Famous people in England

 

Edward III

He is the king from Plantagenet Dynasty(プランタジネット朝). He suppressed power of the peerage (貴族) and attacked Scotland. He promoted wool trade, so he is called “the royal wool merchant”.

I have told him several times, so I may tell the same stories. When the French king Charles VI (シャルル6世) died, he demanded the French throne because he is the nephew (甥) of Charles. England defeated French in the Battle of Sluys (スロイスの海戦), the Battle of Crécy (クレシーの戦い), and the Battle of Poitiers (ポワティエの戦い). He concluded the treaty which was favorable to England.

In this way, he used his ability to the full at first. But in his later years, he met with a lot of misfortunes. French regained its strength and the Black Death spread. He lost his wife and oldest son and his fourth son betrayed him.

Edward, the Black Prince

He is the oldest son of Edward III. It is said that he always wore in black armor. French people feared him and denounced him as a devil. He died before he was crowned. Because of these episodes, he is called the Black Prince.

In 1356, he won the Battle of Poitiers. It is said that he was very polite to the prisoner Jean II (ジャン2世) then. He is very popular as a paragon of chivalry (騎士道の鑑). However, he was cruel to the people. For example, he brought about a massacre () in Limoges(リモージュ).

Richard II

He is the last king from Plantagenet. He went on an expedition (遠征) to Ireland. He stopped fighting with France. Henry Bolingbroke (ヘンリー・ボリングブルック) made him abdicate the throne (譲位する) and he met an unnatural death.

Henry IV

He is the first king from Lancaster Dynasty (ランカスター朝). He is the son of John of Gaunt (), who is the fourth son of Edward III and disobeyed Edward. He won his cousin Richard II and became the king, but he was suffering from revolts by peerage.

Henry V

He resumed the war and won the great victory in the battle of Agincourt (アジャンクールの戦い). He subjugated the Western Schism or Papal Schism (教会大分裂). He concluded the Treaty of Troys and troubled Charles VII.

Henry VI

He is the son of Henry V and the last king from Lancaster Dynasty. He defeated the Hundred Years’ War and was dragged into the War of the Roses (ばら戦争). His life is very tragic.

*pictures are from here or Wikipedia:
http://theplantagenets.com/