History Trivia

February 17, 1370 – The Battle of Rudau - Teutonic knights defeated the Lithuanians in their attempt to Christianize the country.1461 Second Battle of Saint Albans -In the long-running Wars of the Roses, a previous battle had taken place at Saint Albans nearly six years earlier, a very brief incident that gave Richard, Duke of York, the upper hand in the conflict. But soon the opposition rose once more and war broke out again in 1459. The Duke had been dead some time when Henry's indomitable Queen Margaret and York's son Edward both sought to capture London. It was Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (also known as the Kingmaker), who met the queen at Saint Albans, but he lost the battle, leaving his prisoner, King Henry VI, to Margaret's forces. Margaret made a grave error when she allowed her forces to pillage the town and Abbey of Saint Albans. The people of London, hearing of this behavior, sent her a message saying she would not be welcome unless she could guarantee that her troops would not so mistreat Londoners. While Margaret thought this over, Edward York and Richard Neville entered London, where York soon was crowned King Edward IV.