The social structure of the participants of the battle of Wakefield, December 30, 1460

Although the historical facts of the Wars of the Roses have been studied in detail, their social nature is still the matter of debate. The participation of representatives of various social strata in the conflict, with exception of nobility, has been studied insufficiently. There are objective obstacles to the formation of a broad view of the participants in the Wars of the Roses. Medieval sources usually do not contain a large number of their names, but at the same time, they have some information. Using modern research methods, we have an opportunity to expand our understanding of the social structure of the participants of the battle, their liabilities, the degree of involvement in previous and posterior events. In the article, the social structure of the participants of the battle of Wakefield 30 December 1460 is envisaged with the method of prosopography. The outcome of the battle was not much a turning point in the history of the Wars of the Roses, but rather unexpected - it was the death of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. This has led to the emergence of a new leader of the Yorkists and to the change of monarch in the end. In the course of the investigation, a wide range of sources has been used; there are primarily historical narratives («An English Chronicle» by J. Davis, John Benet’s chronicle, «Annales rerum anglicanum» by William Worcester, Registrum abbatiae Johannis Whethamstede, Robert Bale’s Chronicle, Gregory’s Chronicle, Short English Chronicle, Vitellius) as well as Rotuli Parliamentorum and documents of the Chancellery and of the Treasury. As a result, the names of 58 participants of the battle were revealed. First of all, there were 15 members of the nobility, many of whom were connected by ties of kinship. The majority of the explored participants (39 people) were representatives of the gentry (knights, squires, gentlemen) who had a personal connections with the lords. Many of the knights and squires were those who held various positions in local governments, at court or even in the King’s Council. That is usually local elites whose position and career depended on the patronage of a noble Lord, named in sources. Among representatives of other social groups there are citizens (of York, Hull, London), who almost did not accept participation in the battles of York and Lancaster previously. Most of the middle class remained committed to their Lord and his “party” throughout the conflict, which is testified by their participation in many battles both before and after the examined events.