how old was richard ii when he became king

Richard's regime went on the offensive exacting revenge for past humiliations and attempting to bring substance to the imagery now associated with the king's rule. The Life and Death of King Richard the Second, commonly called Richard II, is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written around 1595. Richard personally possessed a strong faith. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Its leaders were subsequently tried and many hanged. Taken to Pontefract castle, the failure of another loyalist plot reminded Henry of Lancaster how great a liability the live Richard II would be. [90] The greatest poet of the age, Geoffrey Chaucer, served the king as a diplomat, a customs official and a clerk of The King's Works while producing some of his best-known work. His interest derived from a natural wish to extend royal authority to all edges of his kingdoms, ruling via local fiefs. Corrections? Richards father died in 1376. He promised reforms, and the rebels agreed to leave at that time. While the court party preferred negotiations, Gaunt and Buckingham urged a large-scale campaign to protect English possessions. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. The young king bravely rode out to meet the rebels, who were led by Wat Tyler. [63] Gloucester was being held prisoner by the Earl of Nottingham at Calais while awaiting his trial. [114] Religiously, he was orthodox, and particularly towards the end of his reign he became a strong opponent of the Lollard heresy. In 139495 he led a substantial force there to buttress the position of the English administration. It is based on the life of King Richard II of England (ruled 1377-1399) and chronicles his downfall and the machinations of his nobles. The Peasants' Revolt was a judgement on those who were governing the country in Richard's name. The king's authority had been fatally undermined as the narrow power base of his administration had nothing to fall back on. Stubbs argued that towards the end of his reign, Richard's mind "was losing its balance altogether". Richard was Plantagenet king of England from 1377 to 1399 and was usurped by Henry IV. This changed when it was revealed that the earls of Huntingdon, Kent, and Salisbury, and Lord Despenser, and possibly also the Earl of Rutland all now demoted from the ranks they had been given by Richard were planning to murder the new king and restore Richard in the Epiphany Rising. When Gaunt died in February 1399, Richard confiscated the vast Lancastrian estates, which would have passed to Bolingbroke. This displeasure was exacerbated by the earl's elevation to the new title of Duke of Ireland in 1386. The King's faith and the Lollard movement, why so many soldiers survived the trenches. An ambitious ruler with a lofty conception of the royal office, he was deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke ( Henry IV) because of his arbitrary and factional rule. The Lollards who followed Wyclif, often called "mumblers" (probably reflecting their scriptural based worship) represented a general, but very limited, minority theological reform movement. His christening was attended by three kings. Richard also showed greater circumspection in his patronage. As Richard began to take control of government himself, he built a group of unpopular favourites. The House of Lancaster not only possessed greater wealth than any other family in England, they were of royal descent and, as such, likely candidates to succeed the childless Richard. Here Richard himself had prepared an elaborate tomb, where the remains of his wife Anne were already entombed. Richard's personal confidence was growing. In the wake of Lancasters departure for Spain in July with a large fleet to pursue his claim to the Castilian throne, the French planned an invasion of England. [27] Another member of the close circle around the king was Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who in this period emerged as the king's favourite. In contrast to his grandfather, Richard cultivated a refined atmosphere centred on art and culture at court, in which the king was an elevated figure. [91][92] Chaucer was also in the service of John of Gaunt, and wrote The Book of the Duchess as a eulogy to Gaunt's wife Blanche. Rebellion and disobedience were to be rewarded with appropriate punishment, the rebel Irish were to enter into the kings obedience, and all Irish, of whatever status, were to perform their accustomed obligations to him. However, these reforms failed to address all the financial problems and the king still spent more than he earnt, due largely to his extravagant personal expenditure. However, it did not stop him personally leading armies into Scotland and Ireland. Davies OUP (1987), Independence and Nationhood, Scotland 1306 - 1469 by A. Yet, throughout his life, he was unswervingly loyal to the King. Grant (Arnold, 1984), Standards of Living in the Late Middle Ages, 1200-1520 by C. Dyer (1989), The Premature Reformation - Wycliffite Texts and Lollard History by A. Hudson (1988), Medieval Writers and their work by J.A. Gaunt, together with his younger brother Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham, still held great informal influence over the business of government, but the king's councillors and friends, particularly Sir Simon de Burley and Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, increasingly gained control of royal affairs. [129] Simon Walker writes: "What he sought was, in contemporary terms, neither unjustified nor unattainable; it was the manner of his seeking that betrayed him."