Henry IV – The Crown in Shadow

This episode follows the reign of Henry IV, the first king of the House of Lancaster, whose rule was shaped by guilt, rebellion, and the fragile legitimacy of a stolen crown. After overthrowing and likely causing the death of Richard II in 1399, Henry ascended the throne as a usurper haunted by suspicion and unrest. Almost immediately, he faced rebellion from former allies, including Henry "Hotspur" Percy, whom he defeated at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 — a bloody confrontation that also saw his son Prince Hal prove his courage. Meanwhile, the long and bitter Welsh revolt led by Owain Glyndŵr challenged English authority for over a decade, uniting Welsh nationalism and myth. Haunted by illness and doubt, Henry turned to religion for legitimacy, harshly suppressing heresy and the followers of John Wycliffe. His final years were marked by physical decline and fear, as his once-fiery rule dimmed beneath the weight of divine punishment and guilt. Despite his troubled reign, Henry IV restored stability after Richard II's fall and passed a secure crown to his son, Henry V. His story is one of uneasy triumph — a man who won power through rebellion, but never found peace beneath its crown.