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Henry IV (1366-1413) King of England (1399-1413):

The son of John of Gaunt, and first Lancastrian king, surnamed Bolingbroke. By his marriage to Mary Bohun he gained a claim on the great earldom of Hereford in addition to his position as heir to the duchy of Lancaster. As a young man Henry was adventurous and enterprising fighting in Lithuania, Prussia, Cyprus and Jerusalem. He was one of leading Lords Appelant who tried to curb Richard's tyrannical rule. In 1398 he was banished and after the confiscation of his lands he invaded England, deposed Richard and was crowned king. During his reign he had permantly to fight against Richard's supporters, such as the Welsh, the Percys and Richard Scrope, Abp. of York, whom he had executed in 1405. Soon afterwards Henry fell mysteriously ill, perhaps of leprosy, so that by 1410 Prince Henry actually ruled the country and faced no opposition when the king died in 1413.