理查二世

BBC2历史电视电影系列《空王冠》演绎4部经典莎士比亚作品。这部电视电影作为伦敦文化奥运的重点推荐剧目在2012年6月播出向全世界推行。 　　本剧是《空心冠》的第一集。理查二世（本·卫肖 Ben Whishaw 饰）虽是英格兰国王，但实权被叔父兰开斯特公爵约翰·冈特把持。另一个叔父格洛斯特公爵托马斯也野心勃勃，企图摄政。理查由此而记恨亲政后对他们进行报复。1397年，托马斯被捕后未及受审就暴死在狱中，公爵头衔被废除。理查驱逐了约翰的长子毛勃莱公爵、以及自己的堂弟兰开斯特公爵亨利（罗里·金奈尔 Rory Kinnear 饰），并在1399年约翰去世后没收了兰开斯特家的领地，用没收的钱财充当攻打爱尔兰的军费。亨利以此作为攻打理查的藉口。1399年，在理查远征爱尔兰时举兵拘捕了他，并让国会同意将他废黜，由亨利即位。理查在监牢中囚禁多年，最终被杀害。Fey, vain and foolish, young Richard initiates his downfall by banishing Henry Bolingbroke and the Earl of Mowbray as a resolution to their feud and then confiscating the lands of his uncle, Bolingbroke's father John of Gaunt,on John's death, to pay for a war in Ireland which he loses. This angers many courtiers including the Duke of York, who welcomes Bolingbroke back to England, where he executes Richard's flatterers. The king himself is soon taken prisoner and murdered in his cell. Bolingbroke, now proclaiming himself Henry IV, vows a pilgrimage to atone for his part in the regicide.