[128]. The Appellants represented the traditional noble houses that Richard had always scorned. Finally back in Britain, Richard II surrendered in Conway Castle after talks with the Earl of Northumberland, who promised that the king's position would be respected. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Create your account View this answer Richard II was only ten years old when he became king. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. He was young when he became king, so he was greatly influenced by a number of powerful nobles in the beginning of his reign. Henry had agreed to let Richard live after his abdication. He also set about redefining the balance and nature of authority in Ireland, attempting to break down the old definitions of groups and alliances, replacing it with a broadly defined hegemony whose first loyalty was to the king personally. Returning to England in August, Richard surrendered without a fight. By the end of February 1400, Richard of Bordeaux had starved to death. Richard II had succeeded in undermining their authority and encroaching on their estates. [108] Although averted, the plot highlighted the danger of allowing Richard to live. He was the second son of Edward, Prince of Wales (known also as the Black Prince ), and his wife, Joan of Kent. King Richard II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 16th July 1377. He was a member of the English royal House of Plantagenet. The 10-Year-Old King Richard II . Needless to say, Gaunt argued that succession to the crown should be entailed to the male line as was increasingly the case for inheriting noble estates. [41] He also secured a legal ruling from Chief Justice Robert Tresilian that parliament's conduct had been unlawful and treasonable. [3] With Gaunt gone, the unofficial leadership of the growing dissent against the king and his courtiers passed to Buckingham who had by now been created Duke of Gloucester and Richard Fitzalan, 4th Earl of Arundel. [72] The king felt safe from Bolingbroke, who was residing in Paris, since the French had little interest in any challenge to Richard and his peace policy. By 1383 his personal initiative showed in the choice of his friends and counselors, including two figures of particular importanceSir Simon Burley, his former tutor, and Burleys ally, Sir Michael de la Pole, chancellor from 1383. 202203, 506. Parliament demanded further reforms and refused to pay off the government's debts while the French raised 30,000 men only to find that they too could not afford to actually invade England. He showed favoritism towards some younger members of court. [3] His body was taken south from Pontefract and displayed in St Paul's Cathedral on 17 February before burial in King's Langley Priory on 6 March. In September, he abdicated and Bolingbroke ascended the throne as Henry IV. When the king returned he was forced to surrender to Bolingbroke. [82], As part of Richard's programme of asserting his authority, he also tried to cultivate the royal image. It is documented in the royal collection from 1399 and accompanied Blanche, daughter of Henry IV, to her Bavarian marriage. In 1387 the Lords Appellant occupied London. Bolingbroke invaded England and rallied both noble and popular support. Known as Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster before he became king, Henry clashed with his cousin Richard II of England (r. 1377-1399 CE) and was exiled in 1397 CE. Richard returned to his capital humiliated. ", he led the mob away from the scene. The Scots, unable to match this force, retreated and refused to be drawn into battle, leaving Richard to burn the border abbeys and depart without gain. He was the last king to come from the House of York, and his death at the Battle of Bosworth Field marked the end of the War of the Roses. Gillespie (1997), Crown and Nobility, England: 1272 - 1461 by A. Tuck, 2nd Edition (Blackwell 1999), Richard II and the English Nobility by A. Tuck (1973), The English Nobility in the Late Middle Ages by Chris Given-Wilson (1987), An Illustrated History of Late Medieval England ed. In 1388 the Scots won a great victory at Otterburn, devastated large parts of the north and faced no reprisals. Wyclif was an important figure but the extent of his influence was limited, and the crucial contextual requirements that allowed the Reformation to occur were completely non-existent during Richard's reign. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He was young when he became king, so he was greatly influenced by a number of powerful nobles in the beginning of his reign. