User Guide

The home of the Fitza-
lan
family played no
major part in the Wars.
The castle on the site
today is of a consider-
ably more modem vin-
tage.
It is typical of the Wars of the
Roses that this brief, simple expla-
nation has passed into popular
belief. Much of what we know-or
believe we know-has been
obscured behind symbols and leg-
end, without much basis in fact. The
emblems themselves, for example,
are primarily a playwright’s fancy.
The “War” of White and Red Roses
was not an allegory understood at
the time of the struggle itself. In
fact, the symbols were themselves
rarely used by the two factions-
Edward IV is better known for his
symbol of the “Sun In Splendor,”
while Richard II fought under the
banner of the “White Boar”.
It is equally confusing to the mod-
ern American student (or game
player) to discover that the Lancas-
trians held extensive estates in
Yorkshire, while the Yorkists were
strongest in the Midlands! In fact,
the entire history of the period is a
confusing jumble of names (there
are altogether too many Prince
Edwards!!!), titles, places and dates
presented against an ever-changing
background of treachery and politi-
cal chicanery. And barely half of
what you read is factual..
Since Shakespeare’s day, popular
perception of the Wars of the Roses
has been confused by the propa-
ganda of partisan supporters of the
White or the Red, or by those who
see the whole affair as a minor
dynastic squabble. It is true that
their significance in the history of
the art or practice of warfare is
small. And while the Wars were not
the general bloodbath Shakespeare
described for the Elizabethan stage,
the royal house of Plantagenet was
wiped out...along with other noble
dynasties beside. Modern historical
research, however, has shown that
the era was no better nor worse than
those that came before and after.
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