“For heaven’s sake let us sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the death of kings”. 👑 💀 6th January 1367, birth of Richard II, King of England (1377-99). At the age of 14, and in the fourth year of his reign, the political and economic pressures in England left over from the height of the Black Death 33 years before, exploded in the Peasant Revolt of 1381. Facing down the rebellion, by first claiming falsely to accept the Rebels terms of the end of selfdom, Richard later enacted a brutal crackdown and executed 1,500 of the revolts leaders. The episode would lead to a lifelong paranoia, which morphed into a reign of tyranny and megalomania, which alienated the majority of his kingdom. 🏰 Richard was deposed in 1399 by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who would be crowned as Henry IV. Held in Pontefract Castle Richard died, probably by starvation, in 1400. 🐀 The Black Death starting in 1348, is where the ofgraveconcern journey begins. Check out the website, link in bio, to see more art inspired by this cataclysmic history. All images shown can be found for sale there. #richardii #blackdeath #blackdeathart #darkillustartion #macabreillustration #strangehistory #weirdhistory #macabrehistory #ofgraveconcern #supportsmallbusiness #supportartists #supportartisans #illustrationwork #peasantsrevolt #englishhistory #englishkings #plagueart #plaguearts #darkhistory #14thcentury #14thcenturyart #wattyler #historicalillustration #britishhistory #historyofkings #williamshakespeare #shakespearerichardii #kingrichardii https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ00uYqn24S/?igshid=14zrctloqb9js