The Wars of the Roses

Analysis of the English civil wars fought between 1455 and 1485 (with Hicks extending the timeframe to 1525) between the houses of Lancaster and York, rival branches of the Plantagenet dynasty. Challenging traditional narratives, Hicks argues that these conflicts were not solely dynastic struggles but were driven by a complex interplay of economic, military, and financial crises, compounded by a 15th-century credit crunch, foreign interventions, and popular political involvement. He redefines the wars into three distinct phases: the "First War" (1459–1461), the "Second War" (1469–1471), and the "Third War" (1483–1525), suggesting they ended not with Henry Tudor’s victory at Bosworth in 1485 but later as underlying conditions dissipated.

Hicks critiques the reliance on contemporary chroniclers, often tainted by Yorkist or Tudor propaganda, and reevaluates key figures. Henry VI is portrayed as capable but disinterested in governance, while Richard of York is seen as an ambitious overmighty subject rather than a wronged claimant. Margaret of Anjou’s role is downplayed until later, and Richard III’s usurpation is framed as a reaction to a Woodville coup, though his motives remain debated. The book emphasizes structural weaknesses in governance—such as bastard feudalism and economic distress—over personal rivalries, though it struggles to explain why conflicts erupted when they did rather than earlier.

While praised for its analytical depth and rejection of Tudor inevitability, the work has been critiqued for overcomplicating timelines, downplaying battles and women’s roles, and relying on arguments from silence, which some find speculative. Hicks’ rational approach highlights human agency alongside socio-economic factors, making it a valuable synthesis for students and historians, though its dense style may deter casual readers interested in a straightforward narrative.