Introduction & Overview of King Henry VI, Part 3 by William Shakespeare

King Henry VI, Part 3 Introduction

Henry VI, Part Three begins with a debate between King Henry and York over which of them is the rightful king of England. The argument has its origins in the reign of Henry's grandfather, King Henry IV, a Lancastrian who came to power by usurping Richard II, grandson and direct heir of King Edward III. (Shakespeare's tetralogy of plays— Richard II, Henry IV, Pan One and Two, and Henry V— dramatizes the ascendancy of the Lancastrians.) York can prove that his family tree follows a more direct line to King Edward III's throne than Henry's does; consequently, York has the right to rule England, while Henry, whose grandfather became king by force, should simply be the duke of Lancaster. This contention between the supporters of York (Yorkists—whose emblem is the white rose) and the supporters of King Henry (Lancastrians—whose emblem is the red rose) is what the Wars of the...
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