Which battle in 1455 is traditionally considered the start of the Wars of the Roses?

The First Battle of St Albans, fought in 1455, is traditionally considered the start of the Wars of the Roses.

The battle took place on 22 May 1455 in Hertfordshire. Richard, Duke of York, and his Neville allies defeated a Lancastrian army supporting King Henry VI. The Yorkists captured Henry, while Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and other leading Lancastrian nobles were killed.

The conflict grew from rival claims and factional struggles involving the houses of Lancaster and York. Henry VI’s periods of mental illness, disputes among powerful nobles, and arguments over who should govern the kingdom made armed confrontation increasingly likely. The battle was relatively small, but its political consequences were major: Richard of York was restored to power and later appointed Lord Protector.

The Battle of Towton was a much larger and especially decisive Yorkist victory in 1461, while Barnet and Bosworth came later. The second Battle of St Albans, fought in 1461, is therefore a common source of confusion.