1455: 22 May - First Battle of St. Albans

When in March 1454 King Henry VI recovered from the long mental illness that had caused the Duke of York’s first protectorate, it was obvious that war could not long be delayed. The Duke of Somerset was released from the Tower and reinstated in the King’s favor, whereas the Duke of York and his colleagues wee dismissed from their offices and sent back to their estates, soon to be in peril of their lives. York summoned his friends to arms, and at the head of 3,000 men and accompanied by Lords Salisbury and Warwick he marched against the King in London. However, Henry left pro-Yorkist London for Leicester and, on learning that York was at Ware, set up his standard at St. Albans. The King had with him the Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham, Lords Pembroke, Northumberland and Devon and about 2,000 men.

The Lancastrians attempted to hold the town behind two barriers in Hollywell and St. Peter’s Streets against Yorkist attacks from the east. Two frontal attacks mad no headway, but Warwick infiltrated his troops through an unguarded part of the town’s defenses and spreading out took both barricades in the flank. The whole action lasted only half an hour and no more than 150 Lancastrians were killed; but the toll among their senior officers was very heavy. Somerset, Northumberland and Clifford were killed; Buckingham’s son died of wounds and Buckingham himself was wounded.