The Importance Of The War Of The Roses

The War Of The Roses is believed to be a series of civil wars in England between the York and Lancastrian bloodlines who both had a claim the throne. However, The War Of The Roses has much more meaning because it sped up the end of Feudalism and introduced a more centralized England. During the wars, England was distraught with the civil wars that were happening between the Lancastrians and the Yorkist, two royal families that had the claim to the throne from Edward III. In the end Henry Tudor, the only Lancaster alive married Elizabeth of York in 1486. John A. Wagner claims and proved that Elizabeth of York is a key figure in the war because without her the feuding sides would not have been unified. In his own words Wagner says,“As heiress of York, Elizabeth’s marriage to Henry VII …show more content…
Cleary, the war was a civil war, but that is not it. The war has much more meaning and importance in English society for bringing in a new type of Feudalism and a more centralized government where the King held most of the power rather than the peerage. The power was more centralized at the King because “Henry VII also kept a careful watch over the marriage alliances of England's great noble families to ensure that no rival power base was established.” (Sommerville) Henry VII was a fair king who believed the nobles are not the only ones who should be valued. He had, “ promoted people on the basis of merit even if they were not very high born.” (Sommerville) If the War Of The Roses had never happened then England would not have been introduced to Henry VII. Henry Tudor had centralized power at himself in England, he valued merit, and since he did not trust the nobles Bastard Feudalism increased throughout England. Without the War Of The Roses, England would not have improved as much as it had back in the