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. Find out more about how the BBC is covering the. [45] The three peers then joined forces with Gaunt's son Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, and Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham the group known to history as the Lords Appellant. Richard and his queen had both begged for his life to be spared. He reigned from 1010 B.C. For a prince who sought to raise the monarchy above human restraints it was an inauspicious start. The following year Edward III also died. Richard II, (born January 6, 1367, Bordeaux [France]died February 1400, Pontefract, Yorkshire [now in West Yorkshire], England), king of England from 1377 to 1399. [76] The inspiration for this new sumptuousness and emphasis on dignity came from the courts on the continent, not only the French and Bohemian courts that had been the homes of Richard's two wives, but also the court that his father had maintained while residing in Aquitaine. Richard II Those agricultural workers who survived now found their wages rising (by 200-300 per cent) as demand for their services by competing landlords increased. During Richard's first years as king, government was in the hands of a series of regency councils, influenced by Richard's uncles John of Gaunt and Thomas of Woodstock. In 1386-7, an alliance between the disaffected Commons and key lords in parliament ended up examining royal finances and putting the Duke of Gloucester in charge. Richard I (8 September 1157 - 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. In the process the traditional power bases were alienated and the political map of England redrawn. King David King David was the King of Israel, and established the Israel capital of Jerusalem after conquering the city. Men like these formed a very shaky foundation on which to build a dynasty. Find out more about how the BBC is covering the. The most important Lollards were a group of knights who formed part of the king's court. [55] As part of the truce, Richard agreed to marry Isabella of Valois, daughter of Charles VI of France, when she came of age. Neville, as a man of the clergy, was deprived of his. In a five-year period beginning in 1389, Richard went some way toward honouring his promises. [7], On 21 June 1377, Richard's grandfather King Edward III, who was for some years frail and decrepit, died after a 50-year reign. He was secretly put to death while in prison. He found that the entrenched 'English' settlements in the north and east had declined further as the native Irish attacked estates run largely by absentee lords. [20], The king soon revoked the charters of freedom and pardon that he had granted, and as disturbances continued in other parts of the country, he personally went into Essex to suppress the rebellion. English armies, proven by their victories at Crecy and Poitiers, were well respected, managed, led and equipped. [8] Again, fears of John of Gaunt's ambitions influenced political decisions, and a regency led by the king's uncles was avoided. Richard was granted revenues for life and the powers of parliament were delegated to a committee. The crux of Richard's uncertainty and fear derived from the succession and the fact that the 30 year-old king had no heir and had just married a seven year old French princess! The first rising, that of Lord Lovell, Richard III's chamberlain, in 1486 was ill-prepared and unimportant, but in 1487 came the much more serious revolt of Lambert Simnel.Claiming to be Edward, earl of Warwick, the son of Richard III's elder brother, George, duke of Clarence, he had the formidable support of John de la Pole, earl of Lincoln, Richard III's heir designate, of many Irish . He was a weak man, dominated by churchmen and easily influenced by his wife's French relations. John of Gaunt's Savoy Palace was burnt down. On 1 October 1399, Richard II was formally deposed. A good king ruled through and with the nobility, whose respect he had to win and maintain. [115] He was particularly devoted to the cult of Edward the Confessor, and around 1395 he had his own coat of arms impaled with the mythical arms of the Confessor. Eventually, however, he had to give way. The native Irish were overawed by the presence of an English king, and the local chieftains, or High Kings, all attended the court in Dublin to submit to his authority. Richard II is so self-absorbed that he fails to see that there are many currents and movements in society Wyclif's aim was for a reformation of the church but his movement failed for various reasons, amongst which were limited literacy levels and the lack of the printing press as a tool of dissemination. [49] Richard was now over twenty-one years old and could with confidence claim the right to govern in his own name. One of his uncles, John of Gaunt, became particularly powerful. