Pontefract Castle: History of England's Most Fearsome Fort - Exploring Castles Exploring Castles Home » UK » England » Pontefract Castle Pontefract Castle: History of England’s Most Fearsome Fort Pontefract Castle, in Yorkshire, England (or Pomfret Castle, as it was known at its time) used to be the most important, and most terrifying castle in the whole of Early Modern England. However, visitors today would find this unbelievable to understand. Nowadays, Pontefract is absolutely ruined, and it’s incredibly difficult to visualise this vast castle as it once was. Nonetheless, this mighty stone castle was a real force to be reckoned with – and had such a feared reputation that it was even mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. It’s undoubtedly the most important castle in the whole of Yorkshire, England, and is well-worth your time for a visit. Here are six highlights from Pontefract’s long and incredible history. Pontefract Castle is generally ruinous. These tower segments are the largest remaining constructions. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). 6.

Pontefract Castle has a blood-stained history: of death, decay and dark dungeons Pontefract Castle has attracted a phenomenal amount of death, decay and misery over the years. As an ominous precursor, the entire place was constructed on an old Anglo-Saxon burial ground. In addition to this, the castle was the spot of Richard II’s infamous ‘murder’ (see our next point below), and hundreds of soldiers were killed or imprisoned here during the Wars of the Roses. A different angle of the remaining two towers of Pontefract Castle. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). To add to the general feeling of despair, Pontefract has a huge and oppressive network of dungeons – hollowed out of the bedrock 35 feet below the castle. Prisoners were trapped in the winding, pitch-black pits for weeks at a time, and scratched their names into the walls during their miserable imprisonment. You can see the prisoner’s names, scratched into the dungeon walls, when you visit the castle today. This is part of the tour to the ‘magazines’ and armour cellars – these cellars were originally the dungeons.

Pontefract was the site of some dark moments in history – in 1311, Edward II gained the upper hand on his own cousin, Thomas Earl of Lancaster, and had him executed in the castle- along with beheading 20 other rebels. It was in Pontefract too that Richard III condemned Sir Richard Grey, Sir Thomas Vaughan and Earl Rivers to execution, as their faction-fighting endangered his rule. These three were killed in 1483 – the same year of the alleged ‘murder’ of the two young princes in the Tower of London. Other unfortunate events occurred in the castle. It was the place where Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard, began her affair with Thomas Culpepper. Both were eventually beheaded for their ill-advised liaison. 5. And Pontefract Castle was the spot where King Richard II was murdered – which served as inspiration for Shakespeare King Richard II was certainly held in Pontefract Castle in 1399. We don’t know exactly what happened to him, but most sources think that he was either intentionally neglected until he starved to death; or was cruelly murdered in the dungeons.

A couple of scholars have suggested the dungeon of the Keep to be the spot of his murder- a tiny, pitch-black space seeping with the cold and damp. A broader view of the castle grounds, showing the extent of the ruins (and, er, a power station). Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Writing in the late 1500s, Shakespeare used Pontefract Castle (at his time, Pomfret Castle) as a setting in two of his history plays, Richard II and Richard III. In Richard II, the King is dragged to Pomfret Castle, where he ruminates on his life when imprisoned in the dungeons – and is killed as the play ends. In Shakespeare’s Richard III, Rivers is dragged to the castle, and describes it thus: III.iii.9. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison! Fatal and ominous to noble peers! Within the guilty closure of thy walls Richard the Second here was hack’d to death. Although we don’t know the exact facts about Richard II’s death, the most important point is that Pontefract Castle was notorious – and widely feared – for its bloody reputation. 4.

Once a magnificent palace — although that’s hard to imagine today It’s truly hard to imagine nowadays, but Pontefract Castle was once a magnificent and extravagant palace – the jewel of Yorkshire. Pontefract was a vast stone castle, and it’s thought that it enjoyed the protection of two-outer walled baileys. Effectively, it was a concentric castle design. Pontefract was also crowned with around 10 internal towers. Some of these towers climbed to vast heights – the King’s Tower and Queen’s Tower were thought to be around 20m high. A primary source – a print depicting the castle in the 1500s. Note the huge size and scale, that’s illustrated in the drawing. Pontefract Castle was equipped for extravagant entertaining. The kitchen had no less than four fireplaces, a bakery with two ovens, and the scale and an incomparable variety of accommodation in the numerous towers. It would truly have been a castle fit for royalty – it had the considerable distinction of hosting Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles I during their time. 3. Pontefract Castle was the last remaining stronghold in the English Civil War – Holding Out for Charles I, even after his execution!

During the Civil War itself, Pontefract Castle was besieged on three different occasions – and fell from Royalist hands to the Parliamentarians, and back again to the Royalists. These battles and sieges were universally hard-fought. Oliver Cromwell described the castle in one of his letters: “[Pontefract Castle is] well watered; situated on rock in every part of it; and therefore difficult to mine. The walls are very thick and high, with strong towers; and if battered, very difficult to access, by reason of the depth and steepness of the graft.” Oliver Cromwell, writing during the Civil War One of the strangest moments in Pontefract’s history occurred during 1648. The castle had fallen to the Parliamentarians, but the Royalists, lead by Colonel John Morris, managed to dupe their way into the castle by pretending to be bed-collectors. Distraction complete, they then besieged and overcame the castle. Odd, huh?! Another primary source – a painting of the castle from around 1620-1640, so just before the Civil War. The painter was Flemish Alexander Keirincx.

