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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Henry VI
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(1421–71)
King of England 1422–61 and 1470–1, the last ruler of the house of *Lancaster; son of Henry V and Catherine of France; married Margaret of Anjou (1445).
The successes in France of his father, *Henry V, meant that he inherited the thrones of France and England, both of them before his first birthday. He was crowned at Westminster in 1429 and in Paris in 1431. The latter was a hollow gesture because the tide had turned against England in the *Hundred Years' War. In a similar way the *Wars of the Roses, largely provoked by Henry's inadequacies as a ruler, ended his power at home. The wars began with a defeat of the royal army by the Yorkists at the Battle of St Albans in 1455.
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At the second battle of St Albans, in 1461, Henry himself was captured. His Yorkist rival was proclaimed king as *Edward IV (see the *royal house). Henry fled to Scotland, but in 1465 was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was restored to the throne by *Warwick the Kingmaker for a brief period from October 1470, until Edward IV defeated Warwick at Barnet, entered London and returned Henry to the Tower, where he was murdered on 21 May 1471. Meanwhile his legitimate heir, Prince Edward (1453–71), had been killed on May 4 in the Battle of Tewkesbury. Henry's most lasting achievements were his foundations at *Eton and King's College, *Cambridge.
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