Firstly, I'd like to introduce you to her book and then I'll share what Mercedes has to say about her protagonist.
The King's Retribution
By Mercedes Rochelle
Book 2 of The Plantagenet Legacy
If you
read A KING UNDER SIEGE,
you might remember that we left off just as Richard declared his
majority at age 22. He was able to rise above the humiliation
inflicted on him during the Merciless Parliament, but the fear that
it could happen again haunted him the rest of his life. Ten years was
a long time to wait before taking revenge on your enemies, but King
Richard II was a patient man. Hiding his antagonism toward the Lords
Appellant, once he felt strong enough to wreak his revenge he was
swift and merciless. Alas for Richard, he went too far, and in his
eagerness to protect his crown Richard underestimated the very man
who would take it from him: Henry Bolingbroke.
You can purchase The King's Retribution from -
Publication
date: 4/1/2020
Publisher:
Sergeant Press
Getting to Know my Protagonist
By Mercedes Rochelle
For
a long time my only knowledge about Richard II came from Shakespeare.
How typical! The great bard established many historical figures in
our mind that didn't match reality (how about Richard III?). I
suspect he would have been amazed at how thoroughly we believed his
memorable characters. So when I decided to take on King Richard II, I
thought of him as a spoiled brat with a tragic flaw. I also thought,
before he came to a bad end, that he was flippant, arrogant,
inconsiderate, and self-centered. It was a tribute to Shakespeare's
skill that I felt sorry for him at the end.
I'm
still not sure why I needed to write his story, but thirty some-odd
books' worth of research later, I'm glad I made the journey. My
conception of Richard changed along the way, and it's still probably
incomplete. He was a complicated character, and once I found out what
Shakespeare left out, I was more amazed than ever.
Born
in Bordeaux, Richard didn't move to England until he was four;
apparently he didn't speak a word of English. He was the second son;
his brother, England's heir, died just before they left France. From
what I understand, he did not grow up with a support group since much
of his youth was spent in the household of a dying man—his father,
the Black Prince. Crowned king at age ten, the lonely boy started out
at a disadvantage. No child should have that kind of responsibility
thrust upon him, even if he was only a figurehead. Did he realize
he was a figurehead? Or did he take his responsibilities seriously?
Since he alone had to face the ringleaders of Peasants' Revolt at
fourteen, I'd say the young king took on more than his share of
authority. Did any of his elders give him credit when the crisis was
over? It appears not; they were quick to blame him when it came time
to suppress the aftermath. I imagine this was the beginning of his
"bad attitude" toward his alleged advisors.
Not
willing to suffer reproaches from his council, he sequestered himself
with the men he did trust: Sir Simon Burley, his tutor, Robert de
Vere, his childhood friend from Edward III's court, and Michael de la
Pole, his chancellor, among others. These were the very men singled
out for destruction by the Lords Appellant—led by the Duke of
Gloucester and the earls of Warwick and Arundel. Once their patience
ran out with Richard's "bad government", the Appellants
decided it was time to clean house and get the king under their
control (more of this in A
KING UNDER SIEGE). As far as the Appellants were concerned,
Richard was badly advised by his friends; they had to be
eliminated—permanently. To say that the Lords were thorough would
be an understatement! By the time the Merciless Parliament was over,
Richard had lost his inner circle of friends to either judicial
murder or outlawry, and his household members were all dismissed. The
reins of power were wrested from his hands. His humiliation was
complete. One can only imagine what that trauma would do to a young
mind.
Ultimately,
I see Richard as someone who never had a sense of security. On the
one hand, he was able to instill loyalty with his close friends. Both
his wives loved him. His court was among the most cultured in Europe;
he patronized men of letters such as Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower,
as well as Oxford University. For the first seven years after he
achieved his majority, he reigned quietly and efficiently. England
experienced a rare time of peace and prosperity. Chroniclers had
little to talk about except the weather. Then, all of a sudden, it
seemed that his pent-up anger and frustration burst forth. His
enemies, who had been lulled into a false sense of security, were
unexpectedly arrested and tried for treason. For a few short months,
the Wheel of Fortune raised him to the top. Alas, in the end, his
retribution wasn't enough and he didn't know when to stop; he felt
that the whole country was against him, and took measures
accordingly. What would Richard require to feel safe again? I don't
think he ever found out.
Mercedes Rochelle
Born
in St. Louis MO with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes
Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been
enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do
research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her
primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in
a log home they had built themselves.
You can get in contact with Mercedes via the following links -
Website: https://mercedesrochelle.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorrochelle
I hope you will check out Mercedes Rochelle's work and enjoy.
Till the next time.
Take care Zoe
