On this day, February 17, in medieval history:
- 1461 – The Second Battle of St. Albans: One of the battles fought during the Wars of the Roses. On this particular day, the Lancastrian army led by the Queen Margaret of Anjou defeated the Yorkist faction led by the Earl of Warwick. The Lancastrians freed King Henry VI who had been taken prisoner by the Earl.
- 1500 – The Battle of Hemmingstedt: The Battle of Hemmingstedt occurred south of the village of Hemmingstedt, near the present-day village of Epen-Wohrden, in northern Germany. Duke Friedrich and Duke Johann attempted to subdue the peasantry of Dithmarschen, who had established their own republic along the coast of the North Sea. The peasants, who were a well-armed and well-organized militia, used their knowledge of the terrain to defeat the Dukes’ armies.
You have a typo – it’s “Henry VI”, not “Henry IV” (who died in 1413).
Good catch. Thanks, Alex! It’s been corrected to say Henry VI now.