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Battlefields Trust Online Talk: The de Vere Earls of Oxford: the real survivors of the Wars of the Roses

Thursday 18th June 2026

The de Vere Earls of Oxford were a great medieval family that did everything they could to make their lives difficult.

The 9th Earl became a cause of major controversy in the reign of Richard II. The 12th was executed for treason. The most successful Earl of Oxford - the 13th - became the most persistent thorn in the side of Edward IV, before helping Henry Tudor secure an unlikely victory at Bosworth field.

The de Veres rarely populate the pages of history books or the screens of historical fiction. Yet, their late medieval story is integral to the rise and fall of the houses of York and Lancaster. Without the strategic nous and tenacity that they acquired on the way, the infamous house of Tudor may never have achieved or kept the crown of England.

Gareth Streeter is an historian of the fifteenth century, with a special interest in the Wars of the Roses and the reign of Henry VII. He is the author of Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII's lost brother, which was published in 2023.

 Gareth is also the creator of Royal History Geeks, a blog, podcast and social media experience for super-cool people.

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