Second Battle of St. Albans
February 17, 1461
Following the defeat of the Yorkist army at Wakefield, a large Lancastrian army of about 12,000 men pillaged and plundered its way south towards London. At St Albans the Earl of Warwick and about 9.000 Yorkists encamped in and about the north of the town on Barnard's Heath and Nomansland Common. Here they constructed a number of defences including caltraps, spiked nets and pavises and awaited the arrival of the Lancastrian army. The attack did not come in the direction Warwick had anticipated: a large Lancastrian vanguard entered St Albans from the direction of Dunstable and chased the Yorkist rearguard out of the town. The main Yorkist army was then attacked from the flank and rear. Even so, most of the Yorkist army withdrew in good order amid the confusion. Warwick then marched west towards the approaching Yorkist army commanded by Edward, Earl of March. This left London to defend itself. When the Lancastrian army arrived outside the city walls the Londoners refused to open the gates. Without sufficient artillery the Lancastrians were forced to withdraw north to Yorkshire again.
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For more information on his work, his website is located at http://www.studio88.co.uk
Yorkists Lancastrians
|
William Lord Bonville, executed |
Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset |
|
Edward Lord Bourchier |
John Lord Clifford |
|
John Bourchier, Lord Berners, taken prisoner |
Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon |
|
Lord Charlton, taken prisoner |
Henry Lord Grey of Codnor |
|
Sir William Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel |
Sir John Grey of Groby, killed in battle |
|
William Gregory |
Ralph Lord Greystoke |
|
Henry VI, captured by Lancastrians |
Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter |
|
Sir Thomas Kyriel, executed |
Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland |
|
Sir Henry Lovelace, went over to Lancastrians |
Robert Poynings, killed in battle |
|
John Neville, Lord Montague, taken prisoner |
Henry Lord Roos |
|
Sir John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk |
Sir William Tailboys, knighted |
|
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick |
John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury |
|
William Neville, Lord Fauconberg |
Sir Andrew Trollope, knighted |
|
John De La Pole, Duke of Suffolk |
Richard Willoughby, Lord Welles |
|
Sir John Wenlock |
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