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Death Keeps His Court: The Rule of Richard II
DEATH KEEPS HIS COURT
A tyrant on the throne...
Richard II was young, handsome, and elegant. Last living child of the brilliant Black Prince, he came to the throne bearing the hopes of his people on his shoulders. His court glittered; his tastes were refined; his portraits shone with gold. Regal, composed, aloof, he was the very picture of majesty.
He became a murderous, capricious tyrant. His favourites plotted against his family. He rewrote the laws of England to give himself absolute power. He raised an army against his own subjects.
His subjects deposed him. Twice.
This is the story of the forgotten civil war of 1387, which saw Richard set against his brave, ill-starred uncle Thomas of Woodstock. Of how a boy’s bright promise turned deadly, provoking his nobles to fear, flight, and finally open war. Of how a humiliated King set out on a course of vengeance which would cost him his life and sow the first fatal seeds of the Wars of the Roses.
From royal banquets to battles in the mist, Death Keeps His Court tells a tale of real-life tyranny, treachery and tragedy in the age which inspired A Game of Thrones.
Anselm Audley holds BA and Master’s degrees in ancient history from Oxford, as well as a degree in planetary science from University College London. He is a published fantasy novelist, the author of Heresy, Inquisition, Crusade, and Vespera.
A tyrant on the throne...
Richard II was young, handsome, and elegant. Last living child of the brilliant Black Prince, he came to the throne bearing the hopes of his people on his shoulders. His court glittered; his tastes were refined; his portraits shone with gold. Regal, composed, aloof, he was the very picture of majesty.
He became a murderous, capricious tyrant. His favourites plotted against his family. He rewrote the laws of England to give himself absolute power. He raised an army against his own subjects.
His subjects deposed him. Twice.
This is the story of the forgotten civil war of 1387, which saw Richard set against his brave, ill-starred uncle Thomas of Woodstock. Of how a boy’s bright promise turned deadly, provoking his nobles to fear, flight, and finally open war. Of how a humiliated King set out on a course of vengeance which would cost him his life and sow the first fatal seeds of the Wars of the Roses.
From royal banquets to battles in the mist, Death Keeps His Court tells a tale of real-life tyranny, treachery and tragedy in the age which inspired A Game of Thrones.
Anselm Audley holds BA and Master’s degrees in ancient history from Oxford, as well as a degree in planetary science from University College London. He is a published fantasy novelist, the author of Heresy, Inquisition, Crusade, and Vespera.
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First published April 27, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 3, 2020
Never, ever fail to believe a tyrant
When low, cunning men and women gain power, they bluster and threaten and posture. Good, reasonable people who want to believe the best of them say that they don't mean what they are saying.
They do. Always and without fail, they are truthful in their lies. What they intend to do is always in the bluster. And good people will never, ever believe them.
So, here we are! See the whole thing.
When low, cunning men and women gain power, they bluster and threaten and posture. Good, reasonable people who want to believe the best of them say that they don't mean what they are saying.
They do. Always and without fail, they are truthful in their lies. What they intend to do is always in the bluster. And good people will never, ever believe them.
So, here we are! See the whole thing.
February 4, 2021
Very compelling account of Richard II's life and reign and my favorite I have read about him so far.I loved the pace and writing and I just couldn't stop reading until the end.Had this had a touch more detail and added sources I would have happily given it a five star rating.Intrigue,plots,murder,royalty,duels,knights,battles,loyalty and love what more could you possibly want?
