133-503: Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V , he succeeded to the English throne upon his father's death at the age of eight months; he succeeded to the French throne on the death of his maternal grandfather, Charles VI , shortly afterwards. Henry
266-642: A regency government , saw the pinnacle of English power in France . However, subsequent military, diplomatic and economic problems damaged the English cause by the time Henry was declared mature enough to rule in 1437. The young king faced military setbacks in France, and political and financial crises in England, where divisions among the nobility in his government began to widen. In contrast to his father, Henry VI
399-456: A trilogy of plays about his life , depicting him as weak-willed and easily influenced by his wife, Margaret. Henry was born on 6 December 1421 at Windsor Castle , the only child and heir-apparent of King Henry V . Succeeding to the throne as King of England at the age of eight months on 1 September 1422, the day after his father's death; he remains the youngest person ever to succeed to the English throne. On 21 October 1422, in accordance with
532-536: A Venetian glass bowl as a token of gratitude, known as the " Luck of Muncaster ", ensuring the prosperity of the Pennington family as long as it remained intact. Nonetheless, while he was in hiding at Waddington Hall, in Waddington, Lancashire , the home of Sir Richard Tempest, he was betrayed by "a black monk of Addington" and on 13 July 1464, a party of Yorkist men, including Sir Richard's brother John, entered
665-723: A background that has been called "the baying for Suffolk's blood [by] a London mob", to the extent that Suffolk admitted his alarm to Henry. Ultimately, Henry was forced to send him into exile , but Suffolk's ship was intercepted in the English Channel . His murdered body was found on the beach at Dover . Henry's mental health began to deteriorate in the late 1440s. He exhibited possible signs of paranoia (the arrest of Duke Humphrey in 1447) and grandiosity (the scale of his plans of expansion for Eton Chapel in 1449 and King's College in 1446). By 1449, Henry had many critics questioning his ability to rule due to his mental health. In 1449,
798-429: A breakdown in law and order, corruption, the distribution of royal land to the king's court favourites , the troubled state of the crown's finances, and the steady loss of territories in France. In 1447, this unpopularity took the form of a Commons campaign against William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk , who was the most unpopular of all the king's entourage and widely seen as a traitor. He was impeached by Parliament to
931-501: A career of architectural patronage started by his father: King's College Chapel and Eton College Chapel and most of his other architectural commissions (such as his completion of his father's foundation of Syon Abbey ) consisted of a late Gothic or Perpendicular -style church with a monastic or educational foundation attached. Each year on the anniversary of Henry VI's death, the Provosts of Eton and King's lay white lilies and roses,
1064-423: A collection of poems written from the perspective of historical figures. Kingdoms are but cares State is devoid of stay, Riches are ready snares, And hasten to decay Pleasure is a privy prick Which vice doth still provoke; Pomps, imprompt; and fame, a flame; Power, a smoldering smoke. Who meanth to remove the rock Owst of the slimy mud Shall mire himself, and hardly [e]scape The swelling of
1197-452: A constitutional ruler, must ultimately accept the decisions of the prime minister and Cabinet, who by definition enjoy the confidence of the House of Commons. In Bagehot's words: "the sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy ... three rights – the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn." Although the royal prerogative is extensive and parliamentary approval
1330-552: A dry stamp rather than his hand, a technicality that eventually allowed the Stuarts to succeed): Edward VI left a Device for the Succession, in an attempt to remove the peculiarity of his sisters' illegitimacy and rights of succession. The validity of the device was challenged after his death. In Edward's Device, Upon his death, the first person in line per Edward's Device was proclaimed Queen Jane. Within days, Lady Mary claimed
1463-590: A far more formidable leader in Henry's son, Edward. However, once the last of the most prominent Lancastrian supporters had been either killed or exiled, it became clear that Henry VI would be a burden on Edward IV's reign. The common fear was the possibility of another noble using the mentally unstable king to further their own agenda. According to the Historie of the arrivall of Edward IV , an official chronicle favourable to Edward IV, Henry died of melancholia , but it
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#17327913661921596-663: A few noble favourites who clashed on the matter of the French war when he assumed the reins of government in 1437. After the death of King Henry V, England had lost momentum in the Hundred Years' War , whereas the House of Valois had gained ground beginning with Joan of Arc 's military victories in the year 1429. The young King came to favour a policy of peace in France and thus favoured the faction around Cardinal Beaufort and William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk , who thought likewise;
1729-578: A growing effort by French lords to resist the growing power of the French monarchy, a conflict which culminated in the Praguerie revolt of 1440. Though the English failed to take advantage of the Praguerie itself, the prospect of gaining the allegiance of one of Charles VII's more rebellious nobles was attractive from a military perspective. In about 1441, the recently ransomed Charles, Duke of Orléans , in an attempt to force Charles VII to make peace with
1862-510: A major dispute over the succession to the English throne . Civil war broke out in 1455, leading to a long period of dynastic conflict known as the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). Henry was deposed on 4 March 1461 by York's eldest son, who took the throne as King Edward IV . Despite Margaret continuing to lead a resistance to Edward, Henry was captured by Edward's forces in 1465 and imprisoned in
1995-496: A majority in that House. The prime minister takes office by attending the monarch in a private audience, and after " kissing hands " that appointment is immediately effective without any other formality or instrument. The sovereign also has the power to dismiss the prime minister, but the last time this power was exercised was in 1834, when William IV dismissed Lord Melbourne ; since then, prime ministers have only left office upon their resignation, which they are expected to offer to
2128-657: A rebellion in Kent in 1450, calling himself "John Mortimer", apparently in sympathy with York, and setting up residence at the White Hart Inn in Southwark (the white hart had been the symbol of the deposed Richard II ). Henry came to London with an army to crush the rebellion, but on finding that Cade had fled kept most of his troops behind while a small force followed the rebels and met them at Sevenoaks . The flight proved to have been tactical: Cade successfully ambushed
