Shifting loyalties and the Lancastrian revival: Wakefield; the second…

The idea

The period 1460-1461 witnessed a dramatic Lancastrian revival driven by shifting noble loyalties following the Act of Accord. Queen Margaret rallied northern lords, leading to the Battle of Wakefield (December 1460), where Richard, Duke of York, was killed, removing the primary Yorkist figurehead. This Lancastrian momentum continued at the Second Battle of St Albans (February 1461), where Warwick's forces were defeated. Crucially, this victory allowed the Lancastrians to recapture and restore Henry VI, who had been a Yorkist prisoner. However, Margaret's decision not to enter London, due to the city's fear of her northern army, proved a fatal strategic error despite these military successes, leaving the capital open to York's heir.

What earns the marks

• Explain the causes of the Lancastrian revival, particularly Margaret of Anjou's successful recruitment of northern nobility and Scottish support.
• Analyse the impact of the Battle of Wakefield, specifically the power vacuum created by the deaths of Richard of York and the Earl of Salisbury.
• Evaluate the significance of the Second Battle of St Albans in securing the physical restoration of Henry VI to Lancastrian custody.
• Assess how shifting loyalties, such as the defection of Lovelace at St Albans, demonstrated the fragile nature of noble allegiances during this phase.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing the First and Second Battles of St Albans.

  Put it right: The first in 1455 was a Yorkist victory, whereas the second in 1461 was a Lancastrian victory resulting in Henry VI's recovery.

• Assuming York's death at Wakefield ended the Yorkist cause.

  Put it right: It actually transferred leadership to his highly capable son, Edward, Earl of March.

• Claiming Henry VI was restored to full independent power.

  Put it right: He remained a passive figurehead, simply transferring from Yorkist control to Margaret's control.

Exam tips

• Use the Act of Accord as the catalyst for shifting loyalties, explaining why it alienated nobles and fuelled Margaret's northern revival.
• Contrast the military success of the Lancastrians at Wakefield and St Albans with their political failure to secure London.
• When discussing the death of York, evaluate whether it was a fatal blow to the Yorkists or a necessary step for Edward IV's more ruthless leadership.