The use of propaganda during the Wars of the Roses was the first time propaganda had been used in England. Before the wars, publicity had been used. There is an immense difference between publicity and propaganda. Publicity is promoting the iconic royalty that the public already has well-known knowledge about. However, propaganda is contorted information that is used to rally support for a conflict. Richard III used propaganda to call Henry Tudor and his followers open murderers, adulterers, people who betrayed God, and he made the claim that they did not have honor for their country. However, one thing they did not need to rally support for was the army. Both of the armies consisted of men who fought for war wages, or their masters and landlords …show more content…
forced the men to fight for a particular side. The government constructed the war, while the people were unable to disclose how they perceived the war (Richard, 1992). During the years of 1470 to 1471 there were three important pieces of propaganda that were utilized. These pieces of propaganda demonstrated how insecure both sides were about losing the war, and the propaganda exposed just how fragile the Lancasters and the Yorks were. The first piece titled, The Manner and Guiding of the Earl of Warwick at Angers in July and August 1470, was to rally support for the Lancasters. This work illustrated Margaret of Anjou and how she would do anything she could to get her son, Prince Edward, on the Lancastrian throne of England. The Lancasters wanted the public to see what it was like to be a Lancaster and they wanted people to believe that it was commendable to be a Lancaster. The second piece of propaganda, issued by the Yorkists, demonstrated the misgovernment of Edward IV. The title was The Manner and the Guiding, and it was issued in March of 1470. This particular type of propaganda that the Yorkists used was history written by the government and it provided a new form of propaganda to England’s history. There are no facts to this piece of propaganda; however, someone who was connected to the royal administration apparently wrote it. This man was the type of writer who was skilled on how he presented false facts; he had to have been the best propagandist of his time. The most important piece was the final piece. This piece makes an attempt to rally support for the Yorks by telling the history of Edward IV’s arrival to England. This story aims to be exciting, as it talks about how he received the throne of England in the spring of 1471. However, it does not talk about how Edward ordered to have Henry VI murdered in the Tower of London during the night in the year of 1471. Edward IV is considered to be the perfect example of chivalry, and the story gives the best impression of who the Yorkists wanted Edward IV to be to his people. In reality, Edward was lucky to get his throne back. However, the story claims that it was with the help of the Virgin Mary, Saint George, all the saints in heaven, and most importantly with the help of God. The writer of this piece had a very similar style to the writer of the second piece. It is suggested that they may have been the same men. However, the man is never named. With these three pieces of propaganda, it is evident that both sides began to lose hope on winning the war (Richard, 1992). The use of propaganda helped rally support for many of the battles during the Wars of the Roses. Even though there were many important battles, there was one that was more important than others, the battle of Towton. This battle was the most gruesome battle out of all the battles fought during the wars. Out of all the battles in English history, the battle of Towton was the biggest and longest battle. There were many men on the battlefield, out of all the Welshmen and Englishmen that had the ability to fight, one-tenth of the men were on the battlefield. The battle took place on Palm Sunday in the year of 1461. The weather conditions were horrendous; wind was blowing constantly, while snow and sleet were falling from the sky (“The Exceptional Importance of the Battle,” n.d.) Shortly after dawn on March 29 the Yorks and their army started to march north. At 11 a.m., the Yorks were camped out on a hill that was south from the village of Saxton (Weir, 1995). During the same time, the Lancasters and their army moved north from Tadcaster. Half a mile from the Yorkist army, the Lancasters took their position. Edward, who was the Yorkist king, provided enough artillery from his army; but, there is no actual record of it being used. Historians believe that it was not used because of the bad weather conditions. At first, the Lancasters were disadvantaged, because the snow was blowing directly into their faces. This made them unable to see; therefore, they could not see their enemy and were unable to judge distances. Despite the weather conditions, the men continued to shoot at their enemy and they could hear the enemy laughing at