2261-505: A result; the lynching of Henry's key adviser, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk , provoked a major rebellion in 1450. Factions and favourites encouraged the rise of further disorder in the country: regional magnates maintained increasing numbers of private armed retainers , including soldiers returned from France, with whom they fought regional conflicts (e.g. the Percy-Neville feud ), terrorised their neighbours, paralysed
2394-435: A safer option. John's eldest son became Henry III , and the French were driven away from the country. On Henry III's death, on 16 November 1272, the throne passed to his eldest son, Edward I . On Edward I's death, on 7 July 1307, the throne passed to his eldest surviving son, Edward II . On the day of Edward II's abdication, 25 January 1327, the throne passed to his eldest son, Edward III . The succession to Edward III
2527-460: A secret alliance with Margaret. After marrying his daughter Anne Neville to Henry and Margaret's son, Warwick returned to England, forced Edward IV into exile, and restored Henry VI to the throne on 3 October 1470; the term " readeption " is still sometimes used for this event. However, by this time, years in hiding followed by years in captivity had taken their toll on Henry. Warwick and Clarence effectively ruled in his name. Henry's return to
2660-460: A seventeen-year long civil war between him and the forces loyal to Matilda. The succession to Stephen was altered by the death of his son Eustace , whom he wished to have crowned king during his own lifetime (in imitation of the Capetian monarchy). Though Stephen still had a son, William , the boy was still young and unprepared to challenge Matilda's son, Henry of Anjou for the throne. Under
2793-712: A similar relationship to the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as to the government of the UK. The sovereign appoints the First Minister of Scotland on the nomination of the Scottish Parliament , and the First Minister of Wales on the nomination of the Senedd . In Scottish matters, the sovereign acts on the advice of the Scottish Government . However, as devolution
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#17327913661922926-429: A title at that time still normally reserved for immediate relatives of the monarch. The new duke of Somerset was sent to France to assume the command of the English forces; this prestigious position was previously held by the duke of York himself, who was dismayed at his term not being renewed and at seeing his enemy take control of it. In the later years of Henry's reign, the monarchy became increasingly unpopular, due to
3059-673: Is further both mentioned in and the subject of songs, loyal toasts, and salutes. " God Save the King " (or, alternatively, "God Save the Queen") is the British national anthem . Oaths of allegiance are made to the Sovereign and their lawful successors. The monarch takes little direct part in government. The authority to use the sovereign's formal powers is almost all delegated, either by statute or by convention , to ministers or officers of
3192-456: Is inconclusive. Overall, Henry VI is largely seen as a weak, inept king, who did nothing to ease the Wars of the Roses . He is widely believed to have favoured diplomacy, rather than all-out war in the Hundred Years' War , in stark contrast to his father, Henry V , who led the victory at Agincourt . This allowed Henry to be heavily influenced by many nobles, such as William de la Pole , who oversaw significant English losses in France, such as
3325-777: Is known to have been away from London. Modern tradition places his death in Wakefield Tower, part of the Tower of London , but that is not supported by evidence, and is unlikely, since the tower was used for record storage at the time. Henry's actual place of death is unknown, though he was imprisoned within the Tower of London. King Henry VI was originally buried in Chertsey Abbey in Surrey , but in 1484 Richard III had his body moved to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . When
3458-676: Is marked by the State Opening of Parliament , during which the monarch reads the speech from the throne in the chamber of the House of Lords, outlining the Government's legislative agenda. Prorogation usually occurs about one year after a session begins, and formally concludes the session. Dissolution ends a parliamentary term, and is followed by a general election for all seats in the House of Commons. If not dissolved sooner, Parliaments are automatically dissolved after five years. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 temporarily removed
3591-800: Is more limited in Wales, in Welsh matters the monarch acts on the advice of the prime minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The sovereign can veto any law passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly , if it is deemed unconstitutional by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . The sovereign is deemed the "fount of justice"; although the monarch does not personally rule in judicial cases, judicial functions are performed in his or her name. For instance, prosecutions are brought on
3724-477: Is murdered. (Shakespeare, William: Henry VI, Part III Act 5, scene 6) There have been many adaptations of Richard III in film , which include the bulk of Henry VI's cultural appearances in modern times. In screen adaptations of these plays Henry has been portrayed by: James Berry in the 1911 silent short Richard III ; Miles Mander portrayed Henry VI in Tower of London , a 1939 historical film loosely dramatising
3857-482: Is not formally required for its exercise, it is limited. Many Crown prerogatives have fallen out of use or have been permanently transferred to Parliament. For example, the sovereign cannot impose and collect new taxes; such an action requires the authorisation of an Act of Parliament. According to a parliamentary report, "The Crown cannot invent new prerogative powers", and Parliament can override any prerogative power by passing legislation. The royal prerogative includes
3990-534: Is portrayed as a pious and peaceful man ill-suited to the crown. He spends most of his time in contemplation of the Bible and expressing his wish to be anyone other than a king. Shakespeare's Henry is weak-willed and easily influenced allowing his policies to be led by Margaret and her allies, and being unable to defend himself against York's claim to the throne. He takes an act of his own volition only just before his death when he curses Richard of Gloucester just before he
4123-409: Is used to pardon convicted offenders or reduce sentences. The sovereign is the " fount of honour ", the source of all honours and dignities in the United Kingdom. The Crown creates all peerages , appoints members of the orders of chivalry , grants knighthoods and awards other honours. Although peerages and most other honours are granted on the advice of the prime minister, some honours are within
Henry VI of England - Misplaced Pages Continue
4256-533: Is widely suspected, however, that Edward IV, who was re-crowned the morning following Henry's death, had ordered his murder. Sir Thomas More 's History of Richard III explicitly states that Richard , who was then the Duke of Gloucester , killed Henry. More might have derived his opinion from Philippe de Commines ' Mémoires . Another contemporary source, Wakefield's Chronicle , gives the date of Henry's death as 23 May 1471, on which date Richard, then only eighteen,