July 19, 2018
A quick read but that's not a good thing in this case. As other reviewers have said, there're no notes, bibliography, or anything else you'd see in a (credible) history book. There is a "Historical Note" at the end but it says about his depiction of Richard's meeting with the Appellants "is based on a combination of the chronicles and the work of modern historians" and the only source he actually mentions by name is from 1927! The historical note for the most part just reiterates the author's belief that Richard was just a tyrant (and that Thomas of Woodstock was tactless but good) and doesn't really examine Richard more as a person and what things may have influenced his personality. It also makes the usual mistake of not questioning it being Richard who broke the agreement with the peasants during the Revolt, even though the author acknowledges his governors like John of Gaunt had actual administrative power and made the actual decisions at that time, so if the agreement was broken it may not necessarily been Richard's actual choice (plus the wording of the whole "villiens ye are..." thing is a little unclear from what I remember). It skims over Richard's own involvement in the events and focuses more on the Appellants, as other reviewers have commented. It also is incorrect about Richard's marriage to Isabelle d'Valois-- it didn't end the war with France, it was only a kind of peace. The war would continue with Henry V a little under 20 years later. Richard just wasn't interested in pursuing the war.
I do give it some credit for 1) being okayish in its information if a little skewed against the subject and 2) making me cry at the part about Simon Burley's execution, which surprisingly is very sympathetic to Richard. It still suffers from its negativity, not mentioning anything good Richard did (like his patronage of the arts-- Geoffrey Chaucer was on his payroll!) and lack of citations and sources, which always bugs me even if I find the information decent.
I do give it some credit for 1) being okayish in its information if a little skewed against the subject and 2) making me cry at the part about Simon Burley's execution, which surprisingly is very sympathetic to Richard. It still suffers from its negativity, not mentioning anything good Richard did (like his patronage of the arts-- Geoffrey Chaucer was on his payroll!) and lack of citations and sources, which always bugs me even if I find the information decent.
September 21, 2024
That plantagenet temper
Written with a knack that comes only from knowing the subject intimately, this is a perfect example of brevity being the sum of wit. We often focus on the actual 1399 deposition but this is so frequently an oversight if the actions and outcomes of what is covered in this book isn't spoken about. This is the really important history and gives the biggest insight into the personality and motivations of Richard II. The tyranny of a king wasn't new, the lords appellant were. Not since the provisions of Oxford was raising against the king more poignant, this explains it perfectly
Written with a knack that comes only from knowing the subject intimately, this is a perfect example of brevity being the sum of wit. We often focus on the actual 1399 deposition but this is so frequently an oversight if the actions and outcomes of what is covered in this book isn't spoken about. This is the really important history and gives the biggest insight into the personality and motivations of Richard II. The tyranny of a king wasn't new, the lords appellant were. Not since the provisions of Oxford was raising against the king more poignant, this explains it perfectly
July 4, 2018
A capricious, cruel tyrant who ignored laws, customs, and institutions to enrich himself and his cronies. Wow it would suck to live in a country with a leader like that!
February 28, 2018
As others have noted this is a modestly entertaining but highly unconventional history text of Richard II's life and reign.
No bibliography. No sources. No footnotes. No academic credibility, therefore. That said, it is a very readable account. If somewhat flawed.
It rather felt as though I were reading the very detailed author's notes for a historical novel. You get all the character's motivations and a chronological stage upon which they enact their performances . You also get, in the absence of corroborating references to bibliographical sources, what you can only assume to be the author making stuff up. "Richard fell to his knees and wept." Really?
There's precious little coverage of the Peasants' Revolt towards the beginning of his reign and the Tyranny of the Revenge Parliament is hurriedly dealt with towards the end. As, for that matter is the Merciless Parliament, which provided Richard's ultimate humiliation.
The bulk of the text deals with The Favourites and the Lords Appellant who opposed them. It's interesting stuff and engagingly written but I now have to read a 'proper' history of the reign (with facts checked, references, sources identified etc.,) just to ensure I'm correct in my understanding. Shame.
No bibliography. No sources. No footnotes. No academic credibility, therefore. That said, it is a very readable account. If somewhat flawed.
It rather felt as though I were reading the very detailed author's notes for a historical novel. You get all the character's motivations and a chronological stage upon which they enact their performances . You also get, in the absence of corroborating references to bibliographical sources, what you can only assume to be the author making stuff up. "Richard fell to his knees and wept." Really?
