The Battle of Barnet was a crucial confrontation in the Wars of the Roses, a series of English civil wars fought between the rival houses of York and Lancaster for control of the throne of England. On this day, King Edward IV of the Yorkist faction faced the Lancastrian forces led by Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, who had previously been an ally of Edward. The battle occurred near Barnet, a town situated to the north of London, and was marked by its intensity and confusion, particularly due to the fog that hung over the battlefield. The Lancastrians were outmaneuvered and suffered significant casualties, with Warwick himself falling in combat. His death symbolized the loss of Lancastrian leadership and greatly impacted the faction's capability to sustain the fight against the Yorkists.

The battle was not merely a military encounter but was also steeped in political significance. Warwick, once a powerful player in the Yorkist faction, had defected to the Lancastrians, which led to a significant shift in allegiances. Edward IV's win reinstated him on the throne after a brief period of exile and restored some measure of stability to his reign. Following the battle, Edward sought to consolidate power and diminish the influence of rival factions, which included engaging in subsequent military actions to shore up support for his reign.

Aside from Warwick's death, casualties were high on both sides, making the battle one of the bloodiest engagements of the Wars of the Roses. The Yorkist victory at Barnet marked a turning point, leading to Edward's final rise to power and influencing the course of English history for years to come as it set the stage for further conflicts between the two houses.