| King Richard II: 1377 - 1399 |
RICHARD II
Born 1367 (27)
Titles: King of England, King of France, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
Status: Married, firstly to Anne of Bohemia (born 1366; m. 1382; d. 1392), secondly to Joanna of Navarre (born 1382; m. 1394).
Children: None.
Traits (6):
+2 Survival
+2 Wealth
+2 Charisma
Temperaments:
- Ill-Tempered: This character is ornery and seems to explode at the slightest provocation. While they've gotten into enough fights to toughen them up, a person who's as easily baited as a bull that sees red won't make a good commander. +1 Duels, -1 Battles. - Impulsive: This character acts before (sometimes, without) thinking. They might move and decide more quickly than others, but their recklessness can lead them to disaster as well. +5% movement speed, -1 to detection rolls.
- Haggler: This character is obsessed with getting the best possible deal for themselves, and ever watchful (even paranoid) for anyone trying to rip them off. This sort of fellow is rarely the sort others like, but none can deny their ability to sniff for gold. +2% income and improves loot from raids, -2 to AI reaction rolls.
BIOGRAPHY:
Richard was born at Bordeaux, the second but only surviving son of Edward, Prince of Wales, and Joan, countess of Kent in 1367. His father was the eldest son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainaut, and thus heir presumptive to the English crown. The so-called Black Prince’s chivalry and military prowess was well-known, being the victor of Poitiers and Nájera; he crippled the might of France with the former and briefly restored Pedro I to his throne with the later. However, he contracted some illness during his campaign in Castile, falling irredeemably sick in his later years, and finally dying, bedridden, in 1376; his son, Richard, was barely nine at the time. Thus, with the son’s untimely death, the senile and aged Edward III was left with an infant grandson as sole heir, and he finally yielded his soul in 1377. The long regency that ensued was a hard-fought one, with a series of regents, ministers, councillors and magnates vying for control over government, including the king’s royal uncles: Woodstock, Gaunt and York. The serious misrule and deterioration of power and central authority led to a widespread popular uprising, that of Wat Tyler, whose forces ransacked Gaunt’s palace, burned swathes of land in London and even butchered the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was lynched to death by an angry mob. Showing great force of character and resolution, a very young king rode to meet the rebels and could finally bring them to the fold after several failed negotiations and Tyler’s death at the hands of the mayor’s men.
Even if the rebellion was quelled (and despite his bravery during these events), Richard grew awry and suspicious of any defiance against the crown and his royal persona. The king personally matured and started to wrestle the government from his tutors and councillors. Unable to do so, on his own, he started to favour certain favourites, men who followed his bidding eagerly, whom he raised to prominence: Michael de la Pole and Robert de Vere. De la Pole was an upstart, raised from the ranks of the Commons to the nobility through his family’s services (mostly large loans) to the Crown in the times of Edward III. He personally enjoyed the King’s favour, brokering the polemical marriage to the sweet and noble Anne of Bohemia, the sister to the Kings of Hungary and Bohemia, and was shortly after created Earl of Suffolk after the Uffords died out. De Vere, on the other hand, belonged to the oldest extant family in the realm, but was showered with gifts, purportedly enjoying more than mere friendship with the young king. The royal reluctance to reignite the war with France, a botched campaign against Scotland, the prominence of favourites and the ill-welcomed royal match provoked a raise on the tension among the peerage, who started to loudly complain about how ill-advise the king was and the necessity of a change of regime.
Richard himself is an interesting individual. He exhibits the best and the worst traits of his royal line, including a fearsome hot-headiness and quite impulsive behaviour; at the same time, he can be graceful, noble and just. However, he is rather erratic and can be afflicted by change of moods, especially when displeased or offended, be the slight real or imagined. When roused in anger, he will not stop until his offender is subdued or humiliated, being as wrathful as some of his forebears were. Richard is truly fond of the arts and sustains a large number of poets, scholars and artists, including the famed Geoffrey Chaucer, who he prizes as the pearl of his court. The king likes to indulge in excessive expenditures and his treasure and wardrobe are valued in more than three hundred thousand pounds; his great crown is worth more than thirty thousand pounds alone. Richard, very conscious of his royal dignity, likes to surround himself with a pomp unseen in England and rivalling the lavish courts of Prague (that of the ill-famed Wenceslaus, his brother-in-law) or Paris. The royal badge, enamelled, gilded, jewelled, embroidered, painted, is seen everywhere in the royal residences: a white hart, chained and crowned or. The king himself usually wears a jewelled collar with such a badge, worth several thousand pounds.