There's precious little coverage of the Peasants' Revolt towards the beginning of his reign and the Tyranny of the Revenge Parliament is hurriedly dealt with towards the end. As, for that matter is the Merciless Parliament, which provided Richard's ultimate humiliation.
The bulk of the text deals with The Favourites and the Lords Appellant who opposed them. It's interesting stuff and engagingly written but I now have to read a 'proper' history of the reign (with facts checked, references, sources identified etc.,) just to ensure I'm correct in my understanding. Shame.
June 11, 2015
This book was an easy to follow style and an entertaining story. I enjoyed reading this, but I don't trust the writer.
The fact that the Peasant's Revolt was glossed over within three paragraphs and not even named (though the author does reference it as a throwaway toward the end) was a red flag indicating a fly by night effort. The Peasant's Revolt was one of the first cases of Richard's treachery, and should be a staple of any history about him. There's also no citations included, so there's no way to check up on any of the stories.
I don't know how well this book would work for someone without basic familiarity with Richard II. I pity anyone who tries to take it seriously, and I really hope no student tries to cite this in an essay since it's highly unreliable.
The fact that the Peasant's Revolt was glossed over within three paragraphs and not even named (though the author does reference it as a throwaway toward the end) was a red flag indicating a fly by night effort. The Peasant's Revolt was one of the first cases of Richard's treachery, and should be a staple of any history about him. There's also no citations included, so there's no way to check up on any of the stories.
I don't know how well this book would work for someone without basic familiarity with Richard II. I pity anyone who tries to take it seriously, and I really hope no student tries to cite this in an essay since it's highly unreliable.
June 6, 2015
Excellent read. Very informative and well written. Packs loads in
December 1, 2017
Where is the rest of this book? The author barely mentioned The Peasants Revolt, and after the Merciless Parliament of 1388, we fast-forward to 1397.
Richard II wasn’t born to be king, but as the oldest grandson of Edward III, he became king since his father, The Black Prince had died a year before his grandfather. He was only 10 years old and hadn’t been brought up at court. I have to wonder if things would have turned out differently if he had. He was a golden child and the people of England had great hope in his rule, but it all went south quickly. Like his great-grandfather (Edward II) before him, he had favorites that he was loyal to and rewarded with great wealth regardless of the laws of the land. Soon everyone hated Richard and the inevitable came to pass.
I just had to wonder while reading this account was didn’t anyone teach him history and what happened to those who played favorites? It is no wonder that history continues to repeat itself. We never learn. And also who is this author? Where is his bibliography? Unless you have a working knowledge of English history at this time, I don’t recommend this book. At least I didn’t pay for it but borrowed it from Amazon’s Prime library.
Richard II wasn’t born to be king, but as the oldest grandson of Edward III, he became king since his father, The Black Prince had died a year before his grandfather. He was only 10 years old and hadn’t been brought up at court. I have to wonder if things would have turned out differently if he had. He was a golden child and the people of England had great hope in his rule, but it all went south quickly. Like his great-grandfather (Edward II) before him, he had favorites that he was loyal to and rewarded with great wealth regardless of the laws of the land. Soon everyone hated Richard and the inevitable came to pass.
I just had to wonder while reading this account was didn’t anyone teach him history and what happened to those who played favorites? It is no wonder that history continues to repeat itself. We never learn. And also who is this author? Where is his bibliography? Unless you have a working knowledge of English history at this time, I don’t recommend this book. At least I didn’t pay for it but borrowed it from Amazon’s Prime library.
March 23, 2020
Royal Vendettas
This was an interesting account of Richard II's battle with his courtiers, novels and Parliament. It reads like a soap opera. A young boy who carried the hopes and dreams of a country, turns out to be a petty tyrant who rewards his friends and cronies to the detriment of everything and everyone else. His reign is not a good one and his insecurities and ill temper don't make him popular. When Parliament refused to accept his demands, he attempts a power play that backfired. A group of Appellates strips him of his power, and worse to Richard, his loyal friends, who they hate for corruption. The highlight of the book is the nine years of waiting for Richard to extract his revenge. He finally learns to hold his temper and grow up. The appellates learn too late that he holds a grudge, doesn't forgive or forget. It also teaches everyone that he can never be trusted, which ultimately leads to his downfall. A great short read, with good narration.
