Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England episode 163, The Cousin's War.

Well despite the maidering and distractions of the Anglo-Saxons, we are here at last, the

Wars of the Roses. I think I might have mentioned that I have a long personal relationship with

the Wars of the Roses, which I think may well reflect and illuminate one of my many personal

character flaws, a weak sense of proportion about what is and is not really important.

So back in the 70s when I was in Nipper, Legionited lost a match, I suspect it was an FA Cup

final, which would mean it was Sunderland that stole the prize from that matchless leads

to the team of the 1970s, but oddly it's Chelsea or Arsenal that sits in my mind.

Anyway, it doesn't matter, the point is that the storm of tears and howling that accompanied

the defeat has remained family law with my mother at least ever since.

And it's a bit the same with the Wars of the Roses, in Salt, Richard, Duke of York,

and you insult me. Cast out, so with the character of Edward Earl of March, and I will challenge

you to a 50-cuff or five.

Our household in my youth was mildly divided, wouldn't want to go any further than that,

but my father was a Lancaster in my mother from York, none of which sensitivities stopped

me from voicing an opinion of course, about which, bless in, my father never complained.

So, not quite sure why I am telling you all of this, but I suppose I have two reasons.

Firstly, to warn you that I'm biased, and secondly, because it is rather odd that the conflict

we call the Wars of the Roses, which essentially can be seen, though rather simplistically,

as an aristocratic squabble, should still survive in the public memory.

The cricket county match between Yorkshire and Lancashire for example, is still called

the Roses match, I believe.

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