Edward III becomes king in 1327. Edward is popular and successful, particularly in his military campaigns against the French. In fact, he's probably popular because of his military success--the other nobles like the spoils of war from France. Edward III has three sons: Edward the Black Prince (Prince of Wales), John of Gaunt (Duke of Lancaster), and Lionel of Antwerp (Duke of Antwerp). Edward the Black Prince dies before his father, but he has a son named Richard. When Edward III dies in 1377, the Black Prince's son become King Richard II.
Richard II is less of a warrior than his grandfather, Edward III. He tries to end the Hundred Years was with France. He also retains a private retinue for his military protection instead of relying on troops supplied by the nobility. Both those things make him unpopular. In 1399, Henry Bolingbroke (Richard's cousin, son of John of Gaunt, and grandson of Edward III) has a public quarrel with the Duke of Norfolk over who's in line to succeed Richard. Richard banishes both men to France, and disinherits Henry.
Later that same year, the French king goes crazy, and Louis, the Duke of Orleans, takes control of the French court. Louis is an ambitions guy, and Richard's peace policy doesn't serve his political aspirations. Louis sends the banished, disinherited Henry back to England.
Richard has no political support from the nobles, so Henry is able to have him locked-up in the Tower of London. Richard is removed from the throne on the grounds that he's a tyrant and an incompetent. The problem for Henry is that Edmund Mortimer (Henry's cousin (?), Lionel's grandson, Edward III's great-grandson) is next in line for the throne. Henry asserts that his claim is better than Edmund's, because Edmond's claim to the throne comes through is mother (Philippa, Lionel's daughter) whereas Henry's claim comes through the male line.
Henry's claim is pretty bogus, because Henry's father, John of Gaunt, was the third son. Edmund's great-grandfather, Lionel was the second son. According to tradition, Edmund should have been king, but Edmund relinquished his claim.
Henry is crowned Henry IV.
| royal court | rebel camp | tavern |
|---|---|---|
|
King Henry IV (Henry Bolingbroke) Henry, Prince of Wales Prince John of Lancaster Earl of Westmoreland |
Thomas Percy, Earl of Worchester Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland Henry Percy ("Hotspur"), his son Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March Richard Scrod, Archbishop of York Archibald, Earl of Douglas Owen Glendower Sir Richard Vernon Sir Michael, friend of Archbishop Lady Percy, Hotspur's wife & Mortimer's sister Lady Mortimer, Glendower's daughter |
Sir John FalstaffPoins Gadshill Peto Bardolph vintner Francis, a waiter Mistress Quickly, hostess |
| others | ||
| chamberlain, ostler, Mugs and another carrier, travelers on the road from Rochester to London, sheriff, Hotspur's servant, messenger from Northumberland, two soldier messengers from Hotspur's army | ||
© Paul Gorman