Mortimers Cross Flashcards
When was the battle of Mortimer’s Cross?
2nd Feb 1461
Who were the Yorkist leaders?
Earl of March = E4
Who were the Lancastrian leaders?
Jasper Tudor + Earl of Pembroke
What strange thing happened on 2nd February 1461?
3 suns rose on 2nd February 1461
Earl of March used this to his advantage and announced that this was a representation of the Holy Trinity and that it was an omen for their victory over the Lancastrians.
this raised the morale of his soldiers
What tactic did E use that helped him win the battle?
March concealed a squadron of mounted archers in a valley to his right
the battle began with a heavy discharge of arrows by the concealed Yorkist archers
Such a discharge at a relatively short range inflicted heavy casualties on L
+ threw their army into confusion
How did this victory help E reputation?
the Earl of March’s increasing stature as a military leader put him on the path to the Throne of England as King Edward IV
