| Ruler | Country | Start of Reign | Age at 1380 |
| Richard II | England | 1377 | ? | | 1380 | Richard takes control  | | 1381 Jun 14 | Richard meets the rebels | | 1381 Jun 15 | Watt Tyler killed | | 1382 Jan 14 | Richard marries | | 1384 Apr | Criticism of Richard | | 1385 | Richard make his uncles Dukes | | 1385 | Richard leads army to North | | 1386 | Richard makes de Vere more powerful | | 1386 Spring | Gaunt and the Castilian throne | | 1386 Summer | Commission appointed | | 1386 Summer | French fleet mass at Sluys | | 1387 Dec 19 | Battle of Radcot Bridge | | 1389 May | Richard II declared his intention to rule freely |
| | Robert II | Scotland | 1371 | ? | | Charles V | France | 1364 | ? | | 1380 | Death of Charles V and accession of Charles VI |
| | Charles VI | France | 1380 | ? | | 1380 | Death of Charles V and accession of Charles VI |
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Peasants Revolt
| 1381 | May | Start of the Peasant's Revolt | | | | Essex villagers resisted tax collection; beginning of the Peasant’s Revolt in England.
| | Jun 7 | Peasant's Revolt reaches Maidstone | | | | The Kentish section of the Revolt reached Maidstone where they were joined by Wat Tyler who became their leader. They released John Ball from the church prison. | | Jun 10 | Peasant's Revolt reaches Canterbury | | | | William Courtenay was elected the new archbishop of Canterbury by the Kentish rebels who crowded into the church. The previous archbishop was in London with the king and was to be beheaded by the rebels. The Essex section of the revolt burnt and sacked a Hospitaller commandery that had previously belonged to the Templars called Cressing Temple. | | Jun 10 | William Courtenay becomes Archbishop of Canterbury | | | | William Courtenay became the Archbishop of Canterbury. | | Jun 11 | Rebels move towards London | | | | Both the Kentish and the Essex rebels move towards London. | | Jun 12 | Rebels reach London | | | | The Essex rebels reach Mile End near Aldgate and the Kentish rebels reach Southwark. | | Jun 14 | Richard meets the rebels | | | | Richard II negotiated with the rebel peasants at Mile End, London. At the same time a group of rebels entered the Tower and Archbishop Simon of Sudbury, Sir Robert Hales and other officials were killed. Disturbances also started in St.Albans.
| | Jun 15 | Watt Tyler killed | | | | Richard II again met the rebels, at Smithfield; they demanded the confiscation of church land; Watt Tyler was killed and the rebels dispersed; the Prior of Bury St.Edmunds was executed by the townspeople; University property was attacked in Cambridge (-17.6).
| | Jun 16 | Rebellion elsewhere | | | | The English rebellion spread to Norfolk and (19.6) Somerset; Sir John Cavendish murdered by rebels.
| | Jun 17 | Rebellion again | | | | Norfolk rebels entered Norwich and (18-26.6) were repelled by local landowners, led by Henry le Despenser, bishop of Norwich; the bishop met the rebels (26.6) at North Walsham and captured their stronghold; rebel attacks occurred at Peterborough Abbey and Dunstable priory, and in Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire. |
The Hundred Years War
| 1385 | Qtr 2 | French prepare for invasion | | | | All through the summer months, the French prepared men and supplies in the Norman ports. | | 1386 | Summer | French fleet mass at Sluys | | | | An invasion from France seemed to be imminent as the French fleet mass at Sluys. | | 1387 | Dec | Invasion threat from France | | | | During the winter months of 1387 and spring months of 1388, Henry Bolingbroke prepared defences along the south coast. |
Lords Appellant
| 1384 | Apr | Criticism of Richard | | | | At a session of Parliament held this year both John of Gaunt and Thomas of Woodstock argued with Richard about the way in which the country was being run, his finances and the influences of his advisors. | | 1385 | | Richard make his uncles Dukes | | | | Richard gave his uncles Edmund of Langely and Thomas of Woodstock new titles. He made Edmund the Duke of York and made Thomas the Duke of Gloucester. | | 1386 | | Richard makes de Vere more powerful | | | | Robert gave the title of Marquis of Dublin to his favourite Robert de Vere. This gave de Vere power over all royal lands in Ireland and made him almost as powerful as Richard's uncles. | | Summer | Commission appointed | | | | With the French threatening to invade, Richard's continued disregard of his uncles' requests to remove his Chancellor and Treasurer from office, a delegation met Richard at Eltham. His uncle, Duke of Gloucester acted as spokesman for Parliament. He reminded Richard of his duties and demanded that his advisors be removed. He reminded Richard that if he didn't comply he could be removed from his position as King. Richard had little choice and a commission was set up to oversee the king's affairs. | | 1387 | Dec 19 | Battle of Radcot Bridge | | | | Forces belonging to the Lords Appellant defeated forces led by Robert de Vere, the favourite of Richard II. |
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| People who played important roles in this time period |
Ball, John
John Ball was one of the leaders of the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. Ball was a priest who wandered from village to village preaching equality. He was arrested for his beliefs and was freed from prison by rebels led by Wat Tyler. Ball was hanged at the end of the revolt.
Wykeham, William (of)
From an architect and surveyor for Edward III, to the Bishop of Winchester, and the founder of New College, Oxford, William of Wykeham had a varied and distinguished life. Although not taught in religious ways, Wykeham gained his positions in the church as reward for his service to the King. His arc (more...)
John (of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster)
John of Gaunt was the son of Edward III, King of England and the father of Henry IV, king of England. He was born in Ghent, Flanders from which his name comes. When Edward III died in 1377 the English throne passed to Richard II, John's nephew. Richard was only ten at the time and too young to rule (more...)
Edmund (of Langley, Duke of York)
Son of Edward III.
Chaucer, Geoffrey
Canterbury Tales.
HENRY (IV, King of England 1399-1413)
OriginsHenry was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire in April of 1366/67 and was the grandson of Edward III. He is commonly known as Henry Bolingbroke due to his association with the castle in which he was born. Henry was the only son of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster. Both (more...)
HENRY (V, King of England 1413-1422)
Origins Henry is believed to have been born sometime in 1387 in the gatehouse of Monmouth Castle. He was the eldest son of Bolingbroke (later to be Henry IV) and Mary Bohun. In October 1399 Bolingbroke claimed the English throne and had Richard II imprisoned and possibly ordered his murder (more...)
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| Battles that took place in this time period |
1387 Dec 19 - Battle of Radcot Bridge
Forces belonging to the Lords Appellant defeated forces led by Robert de Vere, the favourite of Richard II.
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| Building work undertaken in this time period |
Donnington Castle 1385
Threats of invasion prompted Richard to allow the creation of fortified manor houses. Donnington is one example.
Bodiam Castle 1386
The king granted Sir Edward Dalyngrugge a licence to crenellate his mansion in Sussex due to threats of invasion. But Dalyngrugge decided to build a completely new structure instead.
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