The Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) were a series of civil wars in England fought between the rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The conflict was primarily motivated by a power struggle between the two branches over the English throne, with each side claiming legitimacy based on their familial connection to the deposed King Richard II. The wars were characterized by intense fighting, political maneuvering, and shifting alliances, and they resulted in the deaths of countless noblemen and commoners. The conflict ultimately concluded with the victory of Henry Tudor, who became King Henry VII and founded the Tudor dynasty, ending the decades-long period of political instability in England.
