Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York (1411-1460), was a prominent English nobleman during the late medieval period. He was a key figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars for control of the English throne. As a member of the Plantagenet family, he claimed a strong right to the crown, which led to significant political conflict. Richard served as a protector for the young King Henry VI during periods of instability. His rivalry with the Lancaster faction, particularly the queen, Margaret of Anjou, fueled tensions that ultimately resulted in his death at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460.