It depicts a phenomenal castle, that’s hard to reconcile to today’s ruins. Pontefract Castle was, remarkably, the last castle to surrender to the victorious Parliamentarians at the end of the Civil War. In fact, the castle remained staunchly Royalist until the war was unquestionably won by the Parliamentarians. Charles I was executed in January 1649, but the castle still held out until March that year, living in hope of some Royalist miracle. Ever the optimists, the Royalists holding out in the castle declared dead Charles I’s son, Charles II, to be the true King of England – even whilst Oliver Cromwell held power. 2. A Castle Intentionally Destroyed by Parliament (and the will of the locals!) Oliver Cromwell hated Pontefract Castle, due all the trouble it had caused him during the civil war. Resultantly, he wanted the place destroyed at the first opportunity. In an odd twist, rather than the Parliamentarians just slighting (intentionally destroying) the castle’s defence, Cromwell placed pressure on the adjacent town of Pontefract. He asked the townspeople to petition Parliament, begging for the castle to be demolished.

That way, he could get the job done properly – and the thing entirely wiped off the face of the earth. The neighbours were all too pleased to have the castle demolished, as Pontefract Castle had been long-time a magnet for trouble, death and despair. Armies pillaging the castle had generally pillaged the town en route – stealing provisions and assaulting local women – and so the townspeople were more than happy to see the castle destroyed. The ruinous remains of the castle gatehouse – one of the few things spared by the demolition. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Consequently, three days after the castle finally surrendered at the end of the civil war, Parliament set out to destroy the place. The price of destruction was about £800, and men set out systematically dismantling the entire castle over a couple of weeks. The only place to be left would be the Barbican. 1. A Store For Liquorice: Pontefract Castle at the Brink of Historical Extinction After the destruction of Pontefract Castle in 1648, the ruins decayed over the centuries.

In Victorian times, the castle grounds were bizarrely used to grow liquorice – and parts of the old castle ruins were excavated to become liquorice stores! That’s why modern day Pontefract Cakes have a picture of a castle on them. In recent history, unhappily, the castle has fallen into even worse repair. Under a lack-of-care from the cash-strapped local town council, the ailing old castle was plagued by drug-dealers and graffiti artists, transforming one of England’s most important historical sites into a depressed-urban battle-field of assaults, attempted assaults, and even manslaughter on the site. Happily, however, things are looking up. The foundations of St Clement’s Chapel, built within the castle walls. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Pontefract has received grants from English Heritage, local bodies and also the British National Lottery. The aim is to repair, improve and renovate the castle and its visitor centres, making it fit for the 21st century. There’s extensive work now going on, and things are looking rosy for the castle’s continued survival.

Pontefract remains as one of the most interesting of all the castles of England, and would have been one of the most impressive of all stone castles if it had survived intact to this day. Visiting Pontefract Castle About 50,000 people visit Pontefract Castle every year The site is now secured at night, but access in the daytimes is free There’s a small charge for a quick tour of the dark ammunition cellars There is a visitors’ centre with exhibits, information, a gift shop and tea shop. If you’ve enjoyed reading about Pontefract Castle, I think you’ll also enjoy reading more about Dover Castle , one of England’s most phenomenal fortresses. Or you might like to know more about the other castles in historic York , which is just a short drive from Pontefract. You might also like.... TimeRef - Medieval and Middle Ages History Timelines - Pontefract Castle Details Directions via Google Maps ontefract Castle is located in the town of Pontefract in West Yorkshire to the east of Leeds. It is most famous for being the place that Richard II, the King of England, was murdered in 1400.

Originally a Saxon fort, the castle was redeveloped by the Normans after the Conquest. Only the motte and low sections of the walls remain of what once a very large and imposing structure. The most secure part of the castle was the keep located in the south-west corner. Known as the Round Tower it was quatrefoil in shape, having four lobes surrounding a circular interior. More towers were constructed around the curtain walls, including the Piper, Gascoigne, Constable, Queen's and King's Towers. The entrance to the castle was via a large gatehouse on the southern side. This gatehouse was protected by a large barbican forcing any would-be attackers out into the open if they approached. At the western side of the barbican was a large square tower. Within the castle's bailey stood many buildings including a hall and chapel. Pontefract Castle became the property of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster due to his marriage to Alice de Lacy, the daughter of Henry de Lacy. This was at the time when King Edward II was opposed by the barons because of the his obsession with his favourite Piers Gaveston.

In 1312 Gaveston was executed by the barons and Lancaster soon afterwards effectively ruled England. At the Battle of Boroughbridge Lancaster was defeated and captured by Edward's army and taken back to Pontefract Castle and executed outside its walls. In 1362, John of Gaunt the son of King Edward III became the Earl of Lancaster due to his marriage a few years earlier to Blanche of Lancaster and became the owner of Pontefract Castle. In 1400 Pontefract Castle was the prison for King Richard II and is thought to be where he was murdered. In 1536, during the reign of King Henry VIII, the castle became the base for an uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. The rebels were unhappy with the King's religious interference. The castle's final important moment in history came during English Civil wars when it was captured by Parliamentarian troops and orders were given to destroy it. Pontefract Castle Key Facts Richard II's life and reign Richard II's life and reign Accession to the throne Great seal of Richard II. After F. Sandford, A Genealogical history of the kings and queens of England ...