4389-472: The Battle of Barnet and deposed. He died in the Tower of London on 21 May 1471, seventeen days after the final Yorkist victory in the Battle of Tewkesbury . On the day of Edward IV's death, 9 April 1483, he had two living sons: Upon his death, the throne passed to the elder son, who became Edward V. On the day of Edward V's deposition, 25 June 1483, his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York , (born 1473)
4522-529: The Battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May, where Henry's son Edward of Westminster was killed. Henry was imprisoned in the Tower of London again and, when the royal party arrived in London, he was reported dead. Official chronicles and documents state that the deposed king died on the night of 21 May 1471. In all likelihood, his opponents had kept him alive up to that point, rather than leave the Lancastrians with
4655-560: The Battle of Towton , 29 March 1461, by the Duke of York's son, Edward. Henry and Margaret together evaded capture by Edward and this time they both escaped into exile in Scotland. With Scottish aid, Margaret now travelled to the continent to elicit further support for her husband's cause. Mainly under her leadership, Lancastrian resistance continued in the north of England during the first period of Edward IV's reign but met with little luck on
4788-542: The British Army , and the Royal Air Force ), and accredits British High commissioners and ambassadors, and receives heads of missions from foreign states. The sovereign has the power to appoint the prime minister. In accordance with unwritten constitutional conventions, the monarch appoints the individual who commands the support of the House of Commons, usually the leader of a party or coalition that has
4921-473: The Duke of Gloucester and Richard, Duke of York , who argued for a continuation of the war, were ignored. As the English military situation in France deteriorated, talks emerged in England about arranging a marriage for the king to strengthen England's foreign connections and facilitate a peace between the warring parties. In 1434, the English council suggested that peace with the Scots could best be effected by
5054-460: The Earl of Suffolk persuaded Henry that the best way to pursue peace with France was through a marriage with Margaret of Anjou , the niece of King Charles VII. Henry agreed, especially when he heard reports of Margaret's stunning beauty, and sent Suffolk to negotiate with Charles, who consented to the marriage on condition that he would not have to provide the customary dowry and instead would receive
5187-578: The February 1974 general election when Harold Wilson was appointed prime minister after Edward Heath resigned following his failure to form a coalition. Although Wilson's Labour Party did not have a majority, they were the largest party. The second followed the May 2010 general election , in which the Conservatives (the largest party) and Liberal Democrats (the third-largest party) agreed to form
5320-531: The Lascelles Principles , if a minority government asked to dissolve Parliament to call an early election to strengthen its position, the monarch could refuse and would do so under three conditions. When Harold Wilson requested a dissolution late in 1974, Queen Elizabeth II granted his request as Heath had already failed to form a coalition. The resulting general election gave Wilson a small majority. The monarch could in theory unilaterally dismiss
5453-483: The Lordship of Ireland . Meanwhile, Magna Carta began the process of reducing the English monarch's political powers. In the 16th century, English and Scottish monarchs played a central role in what became the religious English Reformation and Scottish Reformation , and the English king became King of Ireland . Beginning in 1603, the English and Scottish kingdoms were ruled by a single sovereign . From 1649 to 1660,
Henry VI of England - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-632: The Privy Council met) to Cirencester (where the King resided). He finally assumed full royal powers when he came of age at the end of the year 1437, when he turned 16 years old. Henry's assumption of full royal powers occurred during the Great Bullion Famine and the beginning of the Great Slump in England. Henry, who was by nature shy, pious, and averse to deceit and bloodshed, immediately allowed his court to be dominated by
5719-478: The Second Battle of St Albans , 17 February 1461, her forces engaged with the Earl of Warwick , under whose custody her husband was being held. She defeated Warwick and liberated the king. Henry's mental state at the time was such that he had reputedly laughed and sung as the battle raged around him. The victory however was short-lived. Within six weeks, the king and queen's forces were once more defeated at
5852-494: The Siege of Orléans . On the other hand, many historians see Henry as a pious, generous king, who was victim of an unstable crown, caused by the deposition of Richard II . John Blacman, personal chaplain of Henry, described the king as a man without "any crook or uncouth." Henry's one lasting achievement was his fostering of education: he founded Eton College ; King's College, Cambridge ; and All Souls College, Oxford . He continued
5985-402: The Tower of London . Henry was restored to the throne by the Earl of Warwick in 1470. Edward retook power in 1471 and killed Henry's only son, Edward of Westminster , at the Battle of Tewkesbury ; Henry was imprisoned once again. Having "lost his wits, his two kingdoms and his only son", Henry died in the Tower during the night of 21 May 1471, possibly killed on the orders of King Edward. He
6118-486: The Treaty of Troyes of 1420, he became titular King of France upon his grandfather Charles VI 's death. His mother, the 20-year-old Catherine of Valois , was viewed with considerable suspicion by English nobles as Charles VI's daughter. She was prevented from playing a full role in her son's upbringing. On 28 September 1423, the nobles swore loyalty to Henry VI, who was not yet two years old. They summoned Parliament in
6251-619: The opposition to Richard II's reign . For the period 1430–1432, Henry was also tutored by the physician John Somerset . Somerset's duties were to "tutor the young king as well as preserv[e] his health". Somerset remained within the royal household until early 1451 after the English House of Commons petitioned for his removal because of his "dangerous and subversive influence over Henry VI". Henry's mother Catherine remarried to Owen Tudor and had two sons by him, Edmund and Jasper . Henry later gave his half-brothers earldoms. Edmund Tudor
6384-565: The petty kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England and early medieval Scotland , which consolidated into the kingdoms of England and Scotland by the 10th century. England was conquered by the Normans in 1066, after which Wales also gradually came under the control of Anglo-Normans . The process was completed in the 13th century when the Principality of Wales became a client state of the English kingdom. The Anglo-Normans also established
6517-680: The royal family within the UK's broader political structure . The monarch since 8 September 2022 is King Charles III , who ascended the throne on the death of Queen Elizabeth II , his mother. The monarch and their immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic and representational duties. Although formally the monarch has authority over the government —which is known as " His/Her Majesty's Government "—this power may only be used according to laws enacted in Parliament and within constraints of convention and precedent . In practice
