The Battle of Wakefield took place at Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, on December 30, 1460, and was one of the major actions of the Wars of the Roses. The opposing factions were a royal army, nominally commanded by Margaret of Anjou, and the supporters of Richard, Duke of York, rival claimant to the throne. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) is the name generally given to the intermittent civil war fought over the throne of England between adherents of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... Events The first Portuguese navigators reach the coast of modern Sierra Leone. ... For other uses of the word, see Wakefield (disambiguation). ... West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England, corresponding roughly to the core of the West Riding of the traditional county of Yorkshire. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... The House of Lancaster is a dynasty of English kings. ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... Margaret of Anjou (March 23, 1429 - August 25, 1482) was the Queen consort of Henry VI of England from 1445 to 1471, and a major proponent in the Wars of the Roses. ... The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) is the name generally given to the intermittent civil war fought over the throne of England between adherents of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. ... The First Battle of St Albans was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on May 22, 1455 in the town of St Albans. ... Battle of Blore Heath Conflict Wars of the Roses Date September 23, 1459 Place Blore Heath Result Yorkist victory The Battle of Blore Heath was the first major battle in the English Wars of the Roses and was fought on September 23, 1459, at Blore Heath, two miles east of... The Battle of Ludford Bridge was the worst disaster suffered by the Yorkists during the early years of the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July 1460. ... The Battle of Mortimers Cross was fought on February 2, 1461 near Wigmore, Herefordshire (between Hereford and Leominster, by the River Lugg). ... The Second Battle of St Albans was a battle of the English Wars of the Roses fought February 22, 1461 near the town of St Albans. ... The Battle of Ferrybridge, 28 March 1461, was a small engagement between the houses of York and Lancaster before the larger battle of Towton, during the period know as the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Towton in the Wars of the Roses was the bloodiest ever fought on British soil, with casualties believed to have been in excess of 20,000 (perhaps as many as 30,000) men. ... The Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 25 April 1464, was a battle of the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Hexham (May 15, 1464) marked the end of significant Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV. John Neville, later to be 1st Marquess of Montagu, led a modest force of 3,000_4,000 men, routed the rebel... The Battle of Edgecote Moor took place 6 miles northeast of Banbury (Oxfordshire), England on July 26, 1469 during the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Losecote Field was fought on 12 March 1470, during the period know as the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Barnet, which took place on April 14, 1471, was a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, near the town of Barnet, 10 miles north of London. ... The Battle of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, which took place on May 4, 1471, completed one phase of the Wars of the Roses. ... The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was an important battle during the Wars of the Roses in 15th century England. ... The Battle of Stoke Field, which took place on June 16, 1487, marked the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. ... For other uses of the word, see Wakefield (disambiguation). ... West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England, corresponding roughly to the core of the West Riding of the traditional county of Yorkshire. ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... Events The first Portuguese navigators reach the coast of modern Sierra Leone. ... The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) is the name generally given to the intermittent civil war fought over the throne of England between adherents of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. ... Margaret of Anjou (March 23, 1429 - August 25, 1482) was the Queen consort of Henry VI of England from 1445 to 1471, and a major proponent in the Wars of the Roses. ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ...

York had already succeeded in obtaining a promise from King Henry VI of England that, on Henry's death, the crown would pass to him and his heirs (The Act Of Accord). Queen Margaret was unwilling to accept this promise, which had been obtained by force, and was determined to protect the inheritance of her only son, Edward, Prince of Wales, then aged about six. With a force outnumbering that of the Yorkists, she marched north to confront the Duke. Most people are more familiar with William Shakespeare's melodramatic version of events, notably the "murder" of York's second son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, but in reality nothing can be quite certain of what transpired. The actual date is not known for sure, as is the exact location of the battlefield itself, although the most likely site is to the north of Sandal Castle now known as Wakefield Green, now largely developed. The monument erected on the spot where the Duke of York perished is positioned slightly south of the more likely spot where an older monument stood, but which was destroyed during the Civil War. It is very unlikely that Margaret was actually on the field of battle and was more likely to have been in Scotland at the time. The Earls of Somerset and Northumberland are much more likely to have led the Lancastrians into battle. Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... Edward of Westminster (October 13, 1453 – May 4, 1471) was the only Prince of Wales ever to die in battle. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Edmund, Earl of Rutland (May 17, 1443 – December 31, 1460) was the fourth child and second surviving son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and Cecily Neville. ... Sandal Castle is a ruin near the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire and overlooks the River Calder and Pugneys Country Park. ...

In Shakespeare's play, Edmund is depicted as a small child, and following his unnecessary slaughter by Lord Clifford, Margaret torments his father, York, before murdering him also. In fact, the Duke of York was killed during the battle, and his son, Edmund, at seventeen, was more than old enough to be an active participant in the fighting. York's defeat was probably the result of his own over-confidence, as he apparently refused to wait for reinforcements to arrive before leaving his stronghold at Sandal Castle to meet the Lancastrians, although it is also likely that the Duke was tricked by Lord Neville, riding under false colours, into thinking his force was greater than it actually was. Sandal Castle is a ruin near the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire and overlooks the River Calder and Pugneys Country Park. ...

After the battle the heads of the Duke of York, his son Edmund and the Earl of Salisbury were stuck on poles and displayed in York at Micklegate Bar, The Duke wearing a paper crown and a sign saying 'Let York overlook the town of York'.

The outcome was important mainly because it left York's eldest son, Edward, as the Yorkist claimant to the throne. Edward, though young, would prove an outstanding battle commander and a consummate politician, and would eventually reign as King Edward IV of England. Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ...

The battle is said by some to be the source for the mocking nursery rhyme, The Grand Old Duke of York. A nursery rhyme is a traditional song or poem taught to young children, originally in the nursery. ... The Grand Old Duke of York is a childrens nursery rhyme, which, in its most common version, is: The grand old Duke of York, He marched them up to the top of the hill And when they were up, they were up; But when they were only halfway up...