Originally published in 1941, this monograph by historian Anthony Steel assesses the character and policies of Richard II, who reigned in a time of tremendous literary and artistic change which was also underpinned by great political and religious uncertainty. Steel puts the monarch in his context as a medieval ruler during an era when the structures of the medieval period were beginning to fracture, particularly the strict hierarchy which separated peasant from lord. With an introduction by distinguished historian G. M. Trevelyan, this book will be of value to anyone with an interest in medieval history.