6 January 1367 Birth of Richard II of England
6 January 1367 marks the birth of Richard of Bordeaux the younger son
of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent.
Richard's birth took place at the Archbishop's Place in Bordeaux in the
English principality of Aquitaine.
According to contemporary sources, three Kings:
- The King of Castille,
- The King of Navarre,
and the King of Portugal
were present at his birth.
Family
His paternal grandparents were King Edward III of England and
Philippa of Hainault.
His maternal grandparents were Edmund of Woodstock, the 1st.
Earl of Kent and Margaret Wake, 3rd Barones of Wake.
Richard II was thus a member of the royal house of Plantagenet.
Childhood
The Commons in parliament genuinely feared that Richard's uncle,
John of Gaunt, would upsurp the throne. Due to this, the Prince was
quickly invested with the princedom of Wales and his father's other
titles.
On 21 June 1377, King Edward III of England died after a 50-year-
long reign. Richard, then 10 years old had to ascend the throne.
He was crowned King on 16 July 1377 at Westminster Abbey.
But Gaunt, together with his younger brother Thomas of
Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham still held a great influence over
the business of governement.
The King's councillors and friends, Sir Simon de Burley and
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland gained control of royal affairs.
Reign
Between 1377 and 1381 the taxes were increased and that
contributed to the discontent. It turned out to the Peasant's
Revolt. The rebellion started in Kent and Essex.
Love and Marriage
On 20 January 1382 Richard married Anne of Bohemia,
the daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman emperor. However
this marriage wasn't popular in England, furthermore it stayed
childless. Anne died from the plague in 1394.
Duty
During the reign of Richard II of England there still was the
rift between France and England. The King began the work
of creating a loyal military power base in Cheshire.
He also started to negotiate about a permanent peace with
France. In 1396 a truce was agreed to which was to last for
28 years.
Love and Marriage (2)
On 31 October 1396, Richard married the 7-year old
Isabella of Valois. She was the daughter of Charles VI of
England.
Lots of troubles
In July 1397, the King had Glouceser, Arundel and Warwick arrested
because they were planning a plot against him but there was no
evidence.
Then there still was the threat in the form of the House of Lancaster
represented by John of Gaunt. They possessed greater wealth than
any other family in England and they were of royal descent. They
were candidates to succeed the childless Richard.
On 3 February 1399 John of Gaunt died, Richard expropriated his
properties. Then the King left the country in May for an expedition
to Ireland.
In June 1399, Louis I, Duke of Orléans gained control of the court
of the insane Charles VI of France.
When Richard came back from Ireland, on his arrival he was
imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Henry was determined to take the throne. On 1 October 1399
Richard II was formally deposed and on 13 October Henry
Bolingbroke was crowned King. He ruled as King Henry IV of
England.
Death
It is believed that Richard starved to death in captivity in
Pontefract Castle on or around 14 February 1400. His body
was taken from Pontefract and displayed in the old St. Paul's
Cathedral on 17 February. He was buried on 6 March 1400.
In 1413 he was reburied at Westminster Abbey.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent.
Richard's birth took place at the Archbishop's Place in Bordeaux in the
English principality of Aquitaine.
According to contemporary sources, three Kings:
- The King of Castille,
- The King of Navarre,
and the King of Portugal
were present at his birth.
Family
His paternal grandparents were King Edward III of England and
Philippa of Hainault.
His maternal grandparents were Edmund of Woodstock, the 1st.
Earl of Kent and Margaret Wake, 3rd Barones of Wake.
Richard II was thus a member of the royal house of Plantagenet.
Childhood
The Commons in parliament genuinely feared that Richard's uncle,
John of Gaunt, would upsurp the throne. Due to this, the Prince was
quickly invested with the princedom of Wales and his father's other
titles.
On 21 June 1377, King Edward III of England died after a 50-year-
long reign. Richard, then 10 years old had to ascend the throne.
He was crowned King on 16 July 1377 at Westminster Abbey.
But Gaunt, together with his younger brother Thomas of
Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham still held a great influence over
the business of governement.
The King's councillors and friends, Sir Simon de Burley and
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland gained control of royal affairs.
Reign
Between 1377 and 1381 the taxes were increased and that
contributed to the discontent. It turned out to the Peasant's
Revolt. The rebellion started in Kent and Essex.
Love and Marriage
On 20 January 1382 Richard married Anne of Bohemia,
the daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman emperor. However
this marriage wasn't popular in England, furthermore it stayed
childless. Anne died from the plague in 1394.
Duty
During the reign of Richard II of England there still was the
rift between France and England. The King began the work
of creating a loyal military power base in Cheshire.
He also started to negotiate about a permanent peace with
France. In 1396 a truce was agreed to which was to last for
28 years.
Love and Marriage (2)
On 31 October 1396, Richard married the 7-year old
Isabella of Valois. She was the daughter of Charles VI of
England.
Lots of troubles
In July 1397, the King had Glouceser, Arundel and Warwick arrested
because they were planning a plot against him but there was no
evidence.
Then there still was the threat in the form of the House of Lancaster
represented by John of Gaunt. They possessed greater wealth than
any other family in England and they were of royal descent. They
were candidates to succeed the childless Richard.
On 3 February 1399 John of Gaunt died, Richard expropriated his
properties. Then the King left the country in May for an expedition
to Ireland.
In June 1399, Louis I, Duke of Orléans gained control of the court
of the insane Charles VI of France.
When Richard came back from Ireland, on his arrival he was
imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Henry was determined to take the throne. On 1 October 1399
Richard II was formally deposed and on 13 October Henry
Bolingbroke was crowned King. He ruled as King Henry IV of
England.
Death
It is believed that Richard starved to death in captivity in
Pontefract Castle on or around 14 February 1400. His body
was taken from Pontefract and displayed in the old St. Paul's
Cathedral on 17 February. He was buried on 6 March 1400.
In 1413 he was reburied at Westminster Abbey.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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