William Shakespeare may have been the greatest playwright in the English language, but how does he measure up as a historian? In this brilliant comparison between the events and characters in Shakespeare's history plays and the actual events that inspired them, acclaimed historian John Julius Norwich examines the nine works that together amount to an epic masterpiece on England's most fascinating period.
Beginning with the newly authenticated Edward III, and proceeding through Richard II; Henry IV Parts I and II; and Henry V; Henry VI Parts I, II, and III; and finally Richard III, Norwich holds the plays up to the light of history, answering questions such as: Who was the real Falstaff? How realistic is Shakespeare's depiction of Joan of Arc? At the same time, he provides a vibrant narrative of medieval life from 1337 to 1485, the era of the 100 Years War and the Wars of the Roses. It was a time of uncertainty and incessant warfare, a time during which the crown was constantly contested, alliances were made and broken, peasants and townsmen alike arose in revolt. Here was the raw material that Shakespeare used to explore the role of the monarch and the meaning of statehood.
But where does history stop and drama begin? Norwich concludes that Shakespeare was a reliable enough historian. He was, however, always willing to take liberties with the facts for the sake of his drama. As Norwich explains,"In the vast majority of instances when Shakespeare departed from the historic truth he did so for the best of all reasons: to make a better play." Beyond assessing Shakespeare's accuracy, Norwich provides the crucial knowledge that will enhance everyone's appreciation and understanding of these glorious plays.
No one but John Julius Norwich, praised for his three-part history of Byanztium, could weave drama and history together into such a lucid and absorbing account of a distant yet vitally important era. Illuminating and accessible, Shakespeare's Kings is an indispensable companion to Shakespeare's rich imagination -- an imagination that continues to inform the way we view the past today.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 379-382) and index.
Contents List of Illustrations
Family Trees
Maps
Royal Emblems
Introduction
1. Edward III and the Black Prince [1337-1377]
Murder of Edward II Fate of Gaveston Succession of Edward III His dominions Death of Charles IV Edward's claim to France French counter-claim Feudality and vassalage Hundred Years War begins
Opening of Edward III Acts I and II
Edward's invasion Battle of Sluys
Sluys in Edward III
Truce of Espléchin Second invasion, 1346 Battle of Crécy
Crécy in Edward III
Siege of Calais
Battle of Poitiers
Calais and Poitiers in Edward III End of play
Last years of Edward's reign Black Prince at Bordeaux Najera Sickness and death of Prince Death of Edward
2. The Young Richard [1377-1381]
Children of Edward III Question of succession Richard's coronation
Richard's birth His mother, the Fair Maid of Kent His father, the Black Prince His uncle, John of Gaunt Destruction of Gaunt's palace by mob after trial of Wycliffe Peace between Gaunt and Londoners made by Richard on accession
Papal schism, England siding with Urban VI Beginnings and causes of Peasants' Revolt March on London
Rebels advance Their depredations Confrontations at Mile End and Smithfield
Aftermath of Revolt
3. Favourites and Appellants [1381-1388]
Marriage Life at court Food Clothes Portraits
Arrogance and irresponsibility Favourites Mowbray, de Vere, Burley John of Gaunt The Norwich Crusade
Latimer incident Scottish expedition Departure of John of Gaunt for Spain
Trouble with Parliament over Suffolk Deputation by Gloucester and Bishop of Ely Appointment of Commission Progress to North judges find Commission illegal Return to London
Gloucester, Arundel, Warwick defy King Agreement at Westminster King's bad faith De Vere marches on London Radcot Bridge Appellants issue ultimatum
'Merciless' Parliament Executions King's promise Attempts to save his personal reputation
4. The King's Revenge [1388-1398]
Richard assumes personal responsibility for government John of Gaunt Results of his Spanish expedition His return Attempts to have Edward II canonized
Quarrel with Londoners Risings in Cheshire Death of Queen First Irish expedition Return of body of de Vere Remarriage of John of Gaunt
Richard's marriage to Isabelle of France Her coronation January 1397 Parliament at Westminster Haxey petition Westminster Hall
Richard moves against Gloucester, Arundel, Warwick Their condemnation at September Parliament Sentences New dukedoms Shrewsbury Parliament Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray
5. The Triumph of Bolingbroke [1398-1400]
Opening of Richard II Lists at Coventry Sentences of exile Expensive pardons and forced loans
Death of John of Gaunt Shakespeare's portrait of him Confiscation of his estates Increase of Richard's megalomania His departure for Ireland
Bolingbroke lands at Ravenscar Submission of royalists Richard returns from Ireland His capture
Deposition and accession Henry's claim Coronation Recriminations
Shakespeare's interpretation Richard sent to Pontefract Plot to reinstate him His fate Henry's reaction
6. King Henry IV Part I [1400-1403]
King Henry lV His background and early travels His problems: Parliament, France, Scotland, Wales Scottish campaign Glendower's rebellion, Welsh campaign Visit of Manuel Palaeologus Return of Queen Isabelle to France
Marriage to Joan of Brittany Shakespeare's 1 Henry IV Capture of Mortimer by Glendower Second Welsh campaign Homildon Hill Quarrel with Hotspur over prisoners Shakespeare's treatment Character of Hotspur
Falstaff/Oldcastle Hal's riotous living His military record Percy rebellion Battle of Shrewsbury
Shakespeare's version of the rebellion and the preparations for the battle
Shakespeare's battle
7. King Henry IV Part II [1403-1413]
Problems with Parliament The French make trouble New campaign against Glendower deflected against Northumberland Rebellion of Earl Marshal and Archbishop of York Their arrest Fifth invasion of Wales The King sickens
The King's sickness Growing responsibilities of Prince of Wales Tight-fistedness of Parliament The French attack Bordeaux Fall of Harlech ends Glendower's rebellion King's health declines
Difficulty of Prince's position Burgundian and Orleans factions in France Prince sends army to Burgundy under Arundel Henry rallies, dismisses Beauforts Prince leaves for Midlands King sends army under Clarence to help Armagnacs Fiasco Prince partly to blame, raises militia, which he brings to London
King's final seizure and death His tomb
The play What Shakespeare makes of King Henry Compression of events Sickness Affair of Chief Justice Treatment of Northumberland and of John of Lancaster Crown and pillow incident Act V
8. Harfleur and Agincourt [1413-1415]
Henry V His coronation The Lollards Case of Sir John Oldcastle St Giles's Fields
Henry's claim to throne of France Beaufort's mission Huge and unfullfillable demands
Preparations for war The Southampton plot The fleet sails The siege of Harfleur
The march to Agincourt
The battle The massacre of prisoners Losses on each side Celebrations in London Henry's gloom
9. The End of the Adventure [1415-1422]
Death of Dauphin Dorset's defeat at Valmont French siege of Harfleur Battle of the Seine Visit of Emperor Sigismund to England Alliance at Canterbury Abortive conference in Calais
Preparations for new expedition Capture of Caen and other cities Another death of a Dauphin Queen Isabella proclaims herself Regent, John the Fearless as Governor of France Murder of Armagnac Queen and Duke enter Paris, Dauphin flees Siege and capture of Rouen
Meeting at Meulan with Queen and Duke Capture of Pontoise Meeting on bridge at Montereau Murder of John the Fearless Treaty of Troyes Henry marries Katherine Capture of Sens and Melun Henry hangs Scots mercenaries Other cruelties Entry into Paris Return to England
Defeat and death of Clarence at Beaugé Henry's last campaign His inhumanity increases Sickness and death His tomb Fate of Katherine
10. King Henry V [1414-1420]
Chronological limitation of play Assistance of Chorus in dating Tennis balls incident, true or false? Southampton plot Sanity of Charles VI
Fluellen Harfleur Princess Katherine Agincourt
Return to London Reconciliation between French and English Courtship and marriage
11. King Henry VI: His Childhood and Youth [1422-1445]
Henry's birth Bedford, Gloucester, Beaufort Hopelessness of the war England's steady loss of support in France Coronation
Joan of Arc Death of Salisbury Battle of the Herrings Capture of Joan of Arc Her burning Henry's coronation in Paris Peace of Arras between France and Burgundy Death of Bedford
Character of Henry VI Release of Charles of Orleans Fall of Duke Humphrey Rise of Suffolk Margaret of Anjou Her marriage to Henry
12. King Henry VI Part I [1422-1453]
Authorship Fidelity to truth Sources Telescoping of time Falstaff Joan of Arc Death of Salisbury Introduction of Talbot His fight with Joan
Act II Unhistorical recovery of Orleans Countess of Auvergne Temple Garden scene York's visit to the dying Mortimer
