Richard II

RichardIIisoneofthemostenigmaticofEnglishkings.Shakespearedepictedhimasatragicfigure,anirresponsible,cruelmonarchwhoneverthelessroseinstatureasthesubstanceofpowerslippedfromhim.Bylaterwritershehasbeenvariouslyportrayedasahalf-crazedautocratoraconventionalrulerwhoseprincipalerrorswerethemismanagementofhisnobilityanddisregardforthepoliticalconventionsofhisage.Thisbook--thefirstfull-lengthbiographyofRichardinmorethanfiftyyears--offersaradicalreinterpretationoftheking.NigelSaulpaintsapictureofRichardasahighlyassertiveanddeterminedruler,onewhosekeyaimwastoexaltanddignifythecrown.InRichard'sview,thecrownwasthreatenedbythefactiousnessofthenobilityandtheassertivenessofthecommonpeople.Thekingmetthesechallengesbyexactingobedience,encouragingloftynewformsofaddressandconstructinganelaboratesystemofrulebybondsandoaths.SaultracesthesourcesofRichard'spoliticalideasandfindsthathewasinfluencedbyadeeplyfeltorthodoxpietyandbytheideasofthecivillawyers.Heshowsthat,althoughRichard'skingshipresembledthatofotherrulersoftheperiod,unliketheirs,hisreignendedinfailurebecauseoftacticalerrorsandcontradictionsinhispolicies.Forallthathepromotedtheimageofadistant,all-powerfulmonarch,RichardII'srulewasinpracticecharacterizedbyfactionandfeud.Thekingwasobsessedbythesearchforpersonalsecurity:inhissubjects,however,hebredonlyinsecurityandfear.Arevealingportraitofacomplexandfascinatingfigure,thebookisessentialreadingforanyonewithaninterestinthepoliticsandcultureoftheEnglishmiddleages.