(London, 1707) Larger image (67KB) Richard II (1367-1400), came to the throne as a boy of ten in 1377, at a time when the Hundred Years War with France was turning against the English. His father, the Black Prince, an outstanding soldier, had died in 1376, leaving Richard as Edward III's heir. The Peasants' Revolt In the early years of Richard's reign, advisors (the continual councils) directed domestic and foreign policy. Heavy taxation provoked popular opposition, coming to a head in the so-called 'Peasants' Revolt' of 1381. The Tower of London was sacked and the archbishop of Canterbury and the treasurer of England were murdered. Richard won admiration for his bravery in riding out to lead the rebels away from London. In 1382 Richard married Anne of Bohemia , daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV, and in 1385 his mother, Joan of Kent , died.

Aristocratic unrest and the Lords Appellant Richard's high-handed behaviour as an adolescent, the extravagance of his household and the attempts of his councillors to broker a peace with France, led to a series of aristocratic protests between 1386 and 1388. In 1387 Richard was forced to accept a controlling council. He left London in February and returned only in November, a few days before the council's mandate expired. In 1388, as a result of the political and military actions of the magnates known as the Lords Appellant , some of Richard's closest friends and advisors were executed or sent into exile. Richard's majority From 1389 when Richard declared himself to be of age, he influenced more closely the direction of government. This can be seen in his accumulation of wealth through the heavy fines he imposed, his expeditions to Ireland in 1394 and 1399 and his pursuit of peace with France. He exacted, for example, £10,000 from the Londoners in 1392.

Following the death of Anne of Bohemia in 1394, Richard's peace policy led to the twenty-eight year truce sealed at a meeting between Richard II and Charles VI of France at Ardres, near Calais, and Richard's second marriage to Isabelle , eldest daughter of the French king. Rebellion and overthrow Richard's seemingly impregnable position was more fragile than it seemed. In 1397 he attacked the Lords Appellant who had prevailed in 1388 and seized their lands and goods. His uncle, Thomas of Woodstock, was murdered and Richard, earl of Arundel, executed on Tower Hill. Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, and Thomas Arundel, archbishop of Canterbury, were exiled. In the following year, as memorably dramatised by Shakespeare in his Richard II (see on stage ), the two remaining Appellants, who initially had been pardoned, Henry of Bolingbroke, duke of Hereford, the future Henry IV, and Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk, accused each other of treason. Richard forbade the resulting duel and exiled both men.

In February 1399, John of Gaunt died and Richard seized the great estates of the duchy of Lancaster. This precipitated the crisis of the end of his reign. In May he embarked on his second expedition to Ireland. In July Bolingbroke landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire and captured and deposed the king. Richard was imprisoned and died, probably murdered, in Pontefract Castle in 1400. BBC - History - Historic Figures: Richard II (1367 - 1400) Historic Figures z Richard II © Richard was Plantagenet king of England from 1377 to 1399 and was usurped by Henry IV. Richard was born on 6 January 1367 in Bordeaux, the son of Edward, the Black Prince and grandson of Edward III. Richard's father died in 1376 and his grandfather the following year, making Richard king at the age of 10. The country was ruled largely by his uncle, John of Gaunt. The first crisis of Richard's reign was the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

The young king bravely rode out to meet the rebels, who were led by Wat Tyler. Tyler was killed and the revolt crushed. As Richard began to take control of government himself, he built a group of unpopular favourites. His request for money to fight in France prompted parliament to demand the dismissal of these favourites. Richard's refusal provoked parliament into impeaching his chancellor, the Earl of Suffolk, and creating a commission to oversee the king's activities. When Richard declared these measures treasonable, parliament and his opponents retaliated in 1388 by outlawing his closest friends, some of whom were executed. Richard appeared defeated and submitted to the demands of the five 'Lords Appellant'. For eight years Richard worked in apparent harmony with Gaunt and the Lords Appellant. Yet he was waiting for revenge. He gradually formed a second, stronger royalist party. In 1397, he arrested and tried three of the appellants. Arundel was convicted of treason and executed, Warwick was banished and Gloucester imprisoned and murdered. Richard was granted revenues for life and the powers of parliament were delegated to a committee.

In September 1398, a quarrel between two former appellants, Gaunt's son Henry Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, gave the king another opportunity for revenge and he banished them both. When Gaunt died in February 1399, Richard confiscated the vast Lancastrian estates, which would have passed to Bolingbroke. In May, Richard left to campaign in Ireland. Bolingbroke invaded England and rallied both noble and popular support. Returning to England in August, Richard surrendered without a fight. In September, he abdicated and Bolingbroke ascended the throne as Henry IV. In October, Richard was imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died four months later. Castle Learning Center Medieval Kings Medieval Kings William I (1066-1087) William "the Conqueror" arrived in England with 12,000 troops for the purpose of invasion. He succeeded and was crowned king. William built more than 40 castles in Britain. Born: Falaise Castle, Normandy, 1027/8, illegitimate son of Robert of Normandy and Arlette of Conteville.

Married: Matilda of Flanders, Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, Normandy, 1050/52, 10 children. Acceded: 25 December 1066. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 25 December 1066. Died: Rouen, Normandy, 9 September 1087, aged 59/60. Fell from his horse while besieging the French city of Nantes. William II (1087-1100) The king loved hunting more than ruling. He was killed by a stray arrow during a hunt. His court was infamous for wearing bright and outrageous costumes. Born: Normandy, 1056/60, third son of William I and Matilda of Flanders. Acceded: 9 September 1087. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 26 September 1087. Died: New Forest, Hampshire, 2 August 1100, aged 40/44. Killed by an arrow fired by Walter Tyrell.

