The Wars of the Roses

The 15th century is where the principle that in times of peace the king should live of his own is established. It's a principle that has massive consequences for royal finances and particularly royal freedom of action abroad. The parliaments of these years are remarkably compliant, eager in most cases just to confirm what the guy with the biggest stick at that time asked of them. A further claim that used to be made was that the wars had destroyed the ancient nobility of England but again even this claim doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.