Shakespeare's Kings The Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337-1485

by Norwich, John Julius

• ISBN13: 9780743200318
• ISBN10: 0743200314
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-13
• Publisher: Scribner

Summary

In a sparkling, fast-paced narrative, esteemed historian John Julius Norwich chronicles the turbulent events of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England that inspired Shakespeare's history plays. It was a time of uncertainty and incessant warfare, a time during which the crown was constantly contested, alliances were made and broken, and peasants and townsmen alike arose in revolt. This was the raw material of Shakespeare's dramas, and Norwich holds up his work to the light of history to ask: Who was the real Falstaff? How accurate a historian was the playwright?Shakespeare's Kingsis a marvelous study of the Bard's method of spinning history into art, and a captivating portrait of the Middle Ages.

Author Biography

John Julius Norwich is the author of A History of Venice and the renowned Byzantium trilogy. He is chairman of the World Monuments Fund in Britain and lives in London.

Table of Contents

Family Trees	xvii
Maps	xxi
Royal Emblems	xxiii
Introduction	1	(14)
Edward III and the Black Prince [1337-1377]
Murder of Edward II Fate of Gaveston Succession of Edward III His dominions Death of Charles IV Edward's claim to France French counter-claim Feudality and vassalage Hundered Years War begins	15	(3)
Opening of Edward III Acts I and II	18	(3)
Edward's invasion Battle of Sluys	21	(2)
Sluys in Edward III	23	(2)
Truce of Esplechin Second invassion, 1346 Battle of Crecy	25	(5)
Crecy in Edward III	30	(3)
Siege of Calais	33	(3)
Battle of Poitiers	36	(3)
Calais and Poitiers in Edward III End of play	39	(5)
Last years of Edward's reign Black Prince at Bordeaux Najera Sickness and death of Prince Death of Edward	44	(7)
The Young Richard [1377-1381]
Children of Edward III Question of succession Richard's coronation	51	(3)
Richard's birth His mother, the Fair Maid of Kent His father, the Black Prince His uncle, John of Gaunt Destruction of Gaunt's palace by mob after trial of Wycliffe Peace between Gaunt and Londoners made by Richard on accession	54	(4)
Papal schism, England siding with Urban VI Beginnings and causes of Peasants' Revolt March on London	58	(3)
Rebels advance Their depredations Confrontations at Mile End and Smithfield	61	(4)
Aftermath of Revolt	65	(4)
Favourites and Appellants [1381-1388]
Marriage Life at court Food Clothes Portraits	69	(4)
Arrogance and irresponsibility Favourities Mowbray, de Vere, Burley John of Gaunt The Norwich Crusade	73	(4)
Latimer incident Scottish expedition Departure of John of Gaunt for Spain	77	(3)
Trouble with Parliament over Suffolk Deputation by Gloucester and Bishop of Ely Appointment of Commission Progress to North Judges find Commission illegal Return to London	80	(4)
Gloucester, Arundel, Warwick defy King Agreement at Westminster King's bad faith De Vere marches on London Radcot Bridge Appellants issue ultimatum	84	(3)
`Merciless' Parliament Executions King's promise Attempts to save his personal reputation	87	(8)
The King's Revenge [1388-1398]
Richard assumes personal responsibility for government John of Gaunt Results of his Spanish expedition His return Attempts to have Edward II canonized	95	(2)
Quarrel with Londoners Risings in Cheshire Death of Queen First Irish expedition Return of body of de Vere Remarriage of John of Gaunt	97	(3)
Richard's marriage to Isabelle of France Her coronation January 1397 Parliament at Westminster Haxey petition Westminster Hall	100	(2)
Richard moves against Gloucester, Arundel, Warwick Their condemnation at September Parliament Sentences New dukedoms Shrewsbury Parliament Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray	102	(9)
The Triumph of Bolingbroke [1398-1400]
Opening of Richard II Lists at Conventry Sentences of exile Expensive pardons and forced loans	111	(4)
Death of John of Gaunt Shakespeare's portrait of him Confiscation of his estates Increase of Richard's megalomania His departure for Ireland	115	(2)
Bolingbroke lands at Ravenscar Submission of royalists Richard returns from Ireland His capture	117	(4)
Deposition and accession Henry's claim Coronation Recriminations	121	(3)
Shakespeare's interpretation Richard sent to Pontefract Plot to reinstate him His fate Henry's reaction	124	(7)
King Henry IV Part I [1400-1403]
