Which Yorkist commander was killed at the Battle of Ferrybridge in 1461?

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Lord FitzWalter was the Yorkist commander killed as a result of the Battle of Ferrybridge in 1461.

Ferrybridge was a preliminary clash in Yorkshire on 28 March 1461, fought as Edward IV’s Yorkist army advanced toward the Lancastrian position near Towton. The Yorkists had repaired a damaged bridge over the River Aire, but Lancastrian forces launched a surprise attack soon afterward.

FitzWalter, Warwick’s second-in-command at the Yorkist camp, tried to rally his troops during the ambush. He was mortally wounded and died about a week later. Strictly speaking, he did not die on the battlefield itself, but historical summaries commonly identify him as the Yorkist commander killed in connection with Ferrybridge.

The fighting also claimed the life of the Bastard of Salisbury, while the Lancastrian commander John, Lord Clifford, was killed during the subsequent action near Castleford. These engagements immediately preceded the much larger Battle of Towton.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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