Timeline of the Wars of the Roses

1377 – Edward III dies and names his grandson Richard II king
1399 – John of Gaunt dies, Richard exiles Henry Bolingbroke
1399 – Henry Bolingbroke invades England and deposes Richard, begins ruling as Henry IV
1413 – Henry IV dies and is succeeded by Henry V
1422 – Henry V dies and is succeeded by Henry VI, despite initially promising the throne to Richard of York.
1428 – Henry VI’s mother marries Owen Tudor and has four more children, Edmund Tudor, Jasper Tudor, Edward Tudor and Margaret Tudor
1445 – Henry VI marries Margaret of Anjou
1453 – Henry VI has major mental health episode and Richard of York is named Protector of the Realm
1455 – Henry VI regains health and returns to the throne, Richard and the Earl of Warwick take up arms against him. The First Battle of St Albans takes place
1459 – Battles of Blore Heath and Ludford Bridge, Henry VI retains control and the Duke of York flees to France
1460 – Battle of Northampton saw a victory for the Yorks, with Henry VI being captured, Richard of York claims the throne
1460 – The Battle of Wakefield sees a victory for the Lancastrians as Richard of York is killed in battle
1460 – Richard of York’s son Edward is named King and begins ruling as Edward IV
1461 – The Second Battle of St Albans takes place, Henry VI escapes capture
1461 – The Battle of Towton, the bloodiest battle of the war takes place, the Yorks win and Edward is officially crowned
1461 – The Battle of Hexham sees Lancastrian resistance crushed
1464 –  Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville, the widow of a Lancastrian knight and promotes her family
1464 – Warwick is displeased with the Woodville’s promotion and Edward’s policies, launches his own fight against the Yorks at the Battle of Hedgeley Moor
1469 – Edward IV is imprisoned by Warwick at the Battle of Edgote and attempts are made to replace him with his younger brother, the Duke of Clarence
1469 – Edward is returned to the throne but Warwick and the Duke of Clarence team up with Margaret of Anjou for the Battle of Hexham in which Edward IV flees to the Netherlands.
1469 – Henry VI is reinstated as king
1470 – The Battle of Losecoat Field
1471 – Edward invades with an army from Burgandy, ousting Henry VI and killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet
1471 -At the Battle of Tewksbury, Henry’s heir, Edward of Westminster is killed. Henry would later die in captivity
1483 – Edward IV dies and his son Edward V is named king
1483 – Richard the Duke of Gloucester, Edward IV’s brother deposes Edward V and declares that he and his siblings are illegitimate
1483 – Richard Duke of Gloucester becomes Richard III, his nephews are imprisoned in the Tower of London and are never seen again.
1485 – The Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor and his army invade England and meet Richard’s forces at Bosworth field. Richard becomes the last king to die in battle and Henry is crowned Henry VII.
1486 – Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York, the eldest living child of Edward IV and his sole heir, uniting the families and starting the Tudor dynasty.