Coronation of Richard II of England
Poets involved
What happened
On July 16, 1377, a 10-year-old Richard II was crowned King of England, succeeding his grandfather Edward III. Richard's minority would be marked by political instability, factional struggles among the nobility, and growing social unrest, including the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. His reign, which lasted until his deposition in 1399, was one of the most turbulent in English history and would profoundly shape the political and literary culture of the late 14th century.
Literary impact
Richard II's reign was the backdrop for the major literary works of the late 14th century, including those of Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, and the anonymous authors of the Gawain poet. The king's troubled relationship with his nobles and his eventual deposition became the subject of chronicles and political poetry that explored the nature of kingship and the limits of royal authority. Richard's reign also saw the flourishing of English vernacular literature, as poets began to write in English rather than French or Latin, a shift that would culminate in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and the rise of a distinctly English poetic tradition.
Source: Wikipedia
