The Battle of Northampton was a battle that occurred on July the 10th 1460 during the Wars of the Roses. Yorkist exiles from Calais had made a landing in Kent and being joined by more supporters had entered London on the 2nd of July where their army swelled to some 30,000. Leaving some soldiers to blockade the Tower of London which was held by Lancastrians, the remainder of the Yorkist army set off to confront the King.
The king and his court had been in Coventry at the time, but hearing of the Yorkist march left for Northampton and on the 10th of July entrenched in a meadow south of the town, the defences under the command of the Duke of Buckingham. The defending Lancastrians were outnumbered, but had assembled earthworks lined with artillery, and repulsed the first assault made on free fronts simultaneously.
The defences would have probably been impenetrable, but Lord Grey of Ruthen who was holding the left flank treacherously allowed in the Yorkist force led by the Earl of March which then quickly assaulted the defenders from the rear while simultaneously a repeated frontalattack occurred. Casualties at the battle were not high, but many of the Lancastrian leaders were killed, among them Buckingham, Shrewsbury and Egremont, and the king was captured and taken to London. Research Battle of Northampton
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Research Battle of Northampton