Speaker: Helen Castor

Topic: The Tragedies of Richard II and Henry IV

Venue: Vinson Lecture Theatre

Time: 15.30-16.30 Saturday 14 September

Talk Summary:

Richard of Bordeaux and Henry Bolingbroke were first cousins, born three months apart. Their lives were entwined from the beginning. When they were still children, Richard was crowned Richard II with Henry at his side, carrying the sword of state: a ten-year-old lord in the service of his ten-year-old king. They grew up to be opposites: Richard was the white hart, a thin-skinned narcissist, and Henry the eagle, a chivalric hero, a leader who inspired loyalty where Richard inspired only fear. Henry had all the qualities Richard lacked, all the qualities a sovereign needed, bar one: birthright. Helen Castor explains why Richard became consumed by the need for total power, and how, when he banished Henry into exile, the stage was set for a final confrontation.