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107-466: Henry IV, Part 1 (often written as 1 Henry IV ) is a history play by William Shakespeare , believed to have been written not later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England , beginning with the battle at Homildon Hill late in 1402, and ending with King Henry's victory in the Battle of Shrewsbury in mid-1403. In parallel to the political conflict between King Henry and

214-531: A marquessate . Katherine Swynford's son from her first marriage, Thomas, was another loyal companion. Thomas Swynford was Constable of Pontefract Castle , where Richard II is said to have died. Henry experienced a more inconsistent relationship with King Richard II than his father had. First cousins and childhood playmates, they were admitted together as knights of the Order of the Garter in 1377, but Henry participated in

321-534: A prisoner of war —to be released without ransom. However, the rebellion continues, now led by the Archbishop of York and the Earl of Northumberland. This inconclusive ending sets the stage for Henry IV, Part 2 . Shakespeare's primary source for Henry IV, Part 1 , as for most of his chronicle histories, was the second edition (1587) of Raphael Holinshed 's Chronicles , which in turn drew on Edward Hall 's The Union of

428-510: A broader, more generalized definition. Plays such as Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra depict historical events from classical antiquity, for example, while King Lear and Cymbeline dramatize the history of ancient Britain and Macbeth depicts the historical events not of medieval England but rather of medieval Scotland. A consistent theme in historical drama of both Shakespeare and his English contemporaries revolves around questions of who had legitimate claim to participate in

535-519: A decade by then. Henry's second expedition to Lithuania in 1392 illustrates the financial benefits to the Order of these guest crusaders . His small army consisted of over 100 men, including longbow archers and six minstrels, at a total cost to the Lancastrian purse of £4,360. Despite the efforts of Henry and his English crusaders, two years of attacks on Vilnius proved fruitless. In 1392–93 Henry undertook

642-694: A disagreement over the treatment of hostages: Hotspur withholds, against the King's orders, hostages taken in recent action against the Scots at the Battle of Homildon Hill , while King Henry refuses to pay Owen Glendower (a Welsh rebel) the ransom for Hotspur's brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer. This disagreement, and the King's harsh treatment of the House of Percy generally, drives them to ally with Welsh and Scot rebels, resolving to depose "this ingrate and cankered Bolingbroke ." Meanwhile, Hal meets with Falstaff and his associates at

749-517: A failed coup. According to Holinshed , it was predicted that Henry would die in Jerusalem, and Shakespeare's play repeats this prophecy. Henry took this to mean that he would die on crusade . In reality, he died in the Jerusalem Chamber in the abbot's house of Westminster Abbey, on 20 March 1413 during a convocation of Parliament . His executor , Thomas Langley , was at his side. Despite

856-624: A grave illness in June 1405; April 1406; June 1408; during the winter of 1408–09; December 1412; and finally a fatal bout in March 1413. In 1410, Henry had provided his royal surgeon Thomas Morstede with an annuity of £40 p.a. which was confirmed by Henry V immediately after his succession. This was so that Morstede would "not be retained by anyone else". Medical historians have long debated the nature of this affliction or afflictions. The skin disease might have been leprosy (which did not necessarily mean precisely

963-615: A group of supporters, overthrew and imprisoned Richard II, and usurped the throne; these actions later contributed to dynastic disputes in the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). Henry was the first English ruler whose mother tongue was English (rather than French) since the Norman Conquest , over three hundred years before. As king, he faced a number of rebellions, most seriously those of Owain Glyndŵr ,

1070-436: A leg" or "an arm," implying that honour cannot heal wounds or restore life. This practical viewpoint starkly contrasts with the romanticised notion of honour as a noble pursuit worth dying or seriously injuring oneself for. Falstaff's rhetorical questions serve to undermine the glorification of honour in martial society, pointing out its inability to provide any real, physical benefit to those who seek it. The passage contrasts

1177-441: A leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is honor? A word. What is in that word “honor”? What is that “honor”? Air. A trim reckoning. Who hath it? He that died o’ Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. ’Tis insensible, then? Yea, to the dead. But will ⌜it⌝ not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it. Therefore, I’ll none of it. Honor

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1284-538: A military campaign, confiscating land from those who opposed him and ordering his soldiers to destroy much of Cheshire . Henry initially announced that he intended to reclaim his rights as Duke of Lancaster , though he quickly gained enough power and support to have himself declared King Henry IV, imprison Richard (who died in prison, most probably forcibly starved to death, ) and bypass Richard's heir-presumptive , Edmund de Mortimer, 5th Earl of March . Henry's 13 October 1399 coronation at Westminster Abbey may have been

1391-588: A more recent scholarly work, Ralph Hertel links the performative nature of the history play with a growing sense of English national identity under the early Tudors. "Englishness," in his words, is “considered as something brought forth by the spectators who participate in the theatre event by becoming eye witnesess of sorts of the events staged and who engage in the Englishness displayed theatrically." Early examples of Tudor history plays include John Skelton's Magnyfycence (1519). In this work, characters are named in

1498-522: A new level of intensity after the ascension of Henry VII with the perceived need to show the justification of the Tudor's position in the monarchy. The motivations of renaissance playwrights generally coincided with those of renaissance historians, so, although England produced many historical works during the Middle Ages, these works were almost completely ignored in favor of more recent historical narratives. In