6650-562: The 1983 BBC versions of Henry VI part 1, 2, and 3 as well as Richard III ; Paul Brennen in the 1989 film version of the full cycle of consecutive history plays performed, for several years, by the English Shakespeare Company ; Edward Jewesbury in the 1995 film version of Richard III with Ian McKellen as Richard; James Dalesandro as Henry in the 2007 modern-day film version of Richard III ; and Tom Sturridge as Henry to Benedict Cumberbatch 's Richard III in
6783-422: The 19th century. The constitutional writer Walter Bagehot identified the monarchy in 1867 as the "dignified" rather than the "efficient" part of government. That part of the government's executive authority which remains theoretically and nominally vested in the sovereign is known as the royal prerogative . The monarch acts within the constraints of convention and precedent, exercising prerogative powers only on
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#17327913661926916-546: The 2016 second season of the BBC series The Hollow Crown , an adaptation of Henry VI (condensed into two parts) and Richard III . Henry VI's marriage to Margaret of Anjou is the subject of the historical novel A Stormy Life (1867) by Lady Georgiana Fullerton . The novel The Triple Crown (1912) by Rose Schuster focuses on Henry's insanity. The novel London Bridge Is Falling (1934) by Philip Lindsay depicts Henry's response to Jack Cade's Rebellion . Henry VI also features in
7049-767: The Anglo-Saxon period, while the feudal system continued to develop. Succession to the English throne Since William the Conqueror claimed the English throne, succession has been determined by bequest, battle, primogeniture , and parliament. On his deathbed, William the Conqueror accorded the Duchy of Normandy to his eldest son Robert Curthose , the Kingdom of England to his son William Rufus , and money for his youngest son Henry Beauclerc for him to buy land. Thus, with William I's death on 9 September 1087,
7182-550: The Crown , or other public bodies . Thus the acts of state done in the name of the Crown, such as Crown Appointments, even if personally performed by the monarch, such as the King's Speech and the State Opening of Parliament , depend upon decisions made elsewhere. In formal terms: The sovereign's role as a constitutional monarch is largely limited to non-partisan functions, such as granting honours . This role has been recognised since
7315-468: The Duke of Somerset, leading the campaign in France, reopened hostilities in Normandy (although he had previously been one of the main advocates for peace), but by the autumn he had been pushed back to Caen . By 1450, the French had retaken the whole province, so hard won by Henry V. Returning troops, who had often not been paid, added to the lawlessness in the southern counties of England. Jack Cade led
7448-486: The Duke of York presenting a list of grievances and demands to the court circle, including the arrest of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. The king initially agreed, but Margaret intervened to prevent the arrest of Beaufort. By 1453, Somerset's influence had been restored, and York was again isolated. The court party was also strengthened by the announcement that the queen was pregnant. However, in August 1453, Henry received
7581-624: The Earls of Warwick and Salisbury , took matters into their own hands. They backed the claims of the rival House of York , first to the control of government, and then to the throne itself (from 1460), pointing to York's better descent from Edward III. It was agreed that York would become Henry's successor, despite York being older. In 1457, Henry created the Council of Wales and the Marches for his son Prince Edward , and in 1458, he attempted to unite
7714-519: The Empire to an end. George VI and his successors adopted the title Head of the Commonwealth as a symbol of the free association of its independent member states. The United Kingdom and fourteen other independent sovereign states that share the same person as their monarch are called Commonwealth realms . Although the monarch is shared, each country is sovereign and independent of the others, and
7847-504: The English party. The proposal was seriously entertained between 1441 and 1443, but a massive French campaign in 1442 against Gascony disrupted the work of the ambassadors and frightened the Count of Armagnac into reluctance. The deal fell through due to problems in commissioning portraits of the Count's daughters and the Count's imprisonment by Charles VII's men in 1443. Cardinal Beaufort and
7980-549: The English throne had followed primogeniture , he would have been succeeded by his nephew Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (born 1187), son of Richard I's brother Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany . However, since Arthur had sided with Philip II of France , Richard's enemy, Richard named his younger brother John as his heir, and he became king. John died, on 19 October 1216, in the midst of conflict against his barons; most of them had already recognised Prince Louis of France as king. However, with John's death, his barons saw his young son as
8113-503: The English, suggested a marriage between Henry VI and Isabella of Armagnac, daughter of John IV, Count of Armagnac , a powerful noble in southwestern France who was at odds with the Valois crown. An alliance with Armagnac would have helped to protect English Gascony from increasing French threats in the region, especially in the face of defections to the enemy by local English vassals, and might have helped to wean some other French nobles to
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#17327913661928246-435: The King's name and established a regency council to govern until the King should come of age. One of Henry V's surviving brothers, John, Duke of Bedford , was appointed senior regent of the realm and was in charge of the ongoing war in France . During Bedford's absence, the government of England was headed by Henry V's other surviving brother, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester , who was appointed Lord Protector and Defender of
8379-627: The Realm. His duties were limited to keeping the peace and summoning Parliament. Henry V's uncle Henry Beaufort , Bishop of Winchester (after 1426 also Cardinal ), had an important place on the Council. After the Duke of Bedford died in 1435, the Duke of Gloucester claimed the Regency himself but was contested by the other members of the Council. From 1428, Henry's tutor was Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick , whose father had been instrumental in
8512-443: The advice of ministers responsible to Parliament, often through the prime minister or Privy Council . In practice, prerogative powers are exercised only on the prime minister's advice – the prime minister, and not the sovereign, has control. The monarch holds a weekly audience with the prime minister; no records of these audiences are taken and the proceedings remain fully confidential. The monarch may express his or her views, but, as
8645-420: The bad news that his army had been routed in the decisive Battle of Castillon . Shortly thereafter, Henry experienced a mental breakdown. He became completely unresponsive to everything that was going on around him for more than a year. At the age of 31, he "fell by a sudden and accidental fright into such a weak state of health that for a whole year and a half he had neither sense nor reason capable of carrying on
