The Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars in England during the 15th century, fought between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the Lancasters, represented by a red rose, and the Yorks, symbolized by a white rose. These conflicts were driven by struggles for the English throne and issues of power, legitimacy, and influence among nobles. The wars, spanning from 1455 to 1487, led to significant bloodshed, political changes, and ultimately the rise of the Tudor dynasty when Henry VII, a Lancaster, defeated Richard III of York, uniting both houses through marriage.