Richard II

Richard II was only ten when he succeeded his grandfather, Edward III in 1377.

Not a very happy time. There was a peasants' revolt early in Richard's reign.

Richard believed he ahd a divine right to rule the country. Unfortunately, not everyone else was convinced that this was the case. In paricular, the Black Death in 1348 had considerably increased the power of the peasants, since labour was now in short supply.

In 1399 Richard was deposed by his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who succeeded him as Henry IV. Richard was imprisoned by Henry, and was murdered while in prison.

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