1605-535: A pilgrimage to Jerusalem , where he made offerings at the Holy Sepulchre and at the Mount of Olives . Later he vowed to lead a crusade to "free Jerusalem from the infidel", but he died before this could be accomplished. The relationship between Henry and Richard had a second crisis. In 1398, a remark about Richard's rule by Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk , was interpreted as treason by Henry, who reported it to

1712-734: A prerequisit, the evolution of the modern understanding of history. Dutch Renaissance and Golden Age The history play first took its modern form in Tudor England. Literary scholar Irving Ribner, in his influential study of the genre, connects the emergence of the history play with "a new birth of historical writing in England" during the sixteenth century, which included new books of English history written by Polydore Vergil (1534), Edward Hall (1543), and Raphael Holinshed (1577), among others. While this trend of increasing historical literature has its roots in late Medieval England, it reached

1819-458: A rebellious faction of nobles, the play depicts the escapades of King Henry's son, Prince Hal (the future King Henry V ), and his eventual return to court and favour. Henry IV, Part 1 is the first of Shakespeare's two plays that deal with the reign of Henry IV (the other being Henry IV, Part 2 ), and the second play in the Henriad , a modern designation for the tetralogy of plays that deal with

1926-477: A sense of national pride in audiences. Generally speaking, history plays sought to accomplish the goals of historians using the dramatic medium. In the case of playwrights in Renaissance England, this often amounted to historical propaganda in theatrical form. In assessing the past hundred years of literary scholarship on this English history play, Brian Walsh writes that "the center of gravity for work on

2033-404: A verifiable historic event, it differs substantially from the modern genre of "history plays" in that it doesn't conform to the modern understanding of history (by presenting unvarifiable supernatural elements as fact) and in that its goals didn't entirely parallel those of ancient Greek historians. A significant development in the evolution of the history play occurred during the Middle Ages with

2140-403: Is a mere scutcheon. And so ends my catechism. (5.1.128-142) In this soliloquy, Falstaff dismisses honour as an abstract concept that has no tangible benefits. His repetition of the word "honor" and the subsequent reduction of it to "air" underscores his cynical perspective, suggesting that honour is an empty, meaningless concept that holds no practical value. He questions whether honour can "set to

2247-451: Is all this but winde , which cannot fill us, nor scarcely puffe us up? I shall be saluted as I goe abroad, I shall sit highest at meetings. In having these things, what have I, which a wicked man may not rather have than I? And if it be a good thing, how is it given to evill men? De Moray’s passage and Falstaff’s catechism use similar language, both reducing honour to “air” and following a catechetical structure. As de Moray’s passage highlights

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2354-517: Is also indicated in detail in the early texts of Shakespeare's plays. In the quarto text of Henry IV, Part 2 (1600), one of Falstaff's speech prefixes in Act I, Scene ii is mistakenly left uncorrected, "Old." instead of "Falst." In III, ii, 25-6 of the same play, Falstaff is said to have been a "page to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk"—a statement that is true of the historical Oldcastle. In Henry IV, Part 1 , I, ii, 42, Prince Hal calls Falstaff "my old lad of

2461-601: Is frequently called the Henriad after its protagonist Prince Hal , the future Henry V . Shakespeare himself alludes to the recognition of history as an established theatrical genre in Hamlet when Polonius announces the arrival of "the best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history...". Several of Shakespeare's other plays listed as tragedies in the First Folio, however, could be classified as history plays according to

2568-429: Is given the command of an army. He vows to fight and kill the rebel Hotspur, and orders Falstaff to recruit and lead a group of foot soldiers. Falstaff uses the appointment to enrich himself by taking bribes from those who do not want to be pressed into service, and, in the end, recruits only the very poor, whose wages he withholds. All the parties meet at the Battle of Shrewsbury , a crucial moment for all involved: if

2675-508: Is happy to carry out a plot against Falstaff: after performing a highway robbery, Hal and Poins will slip away from Falstaff, disguise themselves, and rob Falstaff, purely for the fun of hearing the older man lie about it later, after which Hal will return the stolen money. The plot is carried out successfully. As the revolt of Mortimer and the House of Percy grows, the Prince makes up with his father and

2782-517: Is highly likely that Henry deliberately associated himself with the martyr saint for reasons of political expediency, namely, the legitimisation of his dynasty after seizing the throne from Richard II . Significantly, at his coronation, he was anointed with holy oil that had reportedly been given to Becket by the Virgin Mary shortly before his death in 1170; this oil was placed inside a distinct eagle-shaped container of gold. According to one version of

2889-447: Is increasingly at odds with the Percy family, who helped him to his throne, and with Edmund Mortimer, Richard II's chosen heir . King Henry is also troubled by the behaviour of his eldest son and heir, Hal (the future Henry V ). Hal spends little time in the royal court , preferring instead to drink in taverns with lowborn and dishonourable companions. This makes him an object of scorn to

2996-510: Is loosely based on Part 1 of Henry IV , as well as Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V . The one-man hip-hop musical Clay is loosely based on Henry IV . In 2014, playwright and actor Herbert Sigüenza adapted the play to El Henry , a post-apocalyptic Chicano gang version set in "the year 2045, and to a place identified as 'Aztlan City, Aztlan. Formerly San Diego.'" In 2015, The Michigan Shakespeare Festival produced an award-winning combined production—directed and adapted by Janice L. Blixt—of