King Henry IV His background and early travels His problems: Parliament, France, Scotland, Wales Scottish campaign Glendower's rebellion, Welsh campaign Visit of Manuel Palaeologus Return of Queen Isabelle to France	131	(4)
Marriage to Joan of Brittany Shakespeare's 1 Henry IV Capture of Mortimer by Glendower Second Welsh campaign Homildon Hill Quarrel with Hotspur over prisoners Shakespeare's treatment Character of Hotspur	135	(4)
Falstaff/Oldcastle Hal's riotous living His military record Percy rebellion Battle of Shrewsbury	139	(5)
Shakespeare's version of the rebellion and the preparations for the battle	144	(2)
Shakespeare's battle	146	(5)
King Henry IV Part II [1403-1413]
Problems with Parliament The French make trouble New campaign against Glendower deflected against Northumberland Rebellion of Earl Marshal and Archbishop of York Their arrest Fifth invasion of Wales The King sickens	151	(4)
The King's sickness Growing responsibilities of Prince of Wales Tight-fistedness of Parliament The French attack Bordeaux Fall of Harlech ends Glendower's rebellion King's health declines	155	(3)
Difficulty of Prince's position Burgundian and Orleans factions in France Prince sends army to Burgundy under Arundel Henry rallies, dismisses Beauforts Prince leaves for Midlands King sends army under Clarence to help Armagnacs Fiasco Prince partly to blame, raises militia, which he brings to London	158	(3)
King's final seizure and death His tomb	161	(2)
The play What Shakespeare makes of King Henry Compression of events Sickness Affair of Chief Justice Treatment of Northumberland and of John of Lancaster Crown and pillow incident Act V	163	(10)
Harfleur and Agincourt [1413-1415]
Henry V His coronation The Lollards Case of Sir John Oldcastle St Giles's Fields	173	(5)
Henry's claim to throne of France Beaufort's mission Huge and unfulfillable demands	178	(2)
Preparations for war The Southamption plot The fleet sails The siege of Harfleur	180	(4)
The march to Agincourt	184	(1)
The battle The massacre of prisoners Losses on each side Celebrations in London Henry's gloom	185	(8)
The End of the adventure [1415-1422]
Death of Dauphin Dorset's defeat at Valmont French siege of Harfleur Battle of the Seine Visit of Emperor Sigismund to England Alliance at Canterbury Abortive conference in Calais	193	(2)
Preparations for new expedition Capture of Caen and other cities Another death of a Dauphin Queen Isabella proclaims herself Regent, John the Fearless as Governor of France Murder of Armagnac Queen and Duke enter Paris, Dauphin flees Siege and capture of Rouen	195	(3)
Meeting at Meulan with Queen and Duke Capture of Pontoise Meeting on bridge at bridge at Montereau Murder of John the Fearless Treaty of Troyes Henry marries Katherine Capture of Sens and Melun Henry hangs Scots mercenaries Other cruelties Entry into Paris Return to England	198	(2)
Defeat and death of Clarence at Beauge Henry's last campaign His inhumanity increases Sickness and death His tomb Fate of Katherine	200	(7)
King Henry V [1414-1420]
Chronological limitation of play Assistance of Chorus in dating Tennis balls incident, true or false? Southampton plot Sanity of Charles VI	207	(4)
Fluellen Harfleur Princess Katherine Agincourt	211	(5)
Return to London Reconciliation between French and English Courtship and marriage	216	(5)
King Henry VI: His Childhood and Youth [1422-1445]
Henry's birth Bedford, Gloucester, Beaufort Hopelessness of the war England's steady loss of support in France Coronation	221	(2)
John of Arc Death of Salisbury Battle of the Herrings Capture of Joan of Arc Her burning Henry's coronation in Paris Peace of Arras between France and Burgundy Death of Bedford	223	(4)
Character of Henry VI Release of Charles of Orleans Fall of Duke Humphrey Rise of Suffolk Margaret of Anjou Her marriage to Henry	227	(8)
King Henry VI Part I [1422-1453]
Authorship Fidelity to truth Sources Telescoping of time Falstaff Joan of Arc Death of Salisbury Introduction of Talbot His fight with Joan	235	(5)
Act II Unhistorical recovery of Orleans Countress of Auvergne Temple Garden scene York's visit to the dying Mortimer	240	(2)
Act III Beaufort-Gloucester feud Building-up of Richard of York Joan's capture of Rouen Confused chronology Talbot made Earl	242	(3)
Act IV Henry's French coronation His division of the army in France Death of Talbots Act V Exeter's surprise at Beaufort as Cardinal Henry's projected marriage Scenes with the Pucelle Appearance of Margaret of Anjou Peace	245	(8)
King Henry VI: The Gathering Storm [1445-1455]
