[press release] [click any picture for a larger version]
Royal Mail Reveals New Stamps Being Issued To Mark The Key Battle In The Wars Of The Roses – 550th Anniversary Of The Battle Of Tewkesbury
Issue date: May 4, 2021
- Eight stamps feature stunning oil illustrations re-imagining eight key battles across the years of the Wars
- Between 1455 and 1487, England was torn apart by a series of violent struggles for the throne
- The period witnessed the deposition of three kings, and the violent death of two of them, in a series of bloody battles known as the Wars of the Roses
- The Wars of the Roses were fought between the houses of Lancaster and York
- The Wars are thought to be named after the emblems of the contending parties: the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster
- The illustrations are by Graham Turner, a leading medieval and military artist
- Royal Mail also worked with writer, historian and researcher, Dr David Grummitt on the stamp issue
- The full set of eight stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.40. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order on the Royal Mail website here.
- The stamps will go on general sale from 4 May 2021
Royal Mail has revealed a set of eight stamps being issued to mark the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Tewkesbury, one of the defining battles of the Wars of the Roses.
The illustrations are by Graham Turner, a leading medieval and military artist. The stamps feature stunning artwork, re-imagining eight key battles across the years of the Wars.
Royal Mail also worked with writer, historian and researcher, Dr David Grummitt on the stamp issue.
It can be argued that the Wars of the Roses, due largely to the history plays of William Shakespeare, is one of the best known, if least understood, periods of English history.
The Wars of the Roses were fought between the two rival cadet branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the House of Lancaster and the House of York, and were named – many years later – after the supposed emblems of the contending parties: the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster.
The second half of the 15th century saw a series of violent struggles for the throne. The period 1455–87 witnessed the deposition of three kings, and the violent death of two of them, in a series of bloody battles 
that engaged all ranks of society.
Following the English defeat to France in the Hundred Years War, rival nobles struggled for control of the weak king, Henry VI. This led to a bloody skirmish in 1455 with sustained fighting from 1459.
The following year, Richard, Duke of York, laid claim to the throne. Although he was killed in battle in 1460, his son, Edward, took up the Yorkist cause, defeating the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton a few months 
later.
As Edward IV, he ruled until a rebellion led by his cousin, Warwick the Kingmaker, ended in his deposition in 1470 in favour of Henry VI. Returning the following year, Edward defeated and killed Warwick and captured Henry VI, who was later executed.
After more than a decade of peace, Edward’s untimely death in 1483 led to the usurpation of the throne by his brother, Richard III. Richard’s reign was cut short by another usurper, 
Henry Tudor, at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
David Gold, Royal Mail, said: “The Wars of the Roses fascinated both Shakespeare and historians alike. These striking illustrations bring to life a period of British history that was steeped in drama, betrayal and a quest for power that still enthrals today.”
Stamp-by-Stamp:
Battle of Bosworth, 1485
King Richard III marshals his men before his final, heroic charge on 22 August 1485.
Battle of Tewkesbury, 1471
Exactly 550 years ago, on 4 May 1471, the Yorkist King Edward IV leads his men forward after a failed Lancastrian attack on his flank.
Battle of Barnet, 1471
On Easter Sunday 1471, Edward IV leads his army into battle, defeating and killing Warwick the Kingmaker.
Battle of Edgecote Moor, 1469
The Yorkist knight Sir Richard Herbert shows his prowess fighting on the front line against rebel forces on 26 July 1469.
Battle of Towton, 1461
On Palm Sunday 1461, the Yorkist archers, using the weather to their advantage, fire volleys of arrows into the advancing Lancastrians.
Battle of Wakefield, 1460
On 30 December 1460, the sons of the Lancastrian lords killed at St Albans five years earlier cut down Richard, Duke of York.
Battle of Northampton, 1460
Edward, Earl of March, the future Edward IV, proclaims his loyalty to Henry VI after the Yorkist victory on 10 July 1460.
First Battle of St Albans, 1455
On 22 May 1455, the streets of St Albans see the first blows of the Wars of the Roses when the Duke of York and his allies attack the royal party.
The full set of eight stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.40. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order Royal Mail website here.
The stamps will go on general sale from 4 May 2021. 
