Richard II : King, Culture and the Court of Venus

Richard II is one of England’s most notorious kings. Just a child when he came to the throne, he was thrust into instability. Even so, Richard was not a warrior king, but a man who cared for art, literature and frivolity. Women were to be found everywhere at court, and Richard lavished them with the honour of being appointed Ladies of the Garter.

But troubles rumbled under this carefree surface. The men of the court were accused of being ‘knights of Venus’ who had ‘more prowess in the bedroom than on the field of battle’, and the prevalence of women did little to help this reputation. Tensions came to a head, with clashes leading to exile and murder, the country teetering on the brink of civil war.

While filled with tumult and rebellion, Richard’s reign was conversely a golden age for culture and the arts. Women found a greater importance at the heart of government and the fracturing of the royal family sowed the seeds for the Wars of the Roses. Acclaimed historian Gemma Hollman explores this fascinating period, offering a definitive look at the origins of one of the most siginificant eras of English history.