Henry IV: A Tyrant's Reign Although the blame for the fall of Richard II and the rise of Henry IV may be shared by both, Henry having established IV the precedence of usurpation finds England devastated by civil war after only a year on the throne. Henry IV discovers the impossible situation of a monarch who in making any choice or decision must face opposition from those who disagree with him and support the other side of the issue. Henry IV wished to lead a crusade perhaps as penance for Richard's death. However, civil problems prevent his actions every time. With the recent victory of the young Hotspur against the Scots, the Percys find themselves with many nobles among the prisoners. They refuse to hand over these prisoners to Henry IV but choose to use them for their own purposes. Among themselves the Percys reveal their desire to be free from Henry and their pain at having ever walked away from Richard. One of their relatives should have been king in Henry's place as Richard II had named Mortimer as his heir. All their discontent, their ambition to have a king in their family, and their doubts about Henry IV's right to be king combine to bring them to the point of uniting the various centers of rebellion against Henry IV in a joint effort to usurp the throne and restore it. to Mortimer, Richard's heir. Perhaps even more distressing for Henry IV is the behavior of Prince Hal. Henry wants a son who reflects all of his strengths. Instead he finds in Hal a mirror of his weaknesses. Hal cooperates with the thieves who learn to steal even though his father stole a crown. Just as his father courted the affections of the common people before he became king, Hal spends his time hanging out with the common people and engaging in the base activities of drinking, whoring, and stealing...