This act of tyranny proved fatal. With Richard campaigning in Ireland, Henry returned from exile with a small force, allegedly to reclaim his rightful inheritance. However, he rapidly gained support from discontented lords and commoners alike. By the time Richard returned, Henry controlled much of England.
The Deposition of Richard II
Richard was arrested in Wales and brought to London as a prisoner. In September 1399, under pressure from Parliament and the nobility, Richard II was forced to abdicate. He was accused of misrule, tyranny, and breaking the law of the land. In his place, Henry Bolingbroke was crowned Henry IV, the first king of the Lancastrian branch of the Plantagenets.
Richard’s fate was sealed in early 1400 when he died—most likely murdered—at Pontefract Castle. Though officially described as death by “voluntary starvation,” it is widely believed he was killed to eliminate the threat of his return and to secure Henry’s shaky claim to the throne.
Tyrant or Tragic King?
Historians have long debated Richard II’s legacy. Was he a tyrant, as Henry IV's supporters claimed, or a misunderstood and visionary monarch ahead of his time? Richard was a cultured and artistic king, a patron of poets like Geoffrey Chaucer and a believer in the majesty of monarchy. Yet his rigid belief in divine right, his vengeful nature, and his political naivety made him vulnerable.
He lacked the military strength and diplomatic skill of his predecessors. Instead of forging alliances with powerful nobles, he sought to dominate them. In doing so, he destroyed the very foundation upon which medieval kingship rested. shutdown123