The Wars of the Roses Volume 1

The Wars of the Roses offers a new and authoritative history of the military campaigns of the Wars of the Roses. Drawing upon decades of archival research and recent archaeological discoveries, it provides a fresh perspective on the civil wars of the mid-fifteenth century.

This first of three volumes explores the initial phase of the conflict, from 1455 to the Yorkist seizure of the throne in March 1461. It examines the major battles of Northampton, St Albans, and the decisive clash at Towton, as well as lesser-known campaigns in Ireland and Calais. Based on the author’s four decades of archival research, it presents new interpretations of key engagements, particularly Wakefield and Towton, while incorporating the latest archaeological evidence to reshape our understanding of warfare during this period.

Each battle and campaign is reconstructed in detail, highlighting the roles of key individuals. The Wars of the Roses Volume 1 reveals how the outcomes of battle were influenced not only by chivalric ideals and constitutional principles but also by deception, personal ambition, and individual acts of courage and skill.

"In this first of three volumes, David Grummitt reveals the military campaigns of the War of the Roses, backed with incredible knowledge from forty years of research....I have found David's narrative much easier to follow and appreciated both the maps and many photographs. The illustrated artwork is also an excellent addition to the book. This is a most enjoyable and engaging read and I will certainly look forward to the future volumes in this series." HistoryBookChat Blog

"This book offers a scholarly and focused military analysis of the early Wars of the Roses, moving beyond traditional tales of aristocratic rivalry. Grummitt uses extensive archival research to examine logistics, recruitment, and tactics, providing a realistic view of how armies were organised and fought. The volume stands out for its technical detail, use of maps, illustrations, and data tables, and for challenging myths about army size and conduct....This is an enjoyable read and a valuable resource for wargamers, military historians and enthusiasts, shifting attention from court intrigue to the practical realities of fifteenth-century warfare." Carryingsonupthedale.com Blog

"I like this book a great deal and I think it's going to be really important for the study of the Wars of the Roses and the late 15th century going forward. It doesn't just revisit the familiar events, events have been constructed, transmitted, interpreted, and it does it in a careful and convincing way. As a piece of military history, I feel it's at its strongest when it engages with the sources directly and asks what they can realistically tell us. That approach makes this particularly valuable for anybody who is studying the period in depth, either as a historian or as a serious enthusiast. I expect that this book will be widely cited in future discussions on the Wars of the Roses, which I'm sure it is going to generate." 7th Son. You can watch 7th Sons full YouTube review here