Henry I (1100-1135) Many new stone castles were built by him, or with permission from him. The great tower was the focal point of most of the castles. He introduced a new spirit of co-operation between the Normans and Anglo-Saxon people. Born: Selby, Yorkshire, September 1068, fourth son of William I and Matilda of Flanders. Married: Edith of Scotland, 11 November 1100, 4 children. Adela of Louvain, 29 January 1121. Acceded: 2 August 1100. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 5 August 1100. Died: Rouen, Normandy, 1/2 December 1135, aged 67. Died of food poisoning. Stephen (1135-54) Hundreds of private castles were built during his reign, and a breakdown of royal authority occurred. Born: Blois, France, 1096/7, son of Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela of Flanders.

Married: Matelda of Boulonge, 1125, 5 children. Acceded: 22 December 1135. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 26 December 1135. Died: Dover, Kent, 25 October 1154, aged 57/58. Henry II (1154-1189) Henry found that royal castles were outnumbered by baronial castles 5 to 1 and seized every castle in England. Many private castles were destroyed during his reign. Born: Le Mans, Anjou, 5 March 1133, son of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Matilda. Married: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bordeaux Cathedral, 18 May 1152, 8 children. Acceded: 19 December 1154. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 19 December 1154. Died: Chinon Castle, France, 6 July 1189, aged 56. Richard I (1189-1199) Much too busy with the crusades to worry about ruling England.

He brought new castle design techniques to the kingdom, and introduced the round tower. Born: Beaumont Palace, Oxford, 8 September 1157, third son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Married: Berengaria of Navarre, Chapel of St George, Limassol, Cyprus, 12 May 1191. Acceded: 2 September 1189. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 2 September 1189. Died: Chalus, France, 6 April 1199. Mortally wounded. John (1199-1216) Spent a lot of money building and strengthening castles. A lot of moated manors were built during his reign. Born: Beaumont Palace, Oxford, 24 December 1166, fourth son of Henry II and Elenor. Married: Isabella of Gloucester, 29 August 1189, no children. Isabella of Angouleme, 24 August 1200, 5 children. Acceded: 27 May 1199.

Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 27 May 1199. Died: Newark Castle, Lincolnshire, 18 October 1216, aged 49. Henry III (1216-1272) Introduced glass in many castle halls and other chambers. He was the master of nearly 60 castles during his reign and introduced advance design and improvement for castle gatehouses. Born: Winchester, 1 October 1207, first son of John and Isabella. Married: Eleanor of Provence, 14 January 1236, 9 children. Acceded: 28 October 1216. Crowned: Gloucester Cathedral, 28 October 1216. Died: Palace of Westminster, 16 November 1272. Edward I (1272-1307) "The king who built castles." His reign marked the climax of castle building in Britain. Mighty stone fortresses were built in Wales, and many more throughout the kingdom were strengthened.

Born: Westminster, 17/18 June 1239, son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. Married: Eleanor of Castile, Burgos, Spain, October 1254, 16 children. Margaret of France, Canterbury, 8/10 September 1299, three children. Acceded: 20 November 1272. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 19 August 1274. Died: Burgh-on-Sands, Cumbria, 7 July 1307, aged 68. Edward II (1307-1327) Many improvements were made to the castles during his reign. He was murdered at Berkeley Castle in 1327, by a red hot poker being inserted into a body cavity. Born: Caernarfon Castle, 25 April 1284, fourth son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. Married: Isabella of France, Boulogne, France, 25/28 January 1308, 4 children. Acceded: 8 July 1307.

Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 24/25 April 1308. Deposed: 25 January 1327. Died: Berkeley Castle, 21 September 1327, aged 43. Murdered. Edward III (1327-1377) The king was in a state of panic over the fear of a French invasion. Great expenditures occurred for strengthening castles and town defences. Many owners of private houses were granted licences to crenellate. Born: Windsor Castle, 13 November 1312, son of Edward II and Isabella of France. Married: Philippa of Hainault, York, 24 January 1328, 13 children. Acceded: 25 January 1327. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 1 February, 1327 Died: Surrey, 21 June 1377, aged 64. Senile Dementia. Richard II (1377-1399) He reigned in conflict with Parliament.

They executed some of his associates in 1388, and he executed some of the opposing barons in 1397. Much too busy executing people to contribute to castle building. Imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died mysteriously. Born: Bordeaux, France, 6 January 1367, son of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent.Married: Ann of Bohemia, Westminster, 14/20/22 January 1382. Isabella of France, France, 4 November, 1396. Acceded: 22 June 1377. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 16 July 1377. Deposed: 19 August 1399. Died: Pontefract Castle, 6 January or 14 February 1400, aged 33. Imprisoned. Henry IV (1399-1413) A very weak ruler. This led to great turmoil and the creation of robber-barons. Corruption was wide spread.

Born: 3 April 1367, son of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster. Married: Mary de Bohun, 1380/81, 7 children. Joan of Navarre, 7 February, 1403. Acceded: September 1399. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 13 October 1399. Died: Westminster, London, 20 March 1413, aged 56. Henry V (1413-1422) The eldest son of Henry IV. Revived the Hundred Years' War by invading France, defeating the French at Agincourt. A popular king for his military prowess and his interest in the poor. Born: Monmouth Castle, 9 August or 16 September 1387, son of Henry IV and Mary de Bohun. Married: Catherine of France, Troyes, France, 2/3 June 1420, 1 son. Acceded: 21 March 1413. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 9 April 1413.

Died: Vincennes Castle, France, 1 September 1422, aged 34 or 35. Dysentery. Henry VI (1422-1461) (1470-1471) Incompetent and mentally unstable and during his reign all English possessions in France, except Calais, were lost. Warfare broke out between the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions. Deposed by Edward IV in 1460. Born: Windsor Castle, 6 December 1421, son of Henry V and Catherine of France. Married: Margaret of Anjou, Tichfield Abbey, Hants, 23 April 1445, 1 son. Acceded: 1 September 1422. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 5/6 November 1429. Deposed: 4 March, 1461. Restored: 30 October, 1470. Deposed: 11 April 1471. Died: Tower of London, 27 May 1471, aged 49. Murdered.

Edward IV (1461-1470) Son of Richard, Duke of York. He defeated Henry VI in the Wars of the Roses to become king. Henry was restored to the throne in 1470. Defeated Henry VI at Tewkesbury in 1471, and this time Henry was put to death. Born: Rouen France, 28 April 1442, first son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Married: Elizabeth Woodville, 1 May 1464, 10 children. Acceded: 4 March 1461. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 28 June 1461. Died: Westminster, 9 April 1483, aged 40. Edward V (1483-1483) Son of Edward IV. Acceded to the throne at the age of 12, but was deposed by his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester and confined with his brother to the Tower of London. Both died there in the same year.

Born: Westminster Abbey, 1/2/4 November 1470, son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Acceded: 9 April 1483. Deposed: 25 June 1483 Died: September 1483, aged 12. Murdered at the Tower of London? Richard III (1483-1485) He gained control of his nephew Edward V and had himself proclaimed king. Edward and his brother were murdered, probably on Richard's orders. He was a capable ruler, but the suspicion that he had murdered Edward V and his brother undermined his popularity. In 1485 Henry Tudor defeated and killed Richard at the battle of Bosworth Field. Born: Fotheringhay Castle, Northants, 2 October, 1452, third son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Married: Anne Neville, Westminster Abbey, 12 July 1472, 1 son. Acceded: 26 June 1483. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 6 July 1483.

Died: Bosworth Field, Leicestershire, 22 August 1485, aged 32. Henry VII (1485-1509) Gained the throne by defeating Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485. He increased royal power and the prosperity of the country during his reign. Also called Henry Tudor because he inaugurated the Tudor dynasty. Born: Pembroke Castle, Wales, 28 January 1457, son of Edward Tudor and Margaret Beaufort. Married: Elizabeth of York, Westminster, 18 January 1486, 8 children. Acceded: 22 August 1485. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 30 October 1485. Died: Richmond Palace, Surrey, 21 April 1509, aged 52. Henry VIII (1509-1547) The king built many coastal forts to guard against an invasion scare during 1538-43. Many historians compare his castle building programme to that of Edward I.

Born: Greenwich, 28 June 1491, second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth. Married: Catherine of Aragon, 1509, 1 daughter. Anne Boleyn, 1533, 1 Daughter. Jane Seymour, 1536, 1 son. Anne of Cleves, 1540. Catherine Howard, 1540. Catherine Parr, 1543 Acceded: 22 April 1509. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 24 June 1509. Died: Whitehall, 28 January 1547, aged 55. Richard II facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Richard II The Oxford Companion to British History © The Oxford Companion to British History 2002, originally published by Oxford University Press 2002. Richard II (1367–1400), king of England (1377–99). Richard's failures have attracted more interest than the successes of greater rulers. His reign was characterized by aristocratic opposition and political ineptitude.

Richard became king in 1377 aged 9. There was no formal regency, but the government during his early years was dominated by his uncle John of Gaunt . The French war was going badly, and royal finances were in an unsatisfactory state. The imposition of the third poll tax was a major cause of the outbreak of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381; this was the occasion of Richard's first independent political action, when he faced the rebels at Smithfield, witnessed the slaying of Wat Tyler , and saved the situation by his own intervention. The king's subsequent moves to play a greater political role led to escalating crises. In 1386 the chancellor, Michael de la Pole , was impeached; Richard infuriated Parliament by declaring that he would not dismiss even a kitchen boy at its request. He provocatively appointed his favourite, Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford , to be duke of Ireland . There has been much debate whether Richard had high, possibly novel, concepts of the nature of monarchy.

In the summer of 1387 he asked the justices questions about the constitutional position and the right of Parliament to act as it had done in 1386, which suggests that he was very conscious of the problems he faced. The issues were settled less by legal argument than by force, for the defeat of de Vere at Radcot Bridge in the autumn of 1387 left Richard defenceless. He may even have been deposed for a brief period after Christmas 1387, until his opponents fell out over the question of who should replace him. The so-called Merciless Parliament of 1388 conducted a purge of government, using the weapons of appeal and impeachment against royal ministers and favourites, including de la Pole and de Vere. Richard was clearly deeply angered by what took place, and his desire for revenge provides one explanation for some of the later events of the reign. The return of John of Gaunt from Spain in 1389 brought a renewed sense of purpose and direction to government, although relations between John and the king were not always easy.

The work of the Merciless Parliament was undone, as far as was possible, in 1389, and Richard wisely did not revert to the excesses which had led to crisis in 1387. He was prepared to allow some control of affairs by the council; the regime was relatively financially stable, and significant efforts were made to deal with problems of lawlessness. There was barely any overt opposition to Richard between 1388 and 1397, although from 1393 discontent began to develop once again, partly as a result of hostility to the king's policy of negotiating a peace with France , and also because of resistance to his plans for re-establishing strong English rule in Ireland. In 1397 the refusal of the earls of Gloucester and Arundel to attend a council made their displeasure at royal policy all too evident, and the final crisis of the reign began. In September 1397 Richard moved against those he regarded as his enemies in a carefully managed Parliament, at which the threatening presence of his Cheshire archers ensured that all would go his way. Archbishop Arundel was impeached and exiled.