them, mockingly (Weir). The once very powerful Lancasters were losing one of the most important wars in English history, becoming a mockery to their enemy. As the Lancasters were shooting unsuccessful arrows, the Yorkists took all of the unsuccessful Lancastrian arrows and fired them back at their enemy. After the Lancastrian army became aware of what was happening, they were given the order to put down their bows and arrows. They were then ordered to charge into battle across the meadow, the Yorkists imitated their enemy and also charged into battle. By the command of King Edward, the Yorkists were not allowed to show any mercy and were ordered to not take any prisoners. The main goal for the Yorkists was to kill as many Lancasters as they could. There were so many men killed or wounded that the snow was red from all of the blood. Reserve troops, men who would be ready to take the place of the fallen soldiers, replaced the men who were killed, wounded, or exhausted. Some men were unable to get up; therefore, they were trampled by their own reserved troops. As the afternoon started to approach, the battle was showing no signs of ending. If one side advanced on foot, the other side would simply recapture the territory. Nobody knew who was winning the battle until dusk when the Lancastrian army was pushed back to the western side of the meadow. The Lancasters realized that if they did not leave soon that they would all be dead, thus they left the battlefield. The Yorkists were declared the winners of the battle of Towton (Weir, 1995). Even though many historians argue how many men fought and died, it is estimated that 75,000 men fought and 28,000 men were killed during the battle (“The Exceptional Importance of the Battle,” n.d.). James Ross stated in his findings, a man by the title of Lord Chancellor recorded what he saw a few days later stating that; “dead bodies were seen to cover an area six miles long by three broad,” (Ross, 2011, p. 11). The battle of Towton was the biggest and bloodiest battle of the Wars of the Roses, which also helped to catalyst the two families to combine to become the House of the Tudors. After the Wars of the Roses ended, the two houses became one house, which produced the House of the Tudors. However, the war coming to an end was not the only reason the houses united, there are also many factors that influenced this decision. Margaret of Anjou and her followers refused to accept the compromise between the Lords and Richard. At the battle of Wakefield, Richard, the Duke of York, was killed fighting Margaret’s followers. In two months, his son was proclaimed king of England and became Edward IV. After Edward recovered the throne in 1471, he had more to fear than the rivalry between the two houses. Edward had untrustworthy family members who were already plotting against him. In the year of 1478, Edward’s brother Clarence was secretly put to death. Clarence was put to death as a traitor with the permission of Parliament. Edward died in 1483 and his son, Edward V, became king of England. After two and a half months of ruling, his uncle, Duke of Gloucester, put him aside. The Duke of Gloucester then became known as King Richard III. After two years of ruling, Richard was killed at the Bosworth Field. The Tudor Earl of Richmond murdered him, who then proclaimed himself King Henry VII. After becoming king, Henry VII fulfilled his pledge to marry the oldest daughter of Edward IV. Therefore, the two houses were united creating the House of the Tudor (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2015). The Wars of the Roses were wars fought during the years between 1455 and 1487.
They were a series of civil wars between two influential families in England, the Lancasters and the Yorks. Shakespeare associated the two families with roses in his play Henry IV, completely changing the name of the wars for the rest of history. Richard, the Duke of York, thought it would be easy to gain the crown in England because of Henry IV’s mental instability. Therefore, he started a battle with Henry at St. Albans, which was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses. As the Wars of the Roses continued, both sides started to lose confidence in themselves. Therefore, they started using propaganda. The use of propaganda during the Wars of the Roses was the first time propaganda was used in England; it also helped shape the way propaganda is used in today’s society. The use of propaganda helped build confidence and rally support for both sides. There were many important battles, however the most important battle was the battle of Towton. It was the biggest, longest, and most gruesome battle in English history, which resulted in a Yorkist victory. The murders of Richard, the Duke of York and King Richard III are what helped the start of the House of Tudor. However, the main catalyst was the marriage between King Henry VII and Edward VI’s daughter, which laid the foundation of the Tudor
dynasty.