Over six feet tall the king is rather imposing: although he lacks the virile mass of the fleshy Gaunt or the bulk of his late father. Compared to the rather swarthy Edward of Woodstock, Richard inherited the eerie paleness of his mother, Joan the Fair Maid of Kent, being endowed with a spotless, marble-like skin. His hair is red, a common trait in his ruddy family, finely curled falling below his ears. A fine reddish beard, wispy, frames the king’s face and mouth. The king’s hands and limbs are long and thin, more used to grab the sceptre than the sword, as he, by no means, is predisposed for martial endeavours. All in all, the king’s figure is remarkable, but somewhat delicate, fragile, in dire contrast with some of his kinsmen: like his Holland half-brothers who were of a different stock in many aspects.
Despite having been married since 1382 with Anne, the couple has borne no sons, living or otherwise, and the marriage was long left unconsummated. Even if the king shows great proves of affection towards Anne, whose company he usually cherishes, Richard rarely spends his nights at the queen’s alcove, spending them elsewhere, but not alone. It’s rumoured, or at least heavily implied, some of his favourites serve him more capacities than those of estate: like Despenser, Audley or Gaveston once served Edward II, the king’s great-grandfather. Oxford, who was practically made the first peer of the realm, as marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland, is said to enjoy the king’s grace, favour and even romantic affection. What truth there is about these pernicious and constant rumours is unknown save for those involved.
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| Henry IV: 1399 - |
HENRY IV, OF THE HOUSE OF LANCASTER
Age: 32 (born 1367, reigned from 1399)
Titles: King of England and France, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
Marital Status: Married, to Mary de Bohun (b. 1368, m. 1380)
Children:
- Henry, Prince of Wales (b. 1386)
- Thomas of Lancaster (b. 1387)
- Blanche of Lancaster (b. 1388)
- Joan of Lancaster (b. 1390)
- Humphrey of Lancaster (b. 1387)
Skills:
+2 personal combat
+2 battles
+3 charisma
+1 survival
Temperaments:
- Meticulous: This character loves to analyze situations down to the last minutiae before acting. On one hand this means they'll probably have a clear picture going in, on the other their decision-making abilities could easily become paralyzed as they spend too much time analyzing and not enough acting. +1 detection rolls, -5% movement speed.
- Pessimistic: This character is always looking at the negative side of things. They may be right in some cases - when you suspect every man you meet to be a bad guy, you're probably right at least one out of ten times - but it doesn't exactly make them endearing. +1 to survival rolls, -1 to AI reaction rolls.
- Reserved: This character is a stoic who generally keeps to him/herself and exercises strict control over their emotions. While this means they're not likely to make reckless moves in court or on the battlefield, they can come across as unfeeling robots to others. +1 battle rolls, -1 to AI reaction rolls.
Biography:
Henry of Bolingbroke, as he was called before taking the crown, was born in 1387 at Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire, as the sole surviving son and heir of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster, who were both the scions of Kings. John was the son of King Edward, the warrior king that claimed France as his own, whilst Blanche was the great-granddaughter of Edmund Crouchback, the first Earl of Lancaster and brother to the first King Edward. As the son of England's leading magnate, he was destined for prominence, and in his youth was a childhood companion of his cousin, King Richard. When he was merely twelve, he married Mary, daughter of the last Bohun Earl of Northampton, a marriage that instantly developed from an arranged match into a loving partnership. Henry, though a childhood playmate of the king, grew disillusioned with his cousin's rule, and thus it came as no surprise when he joined with another discontented magnate: Thomas of Woodstock, the Duke of Gloucester, uncle to both Henry and the King. At Radcot in 1387 Henry defeated Richard's favourite, the Duke of Ireland, as was counted among the Lords Appellant that held the reins of government for nine months in 1388. However, Woodstock and his companions were arrested, the demise of the Appellants brought about by Gaunt's return from Aquitaine later that year, and thus Henry deserted their cause to the King. In an ironic, regrettable twist of fate, it was Henry that was sent out, along with the Duke of Exeter, to bring his old companion the Earl of Arundel to the King's justice, resulting in his execution. He and Mowbray were the sole survivors of the Appellants, with Warwick and Gloucester meeting a similar fate.
