First Battle of St Albans

1455 opening battle of the Wars of the Roses

War & ConflictPolitics & Government

First Battle of St Albans — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

1455: Richard, Duke of York, defeats King Henry VI at St Albans, England, with 100 men killed, sparking the Wars of the Roses.

Date

May 22, 1455

Location

St Albans, England

Key people

Richard, Duke of York, King Henry VI

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the First Battle of St Albans, drawing on a range of primary and secondary sources, including the accounts of contemporary chr...

What was First Battle of St Albans?

The First Battle of St Albans took place on 22 May 1455, at St Albans, 22 miles (35 km) north of London, and traditionally marks the beginning of the Wars of the Roses in England. Richard, Duke of York, and his allies, the Neville Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, defeated a royal army commanded by Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. Unusually, the battle was contested in the town of St Albans itself, with the bulk of the fighting taking place in the streets. Somerset was killed in the battle, and King Henry VI captured, clearing the way for a subsequent parliament to appoint Richard of York Lord Protector.

The battle superimposed over a modern street map

Background and consequences

The incapacitation of Henry VI by mental illness in 1454 led to the recall to court of Richard of York, his closest adult relative. In 1447, York had been appointed Lieutenant of Ireland, and had essentially been in exile from England. His long-time rival, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, the favourite of the king, had been given the Lieutenancy of France.

A 2005 procession at the site of the battle

Related on thisDay

Richard, Duke of York, Strikes Down King Henry VI — May 22, 1455

100 men killed: Richard, Duke of York, defeats King Henry VI in St Albans, England, in 1455, sparking the Wars of the Roses.

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Richard, Duke of York, Strikes Down King Henry VI — May 22, 1455 Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“First Battle of St Albans.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/first-battle-of-st-albans/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

First Battle of St Albans. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/first-battle-of-st-albans/

Chicago

“First Battle of St Albans.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/first-battle-of-st-albans/.

Found an error? Let us know.