Battle of Mortimer's Cross

Overview

The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was fought on 2 February, 1461 near Kingsland, Herefordshire, not far from the Welsh border. It was a major battle of the Wars of the Roses. The opposing forces consisted of, on one side, an army led by Jasper Tudor and his father, Owen Tudor, as well as nobles loyal to King Henry VI of the House of Lancaster, his wife, Margaret of Anjou, and their seven-year-old son, Edward, Prince of Wales. On the other side, was the army of Edward, Earl of March. Some sources say it was fought on 3 February, and the exact location has been the subject of some speculation.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Mortimer's Cross, fought near Kingsland, Herefordshire close to the Welsh border, was a major engagement of the Wars of the Roses. The Lancastrian force was led by Jasper Tudor and his father Owen Tudor, alongside nobles loyal to King Henry VI, Queen Margaret of Anjou, and the young Edward, Prince of Wales. The opposing Yorkist army was commanded by Edward, Earl of March. With Lancastrian casualties recorded at 4,000 against a Yorkist force of approximately 5,000, the battle represented a substantial Yorkist military success. The defeat fell heavily on the Tudor leadership in particular, with Owen Tudor among those on the losing side — a significant blow to the Lancastrian cause in the Welsh Marches at a critical moment of the conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (6)