8778-440: The battle, Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond , a descendant in a legitimated line of John of Gaunt . He became Henry VII. He also buffered his claim by marrying Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, his heir by male-preference primogeniture upon the deaths of her brothers. On the day of Henry VII's death, 21 April 1509, the throne passed to his only living son, Henry VIII . On the day of Henry VIII's death, 28 January 1547,
8911-423: The body was exhumed in 1910, it was found to be 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall with a damaged, abnormally thin skull and the fore-leg bone of a pig substituting his missing right arm. It was initially thought the damage to the skull indicated a violent death, however due to the difficult nature in identifying cause of death from bones alone, as well as the previous redisposition of his body, such evidence
9044-500: The border to try his fortune with those nobles in the north of England and Wales who were still loyal. Following defeat in the Battle of Hexham , 15 May 1464, Henry, as a fugitive in his own land, continued to be afforded safety in various Lancastrian houses across the north of England. Sir John Pennington provided refuge to Henry VI of England in Muncaster Castle following the battle. Legend has it that Henry VI left behind
9177-474: The courts, and dominated the government. Starting in 1453, Henry had a series of mental breakdowns , making him unable to rule. Power was duly exercised by quarrelsome nobles , headed by the leaders of cadet branches of the royal family ; Richard, 3rd Duke of York and Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset developed a fierce political rivalry and jostled for power in Henry's government. Queen Margaret did not remain politically neutral and took advantage of
9310-413: The day of Henry VI's first deposition, 4 March 1461, the line of succession following agnatic primogeniture was; However, during the Wars of the Roses , Henry VI was forcibly deposed by his third cousin twice removed, Edward, Duke of York, who became Edward IV. After George, Duke of Clarence (born 1449), was proclaimed a traitor on 31 March 1470, Edward IV never formally named a new heir as his queen
9443-532: The field. At the same time as Henry's cause was beginning to look increasingly desperate in military terms, an English embassy to Scotland, through the Earl of Warwick on behalf of Edward, served to further weaken his interests at the Scottish Court in political terms. After the queen mother's death in November 1463, Scotland now actively sued for peace with England and the exiled king passed back across
9576-524: The first coalition government since World War II. The third occurred shortly thereafter, in June 2017 , when the Conservative Party lost its majority in a snap election, though the party remained in power as a minority government . The sovereign has the power to summon, prorogue and dissolve Parliament. Each parliamentary session begins with the sovereign's summons. The new parliamentary session
9709-423: The first in line, who became James II. On the day that James II fled the country, 23 December 1688, the line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones was: Parliament offered the throne jointly to James II's elder daughter, who became Mary II , and her husband and first cousin, William III . The Bill of Rights 1689 established that, whichever of the joint monarchs, William III and Mary II, died first,
9842-431: The flood. Queen Margaret, exiled in Scotland and later in France , was determined to win back the throne on behalf of her husband and her son, Edward of Westminster. By herself, there was little she could do. However, eventually, Edward IV fell out with two of his main supporters: Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and his own younger brother George, Duke of Clarence . At the urging of King Louis XI of France they formed
9975-494: The force in the Battle of Solefields (near Sevenoaks) and returned to occupy London. In the end, the rebellion achieved nothing, and London was retaken after a few days of disorder; but this was principally because of the efforts of its own residents rather than those of the army. At any rate, the rebellion showed that feelings of discontent were running high. In 1451, the Duchy of Aquitaine , held by England since Henry II 's time,
10108-428: The government and neither physician nor medicine could cure that infirmity..." and he was, "...smitten with a frenzy and his wit and reason withdrawn." Henry even failed to respond to the birth of his son Edward six months into the illness. The Duke of York, meanwhile, had gained a very important ally, Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick , one of the most influential magnates and possibly richer than York himself. York
10241-425: The heir to the throne was William Rufus (born 1056), third son of William I. William II had no children. He and his elder brother Robert previously agreed to be each other's heir. However, on his death, on 2 August 1100, Robert was away on crusade. Their younger brother, Henry Beauclerc, had the nobility elect him as king. Henry later warred with Robert and by treaty was recognised as king. The succession to Henry I
10374-542: The house for his arrest. Henry fled into nearby woods but was soon captured at Brungerley Hippings (stepping stones) over the River Ribble . He was subsequently held captive in the Tower of London. The following poem has long been attributed to Henry, allegedly having been written during his imprisonment. However, a largely identical verse appears in William Baldwin 's 1559 work The Mirror for Magistrates ,
10507-409: The line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones was: However, the monarchy in England was abolished and Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector. After Cromwell's death, the monarchy was restored in 1660 under Charles I's eldest son, Charles II. On the day of Charles II death, 6 February 1685, the line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones was: On his death, the throne passed to
10640-483: The line of succession was governed by the Third Succession Act : Upon Henry's death, the throne passed to Henry's son, who became Edward VI. On the day of Edward VI's death, 6 July 1553, the line of succession to the English throne was as follows according to the will of Henry VIII , which excluded the descendants of his elder sister, Margaret, Queen of Scotland (note: Henry VIII's will was signed with
10773-404: The lines of her father's two sisters: Upon Elizabeth's death, despite Henry VIII's will, the throne passed to King James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England. On the day of James I's death, 27 March 1625, the line of succession to the English throne was: Upon his death, the throne passed to the first person in line, who became Charles I. When Charles I was beheaded on 30 January 1649
10906-430: The male line. On the day of Henry IV's death, 20 March 1413, the line of succession to the English throne following agnatic primogeniture was: Upon his death, the throne passed to the first person in line, who became Henry V. On the day of Henry V's death, 31 August 1422, the line of succession following agnatic primogeniture was: Upon his death, the throne passed to the first person in line, who became Henry VI. On