Propaganda during WWII was very prominent and a major influence in the motivation and rallying of the people. Without propaganda the war would’ve never turned out the way it was and the number of troops and the efficiency of factories would not have every reached maximum potential. American Propaganda such as poster depicting the average man being shown as a war hero and the famous Uncle Sam saying I want you to join the U.S. army are prime examples of American propaganda used during WWII. War
This was even worse because he had borrowed from York and instead if paying him back, gave patronage to others. He gave away more and more money and land so that there wasn't much left for important times like war and to make people happy or come onto his side. This was definitely a reason for the outbreak of conflict as York and Somerset had a fight in 1455, as York couldn't approach the king himself (as he was derived from god) he had to fight his evil council. Margaret of Anjou, Henry's wife is also a problem, she has a son who is the heir to the throne, however York wants to be the heir, but as there is a son he can't be, so him and Margaret dislike each other. Richard duke of York is definitely a big reason for the outbreak of the conflict but it isn't just his fault as Henry VI drove him to wanting to fight. Finance is also a big problem because the people had to spend taxes on war, but as it was a failure (especially in France), they had paid money for no reason, and so they would have been very unhappy and possibly feeling
Everyone had to accomplish his or her role, and everyone had to participate. This is how propaganda played and accomplished its main purpose: to deliver and support the troops. Source: “Wheeler Book, Chapter 5”. I chose a few images that would support my statements as well as give the reader some images to improve the image of propaganda during World War 1.
Words and images were silent weapons used by all governments involved during World War II. Wars are generally fought between soldiers, but the different ideologies often meet on the battlefield as well. The support of the people is crucial during these times since general knowledge of strength relies on numbers. Propaganda targets people’s emotions and feelings and changes people’s perception about a particular idea, people, or situation. Propaganda goes hand in hand with the art of persuasion and convincing; these tools can control and manipulate the collective minds of a massive amount of its audience.
The Revolutionary War started in 1775. The American colonies have had enough of the British occupants and set their foot down in pursuit to freedom and independence. Each battle that happened during the Revolutionary War had its own significance and contributions to the independence of the colonies. Many brave men laid their lives in pursuit of the dream of independence from British control. One particular battle paved the way for that independence to become a reality. That battle is known as the Battle of Yorktown. The Battle of Yorktown took place in what we know today as Virginia. It was a decisive battle that turned the table during the Revolutionary War. The battle ultimately led to the liberty of the American Colonies from the British. The strategy and scheme of maneuver from the American and French soldiers on the lands of Virginia were risky yet impressive. General George Washington and his French counterpart Lieutenant General de Rochambeau were able to take an offensive to General Cornwallis in Virginia. Those actions gave General Washington the advantage to turn the tide of the war.
Henry VI's Incompetence as the Cause for the Outbreak of the Wars of the Roses
Contention plagued the English monarchy for several decades. The struggle for power was relentless. The War of Roses ran rampant for many years as the Houses of York and Lancaster collided. This all came to an end when Henry VII defeated Richard III at the Battle on Bosworth Field. In order to further solidify himself as King, Henry married Elizabeth of York. This ended a long raging conflict between the two houses, and established the first Tudor monarch. The end of war did not mean that the fight was over. Following his victory, Henry was faced with many issues. The strength of the monarchy, faith from his citizens, and the much depleted treasury. Henry VII, in order to strengthen his kingdom completely overhauled his government. The strongest course of action taken was decreasing power amongst nobility. Henry appointed important government officials based on merit despite their birthright. Decreasing power
‘’Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.’’ (Eric Hoffer). Propaganda is a broad approach to persuasion for something or against something. Every day you are exposed to some piece of propaganda, it could be an advertisement, or something you heard on the news, or maybe something you saw on Facebook. Another way countries around the world use propaganda is in wartime. The usage of propaganda for wartime isn’t necessary because it leads to prejudice, distrust, and hostility.
The need for power dictated much of the decision making process of the leaders during the European Renaissance, and one factor that greatly impacted the struggle of power was the dispute over who should have control over England’s throne and all of its assets. During this time period, power changed hands often and new kings emerged quickly and disappeared frequently. This was a time where the people questioned their authority and who was the rightful ruler of the land. (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica) The Wars of the Roses, as they became known as devastated most of the upper noble class while the lower and middle classes were indifferent and relatively untouched by it. Starting in 1455, opposing factions met at St. Albans where the first king had been killed, which marked the start of the dynastic civil wars. David Ross noted in regards to the wars that,” In reality these squabbles were an indication of the lawlessness that ran rampant in the land. More squalid than romantic, the Wars of the Roses decimated both houses in an interminably long, bloody struggle for the throne.”(2). It was not until Henry VII defeated a Yorkist r...