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. On 8th June 1376, Richard's father, Edward the Black Prince, died. It has been speculated that the whole incident surrounding the killing of Wat Tyler was in fact planned in advance by the council, in order to end the rebellion. Tomb of Edward III, Westminster Abbey Richard's rule can be viewed as a critical moment in Britain's history. Burrow (1982), New Pelican Guide to English Literature I, pt. "Richard II" redirects here. For example, he did not go anywhere without his 311 man bodyguard of royal archers, and favour at court once again concentrated on a handful of loyalists that owed everything to the king. In fact, by the mid-1380s, Richard had started an active campaign against heresy in the kingdom, attacking heretical works, arresting Lollards and supporting the church authorities. Apart from alienating the otherwise loyal families in the regions who saw the 'new' men attempt to gain interest locally, a general fear entered the kingdom as the king alienated his subjects. At a council meeting at Westminster on May 3, 1389, Richard formally resumed responsibility for government. Any slight had to be avenged whilst the king's person sought constant praise, respect and even worship. He built up the power of a new courtier nobility such as John Holand, his half-brother and Earl of Huntingdon, the new chamberlain and rival to the Courtenay, Earls of Devon. The cause of Richard's actions has often been considered a result of the death of his queen, who may have provided a restraining influence. Throughout his life, Gaunt remained Richard's strong right arm, even though the two had little mutual affection. In a matter of three years, these councillors earned the mistrust of the Commons to the point that the councils were discontinued in 1380. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. On 28 June at Billericay, he defeated the last rebels in a small skirmish and effectively ended the Peasants' Revolt. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. [85] Richard's expenditure on jewellery, rich textiles and metalwork was far higher than on paintings, but as with his illuminated manuscripts, there are hardly any surviving works that can be connected with him, except for a crown, "one of the finest achievements of the Gothic goldsmith", that probably belonged to his wife Anne. However, fearing either lord's victory, Richard II halted the contest before it started and exiled both dukes, Norfolk for life. Some historians believe that there is evidence to suggest that the king may have been homosexual, while others believe that he was simply a victim of false rumors spread by his enemies. Professor of Medieval History, Royal Holloway, University of London, England. What Is Richard Ii Known For? Two families possessed strong claims to succeed Richard II: the young Mortimer Earl of March through the senior female line and Lancaster/Hereford through the secondary but male line from John of Gaunt. [89], The court's patronage of literature is especially important, because this was the period in which the English language took shape as a literary language. Eventually Richard was forced to abdicate (give up the throne). [66] A parliamentary committee decided that the two should settle the matter by battle, but at the last moment Richard exiled the two dukes instead: Mowbray for life, Bolingbroke for ten years. He was the second Plantagenet king, assuming the throne in 1189 following the death of his father, King Henry II. Initially buried in Kings Langley, Henry V later placed Richard's body in the tomb that he had designed for himself in the Confessor's chapel of Westminster Abbey. [59] It was one of the most successful achievements of Richard's reign, and strengthened his support at home, although the consolidation of the English position in Ireland proved to be short-lived. Professor Nigel Saul has argued that Richard personally abhorred Christians killing one another and this may explain his determination to make peace with France. [26] When Richard made him chancellor in 1383, and created him Earl of Suffolk two years later, this antagonised the more established nobility. Personally tall and imposing, Richard is the first king to recruit a full time bodyguard of loyal Cheshire bowmen, often deployed to intimidate his foes. Warwick was sent to prison, the Duke of Gloucester was probably murdered by Nottingham's men in Calais and Arundel was executed. He raised 2000 men in Cheshire, caught the Appellants off guard and tried them in parliament. Introduction Richard II ruled England from 1377 to 1399. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. [123] Historian Anthony Steel, who wrote a full-scale biography of the king in 1941, took a psychiatric approach to the issue, and concluded that Richard had schizophrenia. Edward's court had been a martial one, based on the interdependence between the king and his most trusted noblemen as military captains. [80] As for his policy of military retaining, this was later emulated by Edward IV and Henry VII, but Richard II's exclusive reliance on the county of Cheshire hurt his support from the rest of the country. However, the landlords were reluctant to pay the higher wages or allow workers to move to rival estates. The government lacked any significant military capability and so decided to follow a policy of conciliation with the King meeting the mob and their leader, Wat Tyler, first at Mile End and then Smithfield. He is also remembered in the Cyrus legendfirst recorded by Xenophon, Greek soldier and author, in his Cyropaediaas a tolerant and ideal . [119] The Tudor orthodoxy, reinforced by Shakespeare, saw a continuity in civil discord starting with Richard's misrule that did not end until Henry VII's accession in 1485. 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