For centuries, historians agreed about the Wars of the Roses, seeing them as four decades of medieval darkness and chaos, when the royal family and the nobility destroyed themselves fighting for control of the royal government. Even Shakespeare got into the act, dramatizing, popularizing, and darkening this viewpoint in eight plays.

Today, based on new research, this has become one of the most hotly controversial periods in English history. Historians disagree on fundamental issues, such as dates and facts, as well as interpretation. Most argue that the effects of the wars were not as widespread as once thought, and some see the traditional view of the era as merely Tudor propaganda. A few even claim that England during the late 15th century was "a society organized for peace." Historian John A. Wagner brings readers up to date on the latest research and thinking about this crucial period of England's history.