Richard II

Question 1

Reign of Richard

Answer 1

1377 - 1399

Question 2

What were the foreign issues of Richard’s reign?

Answer 2

• 100 years war resumed after the failure of Bruges
• The Norwich Crusade 1383: expedition by Henry Despenser to fight for Pope Urban in the Great Schism
• the Scots, Welsh and Irish all began to cause problems and have a renewed sense of power
• Richard was therefore wise to follow the path of peace

Question 3

Who was part of the new court clique?

Answer 3

SIMON BURLEY - given large amounts of land and was seen as the brains behind the government
MICHAEL DE LA POLE: became chancellor in 1383 and Earl of Suffolk 1385, given lavish royal patronage
ROBERT DE VERE - part of the poorest family in the nobility of the 14thc, increasingly controlled Richards company

Question 4

What happened in the Wonderful Parliament 1386

Answer 4

• de la pole accused of taking bribes
• 1385 Richard gave de vere Queensborough
• 1386 he makes de la pole Duke of Ireland
• the lords and commons wanted removal of de la Pole as well as treasure Fordham
• sent a deputation headed by Gloucester, summoned parliament once a year and king must be present
• Gloucester reminded the king of Edward II and the king backs down and replaces Suffolk and Fordham
• Suffolk was impeached

Question 5

What happened during Richards’s gyration?

Answer 5

• Richard refused to work with the new council and he overturned the judgment against Suffolk
• Richard was still under control so left Westminster with his favourite
• February 1387: left for a 10month gyration away from court and council

Question 6

What did the judges declare to Richard?

Answer 6

• August 1387
• the wonderful Parliament did infringe on royal patronage
• Suffolk’s impeachment could be reversed
• only the king could dissolve parliament
• the king had the right to determine parliamentary agenda
• backed by AB of York, Tresilian and Belknap
• held in reserve as a secret weapon

Question 7

What were the events of Radcot Bridge 1387?

Answer 7

• November 11th: anti-royalist forces gather
• November 14th: Gloucester, Arundel, and Warwick presented royal mediators with formal appeal, an accusations against Suffolk, de Vere, Tresilan
• November 17th: it was agreed that they would be taken into safe custody, however they manage to go into safe hiding
• December 20th: derby and Nottingham defeated the royalist forces under de Vere

Question 8

What was the aftermath of Radcot Bridge?

Answer 8

• de vere and de la Pole escape to Europe and the resistance collapsed
• February 1388: Richard was forced to agree to the demands of the appellants at the merciless parliament
• Richard’s supporters were convicted of treason and put to death
• the lords appellant make a new council who swore to support all acts of Parliament

Question 9

How did Richard gradually reassert his power in the 1390s?

Answer 9

• Statue against Livery and Maintenance
• statue of Provisions
• pressing for the canonisation of Edward II
• organising the rebuilding of Canterbury castle and Westminster hall
• 1393 peace talks in France with Gaunt and Gloucester

Question 10

What was agreed with France in 1396?

Answer 10

• March: 28year truce accorded with France, Richard would be married to Charles VI daughter
• October: Richard and Charles agreed that England were to leave Brittany, Richard would support French policy, and he would not abandon his claim to the French throne

Question 11

What happened during the crisis of 1297?

Answer 11

• January: Haxey made a private petition against the king
• February: Arundel and Gloucester quarrel with the king
• Haxey is condemned of treason
• July: Richard had Arundel, Warwick and Gloucester arrested
• September: Parliament surrounded condemned the acts of the appellants
• Ardunel was executed, Warwicl banished
• the new group of political supporters were promoted to the duketti

Question 12

What was the tyranny of Richard’s reign?

Answer 12

• January 1398: Parliament meets where the acts of 1388 parliament were annulled
• the king was now in charge and the commons granted Richard customs for life
• Mowbray, Norfolk and Nottingham began the process to depose Richard
• There were rumours of a plot to kill the king so he took the chance to eliminate his opposition
• Norfolk was banished and Hereford was imprisoned

Question 13

Deposition of Richard

Answer 13

• Upon learning this Henry (Hereford) who was now in France became extremely angered
• when Henry landed, support for Richard crumbled and he was taken to the tower
• September 1399: Richard pushed by parliament and Henry to give up his crown