This was an interesting account of Richard II's battle with his courtiers, novels and Parliament. It reads like a soap opera. A young boy who carried the hopes and dreams of a country, turns out to be a petty tyrant who rewards his friends and cronies to the detriment of everything and everyone else. His reign is not a good one and his insecurities and ill temper don't make him popular. When Parliament refused to accept his demands, he attempts a power play that backfired. A group of Appellates strips him of his power, and worse to Richard, his loyal friends, who they hate for corruption. The highlight of the book is the nine years of waiting for Richard to extract his revenge. He finally learns to hold his temper and grow up. The appellates learn too late that he holds a grudge, doesn't forgive or forget. It also teaches everyone that he can never be trusted, which ultimately leads to his downfall. A great short read, with good narration.
September 18, 2018
It was interesting, but all too short. I'm not clear what the author's plan was here- did he want to give us a little peak into the life of this rarely studied king, but expected us to read some forth-coming book on the end of his reign, or are we expected to have read the Shakespeare play, which picks up exactly where this ends (Mowbray and Bolingbroke's duel/banishment). The title made it sound like the book was going to cover a larger portion of his reign, not what boiled down to one revolt he faced. I would have infinitely preferred a longer book that actually showed how his actions come back to bite him, rather than just saying it but leaving it up to us to learn about. The writing was good and engaging and I certainly would read a heftier tome by the same author.
December 16, 2024
A short, engaging narrative history of Richard II and the revolt of the Lords Appellant. I’ve seen people complain this book is not detailed enough or not academic enough, but that is not at all the purpose of Death Keeps His Court. The book requires a degree of knowledge of Medieval English history and how the medieval monarchy operated, but if you understand those concepts, this is a very approachable tale of court intrigue, chivalric loyalties, and the shifting sands of medieval justice. The characters are set out well, and the book is rightly critical of Richard and his rule while laying out his motivations and perspective. It’s an entertaining story of power dynamics that would seem too unpredictable for fiction. A wonderful book, 5 stars.
October 30, 2021
A very strong, highly narrative and gripping history of the first deposition of Richard II. This focuses on the compelling personal drama at the heart of Royal rule for a country moving towards the end of the “first amongst equals” feudal rule of the medieval period and towards the more autocratic royal reigns just to be glimpsed over the historical horizon in the Early Modern period. It vividly brings the arrogant yet tortured figure of Richard II, his circle of friends and counsellors and the equally compelling circle of the Dukes Appellant to life and takes them through their drama with great pace and compulsion.
December 14, 2022
Audley's writing is captivating, but this book feels unfinished. Everything after the Merciless Parliament of 1388 feels very rushed. It glosses over the years 1388 to 1397, before briefly discussing the revenge parliament and the murder of Woodstock. It barely mentions the banishment of Bolingbroke and Mowbray, and then it just stops.
There's no mention of Richard's Ireland campaigns, Bolingbroke's return or his eventual demise. Maybe it's a set-up for a sequel, but if it's so, I can find no evidence of one.
There's no mention of Richard's Ireland campaigns, Bolingbroke's return or his eventual demise. Maybe it's a set-up for a sequel, but if it's so, I can find no evidence of one.
December 12, 2017
A "popcorn" story of Richard II
This book rates 2 stars for having the dates correct. If you are talented at eating with one hand while holding a book in the other, grab a bowl of popcorn and this book. You should be done with both about the same time.
Disappointing and superficial, I got to know the characters and plot about as well as the driver on a bus line.
This would be a good read for a beginning reader of history.
This book rates 2 stars for having the dates correct. If you are talented at eating with one hand while holding a book in the other, grab a bowl of popcorn and this book. You should be done with both about the same time.
Disappointing and superficial, I got to know the characters and plot about as well as the driver on a bus line.
