Richard II
Bolingbroke's predecessor, dethroned
Richard II refers to two notable subjects in English history and literature.
Richard II (1367–1400) was King of England from 1377 until his deposition in 1399, known for his troubled reign and conflict with the nobility.
More commonly encountered is Shakespeare's history play of the same name (c. 1595), depicting the king's downfall and exploring themes of legitimate rule, divine right, and the consequences of weak leadership.
The play is famous for its lyrical poetry and Richard's introspective speeches: This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle.
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
- Elizabethan dramaLate sixteenth-century English theater
- Peasants' RevoltMedieval English commoner rebellion
- Wars of the RosesPlantagenet succession conflict
Shakespearean tragedy · Westminster Abbey · crown · anointed king · court · soliloquy · garden scene · mirror · exile · time of death · Hundred Years' War · hollow · royal court · medieval monarchy · scepter · political philosophy · usurper · historical fiction
- ShakespeareRomeo, Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello
- RichardsDick, Ricky, Richie, Rich
- Medieval Englandking, kings, castle, castles, knight
- Classic PlaysHamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet
- Historical PlaysHenry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Henry VIII, King John
- Late Medievalfeudal lords, Black Death, knighthood, medieval knights, bubonic plague