Battle of Radcot Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Radcot Bridge |
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 Robert de Vere fleeing Radcot Bridge, from the Gruthuse manuscript of Froissart's Chroniques (c. 1475). |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Royalists | Lords Appellant | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Robert de Vere | Henry Bolingbroke | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| c. 4,000 | c. 4,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3 | None | ||||||
The Battle of Radcot Bridge was a fight that happened on December 19, 1387, in England. It was between soldiers loyal to King Richard II and an army led by Henry Bolingbroke, who later became King Henry IV. The battle took place at Radcot Bridge, a bridge over the River Thames. Today, this bridge is in Oxfordshire, but back then, it was on the border between Oxfordshire and Berkshire.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The years before the battle were full of tension between the young King Richard II and some powerful noblemen. These noblemen were called "magnates," and they were very important people in the kingdom.
This tension became a big problem in November 1386. At a meeting of Parliament, called the "Wonderful Parliament," the King was forced to fire his main advisor, Michael de la Pole.
King Richard II was not happy about this. He wanted to show that he was in charge. He tried to get more power for himself and make the Parliament's actions seem like treason (betrayal of the King).
The Lords Appellant Challenge the King
In response, a group of powerful noblemen formed an alliance. They became known as the Lords Appellant. They "appealed" (accused) some of King Richard's closest friends of misleading the King for their own gain.
The main leaders of the Lords Appellant were:
- Thomas of Woodstock, the King's uncle
- The Earl of Warwick
- The Earl of Arundel
King Richard tried to summon these noblemen to the Tower of London, but they refused to come. This was a clear sign of rebellion.
King Richard Prepares for a Fight
Fearing that he might lose his throne, King Richard ordered the people of London to get ready to fight. He also sent his close friend, Robert de Vere, to gather an army.
De Vere went to Cheshire, where King Richard had already put together about 5,000 soldiers. These soldiers were led by Sir Thomas Molineux. De Vere then began marching this army south towards London.
The Battle at Radcot Bridge
The Lords Appellant knew de Vere was coming. They blocked the main roads to London with their own soldiers. So, de Vere decided to try and cross the River Thames at Radcot Bridge.
However, when de Vere's army reached the bridge, they found it guarded by troops led by Henry Bolingbroke. Part of the bridge had also been taken apart, making it hard to cross.
De Vere ordered his soldiers to attack the bridge. But then, a larger group of Bolingbroke's soldiers arrived from the north. This meant de Vere's army was surrounded.
De Vere's Escape
When de Vere realized his army was trapped, he decided to escape. He rode his horse towards the river. With the bridge partly destroyed, he had to make his horse jump into the water. He dropped his armor and sword to make it easier to swim.
He managed to swim across the river and escape into the woods as night fell. He hid during the day and eventually made his way to France, where he lived in exile.
The End of the Battle
Once de Vere had fled, his army quickly gave up. There were very few deaths in the battle. Only three people from de Vere's side were killed. One of them was Sir Thomas Molineux, who died trying to cross the river.
About 800 of de Vere's soldiers tried to escape by running into a nearby marsh, but they drowned. The rest were captured, stripped of their weapons and armor, and sent home.
What Happened After the Battle
After their victory at Radcot Bridge, the Lords Appellant had a lot of power. They met with King Richard at the Tower of London. The King had no choice but to agree to their demands.
They decided that another Parliament meeting should be held in February 1388. This meeting became known as the "Merciless Parliament." During this Parliament, many of King Richard's closest friends and advisors were punished or removed from power.