This would be a good read for a beginning reader of history.
August 4, 2021
How is this not a more highly rated book? It's not hugely detailed but its succinct style is more enjoyable. Great introductory book. It gives an overview of a King who is scarcely known about but also tyrannical in nature. The book outlines the near civil war of the Lords Appelant. Not for everyone but certainly for me :)
December 7, 2022
An excellent deep dive into the turbulence of the reign of Richard II, examining how and why his own lords rose against him and then, before his final deposition, how he eventually had his revenge years after being forced to make capitulations. Audley shows just how truly petty and petulant this king was as well as showing the visual magnificence of royalty in the 14th century.
January 29, 2017
I got just over half way through with this and gave up.
Yes, this is written in an engaging style and is an easy read, but I got so lost with all the ins-and-outs of the story. I don't think the different quarrels were clearly set out and everything became muddled.
Yes, this is written in an engaging style and is an easy read, but I got so lost with all the ins-and-outs of the story. I don't think the different quarrels were clearly set out and everything became muddled.
December 29, 2017
Little about the rule mostly about the battle between a poor king and his nobles
The book chiefly describes the conflict between a poor king and his nobles. Nothing about the black death and the peasants revolt. Nothing about the final years of Richard's life. Disappointing.
The book chiefly describes the conflict between a poor king and his nobles. Nothing about the black death and the peasants revolt. Nothing about the final years of Richard's life. Disappointing.
February 23, 2017
3.5 stars
A concise, sometimes confusing, but decent introduction to the rule and downfall of Richard II. At its best once the nobles begin raising arms against their king. Convincingly portrays the dilemma created by Richard's fall from power: What does one do with a deposed king? What does it mean to the medieval mind when "God's anointed" is rendered powerless?
A concise, sometimes confusing, but decent introduction to the rule and downfall of Richard II. At its best once the nobles begin raising arms against their king. Convincingly portrays the dilemma created by Richard's fall from power: What does one do with a deposed king? What does it mean to the medieval mind when "God's anointed" is rendered powerless?
May 31, 2019
Fascinating insight.
A great read, easy to follow and packed with interesting facts . An enigmatic king in fascinating time in history.
A great read, easy to follow and packed with interesting facts . An enigmatic king in fascinating time in history.
December 4, 2019
A short history of the reign of Richard II - ascended to the throne at the age of 10 - petulant, loyal to a treacherous group of courtiers and contemptuous of Parliament.
October 15, 2021
A very different story to Shakespeares, interesting as I knew little about the real tyrant he became.
June 19, 2022
Absolutely loved it. Brilliant read and read like a novel. Easy to stop and start
September 12, 2022
Interesting
I wouldn't say this book was gripping but it was very informative. It taught me a lot of things I was unaware of
I wouldn't say this book was gripping but it was very informative. It taught me a lot of things I was unaware of
February 7, 2023
3/3.5 - a decent, straightforward retelling of Richard II’s fallout with the Lords Appellant.
February 22, 2023
14 Megalomania knows no boundaries. All because of an accident of birth. I am definitely gathering info for my republican thoughts. Roll on the Roundheads?!
January 13, 2018
Surprisingly interesting
This reads like a fantasy novel, almost. Interesting, well written, and a hint of imagination to make the story flow.
This reads like a fantasy novel, almost. Interesting, well written, and a hint of imagination to make the story flow.
May 30, 2015
I really enjoyed this but it had to lose a star for being a work of history that has no footnotes/endnotes, and not even a list of sources. BAD HISTORIAN! It should have lost two stars for that, but it really was an enjoyable read. It's more like a written equivalent of a docu-drama than Serious History, but it's very informative and I feel like I'll enjoy my next viewing of Richard II even more for understanding the events preceding it.
January 8, 2016
I found this a bit shallow at time, although I cannot deny that it was quite enjoyable. I'd say this read more as a boy's own adventure than as modern history and at times it trod dangerously close to historic fiction. Would recommend for a short read but if you have more time, I'd suggest some more in depth history.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews