As well as promoting the Woodvilles Edward rewarded old allies. He also restored Warwick�s rivals the Percies to their seat in Northumberland. The Neville family and Warwick must have been incensed. Edward further enraged Warwick in 1467 when he withdrew a treaty with France and an alliance with Burgundy, both of which Warwick had negotiated. Warwick and Edward's brother; George Duke of Clarence, sailed for the sanctuary of Calais and openly accused Edward of oppression.
In 1468 Warwick expressed his distaste for the Woodvilles by arranging the plundering of Rivers estates.
A Neville inspired uprising then took place in the north of England. Soon after,
Warwick landed a force in Kent. At the moment of Warwick's arrival a clash took
place between forces loyal to his cause and those of Edward IV. He did not arrive
at Edgecote in time to participate but found that Edward had been defeated and
taken prisoner.
Richard Woodville and his son John were captured, transported to Chepstow and finally executed by Warwick at Kenilworth Castle on 12 August 1469.
Edward IV was imprisoned in Middleham Castle and was released on the agreement that Warwick appoint his ministers. But, in March 1470 Edward decided to retalliate. During a move to quash a Lancastrian uprising at Lose-Coat Field in Lincolnshire, he gathered together magnates hostile to Warwick. Intelligence then reached Edward that the lancastrian uprising had been engineered by Warwick in order to make Clarence King. Knowing that Edward would seek revenge, Warwick and Clarence fled to join Queen Margaret in France.
Arranging another northern uprising, Warwick eventually landed at Dartmouth in September 1470. With supporters in Devon and Kent he soon entered London. Caught between two armies Edward IV fled to the Netherlands. Henry VI was released and returned to the throne but Margaret and Prince Edward remained in Anjou. They probably did not trust Warwick.
Edward and Clarence made peace in 1471 and began to gather together a mercenary
army with the aid of the Duke of Burgundy. He landed at Ravenspur on the river
Humber and rushed southwards, evading an army under the Duke of Nothumberland.
On reaching Nottingham he heard that Warwick was amassing an army at Coventry.
Avoiding both Warwick and an army under the Earl of Oxford, Edward headed for
London and was joined by Clarence en-route. Warwick Northumberland and Oxford
were in close pursuit. Edward arrived at London on 11 April. On 14 April a battle
was fought at Barnet just north of the city. Warwick's men eventually gave way
and were routed by Edward. Warwick and his brother Montague were cut down whilst
fleeing the field.
As Warwick fought, Margaret of Anjou was arriving at Weymouth with Prince Edward.
She raised an army in the West Country and marched for the safety of Wales.
Edward was determined to intercept her. The city of Gloucester closed its gates
to Margaret preventing her crossing the river Severn. She moved further north
to Tewkesbury, where on 3 May she met Edward. After a battle in which Richard
Duke of Gloucester (Edward's brother) distinguished himself, the Lancastrians
were routed. Many Lancastrians were captured. Margaret was imprisoned and ransomed
back to her father in Anjou. Prince Edward was killed. Henry VI was later murdered
in the Tower.