May 15th, 1464 - The Battle of Hexham

Conflict: War of the Roses

Combatants: Lancastrians vs. Yorkists

Location: England (UK)

Outcome: Yorkist victory

While still recovering from the defeat at Hedgely Moor, the Lancastrian army of Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, was surprised and again attacked by the Yorkist army of Lord Montagu. The Lancastrian army was soundly defeated. Somerset was captured and beheaded. Henry VI escaped temporarily to Northern England, while Queen Margaret and the prince, Edward (shown), were forced to flee to France. The Lancastrian cause was all but wiped out by executions in the aftermath of this defeat.

Margaret and Edward, Prince of Wales after Hexham, by Richard Westall

Points of Interest:

• Somerset was captured at Hexham and beheaded. His son, Edmond, would suffer the same fate seven years later.

• Prince Edward, at 18 years of age, would be killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Edward IV Plantagenet by Lucas Horenbout

King Henry VI by an unknown artist

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Sources:

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.