The battlefield was a marshy plain south of Market Bosworth. Richard chose a position on Ambion Hill, giving him a height advantage. Henry deployed his forces to the southwest. His army included a vanguard under the command of John de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, who would play a pivotal role in the engagement.

The Stanleys, with their own contingent of around 6,000 men, loomed nearby, refusing to commit to either side as the battle began. Their neutrality was a calculated act—each side hoped to gain their support, and neither could afford to antagonize them too early.

The Battle Begins

On the morning of August 22, the battle commenced. Oxford’s troops advanced against Richard’s vanguard, initiating fierce hand-to-hand combat. The Yorkists responded with volleys of arrows and frontal charges, but Oxford’s men, fighting in tight formation, held their ground.

Richard’s plan appeared straightforward: overwhelm the smaller rebel army with sheer force. However, the battle quickly turned into a chaotic melee, with boggy terrain hampering movements and formations breaking apart. Oxford wisely ordered his men not to stray beyond a set perimeter, maintaining cohesion in the fog of war.

Richard soon realized that the Stanleys would not join him unless he took decisive action. Spotting Henry Tudor at the rear of his army with a small personal guard, Richard made a bold and fateful decision. shutdown123