John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster

wrongfully, / Let heaven revenge, for I may never lift / An angry arm against his minister.” (1.2.38-41). This is the first concrete example of King Richard’s loss of power. John of Gaunt says to the Duchess of Gloucester that he refuses to exact revenge against Richard, even though Richard is probably behind the murder of his brother and her husband Gloucester, because Gaunt still believes that Richard was appointed to the kingship by God; in taking action against Richard, Gaunt would be committing treason against both the monarchy and God. Having been told that he was chosen by God to become king since he was a young boy, Richard has not been the best at keeping himself…

However, Richard is hypocritical and fails to uphold the very laws he relies on when he denies Bolingbroke’s inheritance. In order to find his misguided war in Ireland, Richard “seizes into his hands, Bolingbroke’s plates, his goods, his money and his lands”. Bolingbroke possesses no real threat to Richards reign until he is banished, although it is not until word of his father Gaunt’s death, when Richard “wrongfully seizes” his inheritance that Bolingbroke defies his banishment in order to…

On the surface King Richard II seems a straightforward depiction of an unfit King’s steady stream towards being deposed. Shakespeare’s lack of favoritism gives a documentary point of view, yet commotional drama of a daytime soap opera. Shakespeare’s elegant style leaves some doubt for the reader to be ‘all in’ with Bolingbroke taking over despite his heroic attributes and the follies of Richard. The play opens with King Richard’s continuing follies: covers up his Gloucester’s assassination,…

after Richard surrendered himself and his title. It is unclear within the confines of the play whether or not Bolingbroke would have succeeded if Richard had fought against him. The same can be said of the deposition itself. Richard gives up the crown, yet it is unclear whether or not he could have stopped Bolingbroke’s rise to power if he had chosen to fight back and not resign. Whether or not Bolingbroke would succeed in gaining the crown without Richard’s resignation is unclear; but the…

In speaking of the Duke of Gloucester’s death, Mowbray says, “I slew him not; but to my own disgrace / Neglected my sworn duty in that case”. (1.1.136-37). Richard banishes Bolingbroke: Therefore, we banish you our territories: You, cousin Hereford, upon pain of life, Till twice five summers have enrich'd our fields. (1.3.436-38). John of Gaunt speaks about Richard while on his death bed: His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last, For violent fires soon burn out themselves;…

Henry VII of England Born: 28th January 1457, Penbroke Castle, Wales. Parents: Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond. Siblings: - Married: Elizabeth of York, died 1503 Children: Arthur, Margaret, Henry VIII, Elizabeth Tudor, Mary, Edmund, Kathrine. Died: 21st April 1509, Richmond Palace. Buried 11th May 1509 in Westminster Abbey. Brief Summary (Write a brief summary of there life. Highlight the key areas of their life) Henry was born on 28th January…

Henry Tudor is born during the onset of the Wars of the Roses to an illegitimate bloodline which traces its roots back to John of Gaunt duke of Lancaster. This lineage belongs to the House of Beaufort, which was established when John of Gaunt had his son who was born of a mistress legitimized. The only stipulation to this legitimization was that the Beaufort line would never be able to enter the line of succession for the Throne of England. Sadly, the Yorkists which would oppose the Lancastrians…