During the fourteenth century, towards the end of the Middle Ages, there
was a continuous struggle between the king and his nobles. The first crisis
came in 1327 when Edward II was deposed and cruelly murdered. His
eleven-year-old son, Edward III, became king, and as soon as he could, he
punished those responsible. But the principle that kings were neither to be
killed nor deposed was broken.
Towards the end of
the fourteenth century Richard II was the second king to be killed by ambitious
lords. He had made himself extremely unpopular by his choice of advisers. This
was always a difficult matter, because the king's advisers became powerful, and
those not chosen lost influence and wealth. Some of Richard's strongest critics
had been the most powerful men in the kingdom. .
Richard was young and proud. He quarrelled with these nobles in 1388,
and used his authority to humble them. He imprisoned his uncle, John of Gaunt,
the third son of Edward III, who was the most powerful and wealthy noble of his
time. John of Gaunt died in prison. Other nobles, including John of Gaunt's
son, Henry duke of Lancaster, did not forget or forgive. In 1399, when Richard
II was busy trying to establish royal authority again in Ireland, they
rebelled. Henry of Lancaster, who had left England, returned and raised an
army. Richard was deposed. Читать весь материал
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