Richard II

Richard was born on 6th January 1367. His parents were Edward the Black Prince and Joan, the 'Fair Maid of Kent'.

Richard, known as Richard of Bordeaux, succeeded his grandfather when aged ten. The chief power behind the throne was his uncle, John of Gaunt. The young king showed acumen and courage in confronting War Tyler, a leader of the Peasants' Revolt (1381), but lacked the capacity to control his uncles and other great lords. He antagonized many by arbitrary and unpredictable decisions and hefty poll taxes. While the king was in Ireland in 1399 John of Gaunt's son, Henry Bolingbroke, whom he had banished, invaded northern England and rallied enough support to force Richard's abdication in his favour (1399). Richard died a prisoner the following year at Pontefract Castle, 14th February 1400, either through self-starvation or as a victim of murder. He was buried at King's Langley, but removed to Westminster Abbey in 1413.

Richard married: (1) Anne of Bohemia, daughter of the Emperor Charles IV, (2) Isabella, seven-year-old daughter of Charles VI of France (1396), but had no children.