Early in 1426, a tense, angry Parliament met at Leicester. One of the king’s uncles accused another of his uncles of treason. The atmosphere was tense, violence threatened to erupt at any time. England was… Read More »Parliament of Bats
In late August 1422 Henry V lay on his deathbed at the Château de Vincennes in France. He was dying at the height of his powers at the age of just 35. He would leave behind… Read More »The Legacy of Henry V and the Infant King
Henry V’s victory at Agincourt in 1415 dealt a major blow to his French enemies. However, the war in France was very far from won. In this article, we’ll look at how Henry V sought… Read More »Henry V: The Scourge of God
In 1415, Henry V had begun his campaign to claim the French throne by taking Harfleur. However, his army suffered significant losses, not because of the fighting but from a virulent epidemic of dysentery. Instead… Read More »The Battle of Agincourt
On 13th August 1415 a large fleet of English ships landed near Harfleur in Normandy. The fleet was carrying Henry V and his army. His stated purpose was to claim the French throne. After an… Read More »Henry V: The Invasion of France
In the early autumn of 1386, Henry Bolingbroke had cause for celebration. His beloved wife Mary had just given birth to his first son at Monmouth Castle in Wales. For this reason, the boy would… Read More »The Making of Henry V
In 1491, a well-dressed young man appeared at the port of Cork in Ireland claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, son of Edward IV and rightful king of England. Over the next few years, he… Read More »Imposter or Pretender?
It was 22nd July 1403. Henry IV had just won the battle of Shrewsbury. He had been in power for less than four years and already endured considerable dissent and rebellion. Nevertheless, in defeating Hotspur… Read More »Henry IV Part 2 – The Founding of a Dynasty
Henry IV became king in the autumn of 1399 after the violent overthrow of Richard II. At the time he assumed the throne with huge popular support. However, much of this support was born… Read More »Henry IV Part 1 – The Elected King
It was the summer of 1377, and the old king was dead. His grandson, a boy of just 10 years old, succeeded him as Richard II. Richard’s reign would end with his violent overthrow and… Read More »The Wars of the Roses 2-Richard II, the Boy King