Richard II

Richard II (1367–1400) King of England (1377–99). He was the only son of EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE and the grandson of Edward III, whom he succeeded at the age of ten. In 1381 his courage helped prevent disaster in the PEASANTS' REVOLT, but in the next few years he had to face a more direct threat to his power from a group of magnates (Lords Appellant) led by his uncle Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester. During the session of the Merciless Parliament (1388) they had Richard's chief supporters executed or imprisoned and it was only in 1397 that he was able to strike back at them by punishing the Lords Appellant. His attempt to impose his personal rule upon England alienated support and enabled Henry of Bolingbroke (HENRY IV) to seize the throne with comparative ease in 1399. Richard abdicated and died a few months later in prison. He was a sensitive man but temperamentally unbalanced and incapable of firm rule.