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.

Timeline of the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings of England

While the House of Lancaster was founded in 1267, it was not until 1399 that first king from 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, three kings from the House of Lancaster and three from the House of York ruled England. From the House of Lancaster, the three kings were Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI. The three kings from the House of York, on the other hand, were Edward IV, Edward V, and Richard III.

Who were the most famous Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings?

The most famous king from the royal houses of Lancaster and York was easily Henry V, who was immortalised with 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. 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 Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings

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 from the House of Lancaster and was a highly intelligent and able man.

• 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 Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings

King Richard III from the house of York is generally considered to be the worst ruler from 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 was killed in a battle against Henry Tudor, thus ending the reign of the Houses of Lancaster and York.

Royal Houses of Lancaster and York Kings 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.

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 house of Lancaster and York Kings was Henry V
• Henry V was immortalised in plays by the legendary William Shakespeare
• King Henry V heavily defeated the French armies in the battle of Agincourt
• Henry V introduced proper use of 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. You can also click on images of the medieval kings within this Royal house of Lancaster and York Kings page for more detailed information on these individual medieval kings.

Royal House of Lancaster and York Kings

House of Lancaster

• Henry IV Bolingbroke
• Henry V – The Star of England
• Henry VI

House of York

• Edward IV
• House of Lancaster
• Henry VI
• House of York restored
• Edward IV (second reign)
• Edward V
• Richard III

York and House of Lancaster War Roses Family Tree