Reign of King Henry VI (restored)

Historical Context Note

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Since the Wars of the Roses, between Yorkist and Lancastrian claimants to the English throne, had broken out in 1455, the Yorkists had been in the ascendant, and in 1461 the Yorkist Edward IV had become King. By 1470, however, the two key nobles who had helped Edward take the throne, Richard Neville Earl of Warwick, and George Duke of Clarence, had become frustrated, and made a secret alliance instead with Margaret of Anjou, wife of the deposed Lancastrian king Henry VI. With their aid, Edward IV was forced into exile, and Henry VI was restored to the throne. Even before his first overthrow, however, he had suffered bouts of insanity, and this time he was little more than a figurehead, while Warwick and Clarence ruled in his name. However, this second reign lasted less than six months, as…

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638 Reign of King Henry VI (restored) 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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