To turn Henry V into a play glorifying war or a play condemning war would be to presume Shakespeare's intentions too much. He does both of these and more in his recount of the historical battle of Agincourt. Although Shakespeare devotes the play to the events leading to war, he simultaneously gives us insight into the political and private life of a king. It is this unity of two distinct areas that has turned the play into a critical no man's land, "acrimoniously contested and periodically disfigured by opposing barrages of intellectual artillery" (Taylor 1). One may believe that Henry is the epitome of kingly glory, a disgrace of royalty, or think that Shakespeare himself disliked Henry and attempted to express his moral distaste subtly to his audience. No matter in which camp one rests, Henry V holds relevance for the modern stage. Despite containing contradictions, Henry is also a symbol as he is one person. This unity of person brings about the victory in the battle of Agincourt.
However, in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, the speaker uses powerful words and images to portray that patriotic propaganda is an “old lie” (Owen 27). In the first stanza, the speaker explains the effects that war has on young soldiers: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks/ Knock- Kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge” (Owen 1-2). Propaganda portrays soldiers as young heroes, those who are strong, healthy and vigorous. However, based on the evidence expressed in the previous quotation, soldiers are not all propaganda. portrays them to be.
Yorkist leaders were proud of this victory as it gave them an advantage for the rest of the thirty-year war. There were increasingly more and more acts of violence between the two opposing groups including acts of rape, murder and massacres. This act of treason was a regular occurrence between the two enemies and was evident through many of the battles the two encountered. With the rivalry going back and forth between the Lancastrians and the Yorks, noblemen after noblemen were being hunted down and killed on both sides. The Battle
Arguably the greatest playwright of his time, perhaps in all of history, William Shakespeare's literary works have had a tremendous impact (see Appendix 2). Reaching into the pop culture of the modern world through movies and quotes used in everyday conversation, Shakespeare's influence is astounding (see Appendix 1). One rarely stops to think, however, about events that had an impact on Shakespeare's life, particularly his writing. The outbreak of the plague, social disparity, political unrest, just a few of the historical happenings that impacted Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Henry IV
“Have not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself.” (Mabillard 1). The Wars of the Roses was a furnace that was boiling, it caused many changes for England from rebellions and overthrowing multiple kings and queens, to new dynasties and causing England to change for the better with ambition and thus becoming what it is today.
The War of the Roses was the struggle from 1455 - 1485 for the throne of England between the houses of Lancaster (whose badge was a red rose) and York (whose badge was a white rose). In the mid 15th century, the weak Lancastrian king Henry VI was controlled by William de la Pole, duke of Suffolk, Edward Beaufort, duke of Somerset, and Margaret Of Anjou, Henry's queen. They were opposed by Richard, duke of York, who gained support from the popular unrest caused by the anger over the Hundred Years War and by the corruption in the court. York was appointed protector during the king's insanity from 1453 - 1454, but was excluded from the royal council when the king recovered. He then resorted to fighting. The factions met at St. Albans (1455), the Yorkists won, and York again became protector from 1455 - 1456. The wars, however, continued. In 1460 the Yorkists captured the king at Northampton and struck a compromise whereby Henry remained king and York was named his successor. Queen Margaret, whose son was thus disinherited, raised an army and defeated the Yorkists at Wakefield in 1460. Here York was killed, and his son Edward assumed his claim. Margaret's army rescued the king at the second battle of St. Albans in 1461, but Edward meanwhile was victorious at Mortimer's Cross and assumed the throne as Edward IV. Henry was recaptured in 1465 and the Yorkists seemed to be in command. A quarrel then developed over the king's marriage, and Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, and the king's brother George, duke of Clarence, deserted Edward. They allied in 1470 with Queen Margaret, drove Edward into exile, and restored Henry VI as king. Edward soon returned and triumphed at Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471. Margaret was imprisoned and Henry VI died, probably slain on Edward's orders. After 12 years of peace, his 12-year-old son Edward V succeeded Edward in 1483, but the boy's uncle Richard, duke of Gloucester, usurped the throne as Richard III.