Charles VII makes good use of truce Arrest and death of Duke Humphrey Death of Cardinal Beaufort Suffolk assumes power Richard of York appointed to Ireland French war resumes under Somerset English defeat at Formigny Imprisonment of Suffolk His death	253	(4)
Jack Cade's rebellion York's return from Ireland His first march on London Somerset's claim to throne Increasing York-Somerset hostility York's second march on London King promises Somerset's arrest His breach of faith	257	(5)
Henry's illness and insanity Birth of his son Arrest of Somerset York appointed Protector Appoints Salisbury Chancellor Henry recovers York, Salisbury, Warwick withdraw to north York's third match on London First battle of St Albans	262	(7)
King Henry VI Part II [1441-1455]
Anjou and Maine Confusion over Warwicks Shakespeare extends Protectorate Kingdom torn apart by factions	269	(3)
Eleanor Cobham Her penance Duke Humphrey's death	272	(2)
Blackening of Duke of York Humphrey not murdered No affair between Queen and Suffolk Circumstances of death of Cardinal Beaufort Suffolk's death Cade's rebellion	274	(4)
York's return from Ireland Telescoping time York's behaviour at Blackheath His children St Albans	278	(5)
The Wars of the Roses [1455-1475]
Shakespeare's telescoping Richard of York claims the throne Battle of Wakefield Mortimer's Cross St Albans II Edward proclaimed	283	(4)
Battle of Towton Edward in the north Margaret's foreign intrigues Hedgeley Moor and Hexham	287	(3)
Marriage to Elizabeth Woodville Warwick's reaction Alliance with Clarence Clarence marries Isabel Nevill They march to London Robin of Redesdale Battle of Edgecote Edward's captivity	290	(4)
His liberation Welles rebellion Battle of Lose-coat Field Warwick and Clarence escape to France They ask Lousis XI for protection Warwick's `reconciliation' with Margaret of Anjou He and Clarence return to England Betrayal of Montagu Edward flees to Holland Henry VI reinstated Edward lands at Ravenscar	294	(5)
Clarence betrays Warwick Edward enters London and is recrowned Battle of Barnet Warwick's death Margaret lands at Weymouth Her arrival at Tewkesbury	299	(3)
Battle of Tewkesbury Massacre Fate of Edward, Prince of Wales Fate of Margaret Fate of Henry VI	302	(5)
King Henry VI Part III [1455-1475]
Crimes of Lancaster expiated after Tewkesbury Opening inaccuracies Dramatization of Act of Accord Battle of Wakefield	307	(2)
Act II Mortimer's Cross, St Albans II, Towton Presence/absence of George and Richard Act III Henry VI's wanderings Warwick at French court, suing for hand of Bona His return in rebellion in 1470	309	(4)
Act IV Edward seeks opinion of marriage Telescoping of Edward's capture and his flight to Holland His landing at Ravenscar London Barnet Tewkesbury Death of Prince of Wales Murder of Henry VI	313	(4)
Conclusion Stress on Richard's villainy	317
King Edward V [1471-1483]
French expedition of 1475 Rivalry between Clarence and Gloucester Their contrasting appearances Warwick's inheritance Richard's marriage Clarence becomes paranoid His trial and death	321	(3)
Richard in the north He occupies Edinburgh Death of Edward IV Power of Woodvilles Richard and Buckingham act against them Richard's seizure of Edward V on way to London Execution of Rivers	324	(3)
Edward V and Richard enter London Extracts Duke of York from sanctuary Meeting of 13 June Arrest and execution of Hastings	327	(3)
Sermon of Dr Shaa Buckingham's speech at Guildhall Petition to Richard to accept crown He takes oath in Westminster Hall	330	(3)
Coronation The Princes in the Tower	333	(6)
The Final Reckoning [1483-1485]
Triumphal progress through north Buckingham's revolt Role of Morton Margaret Beaufort Revolt ends in fiasco Buckingham executed Support grows for Richmond Fugitive rebels join him at Rennes	339	(4)
Richard's anxieties Begins to see Richmond as serious threat Treaty of Pontefract with Brittany Henry's escape into Anjou Warm reception from French court Arrival of Oxford Affair at Hammes Death of Queen Richard considers marriage with Elizabeth of York Denial at Clerkenwell	343	(4)
Henry's landing His progress Bosworth	347	(4)
After Bosworth Fate of Richard's body	351	(4)
King Richard III [1471-1485]
The two legends Dating of the play	355	(2)
Acts I and II Chronologies Clarence's death Queen's lamentations Undramatic treatment of Richard's coup	357	(4)
Acts III and IV Richard's progress to the throne His murder of the Princes	361	(4)
Bosworth	365	(1)
Epilogue	365	(10)
Chronological Table	375	(4)
Bibliography	379	(4)
Index	383