Bosworth Field, Battle of

Bosworth Field, Battle of
(Aug. 22, 1485) Final battle in the English Wars of the Roses.

It was fought between the forces of King Richard III of York and the contender for the crown, Henry Tudor (later Henry VII) of Lancaster. The battle occurred when Henry returned from exile, landing with an army at Milford Haven and meeting Richard's forces 12 mi (19 km) west of Leicester. The king's men were defeated and put to flight, and Richard was unhorsed and killed in a bog (a scene depicted in William Shakespeare's Richard III). The battle established the Tudor dynasty on the English throne.

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▪ English history
 (Aug. 22, 1485), battle in the English Wars of the Roses, fought 12 miles (19 km) west of Leicester and 3 miles (5 km) south of Market Bosworth, between the forces of the Yorkist King Richard III and the Lancastrian contender for the crown, Henry Tudor (the future Henry VII). It was in effect the last battle of the wars, and it established the Tudor dynasty on the English throne. Henry, returning from exile, landed at Milford Haven (August 7) and marched toward Richard at Leicester. Early on August 22 Richard's army reached a superior position on Ambien Hill. Richard's ally, John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, was killed in the initial skirmish. Though called to the area by the king, Thomas, Lord Stanley (later 1st Earl of Derby), and Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, failed to assist the Yorkists in battle. When Richard moved against Henry Tudor, Sir William Stanley, brother of Lord Stanley who had privately pledged support for Henry, attacked Richard's flank. The Yorkist army melted away, while Richard, preferring death, was unhorsed and killed in the bog.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Bosworth Field — [bäz′wərth] field in Leicestershire, England: scene of the final battle (1485) in the Wars of the Roses, in which Richard III was killed; the crown passed to the victor, the Earl of Richmond (Henry VII) …   English World dictionary

  • Battle of Bosworth Field — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Bosworth Field partof=the Wars of the Roses caption= date=August 22, 1485 place=In the area of Market Bosworth in Leicestershire, England result=Decisive Lancastrian victory combatant1=… …   Wikipedia

  • Bosworth Field — Battle of 22 August 1485. Battle which ended in the death of the last Plantagenet ruler, Richard III at the hand of Henry Tudor. Though Richard’s army was larger, morale was low. During the battle, troops of the Stanley family, hitherto loyal to… …   Medieval glossary

  • the Battle of Bosworth Field — ➡ Bosworth Field * * * …   Universalium

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  • Bosworth Field — Bos|worth Field the place where the final battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought in 1485, where Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • The Ballad of Bosworth Field —    The Ballad of Bosworth Field is one of the fullest poetic retellings of the 1485 Battle of BOSWORTH FIELD, and may possibly provide authentic details concerning the battle itself. The earliest surviving copy of the ballad dates to the… …   Encyclopedia of the Wars of the Roses

  • (the) Battle of Bosworth Field — the Battle of Bosworth Field [the Battle of Bosworth Field] the last battle (1485) in the ↑Wars of the Roses. It was fought near Market Bosworth in Leicestershire between King ↑Richard III of England and Henry Tudor. Richard died in the battle… …   Useful english dictionary

  • field — /feeld/, n. 1. an expanse of open or cleared ground, esp. a piece of land suitable or used for pasture or tillage. 2. Sports. a. a piece of ground devoted to sports or contests; playing field. b. (in betting) all the contestants or numbers that… …   Universalium

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