England in the 15th Century

‘War of the Roses’‘Hundred Years War’

End of the Middle Ages

1399

Within the hollow crown that rounds the mortal temples of a king keeps Death

Richard II

Today

• Overview of the course• Review of 14th century• Questions of succession• Why Richard II should be deposed?• Deposition of Richard II– Dr. Jennifer Paxton– William Shakespeare

14th Century

1315 ‘Great famine’1327 Deposition and abdication of Edward II1338 Start of the Hundred Years War(s)1348 Black Death1378 Wyclif; The Western Schism1381 Peasants’ Revolt

Valois and English ClaimsPhilip III (1270-1283)

Philip IV (1285-1314)Louis X

(1314-

16)Joan

Philip V

(1316-

22)

Charles V (132

2-28)

Isabella m.

Edward II

Edward III

Charles of Valois (d. 1325)

Philip VI (1328-1350)

1337 Hundred Years War – Edward III 1360

Effects of Black Death

John Wyclif

Controversial Ideas

• Papal Taxation • Against clerical wealth• Against excess wealth of nobles• Against accepted view of transubstantiation in

the Eucharist

Property

• All gifts of God are common• Private property a result of original sin• Monarch given authority over property;

Church over the spiritual realm• Corruption of Church from Gift of Constantine

“Trial of Wyclif AD 1377” Ford Madox Brown, 1886

Richard II

‘he liked to sit ostentatiously from after dinner until vespers, talking to no one but watching everyone; and when his eye fell on anyone, regardless of rank, that person had to bend his knee towards the king ...'

1360 Hundred Years War – Edward III 1377

Peasants’ Revolt1381

Richard II Meets the rebels

Long-term Causes of Unrest

• Demographic Changes• Labor laws• Social mobility• Distrust in lords and law• Proletarianization of clergy• Hundred Years War - failures

Impeachment of Michael de la Pole

• High crimes– Dereliction of duties– Loss of Ghent

• High misdemeanors– Obtaining benefits from office– Misappropriating funds

Not guilty because he did not bear sole responsibility

Guilty

Wilton Diptych 1395-99Richard II presented to the Virgin and Child by St. John the Baptist,Saints Edward the Confessor and Edmund

Wilton diptych, side panels

Richard’s Courtiers

They were "knights of Venus rather than knights of Bellona, more valiant in the bedchamber than on the field of war, armed with words instead of weapons...” Walsingham

On King Richard’s Ministers

Ther is a busch that is forgrowe;Crop hit welle, and hold hit lowe,Or elles hit wolle be wilde.

Extravagances of Richard IIRoyal Palace at Sheen

1384 and 1388 • 2,000 painted tiles "for the King's bath,"

large bronze taps for hot and cold water, • Fireplaces and personal latrines in all rooms

Personal dress and invention of Richard II

1388 Order for [a first]“small pieces of linen made to be given to the lord king for blowing and covering his nose.”

Tunic of pearls, other precious stones and goldThe doublet...was embroidered with gold orange trees...and adorned with 100 oranges of silver gilt, weighing 2 1b. 1/2 oz. Troy

Richard II – Treasure Roll

• Compiled for Henry IV to list jewels and plate of Richard and his queens

• 1206 entries• 28 meters long• Includes many objects

taken in 1397

Richard II receives Isabella of Valois

Accusations against Richard

• Distributing possessions of the Crown to unworthy persons

• Maintained a bodyguard of unruly and violent Cheshiremen and ‘surrounded the parliament with a great number of armed men and archers whom he had gathered there for the purpose of overawing the people

Accusations against Richard

• Interference in local elections• Failure to respect property rights• Inconsistent behavior leading to loss of trust• Seeking papal approval for his actions• ‘He dissipated it [parliamentary grants

normally only given in time of war] prodigiously upon the ostentation, pomp and vainglory of his own person’

Accusations against Richard

• Allowed accusations by the ‘young, strong and healthy’ against the ‘aged, impotent, lame or infirm’ to be brought before the Court of Chivalry where the only defense was by arms

VideoThe Deposition of Richard II

Professor Jennifer PaxtonThe people, "by ancient statute and recent precedent,” had a remedy for royal wrongs.

Duke of Gloucester

Earl of Northumberland received by Richard at Conway

Northumberland swearing an oath on the sacred host that Richard would remain king

Richard and Henry at Flint Castle