The final major confrontation that led to the conclusion of the War of Roses was the Battle of Stoke Field. Taking place on June 16th, 1487 near the town Newark in Nottinghamshire, Yorkist forces attempted to unseat the recently crowned King Henry VII.
The Lancastrian King Henry VII had already defeated Yorkist King Richard III two years prior at the Battle of Bosworth, but bitter Yorkists led by the Earl of Lincoln sought to wrest control from Henry VII by declaring the charlatan Lambert Simnel “King Edward VI of England” and backing that claim with an 8,000 strong force largely comprised of Irish, German, and Swiss mercenary troops.
The Yorkist Earl of Lincoln joined by Lambert Simnel and their forces took position on Rampire Hill to battle King Henry VII’s marginally larger force led by the experienced Earl of Oxford.
At first, the battle favored the Yorkists, who had launched their attack before the forces commanded by the Earl of Oxford had fully formed up. However, after three grueling hours of fighting the Yorkists forces had boxed themselves against the River Trent, preventing tactical retreat. This led to their ranks being broken and as the Yorkist mercenaries fled down the ravine the Lancastrian troops cut them down leading the area to be known as the “Bloody Gutter”.
This victory cemented the Tudor dynasty under the rule of King Henry VII.
