Battle of Bosworth Field
Near Market Bosworth, Leicestershire (exact site disputed)
What happened
King Richard III of England fought Henry Tudor, whose army was led by the Earl of Oxford, while Lord Stanley and his brother Sir William Stanley waited to choose a side. Richard III had taken the crown in 1483 after his young nephews disappeared, and Henry Tudor, who had a weak claim to the throne, landed in Wales to challenge him. Near Market Bosworth in Leicestershire, Richard gambled on a charge across the battlefield to reach Henry and end the fight. Sir William Stanley then joined in against Richard, and Richard was lost in the battle.
Why it matters
Result: Victory for the House of Tudor and their allies Final overthrow of House of York Last Plantagenet monarch, Richard III , killed in action Ascension of Tudor dynasty. Leaders: Richard III / Duke of Norfolk against Henry Tudor / Earl of Oxford. Why it matters: Richard III was the last English king to die in battle. Henry Tudor became King Henry VII and founded the Tudor dynasty.
What came next
Henry married Elizabeth of York, joining the rival houses of Lancaster and York. More than 500 years later, in 2012, archaeologists found Richard's skeleton under a car park in Leicester, and he was reburied in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.
Did you know?
Richard III's skeleton was identified by DNA testing, announced on 4 February 2013.
Timeline
- 1483 CERichard III takes the throne.
- 22 August 1485 CEHenry Tudor defeats Richard III at Bosworth.
- 25 August 2012 CERichard's remains are found in Leicester.
- 4 February 2013 CEDNA testing shows the remains are Richard III's.
- 26 March 2015 CERichard is reburied in Leicester Cathedral.