British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley S01E01 - The Wars of the Roses

Episode Overview

History tells us that after three decades of fierce conflict between the Yorkists, symbolized by their white rose, and the Lancastrians, marked by their red rose, Henry Tudor ended the civil strife and vanquished the tyrant Richard III. However, Lucy uncovers how the Tudors crafted the narrative of the "Wars of the Roses" to legitimize their reign. She reveals how Henry and his historians exaggerated the war's scale, distorted Richard's image into that of a villain, and even created the rose symbolism. When Shakespeare added his flair, Tudor myths became entrenched as historical truth. Fast forward to the modern day, Lucy examines the significance of Richard III's remains found in a Leicester parking lot, showing that the 15th-century deceptions still captivate us over 500 years later. As one colleague warns her, "Never trust a historian!"