Henry VI
December 6, 1421 (Windsor) - May 21, 1471 (London). Son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois. In 1445 he married Margaret of Anjou with whom he had one son, Edward (Prince of Wales). Edward was killed in the battle of Tewkesbury on May 20, 1471, one day before his father's execution.
Already in 1422 Henry became king of England and France. Since 1428 his preceptor was Richard Beauchamp who trained him to be a good man and refined gentleman. On November 6, 1429 he was crowned at Westminster and on December 26, 1431 in Paris.
As animosity spread in France Joan of Arc appeared in 1428, who rescued the French Dauphin Charles in 1429 that led to his coronation as Charles VII in Reims. England lost Brittany in 1449, the Normandy in 1450 and Gascony in 1453 that was the starting point of the Hundred Years' War. Except for Calais Henry lost all French territories. During his reign the War of the Roses was at its most ferocious. After an attack of a hereditary mental illness, Richard, Duke of York, was made protector of Henry's realms. His wife Margaret rebelled against Richard but she was defeated at St Albans in 1455. In 1460 Richard trapped Henry and forced him to pass over the crown to him. But Henry could escape and joined the Lancastrian forces. He attacked the Yorks at Towton in March 1461 and was defeated. Richard's son Edward IV was proclaimed king. Henry and Margaret had to go to exile to Scotland where they were captured. They were imprisoned in the Tower of London until 1470. In September 1470 Henry was restored to power at short notice. After the defeat of his son at Tewkesbury Henry had to go back to the Tower and was killed one day later on May 21, 1471.
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