Lambert Simnel and the Battle of Stoke

by Michael Bennett

Less than two years after Bosworth, Henry Tudor had to defend his crown against a formidable challenge mounted on behalf of a ten-year-old boy, who had been crowned in Dublin as 'Edward VI'. Though presented as the last surviving Plantagenet prince, the lad is generally known to history as Lambert Simnel.

This book unravels the tangled web of dynastic politics and rivalries in Yorkist England, seeking a context for the bizarre events of 1487. It considers the political instability and the miasma of intrigue associated with the reign of Richard III and the first years of Henry VII. It seeks to probe the mysteries surrounding Lambert Simnel, raising new questions about his identity, and attempts to trace the roots and ramifications of the movement centering on him. Above all, it charts the progress of the conspiracy and rebellion, from the raising of troops in the Netherlands and Ireland to the dramatic 'coronation' at Dublin, from the invasion of northern England through to the final, bloody encounter at Stoke by Newark.

The last battle of the 'Wars of the Roses', Stoke Field was also the last occasion when an English king personally took the field against a rival. This study, commemorating the quincentenary of the battle of Stoke, concludes by claiming that the resolution of the crisis of 1487 marks an important stage in the development of early Tudor policy.

The book includes an appendix of extracts from chronicles and other sources, some translated for the first time.

Genres: History, Medieval

157 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Librarian note: There are multiple authors with this name in this data base. This one is Michael^^^^^Bennett.

Reviews

[Augustus · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second half of the 15th Century, two branches of the royal Plantagenet family fought for supremacy in England. The house of York (represented by a white rose) fought against the house of Lancaster (represented by a red rose). The war is often thought to have ended at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, when the Lancastrian Henry Tudor defeated King Richard III, after which Henry married Elizabeth of York and effectively united the warring houses.

In this book, Michael Bennett explains how there was one more chapter in the Wars of the Roses that occurred two years later. An Oxford-trained priest named Richard Simonds trained a young boy of common background to pretend that he was a surviving nephew of Richard III and heir to the house of York. The boy was previously known as Lambert Simnel (although this was probably not his real name), and in May 1487 a pro-Yorkist assembly of notables crowned him as "Edward VI" at the Cathedral of Dublin. The pretender thereafter became the figurehead leader of a revolt that was organized by the earl of Lincoln (John de la Pole) and Margaret of York, the duchess of Burgundy. The rebels raised an army in the Low Countries that included hundreds of German mercenaries led by Martin Schwartz. After joining the boy king in Ireland, this rebel army landed in northwest England (ironically near Lancaster) and marched southward. Meanwhile, the Tudor King Henry VII led a larger army northward. They met at Stoke Field near Newark on June 16, 1487, and the battle was decided in a half day.

The second chapter gives a short summary of the Wars of the Roses, and later chapters narrate the efforts of Henry VII to pacify and unite England after his victory over Richard III. The rest of the book follows the two contending parties to their ultimate confrontation, which turned out to be the last battle where an English king led troops in the field. Since Lambert Simnel was only 10 years old in 1487, Henry VII spared his life and amused the public by having him appear together with the real earl of Warwick, who apparently was still alive.

For those who already know something about the Wars of the Roses, this book is an interesting final chapter, and its illustrations are helpful and well chosen. For those who like this kind of tale, I would also recommend the historical novel "Micah Clarke" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (a tale of Monmouth's Rebellion in 1685).

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book to learn about Lambert Simnel. It was published over 20 years ago, but having read up on Perkin Warbeck I was intrigued with Mr Simnel. However, like Warbeck, he remains a mystery. A Warwick stalking horse, a ten year old Edward VI, or the project of an Oxford don?
The rebellion and resulting battle of Stoke are very well covered. Just less than a couple of years after Bosworth, this was a test for Henry VII. He crushed the rebel army which helped to cement the Tudor monarchy.
Edward VI/Lambert Simnel went on to work in the King's kitchens and then be promoted to the King's falconer! I'm still intrigued.