Royalist magnates brought appeals against the earls of Gloucester, Arundel, and Warwick. Arundel was executed, Warwick exiled, and Gloucester almost certainly murdered. Forfeited lands were granted out to Richard's supporters, and five new dukes created. The Arundel lands in north Wales were combined with the earldom of Chester, and a powerful new principality and royal power base was created. Charters were extracted at Shrewsbury early in 1398 from representatives of the southern counties, giving the king virtually unlimited powers. The grant of the principal customs revenues for life in 1398 gave Richard's regime new financial strength. The 1397 Parliament had dealt with the senior appellants of 1388; in 1398 a dispute between Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Hereford (John of Gaunt's son, later Henry IV), and the duke of Norfolk led to the exiling of the two men, after Richard prohibited a judicial duel between them at Coventry. In March 1399 Bolingbroke's Lancastrian inheritance was confiscated. In May the king embarked on a new expedition to Ireland.

This was disastrous for, in June, Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster after his father's death, invaded England. In the king's absence, there was little resistance. On his return from Ireland, Richard was taken in north Wales, and on 30 September, a broken man, agreed to abdicate, and was deposed in Parliament. Since 1397 his regime had been narrowly based, with men such as the knights Bushy, Bagot, and Green playing a dominant part. Government was conducted by means of threats and fear, with a high-handed use of legal form. Richard certainly thought the law should be on his side. Suggestions that he had an elevated and clearly articulated theory of royal government are not convincing; arguments which see Richard as reacting to the humiliations he had suffered during the years up to 1388 are more plausible. Richard did not long survive his deposition and died at Pontefract, probably early in 1400. Michael Prestwich COPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. Richard II Richard II (1367-1400) was king of England from 1377 to 1399.

His reign, which ended in his abdication, saw the rise of strong baronial forces aiming to control the monarchy. Richard II, known as Richard of Bordeaux from his birthplace, was born on Jan. 6, 1367, the younger son of Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince), and Joan, daughter of Edmund, Earl of Kent. After his father's death, Richard became the heir apparent, was created Prince of Wales in the later part of 1376, and on June 22, 1377, succeeded Edward III, his grandfather, as king of England. While he was underage, the control of the government had been left to a regency that came increasingly under the influence of the Duke of Lancaster (John of Gaunt), one of his uncles. In 1381, during the revolt led by Wat Tyler, Richard showed his leadership potential by going out to meet the rebels and pacifying them after Tyler was killed. After his marriage on Jan.

20, 1382, to Anne, the sister of King Wenceslaus and daughter of the emperor Charles IV, Richard attempted to end the regency's control of his minority and to take the leadership in national affairs, but Parliament was not eager to give up its powers. The following year, without consulting Parliament, Richard appointed Michael de la Pole as chancellor; and in 1384, hoping to check the opposition of his uncle Lancaster, he made his other uncles dukes of York and Gloucester. As the barons under Gloucester's leadership hoped to rule Richard, he started to create a "new" nobility, raising Pole to Earl of Suffolk and Robert de Vare to Duke of Ireland, which resulted in Gloucester's forcing the King to accept a commission of 11 nobles with powers for reform in 1386. Using the law courts, Richard was able to have the commission declared unlawful in August 1387, but the barons were determined to retain the upper hand, and in the "Merciless" Parliament, which met that winter, those who supported the King were attacked, and some were executed.

Although he was able to regain ministers of his own choosing in the spring of 1389, Richard hoped to win over the barons by a policy of conciliation, but this failed partly because of his own weakness and partly because of the death of his first wife in June 1394 and his second marriage to Isabella, daughter of Charles VI of France, in November 1396. This marriage to the traditional enemy caused a loss of popular goodwill, and Gloucester called for the resumption of the French war. Fearing that a second attempt might be made by the barons to limit his royal powers, Richard was able to get the leaders of the opposition, Gloucester, Arundel, and Warwick, in his power by July 1397, and in the Parliament that met in the autumn of the following year these men were condemned to death. This Parliament, after moving from Westminster to Shrewsbury in 1398, undid the acts of the Merciless Parliament. Now Richard was in full control and started to act in an arbitrary manner, alienating both barons and lesser subjects.

In February 1399, on the death of the Duke of Lancaster, Richard refused the inheritance to Lancaster's son, the exiled Henry of Bolingbroke; 2 months later Richard went to Ireland to avenge the death of the Earl of March, who had been killed on royal service. As soon as Henry of Bolingbroke heard of the King's absence, he landed in Yorkshire and raised a force to try to replace the King. Richard returned but, failing in an effort to raise an army, went into hiding in the north and after several months surrendered to Henry on Aug. 19, 1399, in North Wales. Henry, already acting as Henry IV, forced Richard's abdication on September 29 and imprisoned him. Richard died on Feb. 14, 1400, while at Pontefract. Further Reading Of the many biographical studies of Richard II, the most important is Anthony Steel, Richard II (1941). See also Harold F. Hutchison, The Hollow Crown: A Life of Richard II (1961).

