On This Day In Royal History . 12 March 1470 . The Battle of Losecoat Field . . ◼ The Battle of Losecoat Field (also known as the Battle of Empingham) was fought on 12 March 1470, during the Wars of the Roses. Spellings of “Losecoat” vary, with “Losecote” & “Loose-coat” also seen. . ◼ The battle secured the defeat of the poorly organised Welles Uprising against King Edward IV, but ultimately led to the defection of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick & the king’s brother George, Duke of Clarence to the Lancastrian cause after they were forced to flee the country having been implicated in the rebellion. . The Battle; . ◼ King Edward’s scouts informed him that the rebel army commanded by Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was some five miles from Stamford, arrayed for battle beside the Great North Road to the north of Tickencote Warren near Empingham in Rutland. . ◼ Edward positioned his men in a battle line to the north of Welles’ army, & then, in the space separating the two forces, had Lord Welles (Robert’s father) executed in view of both armies. . ◼ This action set off the rebels (currently numbering 30,000), advancing with cries of á Warwick & á Clarence. A single barrage of cannonballs was fired & then Edward had his men charge towards the enemy. Before the leaders of this attack could even come to blows with the rebel front line the battle was over. The rebels broke & fled rather than face the King’s highly trained men. . ◼ Both captains, Sir Robert Welles & his commander of foot Richard Warren were captured during the rout & were executed a week later on 19 March. Welles confessed his treason, & named Warwick & Clarence as the “partners & chief provokers” of the rebellion. Documents were also found proving the complicity of Warwick & Clarence, who were forced to flee the country. . . . #onthisdayinhistory #thisdayinhistory #theyear1470 #d12mar #WarsoftheRoses #BattleofLosecoatField #KingEdwardIV #EdwardIV #EdwardIVofEngland #HouseofYork #RichardNeville #EarlofWarwick #GeorgePlantagenet #DukeofClarence #History #EnglishMonarchy #BritishMonarchy #Onthisday #Royalhistory #Medieval #medievaltimes #medievalhistory #Plantagenets #Plantagenet (at Empingham) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9pofPpH-C0/?igshid=cuq44jzxip84
