1449. Normandy conquered by the French. The duke of York appointed lieutenant of Ireland.
1450. The duke of Suffolk, the king’s chief minister, banished for five years: he was intercepted, and beheaded at sea. Jack Cade’s insurrection. Cade taken and slain.
This rising was thought by some to have been instigated by the friends of the duke of York, who, as far as hereditary succession alone was concerned, had a better right to the throne than Henry. Richard was descended from Lionel, duke of Clarence, second son of Edward III., and Henry from John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, the fourth son. Henry, however, was unquestionably lawful sovereign of England.
1451. Guienne conquered by the French.
1452. Talbot, the veteran earl of Shrewsbury, one of the greatest commanders of the age, recovered Bordeaux, and other places in Guienne.
1453. Talbot defeated and slain at Chatillon in Perigord (July 20). Final loss of Guienne. The king became insane. Birth of the Prince of Wales.
1454. York appointed protector; but a few months after, the king partially recovered, and revoked the duke’s commission.
1455. BEGINNING OF THE WARS OF THE ROSES.
The Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians at St. Alban’s: the duke of Somerset was slain, and the king fell into the hands of the Yorkist faction (May 22). Renewal of his illness. York made protector a second time, and with such powers as to give the protectorate a revolutionary character.