Battle of Shrewsbury 21st July
In 1403 The Battle of Shrewsbury was fought. The Army was led by the Lancastrian King of England, Henry IV who defeated a rebel army led by Henry “Harry Hotspur” Percy of Northumberland which ended the Percy challenge to the throne.
This was the first battle English archers fought each other on English soil.
Henry IV deposed and succeeded his cousin Richard II in 1399 and ruled till 1413. He was the son of John of Gaunt, the founder of the English House of Lancaster and one of the richest and most influential men in the Kingdom.
During his early 20s he was part of group opposed to Richard II and was exiled as a result. When his father died in 1399 and his lands and wealth was confiscated by the King, Henry, then called Henry Bolingbroke, invaded England to reclaim his inheritance. Henry went on to seize the throne and imprison Richard II, who died, perhaps of starvation, under mysterious circumstances.
Towards the end of his reign Henry suffered from a serious skin complaint which may have been leprosy or syphilis. On his death he was succeeded by his son Henry V.