3103-465: Is preserved at the National Archives . The accepted date of the ceremony is 5 February 1381, at Mary's family home of Rochford Hall , Essex. The near-contemporary chronicler Jean Froissart reports a rumour that Mary's sister Eleanor de Bohun kidnapped Mary from Pleshey Castle and held her at Arundel Castle , where she was kept as a novice nun; Eleanor's intention was to control Mary's half of

3210-545: Is tested in Stuff Happens by David Hare, which chronicles the events leading up to the Iraq War with only two years separating the author from his subject. The play focuses heavily on the use of exact quotes, with all public speeches given by the main characters being taken word for word from actual quotes. Henry IV of England Henry IV ( c.  April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke ,

3317-553: The City of London , who had long wanted to drive the companies of actors out of the city. Thomas Nashe , in a contemporary letter, complained that the actors were "piteously persecuted by the Lord Mayor and the aldermen" during this period. The interval did not last; when Cobham died less than a year later, the post of Lord Chamberlain went to Henry Carey's son George, 2nd baron Hunsdon, and the actors regained their previous patronage. The name

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3424-741: The Lords Appellants ' rebellion against the king in 1387. After regaining power, Richard did not punish Henry, although he did execute or exile many of the other rebellious barons. In fact, Richard elevated Henry from Earl of Derby to Duke of Hereford . Henry spent all of 1390 supporting the unsuccessful siege of Vilnius (capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ) by Teutonic Knights with 70 to 80 household knights. During this campaign, he bought captured Lithuanian women and children and took them back to Königsberg to be converted, even though Lithuanians had already been baptised by Polish priests for

3531-545: The Order of the Garter (1584), and member of the Privy Council (1586–97); his son Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham , Warden of the Cinque Ports and Knight of the Order of the Garter ; and Frances Brooke, the 10th Baron's wife, and 11th Baron's mother, a close personal favourite of Queen Elizabeth I . The elder Lord Cobham is known to have had a strongly negative impact on the lives of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in

3638-487: The Ottoman Empire . In 1406, English pirates captured the future James I of Scotland , aged eleven, off the coast of Flamborough Head as he was sailing to France. James was delivered to Henry IV and remained a prisoner until after the death of Henry's son, Henry V. The later years of Henry's reign were marked by serious health problems. He had a disfiguring skin disease and, more seriously, suffered acute attacks of

3745-459: The coming-of-age story of Hal, who is now seen as the starring role. In the "coming-of-age" interpretation, Hal's acquaintance with Falstaff and the tavern lowlife humanises him and provides him with a more complete view of life. At the outset, Prince Hal seems to pale in comparison with the fiery Henry Percy, the young noble lord of the North (whom Shakespeare portrays as considerably younger than he

3852-660: The "castle" reference in IV.v.6 of the same play. The name change and the Epilogue disclaimer were required, it is generally thought, because of political pressure: the historical Oldcastle was not only a Protestant martyr but a nobleman with powerful living descendants in Elizabethan England. These were the Lords Cobham: William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham (died 6 March 1597), Warden of the Cinque Ports (1558–97), Knight of

3959-409: The 1960 mini-series An Age of Kings , Tom Fleming starred as Henry IV, with Robert Hardy as Prince Hal, Frank Pettingell as Falstaff, and Sean Connery as Hotspur. The 1979 BBC Television Shakespeare version starred Jon Finch as Henry IV, David Gwillim as Prince Hal, Anthony Quayle as Falstaff, and Tim Pigott-Smith as Hotspur. In the 2012 series The Hollow Crown , Henry IV, Part 1

4066-491: The Boar's Head Tavern. Falstaff and Hal are close, but Hal enjoys insulting Falstaff, and, in a soliloquy , makes it clear that he does not plan to continue in his present lifestyle forever: Hal aims to re-assume his high place in court by proving himself to his father. Indeed, Hal reasons that by suddenly changing his ways he will be even more popular among the nobility than if he had behaved conventionally all his life. Nevertheless, he

4173-586: The Bohun inheritance (or to allow her husband, Thomas, Duke of Gloucester , to control it). There Mary was persuaded to marry Henry. They had six children: Henry had four sons from his first marriage, which was undoubtedly a clinching factor in his acceptability for the throne. By contrast, Richard II had no children and Richard's heir-presumptive Edmund Mortimer was only seven years old. The only two of Henry's six children who produced legitimate children to survive to adulthood were Henry V and Blanche, whose son, Rupert,

4280-717: The Dering MS. may indicate that Shakespeare's Henry IV was originally a single play, which the poet later expanded into two parts to capitalise on the popularity of the Sir John Falstaff character. The Dering MS. is part of the collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. At its first publication in 1597 or 1598, the play was titled The History of Henrie the Fourth , and its title page advertised only

4387-571: The Lollards. On this advice, Henry obtained from Parliament the enactment of De heretico comburendo in 1401, which prescribed the burning of heretics , an act done mainly to suppress the Lollard movement. In 1404 and 1410, Parliament suggested confiscating church land, in which both attempts failed to gain support. Henry spent much of his reign defending himself against plots, rebellions, and assassination attempts. Henry's first major problem as monarch

