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- King of England from 1377, effectively from
- 1389, son of Edward the Black Prince. He
- reigned in conflict with Parliament; they
- executed some of his associates 1388 and he
- some of the opposing barons 1397, whereupon
- he made himself absolute. Two years later,
- forced to abdicate in favour of Henry IV, he
- was jailed and probably assassinated. Richard
- was born in Bordeaux. He succeeded his
- grandfather Edward III when only ten, the
- government being in the hands of a council of
- regency. His fondness for favourites resulted
- in conflicts with Parliament, and in 1388 the
- baronial party headed by the Duke of
- Gloucester had many of his friends executed.
- Richard recovered control 1389, and ruled
- moderately until 1397, when he had Gloucester
- murdered and his other leading opponents
- executed or banished, and assumed absolute
- power. In 1399 his cousin Henry Bolingbroke,
- Duke of Hereford (later Henry IV), returned
- from exile to lead a revolt; Richard II was
- deposed by Parliament and imprisoned in
- Pontefract Castle, where he died
- mysteriously. In 1399 his cousin Henry
- Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford (later Henry
- IV), returned from exile to lead a revolt;
- Richard II was deposed by Parliament and
- imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he
- died mysteriously.
-