How Far Was the Outbreak of Civil War in 1455 Due to the Loss of English Territories in France?

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How far was the outbreak of civil war in 1455 due to the loss of English territories in France? In his public announcements of 1450, 1452 and 1455 York proved his loyalty to the king by saying that he did not wish “to displease my sovereign lord”. He was also constantly claiming that his opposition against the king was because of his rivalry with Somerset. York even knelt before Henry after St.Albans in an attempt to prove his loyalty to him. The loss of English territories in France was the main cause of York’s hatred of Somerset and worsened the relationship between Henry and York, whose relationship was already strained because of the court faction’s suspicions of York’s intentions and fears of attainder. York and the Neville’s wanted to see better governance and for Henry to regard them equally as the Beaufort’s. The feud between Somerset and York was because York felt dishonoured by Somerset’s easy surrender of Rouen and other lands of York’s appanage in 1450. As the son of Richard, Earl of Cambridge; who was executed for treason against Henry V, York was sensitive to the issue of family honour. He presented an article to the king in 1452, criticising Somerset for his failure to defend Rouen from attack and his surrender of Rouen in 1449 despite soldiers protesting. Despite Somerset being lieutenant-general in Normandy since 1445, York was still captain of Rouen and it was his responsibility to govern his appanage. The surrender of Rouen was a treasonable offence and York was dishonoured because of this, despite not being there in person to defend. York demanded Somerset be tried for the treasonable surrender of Rouen and other towns in order to clear his name. York’s bitter feud with Somerset was centred on the loss of English territories in France and said that this was his main reason for opposing Henry. York’s opposition of the king at Dartford in 1452
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