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4494-562: The Two Illustrious Families of Lancaster and York . Scholars have also assumed that Shakespeare was familiar with Samuel Daniel 's poem on the civil wars. Another source for this (and the following Henry plays) is the anonymous The Famous Victories of Henry V . 1 Henry IV was almost certainly in performance by 1597, given the wealth of allusions and references to the Falstaff character. The earliest recorded performance occurred on

4601-533: The affairs of the state. Shakespeare's history plays are considered the defining works of the genre. Later playwrights of history plays would either follow his stylistic model or at least have an acute awareness of their stylistic differences with Shakespearean histories. Following the Restoration , the English History as a genre lost much of the momentum that they had gained during the Tudor and Stuart eras. Even

4708-638: The afternoon of 6 March 1600, when the play was acted at court before the Flemish Ambassador. Other court performances followed in 1612 and 1625. The play was entered into the Register of the Stationers Company on 25 Feb. 1598 and first printed in quarto later that year by stationer Andrew Wise . The play was Shakespeare's most popular printed text: new editions appeared in 1599, 1604, 1608, 1613, 1622, 1632, 1639, and 1692. The Dering Manuscript ,

4815-546: The anonymous plays Edward III , Thomas of Woodstock , and Sir Thomas More . In the First Folio , the plays of William Shakespeare were grouped into three categories: comedies , histories, and tragedies . The histories—along with those of contemporary Renaissance playwrights—help define the genre of history plays. Shakespeare's Histories might be more accurately called the " English history plays." These plays dramatize historical events from English history as early as

4922-454: The beginnings of Athenian theatre. For one, although many early Greek plays covered subjects that modern audiences consider myth (rather than history), the Greeks did not make such a distinction, incorporating their stories of their gods into the same overarching narrative that included stories of their kings. Furthermore, the earliest surviving work of theatre, The Persians records an event that

5029-532: The body discreetly buried in the Dominican Priory at Kings Langley , Hertfordshire, where he remained until King Henry V brought the body back to London and buried it in the tomb that Richard had commissioned for himself in Westminster Abbey . Rebellions continued throughout the first 10 years of Henry's reign, including the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr , who declared himself Prince of Wales in 1400, and

5136-555: The castle". An iambic pentameter verse line in Henry IV, Part 1 is irregular when using the name "Falstaff", but regular with "Oldcastle". Finally, there is the explicit disclaimer at the close of Henry IV, Part 2 that discriminates between the two figures: "for Oldcastle died [a] martyr, and this is not the man" (Epilogue, 29–32). There is evidence that Falstaff was originally called Oldcastle in The Merry Wives of Windsor as well,

5243-575: The climax during the Battle of Shrewsbury . The first is centred around King Henry IV and his immediate council, who contrive to suppress a growing rebellion. The second is the group of rebel lords, led by Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester , and including his brother, the Earl of Northumberland , and energetic nephew, Harry Percy ("Hotspur") . The Scottish Earl of Douglas , the Welshman Owen Glendower , and Edmund Mortimer also join. The third group,

5350-487: The comic centre of the play, consists of the young Prince Hal (King Henry's eldest son) and his companions, Falstaff , Poins , Bardolph , and Peto. From the play's outset, Henry IV's reign is beset by problems: His personal disquiet at having usurped the throne from Richard II would be solved by a crusade to the Holy Land , but trouble on his borders with Scotland and Wales make such an act impossible. Moreover, he

5457-556: The comic character now known as " Falstaff " was originally named "Oldcastle" and was based on John Oldcastle , a famous proto-Protestant martyr with powerful living descendants in England. Although the character is called Falstaff in all surviving texts of the play, there is abundant external and internal evidence that he was originally called Oldcastle. The change of names is mentioned in seventeenth-century works by Richard James ("Epistle to Sir Harry Bourchier", c.  1625 ) and Thomas Fuller ( Worthies of England , 1662). It

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5564-428: The dangers of pursuing honour for reputational benefits rather than out of virtue, so Shakespeare uses Falstaff to critique the ill-intentioned pursuit of honour in early modern England. Davidson writes, “Who will pursue the ‘shadow’ of reputation rather than the ‘body’ of virtue?” Falstaff seemingly rejects both the “body” and the “shadow,” denouncing both the virtue of honour and the praise that comes with it. However, at

5671-434: The death of his first wife, Henry married Joan, the daughter of Charles II of Navarre , at Winchester . She was the widow of John IV, Duke of Brittany (known in traditional English sources as John V), with whom she had 9 children; however, her marriage to King Henry produced no surviving children. In 1403, Joan of Navarre gave birth to stillborn twins fathered by King Henry IV, which was the last pregnancy of her life. Joan

5778-439: The deposed king's body as early as 17 February, there is no reason to believe that he did not die on 14 February, as several chronicles stated. It can be positively said that he did not suffer a violent death, for his skeleton, upon examination, bore no signs of violence; whether he did indeed starve himself or whether that starvation was forced upon him are matters for lively historical speculation. After his death, Richard's body