11039-944: The monarch has a different, specific, and official national title and style for each realm. Although the term is rarely used today, the fifteen Commonwealth realms are, with respect to their monarch, in personal union . The monarch is also head of state of the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories . King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee In
11172-421: The monarch to dismiss them; such ministers are euphemistically described as "leaving the government". In a hung parliament where no party or coalition holds a majority, the monarch has an increased degree of latitude in choosing the individual likely to command the most support, though it would usually be the leader of the largest party. Since 1945, there have only been three hung parliaments. The first followed
11305-415: The monarch upon losing their majority in the House of Commons. While the sovereign also appoints and may dismiss every other Minister of the Crown , by convention they do so only on the recommendation of the prime minister. It is therefore the prime minister who controls the composition of the government. In practice, the prime minister will request a member of the government resign in preference to advising
11438-613: The monarch's role, including that of Head of the Armed Forces , is limited to functions such as bestowing honours and appointing the prime minister , which are performed in a non-partisan manner. The UK Government has called the monarchy "a unique soft power and diplomatic asset". The Crown also occupies a unique cultural role, serving as an unofficial brand ambassador for British interests and values abroad, increasing tourism at home, and promoting charities throughout civil society . The British monarchy traces its origins from
11571-424: The most powerful duke in the realm and also being both an agnate and the heir general of Edward III (thus having, according to some, a better claim to the throne than Henry VI himself), probably had the best chances to succeed to the throne after Gloucester. However, he was excluded from the court circle and sent to govern Ireland , while his opponents, the earls of Suffolk and Somerset, were promoted to dukes ,
11704-671: The personal gift of the sovereign and are not granted on ministerial advice. The sovereign alone appoints members of the Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle , the Royal Victorian Order and the Order of Merit . The sovereign is personally immune from criminal prosecution or arrest, as well as from civil actions, and their property is not subject to execution or foreclosure . The Crown , however, as distinct from
11837-545: The pivotal political situation in England at that time: international war in the form of the Hundred Years' War, and civil strife in the form of the War of the Roses. Shakespeare's portrayal of Henry is notable in that it does not mention the King's madness. This is considered to have been a politically advisable move to not risk offending Elizabeth I whose family was descended from Henry's Lancastrian family. Instead, Henry
11970-554: The plays was between the funeral of Henry V (1422) to the Battle of Tewkesbury (1471). Though modern scholars are more interested in the context that the Henry VI trilogy paved for the more popular play Richard III , it was very popular during Elizabethan times. Rather than being representative of the historical events or the actual life and temperament of Henry VI himself, the Shakespearean plays are more representative of
12103-522: The powers to appoint and dismiss ministers, regulate the civil service, issue passports, declare war, make peace, direct the actions of the military, and negotiate and ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements. However, a treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of the United Kingdom; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The sovereign is the Head of the Armed Forces (the Royal Navy ,
12236-483: The present borders of England, though its constituent parts retained strong regional identities. The 11th century saw England become more stable, despite a number of wars with the Danes, which resulted in a Danish monarchy for one generation. The conquest of England in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy , was crucial in terms of both political and social change. The new monarch continued the centralisation of power begun in
12369-446: The priest was raising the communion host, her partial blindness was cured. Although Henry VI's shrine was enormously popular as a pilgrimage destination during the early decades of the 16th century, over time, with the lessened need to legitimise Tudor rule, his cult faded. William Shakespeare and possibly others completed the Henry VI trilogy around 1593, roughly 121 years after the real monarch's death. The period of history covered in
12502-417: The prime minister, but in practice, the prime minister's term nowadays comes to an end only by electoral defeat, death, or resignation. Before a bill passed by the legislative Houses can become law, royal assent (the monarch's approval) is required. In theory, assent can either be granted (making the bill law) or withheld (vetoing the bill), but since 1708 assent has always been granted. The sovereign has
12635-416: The prince, fleeing through Wales to Scotland where she found refuge in the court of the queen regent, Mary of Guelders , recent widow of James II . Here she set about eliciting support for her husband from that kingdom. Re-entering England at the end of the year, the English queen in force engaged with the Duke of York at the Battle of Wakefield , 30 December 1460, where York fell. A few weeks later, at
12768-494: The province of Maine from the English. These conditions were agreed upon in the Treaty of Tours in 1444, but the cession of Maine was kept secret from Parliament, as it was known that this would be hugely unpopular with the English populace. The marriage took place at Titchfield Abbey on 23 April 1445, one month after Margaret's 15th birthday. She had arrived with an established household, composed primarily not of Angevins, but of members of Henry's royal servants; this increase in
12901-432: The respective floral emblems of those colleges, on the spot in the Wakefield Tower at the Tower of London where the imprisoned Henry VI was, according to tradition, murdered as he knelt at prayer. There is a similar ceremony at his resting place, St George's Chapel. Miracles were attributed to Henry, and he was informally regarded as a saint and martyr , addressed particularly in cases of adversity. The anti-Yorkist cult
13034-616: The rise to power of Richard III; Terry Scully in the 1960 BBC series An Age of Kings which contained all the history plays from Richard II to Richard III ; Carl Wery in the 1964 West German TV version König Richard III ; David Warner in The Wars of the Roses , a 1965–66 filmed version of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing the three parts of Henry VI (condensed and edited into two plays, Henry VI and Edward IV ) and Richard III ; Peter Benson in
13167-644: The short story "The Duchess and the Doll" (1950) by Edith Pargeter . King of England The monarchy of the United Kingdom , commonly referred to as the British monarchy , is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state , with their powers regulated by the British Constitution . The term may also refer to the role of
