I, William Shakespeare, wrote the play Henry V to commemorate a great English monarch. Henry the V's father was called Bullingbrook and was Henry IV in an earlier play I wrote. The king before Bullingbrook was Richard II. Bullingbrook wasn't happy with the way he was treated by Richard II. Richard II didn't trust Bullingbrook and he banished him to France to prevent him from stealing his crown. Richard II also kept Hal, Bullingbrook's son, who in my play becomes Henry V, as a sort of hostage. He was monitored closely. When Richard II fought in Ireland, Hal went with him. Hal was a good fighter and eventually became friends with Richard II, having got to know him on their escapades.
             Whilst Richard II was away in Ireland fighting, Bullingbrook was planning to meet Richard II on his way home to England, to defeat him in battle and steal his throne. It was a perfect opportunity for Bullingbrook to do this because Richard's army would be tired as a result of all the fighting in Ireland. Bullingbrook found other people who weren't content with their present king and assembled his own army. Bullingbrook, along with his army met Richard II and defeated him. Richard II was forced to abdicate his throne and this is where Bullingbrook becomes Henry IV. Richard was put in prison and later disappeared. Some believe that Bullingbrook had him killed because he couldn't run the risk of Richard winning back the throne. Henry IV's only threat now came from the Church. The Church was tremendously important and enormously powerful at the time and it owned an enormous amount of land. Henry IV took some of this land for himself to give him greater control over England. He was in the process of putting a bill through parliament. Henry IV was, all things considered a terrible king as I chronicled in plays Henry IV part I and part II.
             Hal became Price Hal. Prince Hal was young and wild. He liked to...