The Fears of Henry IV by Ian Mortimer
The Life of England's Self-Made King
In 1599 John Harwood published his book on the life of Henry IV and was promptly charged with treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London on the orders of Elizabeth I. Like the monarchs that had preceded her, Elizabeth saw Henry IV as a usurper of the throne and his life as an affront to the divine right of kings. The treatment of John Harwood perhaps provides an insight as to the historical anonymity into which Henry IV seems to have slipped so that, despite his impressive list of achievements and qualities, he is best known as the bland and unappealing character from Shakespeare’s plays rather than as a great warrior and king.
A Heroic Knight
Although the overriding image of Henry IV that exists today is that of a usurper who is upstaged even in plays that bear his name, Henry was really the archetypal medieval knight who was something of a dashing celebrity during his youth.
Henry was the son and heir of the infamous John of Gaunt and a first cousin of King Richard II. The cousins were close in age but different in practically every respect which accounts, at least in part, for the strained relationship between them. While Richard was self-contained and a brutal and unpopular ruler, Henry was a gregarious and well-liked man of action. While best known for toppling Richard II, Henry actually had notched up a very impressive list of achievements: he was the first crusading king to set foot in Jerusalem, was considered to be the greatest living tournament knight, was an accomplished musician and scholar, was a skilled politician and warrior while also being devoted to religion and his family.
Of course no ruler, whether medieval or modern, can be perfect and while Ian Mortimer has set out to bring the recognition to Henry IV that he deserves, he has certainly not romanticised the man. Mortimer is careful to list Henry’s more dubious achievements too, for example his role as the first monarch to allow the burning alive of heretics. Henry was neither so cruel nor as ineffectual as Richard II but still his popularity fell away once he had assumed the throne. The Fears of Henry IV is certainly an apt title for, despite all the trappings of power that Henry had, he had survived no fewer than eight assassination attempts before he finally died a natural death in 1413.
Chronicling Medieval Lives
With The Fears of Henry IV, as well as his two previous books, Ian Mortimer has firmly established himself as one of the most gifted scholars of medieval history and characters. Although it is often increasingly difficult to source biographical information the further back through history one goes, Mortimer has researched and uncovered a vast number of primary and secondary sources that illuminate the life of Henry IV and also the perception of him that existed during his lifetime.
While Mortimer argues firmly and convincingly that Henry IV was a far greater king than history has remembered him, he never shies away from the more dubious and unpopular aspects of Henry’s reign. As well as providing unparalleled insight into the life and character of Henry IV, Mortimer has also produced a fascinating account of life and political intrigue during the reigns of both Henry and Richard II and also into the characters of the other important personalities of the time.
The Fears of Henry IV is the most thorough and insightful biography available of Henry IV and is also a hugely enjoyable read.
The Fears of Henry IV by Ian Mortimer
ISBN 978-1844135295, Vintage, 2008, £8.99, pp 352