13300-453: The situation to make herself an effective power behind the throne . Amid military disasters in France, and a collapse of law and order in England, the Queen and her clique came under accusations – particularly from Henry VI's increasingly popular cousin, the Duke of York – of misconduct of the war in France and misrule of England. Tensions mounted between Margaret and York over control of the incapacitated King's government, which developed into
13433-490: The size of the royal household, and a concomitant increase on the birth of their son, Edward of Westminster , in 1453, led to proportionately greater expense but also to greater patronage opportunities at Court. Henry had wavered in yielding Maine to Charles, knowing that the move was unpopular and would be opposed by the Dukes of Gloucester and York, and also because Maine was vital to the defence of Normandy . However, Margaret
13566-486: The sovereign's authority to dissolve Parliament, however, this power was restored by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 . The sovereign's power of prorogation was unaffected, which is a regular feature of the parliamentary calendar . In 1950 the King's Private Secretary Sir Alan "Tommy" Lascelles , writing pseudonymously to The Times newspaper, asserted a constitutional convention: according to
13699-430: The sovereign's behalf, and courts derive their authority from the Crown. The common law holds that the sovereign "can do no wrong", and so cannot be prosecuted for criminal offences. The Crown Proceedings Act 1947 allows civil lawsuits against the Crown in its public capacity (that is, lawsuits against the government), but not lawsuits against the monarch personally. The sovereign exercises the "prerogative of mercy", which
13832-526: The sovereign's property without permission. Following Viking raids and settlement in the ninth century, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex emerged as the dominant English kingdom. Alfred the Great secured Wessex, achieved dominance over western Mercia , and assumed the title "King of the Anglo-Saxons". His grandson Æthelstan was the first king to rule over a unitary kingdom roughly corresponding to
13965-407: The sovereign, can be the subject of proceedings for tort and contract since 1947 . There are more than 160 laws granting express immunity to the sovereign or their property in various respects. For example, the sovereign is exempt from anti-discrimination legislation and other workers' rights, health and safety, or pensions laws, as well as numerous taxes, and environmental inspectors cannot enter
14098-524: The terms of the Treaty of Wallingford that ended the Anarchy, Stephen agreed to make Henry his successor. Thus, on the day of Stephen's death, 25 October 1154, Henry became King Henry II. The succession to Henry II was altered by the death of his son, Henry the Young King , who was crowned king while his father still lived. Henry II had wished to divide his lands among his children upon his death, but
14231-497: The territory held by the English, including the English monarch's ancestral lands in Aquitaine and the conquered Normandy . By 1453, Calais was the only English-governed territory on the continent. Henry's domestic popularity declined in the 1440s, partly due to the revelation that a large, strategically important territory (the county of Maine ) had been secretly returned to the French. Political unrest in England grew rapidly as
14364-412: The throne as Mary I. On the day of Mary I's death, 17 November 1558, the line of succession to the English throne was as follows according to the will of Henry VIII : Upon her death, the throne passed to the first person in the succession, who became Elizabeth I. During her reign, Elizabeth I never named a successor. On the day of Elizabeth's death, 24 March 1603, Elizabeth's potential heirs were from
14497-511: The throne lasted less than six months. Warwick soon overreached himself by declaring war on Burgundy , whose ruler Charles the Bold responded by giving Edward IV the assistance he needed to win back his throne by force. Edward returned to England in early 1471 and was reconciled with Clarence. Warwick was killed at the Battle of Barnet on 14 April and the Yorkists won a final decisive victory at
14630-439: The throne. In 1707, the kingdoms of England and Scotland were merged to create the Kingdom of Great Britain , and in 1801, the Kingdom of Ireland joined to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Beginning in the 16th century, the monarch was the nominal head of what came to be the vast British Empire , which covered a quarter of the world's land area at its greatest extent in 1921. The title Emperor of India
14763-643: The tradition of monarchy was broken by the republican Commonwealth of England , which followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . Following the installation of William III and Mary II as co-monarchs in the Glorious Revolution , the Bill of Rights 1689 , and its Scottish counterpart the Claim of Right Act 1689 , further curtailed the power of the monarchy and excluded Catholics from succession to
14896-495: The uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom , the monarch (exclusively referred to in legislation as "the Sovereign ", and styled His or Her Majesty ) is the head of state . The monarch's image is used to signify British sovereignty and government authority – their profile, for instance, appears on Bank of England notes and all British coins and their portrait in government buildings. The Sovereign
15029-493: The usurper, Richard III. By the time of Henry VIII 's break with Rome , canonisation proceedings were under way. Hymns to him still exist, and until the Reformation his hat was kept by his tomb at Windsor , where pilgrims would put it on to enlist Henry's aid against migraines. Numerous miracles were credited to the dead king, including his raising the plague victim Alice Newnett from the dead and appearing to her as she
15162-459: The warring factions by staging the Loveday in London. Despite such attempts at reconciliation, tensions between the houses of Lancaster and York eventually broke out in open war. Their forces engaged at the Battle of Northampton , 10 July 1460, where the king was captured and taken into captivity under the Yorkists. Queen Margaret, who also had been on the field, managed to escape with her son,
15295-607: The wedding of Henry to one of the daughters of King James I of Scotland ; the proposal came to nothing. During the Congress of Arras in 1435, the English put forth the idea of a union between Henry and a daughter of King Charles VII of France , but the Armagnacs refused even to contemplate the suggestion unless Henry renounced his claim to the French throne. Another proposal in 1438 to a daughter of King Albert II of Germany likewise failed. Better prospects for England arose amid
15428-567: Was added to the British monarch's titles between 1876 and 1948. The Balfour Declaration of 1926 recognised the evolution of the Dominions of the Empire into separate, self-governing countries within a Commonwealth of Nations . Also in this period, the monarchy in Ireland eventually became limited to Northern Ireland . In the years after World War II , the vast majority of British colonies and territories became independent, effectively bringing