5885-437: The difference changed to a label of five points per pale ermine and France . Dukes (except Aquitaine ) and Princes of Wales are noted, as are the monarchs' reigns.   † =Killed in action;   [REDACTED] =Executed See also Family tree of English monarchs Henry married Mary de Bohun (died 1394) at an unknown date, but her marriage licence, purchased by Henry's father John of Gaunt in June 1380,

5992-489: The earliest extant manuscript text of any Shakespeare play, provides a single-play version of both Part 1 and Part 2 of Henry IV. The consensus of Shakespeare scholars is that the Dering Manuscript represents a redaction prepared around 1623, perhaps for family or amateur theatrics, by Edward Dering (1598–1644), of Surrenden Manor, Pluckley , Kent, where the manuscript was discovered. A few dissenters have argued that

6099-765: The eighteenth century, Joseph Addison 's neo-classical Cato, a Tragedy could be classified as a history play according to the same broad, generalized definition that would apply to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar . Popular recently authored history plays include James Goldman's The Lion in Winter . Criticized as ahistorical, it tests the boundaries of the genre, while also poking fun at its conventions. Although, in many respects it has more in common with absurdist comic domestic drama, it retains an essentially historic core. George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan has received widespread praise, and has even been compared favorably to Shakespeare's histories. The temporal boundary of history plays

6206-399: The emergence of the secular history play by specifically naming the historic figures associated with his allegorically named characters. Later in the century, Christoper Marlowe's Edward II (1592) was profoundly influential in the development of the history play. While earlier English history plays tried to incorporate as much information as possible from their sources, Marlowe focused on

6313-605: The end of the play, Falstaff accepts praise for Hotspur’s death, suggesting that his wisdom may in fact be a facade for pure cowardice. In the broader context of "Henry IV, Part 1," Falstaff's soliloquy offers a counterpoint to the play's exploration of heroism and honour. His catechism challenges the audience to reconsider the true value of honour and to question the societal pressure to uphold it. Through his catechism, Falstaff juxtaposes both Hotspur’s misguided and vengeful pursuit of honour and Hal’s virtue. Henry IV, Part 1 caused controversy on its first performances in 1597, because

6420-415: The events that would contribute to his play from a storytelling perspective. In doing so, he not only provided the link between history and tragedy which would be elemental to later English Renaissance history plays but also set a new standard for effective use of the history play as propaganda. Although the history play evolved in England in a time when theatre in general was often viewed with suspicion, it

6527-591: The example set by most of his recent predecessors, Henry and his second wife, Joan , were not buried at Westminster Abbey but at Canterbury Cathedral , on the north side of Trinity Chapel and directly adjacent to the shrine of St Thomas Becket . Becket's cult was then still thriving, as evidenced in the monastic accounts and in literary works such as The Canterbury Tales , and Henry seemed particularly devoted to it, or at least keen to be associated with it. The reasons for his interment in Canterbury are debatable, but it

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6634-577: The first time since the Norman Conquest that the monarch made an address in English. In January 1400, Henry quashed the Epiphany Rising , a rebellion by Richard's supporters who plotted to assassinate him. Henry was forewarned and raised an army in London, at which the conspirators fled. They were apprehended and executed without trial. Henry consulted with Parliament frequently, but was sometimes at odds with

6741-458: The goals of contemporary historians, often closely paralleling "Lives of the Saints" books. They are generally not included in the modern understanding of history plays, however, because they differ significantly from the modern understanding of history by unquestioningly including supernatural phenomena as key elements. The final step in the origin of the modern history play, therefore, would require, as

6848-646: The history play has remained the political arena. With few exceptions, scholars have tended to focus on the genre‘s topical relevance for Elizabethan and Jacobean questions of national identity, kingly authority, and the interpellation of subjects. The focus has yielded a number of persuasive links between theatrical representation, the domestic and international expansion of state power, and the very day-to-day operation of Elizabeth’s and James’s governments." In addition to those written by Shakespeare, other early modern history plays include John Ford 's Perkin Warbeck , and

6955-477: The insurrection. Ultimately, the rebellion came to nought. Lyvet was released and Clark thrown into the Tower of London . Early in his reign, Henry hosted the visit of Manuel II Palaiologos , the only Byzantine emperor ever to visit England, from December 1400 to February 1401 at Eltham Palace , with a joust being given in his honour. Henry also sent monetary support with Manuel upon his departure to aid him against

7062-537: The kill. Soon after Hal's generous gesture, Falstaff states that he wants to amend his life and begin "to live cleanly as a nobleman should do". The play ends at Shrewsbury, after the battle. The loss of Hotspur and the fight has dealt a serious blow to the rebel cause. King Henry is pleased with the outcome, not least because it gives him a chance to execute Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester, one of his chief enemies (though previously one of his greatest friends). Meanwhile, Hal demonstrates his mercy by ordering Douglas—now

7169-579: The king. The two dukes agreed to undergo a duel of honour (called by Richard) at Gosford Green near Caludon Castle , Mowbray's home in Coventry . Yet before the duel could take place, Richard decided to banish Henry from the kingdom (with the approval of Henry's father, John of Gaunt), although it is unknown where he spent his exile, to avoid further bloodshed. Mowbray was exiled for life. John of Gaunt died in February 1399. Without explanation, Richard cancelled

