One of the key figures in the dynasticcivil wars, which are better known as the Wars of the Roses, was Marguerite of Anjou. She personally led the Lancaster faction. Being the wife of Henry VI, she because of the constant bouts of insanity of her husband took his place. In fact, the country was led by the Queen Consort of England.
The future ruler was born in the eastFrance, in the feudal imperial possession of Pont-a-Mousson of the Duchy of Lorraine in March 1430. She was the fifth child in the family of Rene Anjou. Her mother Isabella, the Duchess of Lorraine, paid great attention to the education of her children. Antoine de La Salle himself, a well-known French writer, who now belongs to the late Middle Ages, dealt with it.
Father Margarita, better known as "goodKing René, was the titular king of Sicily, Naples and Jerusalem. He was considered a man who has several crowns, but not one kingdom. The daughter was baptized in Lorraine. While in the care of her father's wet nurse, Marguerite of Anjou spent her childhood in a castle on the River Rhone, and when she was six years old, she was transferred to Capua, to the old royal palace in the kingdom of Sicily. As a child, the future wife of King Henry was called la petite creature.
In April 1445 in the county of Hampshire MargaritaAnjou married Henry VI, who was eight years older than she. Then he still only claimed the throne. The future king controlled some areas of northern France. Henry's uncle, Charles VII, also claiming the crown, gave his consent to Margarita's marriage with his rival relative under one condition: the father of the bride instead of the usual dowry was to give him the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine.
The government of England, who fears extremelynegative reaction of society, decided to keep this treaty secret. May 30, 1445 in Westminster Abbey, Archbishop of Canterbury, was crowned Margarita of Anjou. The Queen of England, as her contemporaries described her, although she was too young, but differed in those features that should be inherent in the ruling person. She was considered beautiful and passionate, but strong-willed and proud. At the court, many hoped that Queen Margarita of Anjou would justify their expectations and understand their duty.
Henry VI was always more interested in religion andteachings than military matters. Apparently, therefore, he was not considered a successful ruler. Becoming a king at an early age, he was under the control of his guardians and regents from the very beginning. Moreover, when Henry married, his mental state, judging by the chroniclers, was very unstable. And the birth of Edward, his only son with Margarita, in 1453, finally undermined the health and psyche of the king.
There were even rumors at court that he was not instate was to breed an heir, and therefore the newborn Prince of Wales is the result of an adultery. According to some data, Edward's father could be either the Duke of Somerset, or Earl of Wiltshire. Both of them considered Marguerite of Anjou as their loyal allies.
Biography of the Queen of England, completelysharing her husband's predilection for culture and science, was closely associated with Cambridge University. Here she founded a college sponsored until her death.
Moving from the capital to the luxurious Greenwichthe palace, Marguerite of Anjou completely dedicated herself to caring for her son. But once she realized that her husband was threatened with the overthrow of the Duke of York, appointed during his husband's mental incapacity (1453-1454) by his regent, she decides to preserve the crown for her descendants. On the throne of the strong contender claimed unreasonably, the more so that on his side were a lot of powerful relatives who were preparing to support him.
Historians say that during that period, MargaritaAnjou, although provocatively unpopular, was nevertheless considered a powerful enough force in politics. The trusting, bent and unstable Heinrich became plasticine in the hands of his wife, when she wanted to do something. Margarita was able not only to persuade him to recall the Duke from his post as Governor in France, but also to send him to Ireland. It was she who repeatedly tried to kill her husband's rival in 1449 and 1450. However, she did not succeed.
Ambition and Authority Margarita of Anjoubecame one of the main reasons for the uprising of the Yorkists. It was with him that the Wars of the Roses and the Roses began, lasting thirty years - from 1455 to 1485. The causes of this internecine feudal conflict between two powerful representatives of the royal dynasty of England, Lancaster and York are not only the difficult economic situation after the Hundred Years' War, but also the discontent of the society with the policies pursued by Marguerite of Anjou with their favorites. King Henry himself, who suffered from dementia, periodically fell into unconsciousness, personally could not rule the country.
Open war between two aristocraticfamilies - Scarlet and White roses in the coat of arms of England, began in 1455. In the first battle, held at St. Albans, the victories were made by representatives of Yorkists. They were able to achieve that the parliament declared the Duke of York the heir of Henry VI. Margarita had to flee to the north of the country. Here, the consort queen was able to gather a large enough army. In one of the following battles, Richard was killed. His severed head with a paper crown mounted on it was exposed on the tower of the city wall in the county of York.
After Richard's death,Edward is his own son. In early 1461, he, supported by Count Warwick, was able twice to defeat the troops of the Lancastrians. He managed to occupy London, where he declared himself king of England. Edward IV concluded the Tower of the Deposed Henry VI. And Queen Margaret of Anjou fled from England.
The king who came to power as a result of the War of the RosesEdward IV in order to strengthen his power began to restrict the freedom of the feudal nobility. Thus, he earned the distrust of his former comrades-in-arms. Former allies led by Count Warwick rebelled. The king had to flee England, and the deposed Henry VI was freed from prison and again returned to the throne.
But Edward, who returned to England in 1471, was ableTwice split the troops of the allies of Warwick and Margarita of Anjou. During the fighting, both the earl and the son of the queen died, Prince Edward. Henry was again imprisoned in the Tower, where he died in May 1471.
Margarita tried to fight for the lastthe throne of the spouse. And only the death of her only son forced the queen to abandon the war. She was captured by the Yorkists, but was in 1475 bought by Louis XI. About this the king asked her father. Her last years of life Marguerite Anjou in France. These seven years she lived as a poor relative at the court. The queen-consort died in August, 1482. She was only fifty-two years old. They buried Marguerite in the Cathedral of Angers, next to their parents, but during the years of the French Revolution, both the cathedral itself and its grave were looted.