Gervase Mathew, The Court of Richard II (1969), is a scholarly and interesting study of the court life, the social milieu, and the arts of the time; and Richard H. Jones, The Royal Policy of Richard II: Absolutism in the Later Middle Ages (1968), plays down Richard's personality and emphasizes the political imperatives of the time. For general historical background see Sir James H. Ramsay, Genesis of Lancaster, 1307-1399 (2 vols., 1913); May McKisack, The Fourteenth Century, 1307-1399 (1959); and the excellent work of Arthur Bryant, The Atlantic Saga, vol. 2: The Age of Chivalry (1964). Additional Sources Bevan, Bryan, King Richard II, London: Rubicon Press, 1990. Matthews, John, Warriors of Christendom: Charlemagne, El Cid, Barbarossa, Richard Lionheart, Poole, Dorset: Firebird Books; New York, NY: Distributed in the U.S. by Sterling Pub. Co., 1988.

Senior, Michael, The life and times of Richard II, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1981. □ Cite this article The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright The Columbia University Press Richard II, 1367–1400, king of England (1377–99), son of Edward the Black Prince . Early Life After his father's death (1376) he was created prince of Wales and succeeded his grandfather, Edward III , to the throne. During his minority, his uncle John of Gaunt was the most influential single noble, but the struggle for power among several rival lords perpetuated the faction-ridden government inherited by Richard from his predecessor. In 1381, when Richard was 14, there occurred the uprising known as the Peasants' Revolt, led by Wat Tyler and John Ball . The young king acted with great courage in meeting with the insurgents, but the concessions that he made were immediately revoked, and the rebels were ruthlessly persecuted. Conflicts with the Barons In 1382, Richard married Anne of Bohemia , to whom he became very much devoted.

In the following years the king began to assert his independence from the barons who had dominated the government, gathering about him a new court party, led by Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, and Michael de la Pole, earl of Suffolk (see Pole , family). He had a bitter quarrel with John of Gaunt, his uncle, while on an expedition to Scotland in 1385. The following year, however, when Gaunt went to Spain, Richard found himself at the mercy of a resentful baronial party led by another of his uncles, Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester . In the so-called Wonderful Parliament (1386) that group forced the king to dismiss Pole from the chancellorship and imposed on him a baronial council. Richard did not submit for long. He obtained (1387) a statement from the royal judges declaring the proceedings of the Parliament to have infringed his prerogative and raised an army in N England. However, his supporters were defeated in battle at Radcot Bridge (1387), and the king, threatened with deposition, had to submit to the proceedings of the Merciless Parliament of 1388.

His friends, Pole, de Vere, and others, were "appealed" (i.e., accused) of treason by five lords appellant—Gloucester; the earl of Arundel; Thomas de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick ; Thomas Mowbray, later 1st duke of Norfolk ; and the duke of Hereford (later Henry IV )—and those that did not escape the country were executed. Revenge and Downfall The lords appellant ruled the country until 1389, when Richard quietly reasserted his authority. Aided by Gaunt, who returned from Spain later in 1389, Richard ruled in comparative peace for the next seven years. After Anne's death, he went (1394) to Ireland to settle troubles there and in 1396 married an eight-year-old French princess, Isabella, to obtain a truce in the war with France. In 1397–98, Richard suddenly took his revenge on the lords appellant: Gloucester, Arundel, and Warwick were themselves "appealed" of treason and respectively murdered, executed, and banished; Norfolk and Hereford too were banished after a mysterious quarrel between them.

The king became increasingly despotic in his methods of government, strengthening his personal army, imposing heavy taxes and fines, and possibly even planning to supersede Parliament. On the death (1399) of John of Gaunt, he confiscated the Lancastrian estates, to which the exiled duke of Hereford was heir. While Richard was on another expedition in Ireland, Hereford landed in England and rapidly gathered support. Richard hurriedly returned from Ireland, but his cause was lost. He was forced to abdicate, and Hereford was crowned king as Henry IV in Sept., 1399. Richard was imprisoned in Pontefract Castle and there died, very possibly murdered, in 1400. Character and Legacy Richard is possibly the most enigmatic of the English kings. Some historians have attributed his behavior in the last years of his reign to madness. He appears to have been a sensitive and intelligent king. Geoffrey Chaucer , John Gower , William Langland , and John Wyclif made his reign outstanding in the literary and ecclesiastical history of England. Bibliography See biography by M. Senior (1981); A.

Tuck, Richard II and the English Nobility (1974). Shakespeare's Richard II is a dramatic account of the king's fall from power. Cite this article World Encyclopedia © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. Richard II (1367–1400) King of England (1377–99), son of Edward the Black Prince . Richard succeeded his grandfather, Edward III , and soon faced the Peasants' Revolt (1381). Conflict with the barons marked his reign. Richard's uncle, John of Gaunt , led a council of regency until 1381. On the orders of the ‘Lords Appellant’, the ‘Merciless Parliament’ (1388) executed many of Richard's supporters. Richard reasserted control and reigned ably until he began to assume authoritarian powers. In 1397–98, he exacted his revenge on the Lords Appellant by having the Duke of Gloucester murdered and the Duke of Hereford (son of John of Gaunt) banished. In 1399, Richard confiscated Gaunt's estates.

