This is a series of articles dealing with the British nobility beginning with William the Conqueror in 1066 and ending with Henry VIII circa 1530. The information within has been compiled from multiple resources and a bibliography will follow the completed work. Beginning with the Normans, the Plantagenets, the Lancasters, the Yorks, and then finally, the Tudors.
Richard II: Richard came to the throne at the age of 10. The kingdom is first ruled by John of Gaunt and Thomas of Gloucester. In 1380, John Wycliffe began the English translation of the Christian bible and New Testament. Richard is forced to deal with the Peasant’s Rebellion, a rebellion of citizens who believed that an imposed poll tax was unjust, as it taxed everyone equally, regardless of income. Richard met with the leaders of the rebellion and actually agreed to abolish the taxes and serfdom totally. When the rebels began making further demands, the Mayor of London killed one of the rebel leaders. Richard agreed to champion the rebels cause. When the rebellion died down he reneged on his agreements and the rebellion was put down forcefully. Even though it did not immediately achieve its goal, land-owners were now scared to stir up dissent and serfdom eventually died out. Through a series of battles with Parliament and other English Barons, he is forced to abdicate the throne and is imprisoned and dies about 8 months later. Other accounts attribute his abdication to behavior changes after the death of his wife. In 1398, Chauncer finishes the Canterbury tales.