The Rebels Who Tried and Executed a Royal Minister
Jack Cade issued a manifesto, in which he demanded the removal of several royal ministers and the recall of Richard, Duke of York, from Ireland, where he was a virtual exile. A royal army sent to the suppress the rebels was defeated in Kent. That supercharged the rebellion, and the insurrectionists’ rapidly-increasing host marched on London. They captured the city on July 3rd, 1450, along with the hated royal treasurer, James Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele, whom the rebels executed. Despite Cade’s attempt to maintain discipline, once they entered London, many rebels began to loot the city.
The lawlessness led Londoners to turn on the rebels. They expelled Cade’s men from the city on July 6th, after a battle at London Bridge. To end the revolt, the government issued royal pardons and persuaded most rebels to disperse. Cade fled, but was tracked down a week later, wounded in a skirmish with royal forces, and captured. He was taken to London, but died of his wounds en route. His death marked the end of the rebellion. While the revolt failed, it contributed to a breakdown of royal authority and prestige that set the stage for the Wars of the Roses, that broke out a few years later.
