Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 What is Political Prophecy?
- 2 The Second Arthur: The King as hero c. 1135–1307
- 3 Expectation and Disappointment 1307–1340
- 4 Debate and Crusade 1340–1399
- 5 The Imperial Hero 1399–1440
- 6 Cadwallader and the Angelic Voice: The Rationalization of Chaos 1450–1485
- Postscript
- Handlist of Manuscripts
- Bibliography
- Index
- Title in the series
5 - The Imperial Hero 1399–1440
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 What is Political Prophecy?
- 2 The Second Arthur: The King as hero c. 1135–1307
- 3 Expectation and Disappointment 1307–1340
- 4 Debate and Crusade 1340–1399
- 5 The Imperial Hero 1399–1440
- 6 Cadwallader and the Angelic Voice: The Rationalization of Chaos 1450–1485
- Postscript
- Handlist of Manuscripts
- Bibliography
- Index
- Title in the series
Summary
The deposition of Richard II has been studied by generations of historians and the events of 1399 do not need to be repeated in detail here. In September 1398 Richard interrupted a duel at Coventry, in which the duke of Norfolk was preparing to defend himself against charges of treason levelled by Henry Bolingbroke, earl of Hereford and eldest son of John of Gaunt. Norfolk and Hereford were both exiled, one for life and the other for ten years, but Hereford's exile was extended to life four months later, when Gaunt died. This enabled the king to seize the duchy of Lancaster, to which Hereford was the heir. Bolingbroke made common cause with another exile, Thomas Arundel, archbishop of Canterbury, with whom he returned in July 1399, ostensibly to claim his inheritance. The returning exiles were met by members of the disaffected Percy family: the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, and Northumberland's son Henry Hotspur. Richard II was captured, and a ‘parliament’ summoned in Richard's name declared him deposed. On 30 September the estates of the realm renounced their homage, and Henry Bolingbroke was declared Henry IV. This shows far more purpose on the king's part, and is far more specific, than the charges against Edward II, and political prophecies made in an attempt to rationalize the situation could be expected to show the same tendencies.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Prophecy and Public Affairs in Later Medieval England , pp. 157 - 194Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2000