7276-474: The last Welsh Prince of Wales, and the English knight Henry Percy (Hotspur) , who was killed in the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. Henry IV had six children from his first marriage to Mary de Bohun , while his second marriage to Joan of Navarre produced no surviving children. Henry and Mary's eldest son, Henry of Monmouth , assumed the reins of government in 1410 as the king's health worsened. Henry IV died in 1413, and his son succeeded him as Henry V . Henry

7383-572: The legal documents that would have allowed Henry to inherit Gaunt's land automatically. Instead, Henry would be required to ask Richard for the lands. After some hesitation, Henry met the exiled Thomas Arundel , former archbishop of Canterbury , who had lost his position because of his involvement with the Lords Appellant . Henry and Arundel returned to England while Richard was on a military campaign in Ireland. With Arundel as his advisor, Henry began

7490-444: The members, especially over ecclesiastical matters. In January 1401, Arundel convened a convocation at St. Paul's cathedral to address Lollardy . Henry dispatched a group to implore the clergy to address the heresies that were causing turmoil in England and confusion among Christians, and to impose penalties on those responsible. A short time later the convocation along with the House of Commons petitioned Henry to take action against

7597-651: The most esteemed genre of English Renaissance theatre, tragedy (to which the history genre had been closely tied from the beginning), had fallen out of style in favor of tragicomedy and comedy. Nevertheless, English playwrights produced numerous plays depicting historical events outside of England including William Davenant 's The Siege of Rhodes , John Dryden 's The Indian Queen and The Indian Emperor , Elkanah Settle 's The Empress of Morocco . Productions of history plays often had an intentionally revivalist character. For example, adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, including his histories, were extremely popular. In

7704-414: The nobles and jeopardises his legitimacy as heir; early in the play, King Henry laments that he can "See riot and dishonour stain the brow of young Harry." Hal's chief friend is Sir John Falstaff , a cowardly, drunken, but quick-witted knight whose charisma and zest for life captivate the Prince. In the first scene, the political action of the play is set in motion. King Henry and Hotspur fall out after

7811-406: The only play (outside of the two parts Henry IV ) that contains the character. When the First Folio and quarto texts of that play are compared, it appears that the joke in V.v.85–90 is that Oldcastle/Falstaff incriminates himself by calling out the first letter of his name, "O, O, O!," when his fingertips are singed with candles—which of course works for "Oldcastle" but not "Falstaff." There is also

7918-693: The other views expressed in the play, and is also unique for its deviation from Falstaff's character, giving him a moment of philosophy distinct from his usual dismissive prose. Shakespeare’s intent with the soliloquy has been debated between academics. While some believe that the passage serves to juxtapose Falstaff’s pragmatic philosophy with the romantic, valour driven views of the rest of the cast, others assert that Falstaff’s catechism highlights his cowardice and can be played comedically. Professor Clifford Davidson drew parallels between Philippe de Mornay ’s 1582 treatise De la verité de la religion chrestienne , which would have already been translated into English at

8025-400: The presence of Henry Percy and the comic Sir John Falstaff ; Prince Hal was not mentioned. Indeed, throughout most of the play's performance history, Hal has been staged as a secondary figure, and popular actors, beginning with James Quin and David Garrick , often preferred to play Hotspur. It was only in the twentieth century that readers and performers began to see the central interest as

8132-408: The rebellions led by Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland , from 1403. The first Percy rebellion ended in the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 with the death of the earl's son Henry , a renowned military figure known as "Hotspur" for his speed in advance and readiness to attack. Also in this battle, Henry IV's eldest son, Henry of Monmouth , later King Henry V, was wounded by an arrow in his face. He

8239-480: The rebels are not defeated outright, they will gain a considerable advantage; other forces (under Northumberland, Glendower, Mortimer, and the Archbishop of York) can be called upon in the event of a stalemate or a victory for the rebels. Though Henry outnumbers the rebels, Hotspur, wild and skilled in battle, leads the opposing army personally. As the battle drags on, the king is hunted by Douglas. Prince Hal and Hotspur duel, and, in an important moment of noble virtue for

8346-525: The reign of King John and as late as Henry VIII . In addition to these two, Shakespeare wrote eight plays covering the continuous period of history between the reigns of Richard II and Richard III. The so-called first tetralogy, apparently written in the early 1590s, deals with the later part of the struggle and includes Henry VI, parts one , two & three and Richard III . The second tetralogy, finished in 1599 and including Richard II , Henry IV, Part 1 , Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V ,

8453-405: The rise of mystery plays. Theatre in the Middle Ages arose from traditions surrounding the mass, a ritual that, due to the orthodox theological position that the eucharistic sacrifice reenacts (and even recreates) the sacrifice on the cross, has profound similarities to theatre (and to the types of rituals that gave rise to theatre in ancient Athens). While the regular Sunday liturgy was like theatre,

8560-422: The same thing in the 15th century as it does to modern medicine), perhaps psoriasis , or a different disease. The acute attacks have been given a wide range of explanations, from epilepsy to a form of cardiovascular disease. Some medieval writers felt that he was struck with leprosy as a punishment for his treatment of Richard le Scrope , Archbishop of York , who was executed in June 1405 on Henry's orders after

