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Hello, the Wars of the Roses have been the scene for many a historical skirmish

over the ages, that's over new evidence let alone the wars themselves.

The period in the 15th century when the House of Lancaster and the House of York seemed continually at odds

is described by Shakespeare in three parts of Henry the 6th and Richard III as a time of

enormous moral, military and political turmoil, the quintessential civil war.

The 20th century historians, like K.B. McFarlane in the 30s and 40s,

argued that the political instability was wildly overstated.

Opposing this position are the many Tudor historians who later claim

that the Wars of the Roses represent the final breakdown of the feudal system and lead directly

to the Tudor era and the birth of the modern age. Received opinion is being challenged again.

Dr Helen Kaster from Cambridge University

is the latest revisionist to ruffle feathers in history departments

up and down the country with new research on the pasten letters, the primary historical source on the period.

She joins me now.

Also with this is Professor Colin Richmond, Emeritus Professor of History at Keeve University

and author editor of The Paston Letters in the 15th century.

I'm also joined by the Tudor historian Dr Stephen Gunn, fellow and tutor in modern history

at Merton College, Oxford.

Colin Richmond, let's try to establish a platform first.

The Wars of the Roses, we're talking about the middle of the 15th century.

...