Hereford led a successful revolt and was crowned Henry IV . Richard was imprisoned and died in mysterious circumstances. Cite this article King Richard II | Britroyals Born: January 6, 1367 at Bordeaux, France Parents: Edward, the Black Prince, and Joan of Kent Relation to Elizabeth II: 16th great-granduncle House of: Plantagenet Ascended to the throne: June 22, 1377 aged 10 years Crowned: July 16, 1377 at Westminster Abbey Married: (1) Anne of Bohemia, (2) Isabella, nine year old daughter of Charles VI of France Children: None Died: February 14, 1400 at Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire (starved to death), aged 33 years, 1 month, and 8 days Buried at: Langley reburied Westminster Reigned for: 22 years, 7 months, and 23 days Succeeded by: his cousin Henry IV King of England from 1377, effectively from 1389, son of Edward the Black Prince.

He reigned in conflict with Parliament; they executed some of his associates in 1388, and he executed some of the opposing barons in 1397, whereupon he made himself absolute. Two years later, forced to abdicate in favour of Henry IV, he was jailed and died. In 1381 Richard was faced with the Peasants' Revolt, a result of the imposition of the Poll Tax in 1380. The leader of the Revolt, Watt Tyler, was stabbed and killed at Smithfield by the Lord Mayor of London, fearing for the safety of the king. Richard's apparent courage in facing the mobs gathered at Mile End and Smithfield also contributed to the failure of the uprising. Richard was born in Bordeaux. He succeeded his grandfather Edward III when only ten, the government being in the hands of a council of regency. His fondness for favourites resulted in conflicts with Parliament, and in 1388 the baronial party, headed by the Duke of Gloucester, had many of his friends executed.

Richard recovered control in 1389, and ruled moderately until 1397, when he had Gloucester murdered and his other leading opponents executed or banished, and assumed absolute power. In 1399 his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford (later Henry IV), returned from exile to lead a revolt; Richard II was deposed by Parliament and imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died of starvation. King Richard II's Signature Biography of Richard II - Archontology.org b. 6 Jan 1367, Bordeaux, Aquitaine d.

Feb 1400, Pontefract, Yorkshire, England ﻿Title: By the Grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland (Dei Gracia Rex Anglie et Francie Dominus Hibernie) ﻿Term: 21 Jun 1377 - 30 Sep 1399 ﻿Chronology: 21 Jun 1377, succeeded his grandfather, Edward III (regnal years counted from 22 Jun 1377) 16 Jul 1377, crowned, Westminster Abbey 29 Sep 1399, signed "Cession and Renunciation" 30 Sep 1399, "Cession and Renunciation" accepted by Parliament, which then deposed Richard and deprived him of his kingship ﻿Names/titles: Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester [from 20 Nov 1376] ﻿Biography: Born in Aquitaine, Richard was the son of the Prince of Wales, known to his contemporaries as Edward of Woodstock and named the Black Prince by later chroniclers.

He was brought to England in 1371 and created Prince of Wales (20 Nov 1376) upon his father's death (8 Jun 1376). Richard succeeded his grandfather, Edward III , at the age of ten, but no regency was appointed. Until 1380 the day-to-day business of the government was carried on by a succession of "continual councils". Despite his young age, Richard showed precocious courage and tact in dealing with the rebels under Wat Tyler during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. A year later Richard conflicted with Parliament, which refused to grant new taxation and forced the king to dismiss his favorite, Sir Michael de la Pole. A group of noblemen known as the Lords Appellant — the duke of Gloucester and the earls of Warwick, Arundel, Nottingham, and Derby — brought an accusatio, or formal appeal, against his allies of treason. The king's army led by Robert de Vere was defeated at Radcot Bridge (20 Dec 1387) and the Appellants occupied London.

In 1388 the "Merciless Parliament" sentenced to death two main allies of the king and forced Richard to renew his coronation oath. In early 1390's Richard reasserted the royal authority and appointed a number of hard-working ministers. He attempted to establish an authoritarian rule and succeeded in arresting or banishing many of his opponents including Henry of Bolingbroke (future Henry IV ), his cousin. Trying to reestablish English authority in Ireland, Richard ventured two expeditions [1]. During his second absence, Bolingbroke invaded England (July 1399). The English nobility supported the invasion and the Duke of York, who was made keeper of the realm by Richard, submitted to Henry. Returning to England in August 1399, Richard surrendered to Bolingbroke without a fight. After a lengthy process of persuasion, Richard signed his "Cession and Renunciation" (29 Sep 1399) ("... I fully, willingly, directly and totally renounce my right to the rule, governance and administration of these kingdoms and dominions... together with the name, honour, regality and majesty of kingship").

On 30 Sep 1399 the Parliament [2] convened and accepted Richard's abdication by acclamation. Then it proceeded with appointing commissioners, who passed the sentence declaring Richard deprived and deposed of the kingship and the throne therefore vacant. This sentence was again approved by acclamation and Henry of Bolingbroke was approved as a new king. In October 1399 Richard was imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died four months later, possibly by starving himself to death. Biography source: [3; 4; 5] ﻿ [1] During the absences of Richard II, his uncle, Edmund duke of York, served as keeper of the realm (custos): Oct 1394 - May 1395 and May 1399 - July 1399. [2] In fact, the assembly convened on 30 Sep 1399 was not Parliament because the king was not on the throne and no Speaker was elected. [3] ﻿Handbook of British Chronology (1986) [4] "Richard II", by Nigel Saul (Yale Univ. Press, 1997).

[5] "Chronicles of the Revolution 1397-1400: The Reign of Richard II", translated and edited by Chris Given-Wilson (Manchester Univ. Press 1993).

Question: Which English King was imprisoned and died at Pontefract Castle in 1400?
Answer: RICHARD II