The unfinished business of Bosworth 1485

[Please note, this is an ongoing post that will be added to. It tells the tale of post Bosworth manoeuvres. How will this power struggle between Richard and Henry be concluded. If you like this sort of thing, please call back over the next few days and check on progress, which will be added in chronological order].

In the Year of our Lord 1485, in the Parish of Dadlington, Richard, our most noble king was sorely put to test by Henry Tudor, aided by the treachery of the Stanleys. With troubled days ahead, only loyal hearts can save all.

22nd August 1485

Bosworth battlefield lay strewn with the dead and the dying. The Lancastrians under Henry were victorious, but Richard III, the legitimate king was still alive. 

Towards the end of the battle, he had observed Sir. William Stanley send contingent after contingent of billmen over to Henry’s position and sensing that the odds were now heavily stacked against him, he heeded the advice of those around him and withdrew from the field with his body of horse.

Politically, he needed to be in London (south), but militarily, the moment called for him to move towards his northern strongholds. First he much catch up with Lord Percy (Northumberland), who just hours before had retired from the battlefield without becoming involved in the fighting - if nothing else, Northumberland’s force was at least fresh, offering some security if pursued.

There was of course the question amongst Richard’s party as whether Northumberland could be trusted, but Richard, ever pragmatic, knew that if he was to defeat Henry and the rebellion, then he must galvanise his northern support, not divide them. He was also somewhat accommodating to the fact that had Percy become involved in the fighting, his force would have been at least roughly handled and more likely destroyed, better to have Percy as a significant cadre to build another army around.

Choices for Henry were a little less clearcut. He was grateful for Sir. William Stanley’s intervention, but vexed that his support had only become so obvious, late in the battle. Of more immediate concern was why Lord Stanley had chosen not to show his support more demonstrably, but diplomatically he accepted the excuse that Stanley had been guarding the rebel flank from a possible manoeuvre by Northumberland.

Never-the-less, Henry was reluctant to send the Stanleys and their fresh cavalry in headlong pursuit of the fleeing Yorkists …. he wanted them on a tight leash for now! Not that the Stanleys had any hope of convincing Richard that they were still loyal to the crown - those bridges had been well and truly burned!

Instead, Henry sent off Sir. John Savage and his light cavalry to follow the retreating Yorkists and establish their movements and intentions

In due course, Henry would follow, taking the army to Nottingham, a Yorkist stronghold and a days march away. He believed Richard would retreat to that position and attacking him early, before he could recover his strength had obvious advantages. In any case, Nottingham, was a central location, if Richard had escaped him, from there Henry could strategically move either north or south as the situation dictated.

First, he needed to rest and re-supply his army. He sent heralds to the major population centres to give the news that Richard and the royal army had been defeated in battle and actively went about recruiting, hoping to persuade those who had hesitated in joining the rebellion, to do so now.

Time was not on Henry’s side, his war chest courtesy of the King of France (Charles VIII), still had the funds, for now, so he could continue to pay his French mercenaries and of course to others, he could make promises of titles once the crown was his!

More to come ***************

Resource Section.

There is a post covering the Bosworth scenario on the blog, which describes the essential elements of the scenario and gives a brief AAR … which leads us to this journey. LINK;

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2026/07/bosworth-scenario-building.html

My sister webspace ‘COMMANDERS’  showcases the various figure and boardgame systems that I am enjoying and gives a flavour of where current projects are up to. Link;

https://commanders.simdif.com/dear_diary.html