What was the first battle between the York’s, and the Lancastrians, and who was the winner

The starting point for the wars of the roses was on May 22, 1445 at the town of St. Albans in the southeastern county of Hertfordshire. When King Henry recovered to his health, the duke of York and the Neville’s left London, to go home to their estates in the North. King Henry and his advisers summoned the three peers to a great council to be held at Leicester, on May 21; the disaffected lords believed the council would force them into submission, so they gathered hoping to intercept King Henry on his way to the council. 

King Henry heard about York's march, and sent him a letter telling him to disarm or he would be called a traitor. It was May 21st by the time York's reply reached him, the reply stated that only the arrest of Somerset would make him happy. The King arrived at St.Albans, and kept house in the town square, while York and the Neville's stayed on a ridge east of town. King Henry and York negotiated for hours but could not agree on anything. York began to storm the gates of St. Albans, but fighting in such close quarters, the Yorkists couldn't use their advantage of numbers. King Henry's men stood their ground until Warick took a small force throught the gardens into the streets of the town, cutting the King's army in two.

Warick's attack gained him a reputation and many of the King's army began to flee; this allowed York to storm and overwhelm the men guarding the KIng. In minutes the Yorkists killed Somerset, Northumberland, and Lord Thomas Clifford. Under York's "protection" Henery was removed to the safety of the abby, and he made peace with the victors. The First Battle Of St. Albans made the sons of the slane peers into enemies of York, and they would be sure to make his time of power be short and troubled.

Yorkist Victory