Henry VI was the son of the great warrior king Henry V, of Agincourt fame. He was still only an infant when his father died and the Kingdom was ruled by regents until 1437. It has been said that Henry was more suited to life as a monk than a King, especially the King of a realm locked in a dynastic struggle both at home and in France. Henry VI was not the capable man his father had been, and the war in France lost momentum and started to turn against England. Closer to home, Richard, 3rd Duke of York and Humphrey, 1st Duke of Gloucester and their supporters were becoming disgruntled at Henry's reign, and the old dispute between the Houses of Lancaster (Henry's House) and York began to resurface.
Eventually, York's son and heir, Edward, 4th Duke of York gained enough support to depose Henry VI and claim the throne for himself. What followed was a new stage in the Wars of the Roses. In 1465, Henry was captured and imprisoned by Edward IV, during which time he descended further into insanity and insensibility. When the former Yorkist supporter Earl of Warwick changed sides in 1470, Henry VI's Queen Margaret of Anjou and his son, Edward Prince of Wales managed to liberate Henry, but this was only temporary. The following year, Edward, Prince of Wales was killed in the Battle of Tewkesbury, and Henry VI was recaptured, dying a few days later, allegedly of 'melancholy' but probably due to murder on the orders of Edward IV. Henry VI had been more useful alive whilst his son Edward, Prince of Wales lived, but once he had been killed, keeping the enfeebled former king alive no longer served any useful purpose to the Yorkist faction. For the time being, the Yorkist faction was secure in its position on the throne of England.

Specifications (Approx)

Denomination	Diameter	Weight	Alloy	AGW (oz)
Quarter Noble	18mm		0.916 (22ct Crown Gold)

Price & Availability

Description	Grade	Available	Price £	Price $	Price €
Henry VI First Reign Quarter Noble	Good VF	Sold	£595	$Ask	€Ask

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