Rebellion

For those who remained, most notably for Thomas Mowbray, now Earl of Norfolk, and Henry Bolingbroke, earl of Derby, these were dangerous days. Although in theory pardoned for their part in the events of 1388, neither of them could ignore the signs of tyranny and paranoia at court. Mowbray mentioned plots at court to Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke mentioned them to his father, John of Gaunt, who in turn informed the King. Mowbray and Bolingbroke quarrelled, not least because Bolingbroke blamed Mowbray for the murder of his uncle, Gloucester. The King insisted that a duel be fought, but then just as suddenly cancelled his command, in September 1398, imposing exile on both parties. Bolingbroke was promised that he might seek his father’s lands, should John of Gaunt die during his absence overseas. In fact, at Gaunt’s death, the following February, the King seized the entire honour of Lancaster into his own hands, disinheriting Bolingbroke. Confident that he had dealt with the situation, Richard then crossed once again to Ireland. Bolingbroke had little alternative but to act. He landed at Ravenspur in Holderness on 1 July 1399. The Duke of York, Richard and Bolingbroke’s uncle and the last surviving son of Edward III, threw in his lot with the rebellion. So did the Duke of Northumberland, Henry Percy, and his son, another Henry, known as ‘Hotspur’, perhaps on the understanding that Bolingbroke was merely demanding his personal rights and reform of the realm, more likely already aware that deposition was the only means by which the King could be silenced. The King himself returned from Ireland to Conway in north Wales, where he was met by Northumberland and promised that Bolingbroke, who would meet him at Flint, sought only his own inheritance. At Flint, Bolingbroke took the King captive, carrying him off to imprisonment at the Tower.