8667-678: The situation, with the chaotic forces of the rebels and Falstaff. A major theme in Henry IV Part 1 is the expression of honour and the intersection and contrasts between honour and war. In Act 5 scene 1, Falstaff delivers a soliloquy , scholastically referred to as Falstaff's Catechism , which asserts his pragmatic and matter-of-fact perspective on war. The soliloquy reads: ’Tis not due yet. I would be loath to pay Him before His day. What need I be so forward with Him that calls not on me? Well, ’tis no matter. Honor pricks me on. Yea, but how if honor prick me off when I come on? How then? Can honor set to

8774-426: The successive reigns of Richard II , Henry IV , and Henry V . From its first performance on, it has been an extremely popular work both with the public and critics. Of the King's party Eastcheap Rebels Other Characters Mentioned only The play follows three groups of characters who initially interact only indirectly. These groups grow closer as the play progresses, coming together at

8881-450: The tale, the oil had then passed to Henry's maternal grandfather, Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster. Proof of Henry's deliberate connection to Becket lies partially in the structure of the tomb itself. The wooden panel at the western end of his tomb bears a painting of the martyrdom of Becket, and the tester, or wooden canopy, above the tomb is painted with Henry's personal motto, 'Soverayne', alternated by crowned golden eagles. Likewise,

8988-467: The theatre. The company of actors formed by Shakespeare (the Lord Chamberlain's Men ) in 1594 enjoyed the patronage of Henry Carey, first Lord Hunsdon, then serving as Lord Chamberlain . When Carey died on 22 July 1596, the post of Lord Chamberlain was given to William Brooke, Lord Cobham, who withdrew what official protection they had enjoyed. The players were left to the care of the local officials of

9095-401: The three large coats of arms that dominate the tester painting are surrounded by collars of SS, a golden eagle enclosed in each tiret. The presence of such eagle motifs points directly to Henry's coronation oil and his ideological association with Becket. Sometime after Henry's death, an imposing tomb was built for him and his queen, probably commissioned and paid for by Queen Joan herself. Atop

9202-479: The time of writing Henry IV Part 1: They that attaine to honor, are in continuali torment, spightfull or spighted, doing mischiefe, or receiving mischiefe, over-mated, or over-mating. What is this but many evils for one, and a multiplying of miseries without number, for the obtainment of one silly shadow of felicity? We will leave the residue to declamers: what are the fruits of these hellish torments, what are they? Forsooth Honor, Reputation, and Power or Authority. What

9309-451: The tomb chest lie detailed alabaster effigies of Henry and Joan, crowned and dressed in their ceremonial robes. Henry's body was evidently well embalmed, as an exhumation in 1832 established, allowing historians to state with reasonable certainty that the effigies do represent accurate portraiture. Before his father's death in 1399, Henry bore the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a label of five points ermine . After his father's death,

9416-523: The traditional fashion of a medieval morality play, with the lead named "Magnificance" and primary adversaries bearing names such as "Folly". Through the plot line and the characters' relationships with each other, however, Skelton assures that his contemporaries in the audience will easily recognize the identities of Henry VII in the title character and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in Folly. John Bale's Kynge Johan , written 1538, takes another significant step toward

9523-479: The traditions that evolved around the Easter service were theatre. Specifically the " Quem quaeritis? ", explicitly involved the portrayal of characters by the priest and the acolyte. With this as a starting point, medieval theatre makers began crafting other plays detailing the religious narratives of Christianity. Plays about saints, especially local saints, were particularly popular in England. These plays conformed to

9630-409: The two Parts into one adaptation. Ronald Pickup played the King; David Calder , Falstaff; Jonathan Firth , Hal; and Rufus Sewell , Hotspur. Adapted scenes in flashback from Henry IV are included in the 1989 film version of Henry V (1989) with Robbie Coltrane portraying Sir John Falstaff and Kenneth Branagh playing the young Prince Hal. Gus Van Sant 's 1991 film My Own Private Idaho

9737-623: The two plays focusing on the relationship between Henry IV and Prince Hal. In 2016, Graham Abbey combined Richard II and Henry IV, Part 1 into a single play called Breath of Kings: Rebellion . Henry IV, Part II and Henry V together became Breath of Kings: Redemption . Both adaptations were staged at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario . Abbey, in the productions, played Henry IV (Bolingbroke). History play Plays with some connection to historic narratives date to

9844-591: The villages of England, in the last year of Henry's reign, declaring that Richard was residing at the Scottish Court, awaiting only a signal from his friends to repair to London and recover his throne." A suitable-looking impostor was found and King Richard's old groom circulated word in the city that his master was alive in Scotland. "Southwark was incited to insurrection" by Sir Elias Lyvet ( Levett ) and his associate Thomas Clark, who promised Scottish aid in carrying out

9951-400: The young prince, Hal prevails, killing Hotspur in single combat. Left on his own during Hal's battle with Hotspur, Falstaff dishonourably feigns death to avoid an attack by Douglas. After Hal leaves Hotspur's body on the field, Falstaff revives in a mock miracle. Seeing he is alone, he stabs Hotspur's corpse in the thigh and claims credit for the kill. Hal allows Falstaff to claim the honour of

10058-444: Was King of England from 1399 to 1413. Henry was the son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (a son of King Edward III ), and Blanche of Lancaster . Henry was involved in the 1388 revolt of Lords Appellant against Richard II , his first cousin, but he was not punished. However, he was exiled from court in 1398. After Henry's father died in 1399, Richard blocked Henry's inheritance of his father's lands. That year, Henry rallied

