In 1972 the Dominion of Ceylon became the ‘Free Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka.
Later in 1978 it became the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka which it is known as today.
In 1455 the first battle of the War of the Roses took place.
On the 31st of August 1422 the great warrior King Henry V died after conquering much of France and procuring the French Throne for his descendants in the Treaty of Troyes. Upon his death his son, Henry VI became King of England and one month later on the death of his maternal grandfather, King Charles VI, he inherited the French crown aged 11 months. His uncle ruled as regent until 1437 when Henry VI was considered old enough to rule.
King Charles the VI son, who had disinherited the French throne through the Treaty of Troyes, had proclaimed himself King Charles VII of France and ruled the land south of the Loire River. The Hundred years War continued with Henry’s Regent, John Lancaster, ruling the North of France. After Joan of Arc’s first victory in breaking the siege on the 29th of April 1429 the French army had a series of victories against the English forces. Henry wasn’t a warrior King like his father being much more of a pacifist and wanted peace in France despite council from Richard, Duke of York and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, to continue with the war. He was persuaded to marry Margaret of Anjou (Charles VI niece) to appease the French by William de la Pole, the Earl of Suffolk. In order to marry Margaret, Henry signed a secret Treaty of Tours which gave up territory in France.
His new wife was very influential in Henry’s decisions and Richard, Duke of York was ordered to leave court and govern Ireland while the Earl of Suffolk was promoted to the Duke of Somerset and sent to France to run the continuing war.
As well as the French throne Henry had inherited mental illness from Charles VI causing bouts of insanity. In 1453 French forces defeated the English, winning the Hundred Years War and regaining the territory in France Henry V had conquered. The loss of territories in France made Henry ill he lapsed into insanity once more. With Henry VI still ill the English Parliament placed Richard, Duke of York, as Protector of the Realm on the 27th of March 1454.
King Henry VI was from the House of Lancaster and his great-grandfather was John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and third son of King Edward III of England.
Richard, the Duke of York’s grandfather was Edmund of Langley, and fourth Son of Edward III. But the house of York also had a strong claim to the throne through their maternal descendants and Richard’s father was beheaded for trying to take the throne from Henry V.
Margaret saw Henry as a threat to the throne and when Henry VI returned to better health in the October of 1454, York was dismissed of his duties.
York gathered an army and on this day in 1455 he met the Kings Lancastrian forces at St. Albans and defeated their Army. The Duke of Somerset was killed and Henry VI was captured.
So began the war for the crown between the house of York, with the emblem of a white rose and the house of Lancaster with their emblem gold lions on a red background. The thirty year war was later named the “War of the Roses” when, a centaury later, the house of Lancaster changed their emblem to a red rose.
