After St Albans Richard, Duke of York, returned to London with the King under his protection. His bid to be the preeminent noble was made easier by the death of his chief rival, Somerset, and his supporters Henry Percy and Thomas Lord Clifford at St Albans. Parliament made Richard Lord Protector in November 1455 and he attempted to rule via a Council of Peers. Unfortunately he did not have universal support.
In August 1456 the Queen, Margaret of Anjou, left London and moved to the Duchy of Lancaster in the Midlands with the infant Prince of Wales. The King joined her shortly after and a court was established in Coventry. Once established this court became a centre of power and a focal point of opposition to Richard. Importantly, the Royal Household was embodied in a location beyond the influence of both Richard and the Council of Peers.
In June the King called a Great Council – a meeting of all the Peers - to be held at Coventry. It was made clear that those who did not attend would be indicted. The Yorkists began to muster their forces at Ludlow Castle in Shropshire, West Midlands near the Welsh border. In similar fashion the Lancastrians gathered their forces in Leicester. Isolated in the north, at Middleham, Salisbury also began collecting his forces, and in September he moved south to link up with the main Yorkist army at Ludlow. Margaret was made aware of Salisbury’s movements and she ordered James Tuchet, Lord Audley, to intercept him.