Reply #38: The War of the Roses was a civil war, so there was unpleasantness [View All]

For example:

"The three month period from late December 1460 through late March 1461 was one of almost continual warfare, including the largest, bloodiest battle fought on English soil up to that time. Queen Margaret, whose son was thus disinherited, raised an army and defeated (1460) the Yorkists at Wakefield(December 30). York, his eldest son, Edmund, and several other important adherents were killed in this battle, and his claims devolved upon his son Edward, but Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, became the real leader of the Yorkist party.

The queen then moved eastward while burning and pillaging the countryside that had supported the Yorkists.

...
The two armies, with a combined number of about 35,000 soldiers, met near Towton on March 29 and proceeded to hack at each other savagely. Although somewhat outnumbered, the young King Edward fought brilliantly and fiercely, eventually breaking the Lancastrian line. Thousands died in the rout which followed; perhaps 10,000 men died on both sides during the battle and aftermath. The queen, her helpless husband and their son fled to Scotland. "

Torture and removing heads was actually pretty common back then, I think. Even when war had "rules", savagery was the order of the day.

http://homepages.shu.ac.uk/%7Econseal/history.htm