Son of York (House of York)

England, 1455. Henry VI’s periods of mental incapacity leave the government contested, and Richard, Duke of York, steps forward as protector. His authority divides the court between those who see him as the realm’s best hope and the Lancastrian faction led by Queen Margaret of Anjou, whose first concern is preserving her son’s inheritance. Edward of York grows to adulthood inside this escalating dynastic conflict, learning that his family’s claim can be defended only through political resolve and military force.

When Richard is killed at the Battle of Wakefield, Edward inherits both his father’s cause and the responsibility of leading the Yorkists. Still only eighteen, he must hold together grieving allies, confront Henry VI’s supporters and prove himself in the campaign that culminates at Towton. The novel traces Edward’s transformation from a magnate’s son into the warrior who can seize the English crown.