Talk:Michael's page/@comment-27029176-20151001205448

Firstly, I agree that enmity between York and Somerset was an immediate factor or event that turned the possibility of conflict into a reality. The rivalry between the two Dukes did create a huge sense of mistrust amongst the nobilty. They both wanted the same power but only one could get it, so i agree here. However, I believe that feuds between nobles had a slightly higher impact than making conflict simply more likely. The nobles 'small rivalries' can be escalated into the bigger picture, which sees a clear divide between two hugely influential families; the Nevilles and the Percys and who they respectively supported, be that York or Somerset. This can then be seen as the divide for the civil war. Without the nobles fueding neither York nor Somerset would of had enough support to make conflict a reality rather than a mere possibilty. Putting Henry VI's failure under factors that created the possibility of conflict has changed my own views. Although he was the underlying cause for the rivalry between York and Somerset, I can now see how the tension he created as a poor leader was only taken further by the characters of the Dukes who wanted power alongside the monarch. Another point i have reconsidered is the significance of mutual fear. Not only did York and Somerset have reason to suspect each other of acting against them, they both feared being pushed out of the Kings circle as they'd experienced before and knew this was due to each others influence. This created a mix of rivalry and fear. Overall i agree with the reasonings of each point and disagree with few points. I believe it is difficult to assess each as an individual factor without considering the impact they had on one another and how collectively, they all add up to create a rivalry that neither Duke could back away from.