Monarchy and kingship is a subject that appears to have fascinated Shakespeare, and in his history plays it is apparent that he is commenting on what he considered to be the notion of kingship, concentrating largely on characteristics such as the divine right of kings and the manner in which individual monarchs exploited this belief to their own ends.
Starting from the deposition of Richard II, through the 100 years of civil strife, and culminating with the marriage of Henry VII, which healed the division between the houses of York and Lancaster, Shakespeare presents a view of divine judgement and providence. The theme of a rightful ruler dispossessed, the question of legitimacy and ensuing anarchy, and then providential redemption, recurs in several of his other plays.
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