(The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)
By Mercedes Rochelle
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Page Length: 313 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost.
Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding.
The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless.
He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects.
Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.
Review
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One of the things I found most interesting about A King Under Siege was how differently the same event could look depending on where you were standing. The rebels believe they have legitimate grievances, Richard believes he has a duty to uphold the Crown, Parliament believes it has a right to challenge the way the country is being governed, and the great nobles are convinced that they know what is best for both England and its young king.
That made the Peasants' Revolt especially interesting. The rebels aren't presented simply as a violent mob. There is real anger behind the uprising, particularly over taxation, wages and the restrictions placed upon ordinary people. Things do become terribly violent, but the book never lets you forget what brought so many people onto the streets in the first place.
I liked that Richard actually listens to them too. At fourteen, he is already beginning to realise that being born into one particular part of society gives you a very different view of England from the people expected to work the land. He doesn't necessarily have the power to change things, and some of his promises have consequences that haunt him afterwards, but those encounters clearly affect him.
The attitude towards war was another aspect I really enjoyed. Richard has grown up in the shadow of the Black Prince and Edward III, when military glory was almost expected of an English king. Yet the England he inherits is struggling financially, and war costs an enormous amount of money. Richard's reluctance to keep chasing victories in France makes sense from his point of view, while to some of the men around him it looks like weakness. I hadn't really thought about that clash between generations before.
There are also some wonderful glimpses of medieval life amongst all the politics. London Bridge, royal progresses, Parliament, the royal household and even Richard and Anne's private retreat at La Neyt all helped make the period feel like somewhere people actually lived rather than simply a backdrop for famous historical events.
What stayed with me most was how difficult it is to separate the Crown from the person wearing it. Richard is taught from childhood that kingship is sacred and that certain rights belong to him, yet he spends much of his youth watching other people exercise those rights on his behalf. It isn't difficult to understand why, as he gets older, he becomes increasingly determined to take them back.
A King Under Siege gave me far more to think about than I expected. It isn't just the story of a young Richard II. It is also about a country changing around him and the arguments over who should have power, who should pay for it and how much authority one king should actually possess.
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Mercedes Rochelle
Born in St. Louis, MO, with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
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