The Role of Kings in William Shakespeare's Histories

In William Shakespeare's historical plays, the main character is usually a non-fictional King with his court. The events that take place in these plays have some factual basis, but Shakespeare interposes drama, conflict and, in some cases, comedy to make the play more enthralling. In England and Rome at this time the only person considered to be above the King was God. The kingship in England was a dynasty; the people were not given a vote. The only way the King could have been dethroned is if he were to die. The philosophy was that if the King was not an effective monarch, then God was punishing the people of England for a sin they must have committed, therefore he was to remain in power. The kings Shakespeare chose to write about all had attempts made against them to have them overthrown. In all but one case, within The Tragedy of Richard II, The History ofHenry IV, Part One and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the King was successfully overthrown.