Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.
B.R.A.G. Medallion honoree!
If you’re a fan of Shakespeare’s play about Richard II—like I was—you might be surprised to discover that his tragic ending was the culmination of 20+ years of struggle between the young king and his nobles—especially his own family. Richard did not have an easy time of it from the very beginning. Crowned at age 10, he faced the horrific Peasants’ Revolt at only 14, and still managed to save the day when his elders failed to support him. Throughout his minority he was at odds with his uncles—first John of Gaunt, and then almost fatally with Thomas of Woodstock, the Duke of Gloucester, who persuaded Parliament to execute and outlaw Richard’s friends and advisors. Henry of Bolingbroke, who deposed him at the end of the play, was Richard’s first cousin. With a family like that, who needs enemies? A KING UNDER SIEGE is volume one of “The Plantagenet Legacy” and takes us through the king’s minority which lasted until he was twenty-two, setting the stage for the king’s retribution and final downfall.
What a great talent author Mercedes Rochelle has! She has taken some dusty, old bits of history and created a wonderful story! I was on the edge of my seat. Such a pleasure to read.
"A King Under Siege" reads just like a modern-day, political thriller. Plots and scheming abound in the castle and in many other centers of power. Intrusions by foreign governments and secret military actions occur frequently.
Exquisite scene-setting, intricate plotting, wonderful dialogue and realistic characters at so many levels. The extensive research Mercedes has done makes this story come alive!
I give A King Under Siege a score of 4.9 stars!
- Mark Schultz, Amazon
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