Fatal colours: the battle of Towton, 1461

Taking its title from Henry VI's lament at the Battle of Towton in Shakespeare's play, this book examines Henry's disastrous reign and the personal failings of the king, then describes the events leading up to Towton and the battle itself – the first savage clash of arms between Lancastrians and Yorkists in the Wars of the Roses. In his introduction, David Starkey sketches the evolution of English kingship, providing the background to 1461.