War of the Roses

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:43pm

Sean Astin!

[blueroses]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:52pm

I looooooved Kathleen Turner in The War of the Roses! She was also fab in Peggy Sue Got Married and Serial Mom.

[DG]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:53pm

One of my all-time favorite moments in film history:

"Go ahead, hit me!"

POW!

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:54pm

One of the best dark comedies ever. Danny DeVito is such an underrated genius.

[blueroses]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:54pm

He's great!

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 4:54pm

It's my favorite radio show!!! I love those!

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 11/9/06 at 6:30pm

I love the "War of the Roses" British history is great -

The Wars of the Roses (1455 - 1485) were collectively an intermittent civil war fought over the throne of England between adherents of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. Both houses were branches of the Plantagenet royal house, tracing their descent from King Edward III.

The name Wars of the Roses was not used at the time, but has its origins in the badges associated with the two royal houses, the Red Rose of Lancaster and the White Rose of York. The term came into common usage during the 16th century from a fictional scene in Shakespeare's play Henry VI Part 1 where the opposing sides pick different-coloured roses at the Temple Church. Although the roses were occasionally used as symbols during the wars themselves, most of the participants wore badges associated with their immediate feudal lords or protectors. The unofficial system of Livery and Maintenance, by which powerful nobles would offer protection to followers who would sport their colours and badges (livery) was one of the effects of the breakdown of royal authority which preceded and partly caused the wars.

The Wars were fought largely by the landed aristocracy and armies of feudal retainers; supporters of each house largely depended upon dynastic marriages with the nobility, feudal titles and tenures. Interestingly, The Lancastrian patriarch John of Gaunt's first title was Earl of Richmond, the same title which Henry VII later held, whilst The Yorkist patriarch Edmund of Langley's first title was Earl of Cambridge; two regions that would be later divided during the English Civil War.

The Wars of the Roses, with their heavy casualties among the nobility, ushered in a period of great social upheaval in feudal England and led to the fall of the Plantagenet dynasty itself. The period saw the decline of English influence on the Continent, a weakening of the feudal power of the nobles and a corresponding strengthening of the merchant classes, and the growth of a strong, centralized monarchy under the Tudors. It heralded the end of the medieval period in England and the movement towards the Renaissance.

On the other hand, it has also been suggested that traumatic impact of the wars was exaggerated by Henry VII, to magnify his achievement in quelling them and bringing peace. Certainly, the effect of the wars on the merchant and labouring classes was far less than in the long drawn-out wars of siege and pillage in France and elsewhere in Europe, carried out by mercenaries who profited from the prolongation of the war. Although there were some lengthy sieges, such as at Harlech Castle and Bamburgh Castle, these were in remote and sparsely-inhabited regions. In the populated areas, both factions had much to lose by the ruin of the country, and sought quick resolution of the conflict by pitched battle.


Or maybe thats not the "War of the Roses " you meant.