Clifford–Neville–Percy Vengeance Feuds

Question 1

Who were the sons of nobles killed at the First Battle of St Albans (1455)?

Answer 1

John Clifford, son of Thomas Clifford; Henry Percy, son of the slain Earl of Northumberland; Henry Beaufort, son of the Duke of Somerset.

Question 2

Why did the sons of nobles seek revenge?

Answer 2

They sought revenge for the deaths of their fathers, all killed by Yorkist forces at St Albans.

Question 3

What reputation did John Clifford develop?

Answer 3

Clifford developed a reputation for cruelty, particularly after allegedly murdering York’s son, Edmund of Rutland, at Wakefield.

Question 4

What impact did the actions of the sons of nobles have on the civil war?

Answer 4

Their actions turned the civil war into a blood feud, especially between the Lancastrian heirs and York.

Question 5

What nickname was John Clifford known by?

Answer 5

Clifford was later known as ‘Butcher Clifford’ — an image used in Yorkist propaganda to illustrate the personal cruelty of the Lancastrians.