
Both houses claimed to have a right to the English throne as descendents of King Edward III.

The reasons behind the wars were complex.

The "War of the Roses" comes from the symbols, or badges, of the two warring houses: the House of Lancaster was represented by a red rose and the House of York by a white rose. The Wars of the Roses was fought between two rival families who both laid claim to the throne of England: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. It lasted for just over 30 years from 1455 to 1487, however, the battles were mostly small and sometimes were years apart.

The Wars of the Roses was a civil war fought in England.
