| | by admin | | posted on 22nd March 2025 in War and Peace in Lincolnshire | | views 344 | |
The 1470 Lincolnshire Rebellion was part of a series of uprisings in England during the turbulent period of the Wars of the Roses.
The Wars of the Roses was a conflict between two factions of the English royal family: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The Lincolnshire Rebellion took place in the context of the political instability caused by the shifting allegiances, betrayals, and power struggles that defined this era.
In 1470, England was in the midst of a volatile period of civil war. The Yorkist king, Edward IV (pictured above), had been restored to the throne in 1471 after a brief period of exile. However, his reign was far from secure. He had made several political decisions that alienated key nobles, including the powerful Earl of Warwick,—known as the 'Kingmaker'. Warwick had initially supported Edward's rise to the throne but later fell out with him due to disputes over policies and the king's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville.
In response to these tensions, Warwick initially tried to rebel and replace Edward with Henry VI, the Lancastrian king, who had been imprisoned. Warwick formed an alliance with Margaret of Anjou, Henry's wife, and began raising support for the Lancastrian cause, including a return of Henry VI to the throne.
The Lincolnshire Rebellion occurred against the backdrop of this political turmoil. In 1470, the rebellion was sparked by dissatisfaction with Edward IV’s rule, particularly among those who had supported the Lancastrian cause or had fallen out of favour with Edward's policies. Many of the rebels were led by local gentry. The exact causes of the rebellion were varied but included:
The rebellion itself was largely concentrated in Lincolnshire, but it was part of a broader series of uprisings in response to the growing instability.
The rebellion was relatively short-lived. The rebels, though numerous, were poorly organized and lacked sufficient leadership or military support. They were quickly put down by forces loyal to Edward IV. Edward responded swiftly, mobilizing his army to suppress the uprising. Several of the leaders were captured and executed, including Lord Egremont, whose death marked the end of the rebellion.
The 1470 Lincolnshire Rebellion is important for three main reasons:
After the suppression of the rebellion, there was a temporary stabilizing effect on the Yorkist rule, though the larger conflict between the houses of York and Lancaster continued to simmer until it finally reached its conclusion with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
While the Lincolnshire Rebellion itself did not have the lasting impact of other uprisings in the period, it serves as an example of the local unrest that often accompanied the dynastic struggles of the era.