1453 年，英國在百年戰(zhàn)爭中最后戰(zhàn)敗。此時英國的權(quán)力掌握在許多富有而野心勃勃的貴族手里。因?yàn)?百年戰(zhàn)爭已結(jié)束，他們企圖以控制國內(nèi)政府來實(shí)現(xiàn)其野心。另外還有一大批失業(yè)的士兵。但大多數(shù)普通民 眾的利益則未被深深卷入。

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In 1453 England was at last defeated in the Hundred Years 'War. At that time power in England was in the hands of a number of rich and ambitious nobles. Because the Hundred Years' War ended, they had to seek a new outlet for their ambition by an attempt to dominate the government at home. There was also a mass of?unemployed soldiers. The interests of the majority of the common people were not deeply engaged.

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1455 年，當(dāng)亨利六世(1422-1491)神精失常并把政府交給攝政王管理時，戰(zhàn)爭爆發(fā)。約克家族成員由約克公爵理查德領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，蘭開斯特家族成員由塞默特公爵領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。1459 年至 1460 年間雙方多次交戰(zhàn)。1461 年約克公爵的兒子愛德華獲勝從而成為愛德華四世(1461-1483)。戰(zhàn)爭期間大部分時間都由愛德華統(tǒng)治。他著手恢復(fù)皇家財政以及國家被破壞的出口貿(mào)易，國家得到一定程度的繁榮。

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In 1455, after Henry VI (1422－1461) had completely lost his reason and government put in to the hands of a Protector, war broke out between the Yorkists led by Richard, Duke of York, and the Lancastrians led by John Beaufout, Duke of Somerset. More wars were fought between the two sides in 1459 and 1460. In 1461 the Duke of York's son, Edward, emerged the victor, and was proclaimed as Edward IV (1461-1483). Edward reigned for most of the duration of these wars. He set about restoring he finances of the Crown and the disrupted export trade of the country, and gave the country a measure of prosperity.

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1483 年愛德華四世去世，他十三歲的兒子被宣布繼位，稱愛德華五世(1483 年)。在等待加冕儀式時， 新王和他弟弟被安置在倫敦塔暫住。愛德華四世的弟弟，格魯切斯特公爵理查德此時已被任命為護(hù)國公(攝政王)。年幼的國王愛德華五世和他弟弟神秘地失蹤，很可能被謀殺在倫敦塔里。格魯切斯特公爵理查德在盛大儀式中加冕為理查德三世。

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Edward IV died in 1483 and his thirteen-year-old son was proclaimed his successor as Edward V (1483). While awaiting his coronation the new King and his younger brother were lodged in the Tower of London. Edward IV's brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, had been appointed to the office of Protector. The young King Edward V and his brother mysteriously disappeared. They were probably murdered in the Tower. Richard of Gloucester was crowned in great splendor

and became Richard III.

1485 年 8 月 22 日，在萊切斯特郡的博斯沃思原野進(jìn)行了玫瑰戰(zhàn)爭的最后一戰(zhàn)。戰(zhàn)斗在理查德三世和另一王位爭奪者亨利.都鐸之間進(jìn)行。亨利.都鐸是威爾士血統(tǒng)的歐文.都鐸的孫子，也是蘭開斯特公爵貢特. 約翰之后裔。在此戰(zhàn)役中，理查德三世丟失了皇位和性命。亨利.都鐸取勝不久就娶了約克家族的伊麗莎白 (愛德華四世的女兒)，這樣就把蘭開斯特家族和約克家族聯(lián)合在了一起，國家處于都鐸王朝統(tǒng)治之下。

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On August 22,1458 at Bosworth Field in Leicestershire the last battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought between Richard III and another claimant to the throne, Henry Tudor, part-Welsh grandson of Owen Tudor and descendant of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. In the battle Richard III lost his crown and his life. Soon after his victory, Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York (Edward IV's daughter) , thus uniting the Houses of Lancaster and York and putting the country under the rule of the Tudors.

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都鐸王朝的五位君主統(tǒng)治英格蘭和威爾士達(dá)一百多年。他們在較短時間內(nèi)取得了很大的成就。亨利.都鐸成為亨利七世(1485-1509)，他強(qiáng)有力地統(tǒng)治了英國。盡管亨利七世是強(qiáng)大的國王，卻不同于當(dāng)時的任何歐洲君主。 后者熱心于建立君主擁有"絕對"權(quán)威的國家。換而言之，他們擁有絕對權(quán)力，卻沒有義務(wù)與任何咨詢機(jī)構(gòu)討論政策。但正如我們所知，這對亨利七世而言是不可能的，英國議會已是相當(dāng)重要的機(jī)構(gòu)，國王必須征詢其意見，即使是僅為獲得議會的撥款也得這樣做。

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Five Tudor monarchs ruled England and Wales for just over one?hundred years. In a short time span they achieved a great deal. Henry Tudor became Henry VII (1485-1509) He gave England very firm rule. Although a strong king, Henry VII was a very different type of king from any European monarchs of that time. They were keen to make nation states where the monarch was "absolute". In other words, they had total power, under no obligation to discuss their policies with any consultative body. This was not possible for Henry VII because, as we have seen, Parliament in England was already a fairly important body, which had to be consulted, if only to get grants of pounds agreed upon.?