Lancaster and York Kings (Plantagenet)

The royal houses of Lancaster and York were the ruling families that ruled England from 1399 to 1485.

These were both the cadet branches of the Plantagenet Dynasty.

The House of Lancaster was founded when Henry III of England created the Earldom of Lancaster in 1267, while the House of York descended from Edmund of Langley who was the first Duke of York.

Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Timeline

While the House of Lancaster was founded in 1267, it was not until 1399 that the first king of the house, Henry IV, became the ruler of England.

The House of Lancaster continued to rule uninterrupted until 1461 and then again for a brief period from 1470 to 1471.

Kings from the House of York, on the other hand, ruled England from 1461 to 1470 and then again from 1471 to 1485.

Which Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings ruled during this period?

During the period from 1399 to 1485 *3 kings from the House of Lancaster and *3 from the House of York ruled England.

House of Lancaster

King Henry IV

 King Henry V

King Henry VI

House of York

King Edward IV

King Edward V

King Richard III

Famous Kings of the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York

The most famous king from the royal houses of Lancaster and York was easily Henry V, who was immortalized in a play by Shakespeare.

As a young man, he had several female lovers and led a carefree life but became a worthy ruler as a king.

King Henry V Portrait Medieval Kings

William Shakespeare

He led England to the Battle of Agincourt and inflicted a crushing defeat on the French. He was crowned in 1413 and died in 1422.

Best Kings – Royal Houses of Lancaster & York

Henry V is generally considered the best of all kings from the House of Lancaster and York. He was also the first king who promoted the use of England language.

The previous ruler, Henry IV, was the first king of the House of Lancaster and was a highly intelligent and able man.

Henry V

• The Royal houses of Lancaster and York ruled England from 1399 to 1485
• The house of Lancaster was created in 1267 by Henry III
• The house of York descended from the first Duke of York’s family
• Kings from the House of Lancaster were Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI.
• Kings from the House of York were Edward IV, Edward V, Richard the III

Worst Kings – Royal Houses of Lancaster & York

King Richard III from the house of York is generally considered to be the worst ruler of the Houses of Lancaster and York.

He ruled England from 1483 to 1485 and was also suspected of murdering the two princes, Edward and Richard, in order to make possible his own ascension to the throne.

Richard III

Richard III was killed in a battle against Henry Tudor, thus ending the reign of the Houses of Lancaster and York.

King Henry VIII

Houses of Lancaster and York Achievements

Most of the kings from the houses of Lancaster and York were highly religious and also extended educational and architectural patronage.

Some of the important buildings constructed during their reign include Eton College, King’s College, and the chapels of both these colleges.

They also extended their patronage to arts and literature and one of the famous poets of the era was Geoffrey Chaucer.

King’s College London

Geoffrey Chaucer

Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings Summary

The Houses of Lancaster and York were the ruling dynasties of England whose reign extended from 1399 to 1485. During this era, three rulers from each house ruled the country.

It began with the ascension of Henry IV to the throne and ended with the death of Richard III in a battle against Henry Tudor.

• The most famous of all the houses of Lancaster and York Kings was Henry V
• Henry V was immortalized in plays by the legendary William Shakespeare
• King Henry V heavily defeated the French armies in the battle of Agincourt

Battle of Agincourt

• Henry V introduced the proper use of the English language during the Royal house of Lancaster and York period
• King Richard the III from the Royal house of york was considered to be the worst King produced by this dynasty
• Many important buildings such as Eton College were constructed during the Royal house of Lancaster and York period

We hope you found this article on the Royal houses of Lancaster and York informative and factual, if you’d like to learn about other medieval king periods such as the Norman king period and the Plantagenet king period please look at the links at the bottom of this page.