I: The Battle of Bosworth Field
Philippe le Bel
Banned
A Richard for All Seasons
The Battle of Bosworth Field
August 22, 1485
The Battle of Bosworth Field
August 22, 1485
“Your Majesty!” shouted the red-faced messenger, riding up at a gallop. He was little more than a boy, and stuttered nervously as he addressed his king in front of all these important men. “L-lord Thomas Stanley has given his r-reply, Sire.”
“Ah!” cried Richard III, King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland from atop his horse. “Now we shall have Stanley at the enemy’s rear, now that he knows his son is at stake.” There was a pause and the sounds of the Lancastrians marching toward them in the field below was clear and growing louder each second.
“S-sire, Lord Stanley says that he has--he has other sons, Sire.” There was a ripple of murmuring among the men and Richard’s face was turning a dangerous purple. Some men had to hide their chuckles at this wit, but Viscount Francis Lovell [1] nudged his horse forward to grab the king’s elbow, giving the grateful messenger an opportunity to melt into the surrounding men.
“Sire, please, do not waste your time with Stanley just yet. He may still withdraw, or even support you. Well, so long as you do not execute his son.” Loud booms punctuated his words as cannons not more than three hundred yards away challenged Henry Tudor’s claim to the throne. Gaps appeared in the line of Henry’s men in the field below as the cannonballs found their mark. The screaming began and continued as the archers of both sides came within range and began to fire volleys.
“Very well,” said Richard, shaking his head but still chewing on his lower lip in anger. “I shall deal with Lord Strange [2] later.” He looked up and about, down to the field below, and was visited by a sudden idea [3]. "Henry," he said, addressing Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland. "Henry, our foot is protected here by the marsh to the south, Oxford [4] would not risk his few men attacking you through there. Lend me your footmen and proceed with your horse to Norfolk's right. Don't be too quick about it, we don't want you to be seen until you're needed."
"At once, Sire," said Henry Percy, turning his horse and riding to his main force some five hundred yards away, his horsemen following.
"A very shrewd move Sire, the ridge should prevent his being seen. He will be a nasty surprise for the Welshman!" said young John de la Pole [5]. A flurry of activity greeted these words as Henry's men grew close enough for Richard's captains and lieutenants to sound the advance. Watching the battle develop, Richard saw that Henry Tudor's general Oxford had formed his men into a wedge. This left a good amount of Richard's men standing exposed to Henry's horse but not doing any useful fighting.
With dismay Richard saw Norfolk's men begin to flee at the strength of the pointed charge of Oxford's foot. Shouting for De la Pole to take command of Northumberland's foot, Richard moved with his own men to buffer Norfolk's battle and check Oxford's advance. He succeeded and the two forces became bogged down in heavy fighting, with Henry Tudor's horse darting here and there causing chaos at the fringes.
Richard and his horsemen crashed into Oxford's forces with vigor, fighting among the infantry in a wild melee. For his smaller stature and uneven shoulders, Richard was a brave and wild warrior. His sword arm rose and fell with every beat of the heart which pounded blood into his ears. The monstrous clashing and clanging of arms and screams of wounded men and horses were all he could hear, it seemed as though a red mist descended over his eyes, as everything he could see was red with blood and rage. In a moment of relative calm he chanced a quick glance downfield and sent a quick prayer to God upon seeing that Lord Stanley had not yet moved. Then it was back to hacking at Henry Tudor's French mercenaries, the core of his forces.
Due to the presence of Northumberland's infantry, the Yorkists slowly and steadily gained the upper hand, until some of Oxford's men on Richard's left began to flee into the marsh, with nowhere else to go. In a desperate move to gain the upper hand and hoping that Stanley would interfere in his favor, Henry Tudor took his meager cavalry to charge into the already weaker men of Norfolk's who had already began to turn earlier in the battle. They might have turned again, except that Henry Percy was waiting, his men hunched low on their horses and trying not to be seen. Seeing the enemy horse so close, he knew that it had to be time to intervene, and he charged down aside Norfolk's wavering men, stopping any potential retreat and engaging the devastated Henry Tudor.
Henry, inexperienced at battles or combat, turned and fled with his guard. The rest of his horsemen, exhausted after spending a battle flitting about the field, were massacred by the fresh, eager men led by Henry Percy. Having killed or driven off the rest of Tudor's horse, Percy's cavalry cut into Oxford's foot and caused a general retreat, while Percy himself and some others drove hard after Henry Tudor, desperate to capture or kill the man. Tudor rode into the midst of his fleeing men, who were regrouping by Stanley.
What will he even do? The battle is near over, he must join us now, thought Percy. This thought was proven true a moment later, when Stanley's very fresh men began to dart and charge forward, picking off Lancastrian survivors. So now Stanley is with us. Percy kept his eyes on Henry Tudor, unwilling to lose the man who had been the cause of all this bloodshed, when he saw his horse taken down by some of Stanley's men. Making his way hard for that spot he leapt to the ground and knelt by the still body, killed by the fall. He looked up and saw Jasper Tudor, Henry's uncle, run through with a lance by one of Percy's own men. Thank God, it is over. How can there be anybody left to contest Richard?
- - - - - - - - - -
Hours later the field still remained almost unrecognizable to how it had looked that morning. While the English and Welsh bodies had been removed by King Richard's orders, the French mercenaries still lay, rotting naked or in rags under the late afternoon sun, and the wild, sweet smelling grasses of the field remained sticky with blood and guts.
John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, was no more, killed in battle in front of his own son Thomas. Thomas, almost inconsolable, was honored above all others for his father's sacrifice and their brave holding of the line that had suffered most during the battle. Richard made him Duke of Norfolk on the spot, there was no question about that succession.
Lord Thomas Stanley and his brother William treated with Richard that afternoon, expecting rewards for joining the Yorkist side, but were instead seized and immediately beheaded as opportunistic traitors. Never again would a lord dare to await the final verdict or some opportune moment before choosing a side. Stanley's son Lord Strange was hanged, and men were sent to arrest his brothers and cousins. Those large estates would become crown possessions shortly.
Margaret Beaufort, who had followed her son into England, was locked screaming and mourning into the nearest convent, a guard assigned to her 24/7. Though Henry Tudor was her only son, her machinations would disturb the peace of the realm no more.
For Richard, it was the end to a chapter of his life. Since as long as he could remember his family had been involved in civil wars and plots, intrigues and assassination attempts, spiteful feelings and bitter exiles. No more. Now it was his duty to force England onto a peaceful, productive path.
[1] One of King Richard III's best friends
[2] George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange, son of Lord Thomas Stanley; Richard III already held him in captivity before the battle
[3] The PoD
[4] John de Vere, Earl of Oxford; one of Henry Tudor's main generals
[5] Richard III's sister Elizabeth's son, thought by some to be heir apparent to the throne, Richard was unclear on the matter
Well howdy there everybody. This is the first TL in what is hopefully going to be a long and fruitful line. Thankfully I am NOT doing this alone! This is all in fact the idea of my good friend @BlueFlowwer. You can thank her for almost all of the ideas and events in this TL, while I can be thanked for the writing. She keeps me on the right track however, with her knowledge. Due to the two of us, you'll see great things
We hope you enjoyed, leave a comment or at least like to show your appreciation or any ideas you might have
