The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars fought in England during the 15th century, primarily between two rival branches of the Plantagenet family: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The conflict arose over the English throne, with each side claiming legitimacy. The wars lasted from 1455 to 1487 and included several key battles, such as the Battle of Towton and the Battle of Bosworth Field. The wars ended with the rise of the Tudor dynasty, following the defeat of the last Yorkist king, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Henry VII, a Lancastrian, became king and united the two houses through his marriage to Elizabeth of York, symbolizing the end of the conflict and the beginning of a new era in English history.