Richard II

Richard II, also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was the King of England from 1377 until his deposition in 1399. He was the son of Edward, the Black Prince, and Joan, Countess of Kent. After his father’s death in 1376, Richard became the heir to his grandfather, King Edward III, and ascended to the throne at the age of 10. During his early reign, regency councils, influenced by his uncles John of Gaunt and Thomas of Woodstock, managed the government. England faced several issues, including the Hundred Years’ War and the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381, which Richard played a central role in quelling. Unlike his predecessors, he aimed to end the war and cultivated an artistic and cultural court, asserting strong royal prerogative and relying on a private retinue for military support.

His reliance on a small number of courtiers led to unrest among influential figures, and in 1387, the Lords Appellant took control of the government. By 1389, Richard had regained power and maintained relative harmony for eight years. In 1397, he retaliated against the Appellants, resulting in executions and exiles. His subsequent rule has been termed as ‘tyranny’. Following John of Gaunt’s death in 1399, Richard disinherited Gaunt’s son, Henry Bolingbroke, who then invaded England, deposed Richard, and became King Henry IV. Richard’s death in captivity is believed to have been by starvation, though the exact circumstances are uncertain.