) takes away from any real chance to get into the life or character of Edward IV. This is not the look at his family, relationships, thoughts or feelings etc I was looking for, nor did it say it was to be fair.

[Kronk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Very accessible and enjoyable account of a medieval King we know comparatively little about. Background to how some of the battles of the Wars of the Roses came about - like Towton and Tewkesbury - is very interesting.
A great read.

[Claire Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good look at the battles leading to Edward IV'S Reigns, looking at all perspectives of the people around him as well as Edward himself

[Ollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting study with the focus on specific war, rather that the wars in general.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid academic study of Edward IV's political struggles and military campaigns against Lancastrian opponents during the first half of the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485). The Wars of the Roses is a complex, confusing subject. However, David Santiuste provides a readable, easy way to follow the ups and downs of the conflicts by skillfully using contemporary sources and focusing on the military career of Edward Plantagenet. Santiuste describes Edward's experiences in warfare beginning with the battle of Northampton in 1460. Edward became the Duke of York and the Yorkist claimant to the English throne after the death of his father at the battle of Wakefield (1460). With the support of his cousin Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, the nineteen-year-old Edward of York defeated the Lancastrian armies of Henry VI of England at the battles of Mortimer's Cross (1461) and Towton (1461), and then took London and claimed the English throne. In 1469, a rebellion by Warwick and his supporters led to the defeat of the Yorkist army at the battle of Edgecote (1469) and the capture of Edward IV, but Warwick and Edward IV soon established a fragile, short-lived peace. The author notes the many rebel uprisings in the era, especially in northern England, and the king's actions to put them down, including his victory at the battle of Empingham (1470). Even so, Warwick and the Duke of Clarence forced Edward IV to flee overseas to Burgundy in 1470, resulting in the restoration of Henry VI, under Warwick's control, for a short time. Edward IV returned to England, gained control of London, and then defeated Warwick and the Earl of Oxford at the battle of Barnet (1471), and next the Duke of Somerset and the Lancastrians at the battle of Tewkesbury (1471). Edward IV's victory was complete. He would rule England until his sudden death at the age of thirty-nine. Santiuste calls Edward IV "a courageous and talented soldier" (p.146). I highly recommend this study on the Wars of the Roses.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good introduction to the military life of Edward IV. It gives a chronological layout of who did what, which role was populated by whom, and how the events of the Wars of the Roses unfolded during Edward's lifetime, and very very briefly what happened after it.

"Brief" is also the word I'd use to describe this book with. My main complaint is that it is, indeed, to brief. I found myself reading through almost all the footnotes after finishing, because I wanted to know more, get a more nuanced picture and more information. Obviously, these events took place a long time ago, and the sources will be limited. However, there were only few references to archaeological finds, and extremely little written of what they seemed to indicate. This work seems to almost completely rely on written records, even though as the writer points out, they are not always completely reliable.

The descriptions of the battles are the best part of the book, and describe in some detail how medieval warfare actually was, how the rules of chivalry were either upheld or broken, how armies were arranged, which lords were looked upon as traitors and why, etc. Very interesting reading.

For those ASOIAF/GOT fans who approach the War of the Roses as source material for the novels, then it is intriguing to look for similarities to the characters in Westeros. Personally I think there are quite a few parallels between Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and Tywin Lannister; while Edward IV may mostly be compared to a young Robert Baratheon, although there are definite echoes of the Targaryen family in Edward IV and his heirs, with Elizatbeh of York ending up being his heir when all the male heirs were gone, reminiscent of Daenerys Targaryen.

All in all, definitely worth a read if one is not already familiar with the War of the Roses and its battles.

[Jacinta Hoare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book looked at Edward IV's rise to power and reign with a focus on his military campaigns. Political and court intrigue was largely left alone which meant a different angle on what I have read previously.

[Heather Mims · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author obviously has a lot of respect for Edward IV, which shines through in every word he writes. And while this book is bursting at the seams with information, it still manages to be a fast-paced and engaging read… never too dry or academic. A true pleasure!

[Karan Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so much Edward

Don't but this book if your looking for one to find out more about Edward iv. This is an average read of THE wars of the roses, but you learn nothing that isn't in better books. Sorely disappointed.