Richard II - Richard of Bordeaux Quiz

Answer: Joan

Joan was called the "Fair Maid of Kent", the daughter of the Earl of Kent who was a son of Edward I. She was thus of royal descent but had previously had been married to Thomas Holland. The Black Prince's marriage to Joan prevented what might have been a useful continental alliance into another royal family. It was said to be a love match.

Answer: Epiphany - January 6th

The fact that he was born on January 6th was said to be a lucky omen. Great things were already expected of Richard, though he was at that time only the second son of the heir to the throne. The death of his elder brother, Edward of Angouleme, promoted him to second in line to the kingship after his father, the Black Prince.

Answer: 10

Richard was born on January 6, 1367, at Bordeaux in Gascony whilst his father was on campaign. He succeeded to the throne on the death of grandfather, Edward III, in 1377, and he was actually crowned on the July 16, 1377, at the age of ten in Westminster Abbey.

Answer: John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, Richard's uncle

John of Gaunt was eldest surviving son of Edward III and thus Richard's oldest uncle. He was also the greatest landowner in the country after the King. He was a man of tremendous influence and had been a soldier in both France and Spain.

Answer: Wat Tyler

Wat Tyler was the leader of the rebels and Richard rode out to meet him at Smithfield. Though Tyler was killed, Richard offered pardons to other leaders and made promises that were never kept. The rebellion was crushed and the poor people of England were even worse off than before.

Answer: Anne of Bohemia

This marriage took place on the 14th January in St. Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster. When Anne of Bohemia died in 1394 Richard was said to be devastated and became even more isolated from the people around him. Anne was the daughter of the King of Bohemia who was known as the Holy Roman Emperor.

Answer: Richard's favourites who were hated by many other lords.

Richard's generosity to these noblemen alienated the rest of the court, and led directly to the formation of the Lord Appellants who tried and convicted five of Richard's closest friends of treason.

Answer: Thomas, Duke of Gloucester

Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, was Richard's youngest surviving uncle and a constant irritant to the monarch. Eventually Gloucester was imprisoned in Calais and then murdered by an unknown hand. Some people pointed the finger of suspicion in the direction of the person who had most reason to hate him.

This is also an idea used by Shakespeare, though historians can not be conclusive on this point.

Answer: Isabella of Valois

This was another political marriage for Isabella was the daughter of Charles VI, King of France. She was only seven years old at the time of her marriage to Richard. The ceremony took place on the November 4, 1396, in Calais. She returned to France after Richard's death and later married the Duke of Orleans.

Answer: Edward

Edward of Angouleme was also born abroad whilst his father was on campaign. As he died in infancy there are few indications of his character and potential for kingship. Richard was thus the only hope of his father. This is a vivid contrast to Edward III who had many sons.

Answer: None

Richard's first marriage to Anne of Bohemia was said to be a happy one but gave him no children. His second wife, Isabella, was only seven when he married her and would only be ten to eleven by the time he was imprisoned and then later murdered. The possibility of children from this union was therefore unlikely.

Answer: cousin

Richard's father, Edward, was the elder brother of John who was Henry's father. The two men were full first cousins. Shakespeare makes use of this fact in his play and also involves Aumerle, the son of Edmund of York, another brother of Richard's father.

Answer: Ireland

Whilst Richard was in Ireland Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV) landed at Ravenspurgh in Yorkshire. As he marched across country a large number of lords including the powerful Northumberland family flocked to his support. When Richard returned he faced what he considered insurmountable odds and surrendered at Flint Castle.

Answer: Westminster Abbey - to be with the tombs of many other English kings

Most historians agree that Richard II was probably murdered in Pontefract Castle round about the February 14, 1400. This was possibly done at Henry IV's instigation. Henry V was attempting to pay proper respect to a member of his own family when he later ordered that the bones to be move to Westminster Abbey.

Answer: Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March

Henry IV was of the "blood royal" and his descent was entirely through the male line: Edward III to John of Gaunt to himself. However, the Earl of March was descended from an elder brother of John of Gaunt who was called Lionel. Lionel's daughter, Philippa, married the Earl of March and thus their descendants also counted.