Who were the two parties involved in the War of the Roses?

The War of the Roses, a series of bloody civil wars fought in England from 1455 to 1487, gets its name from the emblems associated with the two main houses vying for the English throne. The House of Lancaster used a red rose as its symbol, while the House of York adopted a white rose. Think of it like a medieval football rivalry with floral team colours! The conflict was essentially a power struggle between these two powerful families, both descended from King Edward III, who believed they had a legitimate claim to the throne. The fighting was fierce, involving battles, betrayals, and even the murder of kings. The war finally ended when Henry Tudor, who was from the House of Lancaster, defeated Richard III of the House of York at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Henry then married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two houses and establishing the Tudor dynasty, symbolized by the Tudor rose, which combined the red and white roses. So, when you think of the War of the Roses, remember it was a clash specifically between the House of York and the House of Lancaster, not any other noble houses.