Henry IV of England

Henry IV of England was the first king from the House of Lancaster, a branch of the Plantagenet dynasty. He was born in 1367 as Henry Bolingbroke, the son of John of Gaunt, the third son of King Edward III. He had a turbulent relationship with his cousin King Richard II, who banished him in 1398 and confiscated his inheritance after the death of his father. Henry returned to England with a small army in 1399 and deposed Richard II, claiming the throne by right of descent. He was crowned as Henry IV on October 13, 1399². Henry faced many challenges during his reign, including rebellions by nobles, Welsh nationalists, and religious dissidents. He also had to deal with the ongoing Hundred Years' War with France and the rivalry with Scotland. He was often ill and suffered from a skin disease that some thought was leprosy. He relied on his son and heir Henry of Monmouth, who became Prince of Wales in 1403 and took over the government in 1410². Henry died on March 20, 1413 in the Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster Abbey. He had expressed a wish to go on a crusade to the Holy Land, but never fulfilled it. He was buried at Canterbury Cathedral near the shrine of St Thomas Becket¹. His son succeeded him as Henry V and became one of the most famous kings in English history. Henry IV is remembered as a usurper who established a new royal line and faced many difficulties in securing his throne².