Henry VI (1421-1471) was the last English king of the House of Lancaster. He succeeded his father, Henry V, in 1422, when he was less than a year old. Henry VI also was heir to Charles VI of France, who died the same year Henry became king of England. But the French disputed Henry’s claim to the French throne, and so England never controlled all of France in Henry’s reign. Henry was pious, educated, and gentle, but he was a weak ruler and had occasional attacks of insanity.
Henry was born on Dec. 6, 1421, in Windsor, near London. The English nobles dominated him throughout his life. The country became politically unstable as the nobles took advantage of Henry’s weakness to further their own interests. In France, the great conquests of Henry V were gradually lost. By the end of 1453, the French had taken back all the land they had previously held except Calais.
During the 1450’s, supporters of the House of York challenged Henry and the House of Lancaster (see York). In 1461, the Yorkists forced Henry from the throne and made Edward IV king. Henry regained the crown in 1470. But in 1471, Edward captured Henry and won the battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury. Edward had Henry imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died on May 21, 1471. Edward probably had Henry murdered.
See also Wars of the Roses.
