The Reign of Richard II, 1377 to 1399

Page 11 of 15

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Richard II, boy and man
• 3. The reality of power
• 4. The Succession, 1377-81
• 5. The Peasants' Revolt, 1381
• 6. Favourites and the influence of Gaunt
• 7. The King's faith and the Lollard movement
• 8. War with Scotland and France, 1385
• 9. The Lords Appellant Strike, 1387-9
• 10. Patronage, Power and Peace, 1389-98
• 11. Involvement in Ireland
• 12. Richard's revenge, 1397-9
• 13. The Coventry joust and death of Gaunt
• 14. The fall of the king, 1399-1400
• 15. Find out more
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Involvement in Ireland

Richard II became the first king to visit Ireland since 1210 and the last to do so before the 1690s. His involvement in Irish affairs did little to increase English influence, and it also reflected Richard's failure to assess his own position of strength and determine the correct priorities of government. His interest derived from a natural wish to extend royal authority to all edges of his kingdoms, ruling via local fiefs.

On the death of his wife, Richard decided to visit Ireland in 1394. He found that the entrenched 'English' settlements in the north and east had declined further as the native Irish attacked estates run largely by absentee lords. Leading several thousand men and virtually all of the loyal nobility, Richard defeated the Irish chieftains in the Southeast. He also set about redefining the balance and nature of authority in Ireland, attempting to break down the old definitions of groups and alliances, replacing it with a broadly defined hegemony whose first loyalty was to the king personally. A 28 year truce with France in 1396, sealed with Richard's betrothal to a French princess left Richard free to look westwards again.

'His interest derived from a natural wish to extend royal authority to all edges of his kingdoms...'

In 1398 the Duke of Surrey replaced the Earl of March as Lieutenant of Ireland on Richard's orders, as the Earl's claims to the succession had become a source of increasing anxiety for the king. Richard made his second ill-fated trip to Ireland in June 1399, making some military advances before Bolingbroke landed in north England. Richard left Irish affairs in a state of flux and in no way enhanced the long term position of the English crown. Attempting to add more substance to his titles interested Richard II greatly. Only his timing left something to be desired.

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Published: 2001-05-01