Battle of Bosworth Field

Coordinates: 52°36′N 1°25′W / 52.60°N 1.41°W / 52.60; -1.41
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Battle of Bosworth Field
Part of the Wars of the Roses
Date22 August 1485
Location
52°36′N 1°25′W / 52.60°N 1.41°W / 52.60; -1.41
Result Decisive Lancastrian victory
Belligerents
King Richard III of England, House of York Henry Tudor, Lancastrians French Mercenaries
Commanders and leaders
Richard III of England Henry VII of England
Earl of Oxford
Philibert de Chandée
Strength
6,000[1] 5,000

The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was an important battle during the Wars of the Roses in 15th century England. It was fought on 22 August 1485 between the Yorkist King Richard III, the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, and the Lancastrian [[Henry VII of England|Henry Tudor]], who wanted to become king. It ended in the defeat and death of Richard and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. Historically, the battle is thought to have marked the end of the Wars of the Roses, although smaller battles were fought in the years that followed as Yorkists unsuccessfully tried to become king again.

The place of the battle is not precisely known. Memorials have been built in some of the possible locations.

Shakespearian dramatization[change | change source]

The Battle of Bosworth is an important part of William Shakespeare's play Richard III. The action of the play ends with this battle.

Notes[change | change source]

  1. Richard III had 15,500 men, but Lord Stanley with 4,000 and his brother, Sir William Stanley with 2,500 betrayed him, and Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland with 3,000 did not join the king.

[1]

Further reading[change | change source]

  • Skidmore, Chris (2013-05-23). Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors. Orion. ISBN 978-0-297-86377-9. - Overview of the battle in its historical context.
  • Jones, Michael (2014-03-27). Bosworth 1485: Psychology of a Battle. John Murray Press. ISBN 978-1-84854-909-8.
  • Foard, Glenn; Curry, Anne (2013-08-22). Bosworth 1485: A Battlefield Rediscovered. Oxbow Books. ISBN 978-1-78297-173-3. - The archaeology of the battle
  • Ingram, Mike (2019). Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth. Helion. ISBN 978-1-912866-50-2. - Analysis of the battle by a military expert

Other websites[change | change source]


  1. Mackinder, Richard (2022-01-30). Bosworth: The Archaeology of the Battlefield. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-3990-1053-5.