The Battle of Wakefield is traditionally viewed as a significant defeat in the Wars of the Roses, marked by the deaths of Richard, Duke of York, and his allies. However, recent research indicates that Richard may not have actually commanded an army from Sandal Castle and was likely ambushed and murdered instead. Legal documents suggest that his death occurred a day earlier than previously thought. This new narrative challenges the conventional portrayal of York's last moments and the events surrounding his demise, indicating that later propaganda influenced historical accounts.
Historians Paul L. Dawson and David Grummitt argue that Wakefield was likely not a "battle" in any meaningful sense. They conclude that York was probably ambushed and murdered rather than defeated in combat.
Records show minimal household expenditures at Sandal Castle in December 1460, suggesting that Richard, Duke of York, and his men were based in the nearby town of Wakefield.
Legal documents from 1462 and 1463 point to 29 December—not the 30th—as the date of York's death, opposing longstanding assumptions about the timeline of events.
The scenario proposed indicates that York and his companions were not killed in the chaos of battle but in a targeted ambush of York's baggage train and escort.
#wars-of-the-roses #battle-of-wakefield #historical-revisionism #richard-duke-of-york #tudor-propaganda
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