Richard II of England 1367 – 1400

Biography

Richard II entered the world on January 14, 1367, in Bordeaux, beginning a life that would be marked by both royal privilege and profound hardship. Ascending to the throne of England at a young age, he served as King from 1377 until 1399, a period that witnessed significant challenges to his authority and rule. His reign became a complex chapter in English medieval history, shaped by political turbulence and the competing interests of powerful nobles.

The final years of Richard’s life were spent in captivity at Pontefract Castle, where circumstances grew increasingly dire. On February 14, 1400, he died at the castle—a tragic end brought about by malnutrition, a grim reflection of his imprisonment and the forces that had conspired against him. His remains were laid to rest at King’s Langley Priory in Kings Langley, United Kingdom, where he was interred following his death.

Richard’s legacy remains one of England’s most debated historical narratives, remembered as a king whose reign illuminated the fragility of medieval power and the consequences of political conflict. Though his life ended in darkness, his place in history endures as a figure whose struggles and fate shaped the course of the English throne.