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What happened at the Battle of Stoke in 1487?

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Wars of the Roses Illustration depicting the Battle of Bosworth Field, with King Richard III on the white horse.

The Battle of Stoke, fought in June 1487, is recognized as the final engagement of the Wars of the Roses.1

The conflict arose when John de la Pole, a Yorkist claimant to the throne, sought to overthrow the newly established Tudor monarch, Henry VII. De la Pole supported the pretender Lambert Simnel, who was being passed off as the Earl of Warwick, a legitimate Yorkist heir. To bolster their cause, they landed in England with 2,000 German mercenaries funded by Burgundian support.23

King Henry VII’s forces successfully defeated the rebellion at Stoke, Nottinghamshire. During the battle, John de la Pole was killed, and Lambert Simnel was captured. Recognizing Simnel as a harmless dupe, Henry VII spared his life and employed him in the royal kitchens. This victory was a critical step in securing the Tudor dynasty against persistent Yorkist threats.123