10165-580: Was Gaunt's daughter with his second wife, Constance of Castile . Henry also had four half-siblings born of Katherine Swynford , originally his sisters' governess, then his father's longstanding mistress and later third wife. These illegitimate (although later legitimized) children were given the surname Beaufort from their birthplace at the Château de Beaufort in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , France. Henry's relationship with his stepmother Katherine Swynford

10272-486: Was amicable, but his relationship with the Beauforts varied. In his youth, he seems to have been close to all of them, but rivalries with Henry and Thomas Beaufort caused trouble after 1406. Ralph Neville, 4th Baron Neville , married Henry's half-sister Joan Beaufort . Neville remained one of his strongest supporters, and so did his eldest half-brother John Beaufort , even though Henry revoked Richard II's grant to John of

10379-620: Was born at Bolingbroke Castle , in Lincolnshire , to John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster . His epithet "Bolingbroke" was derived from his birthplace. Gaunt was the third son of King Edward III . Blanche was the daughter of the wealthy royal politician and nobleman Henry, Duke of Lancaster . Gaunt enjoyed a position of considerable influence during much of the reign of his own nephew, King Richard II . Henry's elder sisters were Philippa, Queen of Portugal , and Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter . His younger half-sister Katherine, Queen of Castile ,

10486-471: Was cared for by royal physician John Bradmore . Despite this, the Battle of Shrewsbury was a royalist victory. Monmouth's military ability contributed to the king's victory (though Monmouth seized much effective power from his father in 1410). In the last year of Henry's reign, the rebellions picked up speed. "The old fable of a living Richard was revived", notes one account, "and emissaries from Scotland traversed

10593-489: Was changed to "Falstaff", based on Sir John Fastolf , a historical person with a reputation for cowardice at the Battle of Patay , whom Shakespeare had previously represented in Henry VI, Part 1 . Fastolf had died without descendants, making him safe for a playwright's use. Shortly afterward, a team of playwrights wrote a two-part play entitled Sir John Oldcastle , which presents a heroic dramatisation of Oldcastle's life and

10700-663: Was directed by Richard Eyre and starred Jeremy Irons as Henry IV, Tom Hiddleston as Prince Hal, Simon Russell Beale as Falstaff and Joe Armstrong as Hotspur. Orson Welles 's Chimes at Midnight (1965) compiles the two Henry IV plays into a single, condensed storyline, while adding a handful of scenes from Henry V and dialogue from Richard II and The Merry Wives of Windsor . The film stars Welles himself as Falstaff, John Gielgud as King Henry, Keith Baxter as Hal, Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly, Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearsheet and Norman Rodway as Hotspur. BBC Television's 1995 Henry IV also combines

10807-568: Was entirely historical, even under the modern understanding of history. A key difference between The Persians and a history play in the modern sense is the incorporation of supernatural elements into the narrative of the Salamis. Additionally, it primarily dramatizes the Persian reaction to the battle, information that would have been at best a secondary concern for the Greek historian. Thus, although it concerns

10914-400: Was held up, even among theatre's critics, as an example of what could be valuable in the art form. A significant factor in the favorable treatment that history plays received was the social function that commentators of the time believed that plays of this genre provided. For Thomas Nash and Thomas Heywood, for example, the English history play immortalized English heroes of the past and created

11021-451: Was in history in order to provide a foil for Hal). Many readers interpret the history as a tale of Prince Hal growing up, evolving into King Henry V , in what is a tale of the prodigal son adapted to the politics of medieval England . The low proportion of scenes featuring the title character, the king, has also been noted, with some authors suggesting that the play contrasts the authority of Henry IV, and his struggle to stay in control of

11128-566: Was published in 1600. In 1986, the Oxford Shakespeare edition of Shakespeare's works rendered the character's name as Oldcastle, rather than Falstaff, in Henry IV, Part 1 (although not, confusingly, in Part 2 ), as a consequence of the editors' aim to present the plays as they would have appeared during their original performances. No other published editions have followed suit. There have been three BBC television films of Henry IV, Part 1. In

11235-471: Was put on public display in the Old St Paul's Cathedral , both to prove to his supporters that he was truly dead and also to prove that he had not suffered a violent death. This did not stop rumours from circulating for years after that he was still alive and waiting to take back his throne, and that the body displayed was that of Richard's chaplain, a priest named Maudelain, who greatly resembled him. Henry had

11342-700: Was the heir to the Electorate of the Palatinate until his death at 20. All three of his other sons produced illegitimate children. Henry IV's male Lancaster line ended in 1471 during the War of the Roses , between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists, with the deaths of his grandson Henry VI and Henry VI's son Edward, Prince of Wales . Mary de Bohun died giving birth to her daughter Philippa in 1394. On 7 February 1403, nine years after

11449-470: Was what to do with the deposed Richard. After the early assassination plot was foiled in January 1400, Richard died in prison aged 33, probably of starvation on Henry's order. Some chroniclers claimed that the despondent Richard had starved himself, which would not have been out of place with what is known of Richard's character. Though council records indicate that provisions were made for the transportation of

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