Lords Appellant

The Lords Appellant were a group of powerful barons who came together during the 1380s to seize political control of England from King Richard II. The group was so called because its members claimed simply to be appealing to the King for good government (their major complaint was Richard's decision to make peace with France). The Lords were led by Thomas of Woodstock the Duke of Gloucester (youngest son of Edward III and King Richard's uncle), Richard Fitzalan the Earl of Arundel, and Thomas de Beauchamp the Earl of Warwick, and also involved Richard's cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who would eventually become Henry IV.

Related Topics:
Baron - 1380s - King Richard II - Thomas of Woodstock - Duke of Gloucester - Edward III - Richard Fitzalan - Earl of Arundel - Thomas de Beauchamp - Earl of Warwick - Henry Bolingbroke

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In 1387 the Lords Appellant launched an armed rebellion against King Richard and defeated his forces at Radcot Bridge outside Oxford. They maintained Richard as a figurehead with little real power, but impeached, imprisoned, exiled, or executed most of his court. For example, Richard's Chancellor the Earl of Suffolk was impeached in 1388, and Robert de Vere was exiled.

Related Topics:
1387 - Radcot Bridge - Oxford - Earl of Suffolk - 1388 - Robert de Vere

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In 1389 Richard's uncle and supporter John of Gaunt returned from Spain and Richard was able to rebuild his power gradually until 1397 when he reasserted his authority and destroyed the Lords Appellant, exiling Arundel (who later returned during Henry IV's coup in 1399) and Warwick, while Gloucester died in captivity.

Related Topics:
1389 - John of Gaunt - Spain - 1397 - Henry IV - 1399

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