Richard II is a Shakespearean history play that chronicles the deposition of King Richard II by Henry Bolingbroke and explores themes of power, legitimacy, and the responsibilities of kingship. The play begins with Richard's mismanagement, which escalates after he seizes the lands of the deceased John of Gaunt. This leads Bolingbroke, Gaunt's son, to return from exile with an army to reclaim his inheritance, ultimately resulting in Richard's abdication and tragic death.