Act III Beaufort - Gloucester feud Building-up of Richard of York Joan's capture of Rouen Confused chronology Talbot made Earl
Act IV Henry's French coronation His division of the army in France Death of Talbots Act V Exeter's surprise at Beaufort as Cardinal Henry's projected marriage Scenes with the Pucelle Appearance of Margaret of Anjou Peace
13. King Henry Vl: The Gathering Storm [1445-1455]
Charles VII makes good use of truce Arrest and death of Duke Humphrey Death of Cardinal Beaufort Suffolk assumes power Richard of York appointed to Ireland French war resumes under Somerset English defeat at Formigny Imprisonment of Suffolk His death
Jack Cade's rebellion York's return from Ireland His first march on London Somerset's claim to throne Increasing York - Somerset hostility York's second march on London King promises Somerset's arrest His breach of faith
Henry's illness and insanity Birth of his son Arrest of Somerset York appointed Protector Appoints Salisbury Chancellor Henry recovers York, Salisbury, Warwick withdraw to north York's third march on London First battle of St Albans
14. King Henry VI Part II [1441-1455]
Anjou and Maine Confusion over Warwicks Shakespeare extends Protectorate Kingdom torn apart by factions
Eleanor Cobham Her penance Duke Humphrey's death
Blackening of Duke of York Humphrey not murdered No affair between Queen and Suffolk Circumstances of death of Cardinal Beaufort Suffolk's death Cade's rebellion
York's return from Ireland Telescoping time York's behaviour at Blackheath His children St Albans
15. The Wars of the Roses [1455-1475]
Shakespeare's telescoping Richard of York claims the throne Battle of Wakefield Mortimer's Cross St Albans II Edward proclaimed
Battle of Towton Edward in the north Margaret's foreign intrigues Hedgeley Moor and Hexham
Marriage to Elizabeth Woodville Warwick's reaction Alliance with Clarence Clarence marries Isabel Nevill They march to London Robin of Redesdale Battle of Edgecote Edward's captivity
His liberation Welles rebellion Battle of Lose-coat Field Warwick and Clarence escape to France They ask Louis XI for protection Warwick's 'reconciliation' with Margaret of Anjou He and Clarence return to England Betrayal of Montagu Edward flees to Holland Henry VI reinstated Edward lands at Ravenscar
Clarence betrays Warwick Edward enters London and is recrowned Battle of Barnet Warwick's death Margaret lands at Weymouth Her arrival at Tewkesbury
Battle of Tewkesbury Massacre Fate of Edward, Prince of Wales Fate of Margaret Fate of Henry VI
16. King Henry VI Part III [1455-1475]
Crimes of Lancaster expiated after Tewkesbury Opening inaccuracies Dramatization of Act of Accord Battle of Wakefield
Act II Mortimer's Cross, St Albans II, Towton Presence/absence of George and Richard Act III Henry VI's wanderings Warwick at French court, suing for hand of Bona His return in rebellion in 1470
Act IV Edward seeks opinion of marriage Telescoping of Edward's capture and his flight to Holland His landing at Ravenscar London Barnet Tewkesbury Death of Prince of Wales Murder of Henry VI
Conclusion Stress on Richard's villainy
17. King Edward V [1471-1483]
French expedition of 1475 Rivalry between Clarence and Gloucester Their contrasting appearances Warwick's inheritance Richard's marriage Clarence becomes paranoid His trial and death
Richard in the north He occupies Edinburgh Death of Edward IV Power of Woodvilles Richard and Buckingham act against them Richard's seizure of Edward V on way to London Execution of Rivers
Edward V and Richard enter London Extracts Duke of York from sanctuary Meeting of 13 June Arrest and execution of Hastings
Sermon of Dr Shaa Buckingham's speech at Guildhall Petition to Richard to accept crown He takes oath in Westminster Hall
Coronation The Princes in the Tower
18. The Final Reckoning [1483-1485]
Triumphal progress through north Buckingham's revolt Role of Morton Margaret Beaufort Revolt ends in fiasco Buckingham executed Support grows for Richmond Fugitive rebels join him at Rennes
Richard's anxieties Begins to see Richmond as serious threat Treaty of Pontefract with Brittany Henry's escape into Anjou Warm reception from French court Arrival of Oxford Affair at Hammes Death of Queen Richard considers marriage with Elizabeth of York Denial at Clerkenwell
Henry's landing His progress Bosworth
After Bosworth Fate of Richard's body
19. King Richard III [1471-1485]
The two legends Dating of the play
Acts I and II Chronologies Clarence's death Queens' lamentations Undramatic treatment of Richard's coup
Acts III and IV Richard's progress to the throne His murder of the Princes
Bosworth
Epilogue
Chronological Table
Bibliography
Index