Mortimer’s Cross
February 2, 1461
Queen Margaret was not present at Wakefield, but accompanied the Lancastrian army on its destructive march south to St. Albans. Warwick arrived in London at the beginning of February. On learning of York’s death he appears to have made no effort to get in touch with the Earl of March who was then on the Welsh Marsh. But Edward, although only nineteen years old, had proven himself a capable soldier after defeating a Lancastrian force at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross.
Edward, Earl of March was at Shrewsbury with an army of
about 10,000 men, raised in Wales and the Marches, when he received news of the
death of his father and brother at Wakefield. He was also told that another
Lancastrian army of about 8,000 men was marching out of South Wales behind him
commanded by the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Wiltshire and Owen Tudor. Edward
quickly headed south and deployed his army in three battles straddling the road
from Hereford at Mortimer's Cross. The Lancastrians advanced from the south in
three battles. The left under Wiltshire contained a large number of lightly
armed Irish, Breton and French mercenaries and in the ensuing melee these troops
were quickly routed. The Lancastrian centre and right wing was then outflanked
and crushed on the banks of the River Lugg. Some 4,000 Lancastrians were killed,
although Pembroke and Wiltshire escaped.
On the morning of the battle, through an unusual atmospheric condition, three suns were said to be visible. Edward took this as a propitious omen and after his victory added the sun to his banner.
Yorkists Lancastrians
|
James Baskerville |
James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire, escaped |
|
Sir Richard Croft |
Hopkin Davy of Carmarthen |
|
Sir Walter Devereaux |
Thomas Fitzharry |
|
John Dwnn |
Owen ap Griffith, escaped |
|
Lord FitzWater |
Thomas ap Griffith, escaped |
|
Lord Grey of Wilton |
Rheinallt Gwynnedd of Harlech |
|
Henry ap Griffith |
David Lloyd, executed |
|
Richard Hakluyt |
Philip Mansel, escaped |
|
Mr. Harper of Wellington |
Griffth ap Nicholas, killed in battle |
|
Sir William Hastings |
Sir Thomas Perot of Haverfordwest, escaped |
|
Richard Herbert |
Lewis Powys of Powysland |
|
Sir William Herbert of Raglan |
Morgan ap Rhydderch, executed |
|
Sir William Knylle |
Hopkin ap Rhys of Gower, escaped |
|
John Lingen |
Lewis ap Rhys of Carmarthen |
|
Sir John Lynell |
Sir Harry Skydmore |
|
John Milewater |
James Skydmore |
|
Thomas Monington |
Sir John Skydmore, escaped |
|
Walter Mytton |
Sir William Skydmore |
|
Edward Plantagenet, Earl of March |
Sir John Throckmorton, executed |
|
Sir Humphrey Stafford |
Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, escaped |
|
John Tuchet, Lord Audley |
Owen Tudor, executed |
|
William Thomas |
|
|
Philip Vaughan |
|
|
Sir Roger Vaughan |
|
|
Thomas Vaughan |
|
|
Sir John Wenlock |
©The Richard III Foundation, Inc.
