16 July 2016
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Richard II
King Richard II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 16 July 1377
On this day in history, 1377: The 10-year-old King Richard II is crowned at Westminster Abbey. Also known as Richard of Bordeaux, he was the grandson of Edward III and a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and Blanche of Lancaster.
Richard suppressed the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and in 1387 a group of aristocrats known as the Lords Appellant took over government. After taking back control, in 1397 Richard’s two-year run of ‘tyranny’ saw him take revenge, when many aristocrats were exiled – including his first cousin Henry of Bolingbroke – or executed.
Henry, who was the son of Richard’s influential uncle John of Gaunt, returned from exile in 1399, while Richard was on a military campaign in Ireland, with a small invasion army that quickly grew in size. He deposed Richard on 30 September 1399 and was crowned King Henry IV. Richard is believed to have died in captivity in mysterious circumstances in 1400.
How blue is your blood? If you think you may have royal connections, check out the feature in our Christmas 2015 issue – available now from Pocketmags.com.