In 1367, Bordeaux-born Richard inherited the throne from his grandfather Edward III, as his father Edward the Black Prince died as early as 1376, when he was only 10 years old. Thus, in the early days of his reign, the country was effectively governed by a consultative council, but by the early 1680s, the king's participation in politics was increasingly frequent. Faced with a peasant revolt in which the nobility and the powerful talked about tigers, Richard II's reaction proved himself to be an outstanding king. But only 6 years later, he lost control of the kingdom.
During the Peasant Revolt, King Richard II rode into London
In 14th-century England, Richard II inherited the crown and the power that came with it, unlike his predecessors. The Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215, had enshrined the rights of the nobility and barons in law, and by the end of the 14th century, the king could no longer act arbitrarily and ignore the thoughts and feelings of the nobles. Of course, the king remains the most honorable figure in the land, with supreme power, but he must rule in harmony with the nobles, not dictate to them, at least make them feel that they are doing so.
The king's military defeats in France and Scotland further exacerbated the discontent of the barons and earls from the marginalization of power. The Hundred Years' War was a conflict inherited by Richard II, but his policy of seeking peace deprived the nobility of its potential honor and wealth, and was defeated. France regained the lands once occupied by England and even threatened to invade the island nation. Although Richard II unsuccessfully tried to make peace in France, he was not such a pacifist in his immediate vicinity of Scotland and Ireland. In the conquests of Scotland and Ireland, the money and effort he put in did not yield any substantial rewards.
Handsome, tall (when his grave was dug up, he was found to be more than 1.82 meters tall), elegant Richard II, who looked troubled, but his actions led the country step by step into the abyss. He raised funds through Parliament and raised an army to attack Scotland, trying to split the "Auld Alliance" between Scotland and France in two. Richard II led the 14,000-man force, but the Scots refused to fight, and the king returned. Fears of a French invasion were frequent. When Richard II's uncle John of Gaunt left England to denounce the throne of castille, things didn't turn around. Richard II's relationship with his uncle was not good, but as one of the most powerful men in England, John was loyal. In John's absence, Richard II lost the support of his most influential and respected supporters. When Justice De Laporte opened his mouth to demand money from Parliament, the fragile relationship between Richard II and england's upper echelons was shattered. Parliament categorically refused and insisted on Delapol's dismissal, even demanding his impeachment.
At first, Richard II immediately rejected the council's request, saying that even if a kitchen servant were to be dismissed, it would not be the turn of the parliament to give him orders, but he soon realized that the "good parliament" of 1386 was too high to meet their demands. Reluctantly, he dismissed Delapol, sneaked out of the capital in resentment, and began to tour the country. There was no doubt that he wanted to stay away from those who had humiliated him, but the tour also had a more practical purpose, which was to seek more reliable support throughout the country and to ensure that numerous nobles and barons could reach him militarily if necessary.
In 1387, there was indeed a battle between the opposing sides, but at least for Richard II, the result was disappointing. He instructed his favorite, Robert De Vere, to lead an army to reinforcements. The army encountered the army loyal to parliament on a bridge on the River Thames, known as the Battle of Radcot Bridge. In fact, it's just a skirmish. Those called to support Richard II found them unable to cross the bridge and had no hope of defeating the army commanded by Henry Bolingbroke (who had not played a key role in Richard II's life for the last time), so their choice was to surrender or flee. The 16th-century chronicler Raphael Holinshed wrote that only 3 people were killed in the battle, with De Vere fleeing and then going into exile in France.
The remains of Richard II were transported to St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where he stayed for two days
If Richard II wanted to keep the throne, he would now have no choice but to agree to parliament's demands. Around this time, the hiding Chief Justice Robert Tracylian was arrested and hanged. Many of Richard II's subordinates were either killed or exiled, and the small circle of his favored subjects known as the "Ruthless Council" of 1388 was crushed.
The power base of The Full Administration of Cha II has been destroyed, but his powerful sphere of power remains. In 1389, when John of Gaunt returned forcefully, Richard II declared himself old enough to rule the world without assistance, and a peace treaty with France showed a series of positive signs. The conflict that disrupted the country seemed like a small episode in Richard II's reign, but it was nothing more than an illusion. Richard II believed that God had given him a walk in the world, that is, to have a king's presence in the world. He never forgot how Parliament challenged his authority, how it executed and exiled his vassals. Before letting the Council know that he was the supreme king, he would wait for the time to come.
This fragile vision of peace was based on a house of cards, and by the end of the 1690s, all the big players had dissipated. Richard II began to rule in an increasingly tyrannical manner, abusing his power to seize land for himself and his followers. In 1397, he arrested three dignitaries, and although there is little evidence, officials claimed that the move was due to their rebellion, in effect out of revenge. These three men—the Dukes of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel, and the Earls of Warwick—were the people in Parliament who dared to confront Richard II. They were executed, exiled, or imprisoned along with other opponents of Richard II.
Depiction of the dramatic death of Richard II
Richard II began to consolidate his power base again, and all those he used were guaranteed absolute loyalty to him.
On February 3, 1399, John of Gaunt, the uncle of Richard II and one of his most loyal supporters, died. Richard II finally lost his temper and exiled John's son, Henry Boleynbrock, to France, in part because Richard II saw him as a threat. Henry came from the Lancastrian family, and his father controlled the largest territory in England. However, Richard II did not allow Henry to return to England to inherit it, but decided to take these territories for himself. This move showed the English nobility that since the king could do such a thing to such a powerful family, none of them could really sit back and relax. While Richard II and most of the knights were in Ireland, Henry returned to England with a small force. At first, Henry insisted that he was only interested in taking back his innate power, but soon the situation became clear—Richard II had fewer supporters, and Henry was gradually gaining power.
When Richard II landed in Wales in July, it was clear that he had lost the society. Neither the nobles nor the commoners were willing to fight for him. Richard II asked Henry to see him, promising to abdicate his throne and save his life. Soon, Richard II was sent to the Tower of London. On 13 October 1399, Henry Boleynbrock was crowned Henry IV. The country has ushered in a new king.
The man who had been the ruler but had abandoned the king for revenge was sent to Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire and placed under strict guard. Richard II may have ended up in exile, but when his closest supporters' plot to help him restore was revealed, it was clear that it would be too dangerous to keep it alive.
(Source: Plantagenet Dynasty)