305. Continuation of the War; Barnet; Death of Henry; Tewkesbury
(1471).
During the whole of Edward IV's reign (S303) the war went on with
varying success, but unvarying ferocity, until at last neither side
would ask or give quarter. Some years after the accession of the new
sovereign, the Earl of Warwick (S296) quarreled with him, thrust him
from the throne, and restored Henry VI (S303).
But a few months later, at the battle of Barnet, near London (1471),
Warwick, who was "the last of the great barons," was killed, and
Henry, who had been led back to the Tower of London again (S303), died
one of those "conveniently sudden deaths" which were then so common.
The heroic Queen Margaret (SS295, 303), however, would not give up the
contest in behalf of her son's claim to the crown. But fate was
against her. A few weeks after the battle of Barnet her army was
utterly defeated at Tewkesbury (1471), her son Edward slain, and the
Queen herself taken prisoner. (See map facing p. 172.)
She was eventually released on the payment of a large ransom, and
returned to France, where she died broken-hearted in her native Anjou,
prophesying that the contest would go on until the Red Rose,
representing her party, should get a still deeper dye from the blood
of her enemies.