Whitewood, Dickon/Turner, Graham (Illustr.) Stoke Field 1487. The Last Battle of the Wars of the Roses

The Battle of Stoke Field is popularly considered to be the final battle of the Wars of the Roses. Less than two years earlier, King Henry VII had been crowned on the battlefield after his victory over Richard III at Bosworth. Henry soon took steps to secure his crown, ensuring that he retained control over all potential rivals. Despite these efforts, a conspiracy against his rule soon emerged, culminating in the coronation of a rival king in Ireland. The rebels launched an invasion of England and initially enjoyed some success, but failed to gain widespread support for their cause. As they advanced south, they encountered Henry VII's hastily assembled but numerically superior army outside the village of East Stoke, four miles south of Newark. Featuring artwork and detailed maps, this expertly written title provides a comprehensive account of the battle that secured the throne for the new Tudor dynasty. It is one of the least documented conflicts of the period, but remains highly interesting and significant, not only as the final decisive battle in the bloody Wars of the Roses, but also because of the nature of the soldiers present on the battlefield. This book examines the role played by these various factions and how this contributed to the final victory.