Named Earl of Hereford by the King, it was around this time that Bolingbroke became a warden of Woodstock's son, Humphrey, the Earl of Buckingham. Raised within his own household, Buckingham became great friends with Bolignbroke's own children, especially Henry of Monmouth, his own heir. It was also around this time that the Earl began secretly conspiring with the Baron Maltravers to limit the power of the King, which were the seeds of the plot that would eventually topple Richard from his throne in 1399. However, Hereford appeared overtly loyal, and was elevated to Dukedom. In the crisis of 1392 Henry demonstrated this loyalty by refusing to act upon his earlier ambitions. Following the death of Queen Anne during this incident, Henry's father took the reins of government, bringing England into a long period of peace and stability that lasted until his sudden death from serious illness in 1396, which made Bolingbroke, in one stroke, the most powerful of all the realm's peers, and he began to look at the still childless Richard and ponder the question of succession. Richard, who had previously favoured a Holland for the throne, settled for the Earl of March, Roger Mortimer, as his heir, with Mortimer one day being king something Henry could not tolerate. Feeling sidelined and overlooked, the Duke of Lancaster abandoned court, sitting brooding in his castle of Kenilworth. For years he brooded, far from London, drawing discontented nobles to his side. In 1399, he struck, seemingly at random, by marching into Cheshire, the centre of royalist sympathies, and demanding the King attend a summit that would, in effect, completely strip him of his powers. By the end of the year, the vast host of soldiers he had gathered to his side had entered London, triumphant, and within Westminster Hall Henry laid his hand upon the throne and was acclaimed King of England by all present. With his status confirmed by Parliament, Henry, fourth of that name, sits uneasily upon the throne, a hollow crown resting upon his brow. A usurper lives in constant fear of knives in the dark, of shadows upon the wall, for they know themselves how simple it is to reach out and pluck a crown from off a King's brow, if one has the will and the strength of arms to do so.
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| Members of the Royal Household | | Officers of the Royal Household | Lord Steward of the Household: The first dignitary of the court, the Lord Steward is the head of the Royal Household. Often held by peers or sons of peers on the Privy Council, the office is one of high importance for the function of the day-to-day activities of the Monarch and his court. He would also serve as the line of communications between the King and the Houses of Parliament. The Lord Steward of the Household has a salary of 100£.
Lord Chamberlain of the Household: Deputy of the Lord Great Chamberlain and second dignitary of the court, the Lord Chamberlain is responsible for the Chamber of the household. The Chamber is the "above stairs" of the Royal Household, the series of rooms used by the King to receive select visitors, terminating at the royal bedchamber. Matters such as personnel of the household, arrangements of ceremonies and entertainment is the responsibility of the Lord Chamberlain. The Lord Chamberlain of the Household has a salary of 100£.
Keeper of the Wardrobe: Originally referring to the room where the King stored his personal belongings such as clothes and valuables, the Wardrobe has since evolved into an institution in its own rights within the Royal Household, both storing and manufacturing goods and items. In charge of the King's personal belongings and private accounts, the Keeper of the Wardrobe enjoys much trust with the King, often needed when the Monarch is in need of quick cash without the intervention of peers or parliament. The Keeper of the Wardrobe has a salary of 100£.
Master of the Horse: The highest administrator of all matters concerning the horses and hounds of the King, the Master of the Horse is the third dignitary of the court. Everything involving the Royal Stables, the Royal Kennels, coach houses and studs falls under the jurisdiction of this office. At coronations, he assists in carrying the royal train. The Master of the Horse has a salary of 100£.
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| Chesire Archers | | The King has a special guard of longbowmen from the forests of Cheshire that attend him personally. Known as the Cheshire Archers, this elite bodyguard consists of 300 Yeomen Archers (15 units) that are free of upkeep. These royal yeomen serve as the King's bodyguard and ensure the security of his family as well as his royal person. As many units as the King sees fit can be detached from his retinue on different missions, otherwise they can be expected to always be near the Sovereign. |
| Various members of the household |
| Queen's Ladies-in-waiting | | - |
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Westminster Palace
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Originally Posted by Della Rovere
