Henry VI Interesting Facts
1 Henry the Saint
Henry’s pious nature encouraged a cult to grow in his memory. Both Edward IV and Richard III, Yorkists, attempted to suppress it. Howevver, Henry VII was behind an attempt to have Henry cannonised.
2 Henry the Puritan
One Christmas, a nobleman of Henry’s acquaintance provided entertainment that offended Henry’s strict religious and moral views. As topless dancing girls performed, Henry stormed out of the banquet hall, averting his eyes as he left. Henry’s religious observance and consequent abstinence is blamed for the eight year wait before Prince Edward arrived.
3 The Wars of the Roses
Sir Walter Scott named this 30 year feud the Wars of the Roses because of the white rose of the House of York and the red rose of the House of Lancaster. The Lancastrians were descended from Edward III’s third son (John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster), while the Yorkists were descended from Edward’s fourth son (Edmund, Duke of York). The Yorkists wanted to take the throne out of the weak hands of the Lancastrian King Henry VI. Lead by Richard, Duke of York, they had their first Battle at St Albans on 22nd May 1455. The Earl of Somerset was killed. He was the first in a long line. Eventually a third of landed and titled families lost their lives in the brutal Wars of the Roses.
4 The Battle of Towton
One of the bloodiest battles, not only of this Plantagent family feud, but in England’s history. The Lancastrians were lead by the imposing Edward IV, a 6ft 3 inch teenager. 75,000 soldier converged on Towton, in the north of England. One man in ten, and old enough to fight, took part. More than a third, 28,000, were slaughtered even though ordinary soldiers were not the main target. The order from the rival noblemen was to spare the commoners in favour of killing their high-ranking leaders.
5 Ruled Twice
Henry lost his throne twice to Edward IV, son of his Lord Protector, Richard, Duke of York. Edward reigned from 1461 until 1470, when Henry was put back on the throne by Edward’s former ally, the Earl of Warwick. Henry was deposed again a year later, taken to the Tower of London and murdered. Every year since roses and lillies are laid there to commemorate his death.
6 Youngest King Ever
At just eight months old, Henry was the youngest monarch ever. Unfortunately he never met his father, Henry V. He succeeded to the French throne before he was even a year old following the death of his grandfather King Charles VI of France.
7 Mental illness
From August 1453 to December 1454, Henry was unable to speak and unaware of what was happening around him. He was even oblivious to his son’s birth. He suffered from memory loss and was unable to recognise people. His grandfather King Charles VI of France also suffered from mental illness. He believed he was made of glass and might break if touched. Metal rods were sewn into his clothes on his orders to protect his limbs from shattering.
8 The Maid of Orleans - aka Joan of Arc
In 1429, Joan of Arc, a young peasant girl, claimed that a vision of the Virgin Mary told her to drive the English out of France. She raised an army and ensured King Charles VII was crowned on 8th June 1429. Having won this decisive victory at Orleans, she was captured soon after by the English. Poor Joan was tried for witchcraft and burned at the stake in Rouen, in 1431. King Charles did not fight for her at the time but twenty years later he had her exonerated for her alleged crimes.
9 Poor Eton College
Eton did not start as the elite fee-paying school it has become. Founded in 1440, Eton College originally provided free education to seventy impoverished pupils. After attending Eton, pupils moved on to King’s College to continue their education.