The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses and calling card is a black arrow, cause Dick to suspect that his guardian Sir Daniel Brackley and his retainers are responsible for his father's murder. Dick's suspicions are enough to turn Sir Daniel against him, so he has no recourse but to escape from Sir Daniel and join the outlaws of the Black Arrow against him. This struggle sweeps him up into the greater conflict surrounding them all. The novel is set in the reign of "old King Henry VI" (1422–1461, 1470–1471) and during the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). The story begins with the Tunstall Moat House alarm
Ture Turesson (Bielke) leaving for Kalmar Castle which he still held as Castellan. This brought him away from the centre of Swedish politics; he continued to fight Charles Canutesson's supporters in Småland and remained loyal to King Christian. In 1466 the Archbishop was replaced by Erik Axelsson Tott as Regent of Sweden, who openly aligned himself with Charles Canutesson's supporters, and in 1467 Charles Canutesson returned as King for a third time. The death of Charles Canutesson in 1470 did not bring an end to the conflict. The new separatist leader Sten Sture the Elder besieged Kalmar Castle briefly in 1471, but was