The historical Richard II was born in 1367. He was the son of Edward, the Prince of Wales (the eldest son of Edward III), who was known as “the Black Prince,” probably because he wore black armor. The Black Prince died in 1376, leaving Richard the direct heir to his grandfather, Edward III. When Edward III died in 1377, 10-year-old Richard became king. Initially, a council was appointed to rule on his behalf in which Richard’s uncles—John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, and Thomas of Woodstock, the Duke of Gloucester—played prominent roles. Gaunt remained Richard’s advisor until his death in February 1399.

Even before he attained adulthood, Richard played a prominent role in affairs of state. Most notably, in 1381 he helped to put down the Peasants’ Revolt, a rebellion against poll taxes, for which the adolescent king was praised for his courage. In 1389, at the age of 22, he assumed full royal authority. In 1394, Richard managed to pacify Ireland; in 1396, he made peace with France. To solidify the new peace, he married Isabel, the French king’s daughter, who was only six years old at the time. His first wife, Anne of Bohemia, had died in 1394, without having had any children.