The War of the Roses

Most of us in this country think of the 1989 movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner when we hear a reference to The War of the Roses.  The true story was about the fight over the throne of England and took place in the fifteenth century from 1455 to 1485.  During these thirty years, a series of battles took place between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The roses represented heraldic symbols of the two houses.  The outcome changed history as Lancastrian claimant, Henry Tudor, under the guidance of his powerful mother Margaret, battled for the crown and won.  The House of  Tudor ruled England and Wales until 1603.

For most of the week, I have been listening to a book on CD called The White Princess  about Elizabeth York by Philippa Gregorgy.  Gregory writes about famous historical events and the lives of many royals who were born or married into the Monarchy of England.  This particular book chronicals the journey of Elizabeth who married the Pretender to the throne, Henry Tudor.  The most enlightening part for me has been the clarification of the War of the Roses.  The book covers the years after he won the crown and married his rival Richard’s daughter.     It was this union that was championed with ending the feud.  Although the story took place over five hundred years ago, I can’t wait to hear the rest of the story. 

When Diana Spencer entered the limelight back in 1980, her life was followed by millions all over the world. Her nuptuials were dubbed the wedding of the century.  Americans were facsincated by her.  Everything she wore became popular.  Despite her troubles, we continued to support her. We bought magazines with her on the cover and followed her every move until that fateful day she died in Paris. 

Now we watch her daughter-in-law Kate and her first born with the same fervor.   American’s fascination with the monarchy of England is  alive and thriving.  My guess is that Elizabeth York in medieval England was loved as equally.  She was devoted and faithful to her unbringing, giving up her own needs for the crown.  She perservered despite losing her mother to treason and her brothers to imprisonment and death.  She fought past her challenges and won in the end.  She was a different type of hero; the kind of heo that we will be reading about in another hundred years.