Origins & Early Life

Henry IV (c. April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke (having been born at Bolingbroke Castle), was King of England from 1399 to 1413, Lord of Ireland and duke of Aquitaine. Henry was the son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and a grandson of King Edward III. When Henry came of age, he was involved in the 1388 revolt of the Lords Appellant against his first cousin, King Richard II.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Henry was later exiled from England in 1397. After Henry's father died in 1399, Richard blocked Henry's inheritance to the holdings of the House of Lancaster. So, Henry rallied Lancastrian supporters, imprisoned Richard II and formally deposed him, usurping 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 300 years earlier.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was also the first monarch to come from the House of Lancaster. As king, he faced a number of rebellions, most seriously those of Owain Glyndŵr, the last Welshman to claim the title of Prince of Wales, and the English knight Henry Percy (Hotspur), who was killed in the Battle of Shrewsbury...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Richard II of England — Contemporary (Born in 1367) (1367): King of England (1377–1399), known for courtly culture and eventual deposition.
• Alex Gorsky — Shared historical date (03-20 · Born) (1960): American businessman, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
• B. F. Skinner — Shared historical date (03-20 · Born) (1904): Pioneering behaviorist who developed operant conditioning and radical behaviorism.
• Jadwiga of Poland — Historical peer (Died in 1399) (1399): Last hereditary ruler of Poland; Queen of Poland (1384-1399)
• John of Gaunt — Historical peer (Died in 1399) (1399): Influential English prince, Duke of Lancaster, and founder of the royal House of Lancaster.
• Guillaume Du Fay — Historical peer (Born in 1397) (1397): Leading composer of the early Renaissance, associated with the Burgundian School.
• Paolo Uccello — Historical peer (Born in 1397) (1397): Florentine Renaissance painter renowned for pioneering visual perspective in art.
• Fra Angelico — Historical peer (Died in 1455) (1455): Dominican friar and painter of the early Florentine Renaissance, known for religious frescoes.
• Johann Reuchlin — Historical peer (Born in 1455) (1455): German humanist scholar renowned for advancing Greek and Hebrew studies.
• Chenghua Emperor — Historical peer (Died in 1487) (1487): Ninth Ming Emperor, Zhu Jianshen, who reigned from 1464 to 1487.
• 1367 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1367
• 1413 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1413
• March 20 (03-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 20