February 2, 1461 - Edward, Earl of March (right) wins the Battle of Mortimer's Cross. Having learned that his father, Richard, Duke of York, had been defeated and killed at Wakefield on December 30, 1460, Edward began making plans to retreat from the Welsh border towards London. Though only 18, he halted these efforts after learning that Lancastrian forces under Sir Owen Tudor and Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, were approaching. Moving to intercept, Edward met them in battle near Mortimer's Cross on February 2. In a poorly documented engagement, Yorkist troops won a clear victory and Owen Tudor was captured (and executed). The victory provided a brief upsurge in Yorkist fortunes but was offset by the Earl of Warwick's defeat at the Second Battle of St. Albans two weeks later.
The Wars of the Roses:
- Battle of St. Albans
- Battle of Blore Heath
- Battle of Towton
- Battle of Barnet
- Battle of Bosworth Field
Photograph Source: Public Domain
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