15561-613: Was also lost. In October 1452, an English advance in Aquitaine retook Bordeaux and was having some success, but by 1453 Bordeaux was lost again, leaving Calais as England's only remaining territory on the continent. In 1452, the Duke of York was persuaded to return from Ireland , claim his rightful place on the council, and put an end to bad government. His cause was a popular one and he soon raised an army at Shrewsbury . The court party, meanwhile, raised their own similar-sized force in London. A stand-off took place south of London, with
15694-447: Was altered by the death of his son, William Adelin . Left without male heirs, Henry took the unprecedented step of making his barons swear to accept his daughter Empress Matilda , widow of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor , as his heir. However, her cousin, Stephen of Blois (the third son of Adela of Normandy ) gained the support of the barons and usurped the throne, claiming that Henry had changed his mind on his deathbed. This act provoked
15827-447: Was being stitched in her shroud. He also intervened in the attempted hanging of a man who had been unjustly condemned to death, accused of stealing some sheep. Henry placed his hand between the rope and the man's windpipe, thus keeping him alive, after which he was revived in the cart as it was taking him away for burial. He was also capable of inflicting harm, such as when he struck John Robyns blind after Robyns cursed "Saint Henry". Robyns
15960-520: Was born during the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), at the beginning of its third phase , in which his uncle, Charles VII , contested the Lancastrian claim to the French throne , which had been ratified by the Treaty of Troyes (1420) . He is the only English monarch to have been crowned King of France, in a coronation in Notre-Dame de Paris in 1431. His early reign, when England was ruled by
16093-400: Was buried at Chertsey Abbey before being moved to Windsor Castle in 1484. Miracles were attributed to Henry after his death and he was informally regarded as a saint and martyr until the 16th century. He left a legacy of educational institutions, having founded Eton College , King's College, Cambridge and (together with Henry Chichele ) All Souls College, Oxford . Shakespeare wrote
16226-422: Was described as timid, shy, passive, benevolent and averse to warfare and violence; after 1453, he became mentally unstable. His ineffective reign saw the near total loss of English lands in France . In 1445 – partially in the hope of achieving peace – Henry married Charles VII's niece, the ambitious and strong-willed Margaret of Anjou . The peace policy failed and war recommenced; France rapidly recovered much of
16359-477: Was determined that he should see it through. As the treaty became public knowledge in 1446, public anger focused on the Earl of Suffolk, but Henry and Margaret were determined to protect him. In 1447, the king and queen summoned the Duke of Gloucester to appear before parliament on the charge of treason. Queen Margaret had no tolerance for any sign of disloyalty toward her husband and kingdom, thus any suspicion of this
16492-449: Was encouraged by Henry VII of England as dynastic propaganda. A volume was compiled of the miracles attributed to him at St George's Chapel, Windsor, where Richard III had reinterred him, and Henry VII began building a chapel at Westminster Abbey to house Henry VI's relics. A number of Henry VI's miracles possessed a political dimension, such as his cure of a young girl afflicted with the King's evil , whose parents refused to bring her to
16625-423: Was forced to sign the unfavorable treaty of Azay-le-Rideau on 4 July 1189 (two days before his death) with the king of France and his rebellious sons, by which he recognised his eldest son Richard as sole heir. On the day of Henry II's death, 6 July 1189, the throne passed to his eldest living son: Richard I . Richard had no legitimate children. On the day of his death, 6 April 1199, if the line of succession to
16758-511: Was governed according to his entail to the crown in 1376. On his death, on 21 June 1377, the line of succession to the English throne was: The throne passed to the first person in line, who became Richard II. After the death of Richard's uncle, John of Gaunt , in 1399, the two main contenders to be Richard II's heir were: Richard disinherited Henry, who was in exile, but Richard was deposed and Bolingbroke became king as Henry IV. Henry had justified his usurpation by emphasising his descent in
16891-431: Was healed only after he went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of King Henry. A particular devotional act that was closely associated with the cult of Henry VI was the bending of a silver coin as an offering to the "saint" so that he might perform a miracle. One story had a woman, Katherine Bailey, who was blind in one eye. As she was kneeling at mass, a stranger told her to bend a coin to King Henry. She promised to do so, and as
17024-495: Was immediately brought to her attention. This move was instigated by Gloucester's enemies, the earl of Suffolk, whom Margaret held in great esteem, and the ageing Cardinal Beaufort and his nephew, Edmund Beaufort, Earl of Somerset . Gloucester was put in custody in Bury St Edmunds , where he died, probably of a heart attack (although contemporary rumours spoke of poisoning) before he could be tried. The Duke of York, being
17157-485: Was named regent as Protector of The Realm in 1454. The queen was excluded completely, and Edmund Beaufort was detained in the Tower of London, while many of York's supporters spread rumours that Edward was not the king's son, but Beaufort's. Other than that, York's months as regent were spent tackling the problem of government overspending. Around Christmas Day 1454, King Henry regained his senses. Disaffected nobles who had grown in power during Henry's reign, most importantly
17290-458: Was pregnant at the time, and he was hoping (correctly) that the child would be a boy. On 3 October 1470 however, Edward IV was deposed and the throne was restored to Henry VI, the previous monarch, during the period known as the Readeption of Henry VI . On the day of Henry VI's second deposition, 11 April 1471, the line of succession following agnatic primogeniture was: Henry was defeated in
17423-405: Was shortly after his crowning ceremony at Merton Priory on All Saints' Day , 1 November 1437, shortly before his 16th birthday, that he obtained some measure of independent authority. This was confirmed on 13 November 1437, but his growing willingness to involve himself in administration had already become apparent in 1434, when the place named on writs temporarily changed from Westminster (where
17556-480: Was the father of King Henry VII of England . In reaction to the coronation of Charles VII of France in Reims Cathedral on 17 July 1429, Henry was soon crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on 6 November 1429, aged 7, followed by his own coronation as King of France at Notre-Dame de Paris on 16 December 1431, aged 10. He was the only English king to be crowned king in both England and France. It
17689-407: Was the heir presumptive to throne. The King and his brother however were declared illegitimate and the throne was claimed by their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester . Following the death of Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales on 9 April 1484, Richard III never formally named a new heir. On 22 August 1485, Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field , and was succeeded by the victor of
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