King Henry VI Timeline and Summary

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• 1.1: Henry welcomes Margaret, his new queen, to the court. Gloucester is upset by the deal that Henry made to get Margaret. There's some squabbling over the fact that Henry gave up lands in France for her (which is a big no-no for a king). Henry doesn't care, so he leaves.
• 1.3: The nobles are fighting again, this time over who should be regent in France. Henry doesn't really care, but he chooses Somerset because Gloucester tells him to. Then Peter and Horner come his way with a fight, and Henry says they can settle it with a swordfight, because, well, that's what Gloucester thought was best to do.
• 2.1: Up at St. Albans, Henry and gang are hunting when they hear of a miracle being performed: a blind man can now see. Henry praises God, but Gloucester doesn't buy it. Gloucester figures out the guy is lying and punishes him.
• 2.3: Henry sentences Eleanor and friends for their witchcraft. Gloucester is bummed in a major way, and Henry asks him to give up his staff (symbolizing his title of Protector)—which he does. Then Peter and Horner fight, and Peter wins. Henry praises God for revealing the true traitor (Horner).
• 3.1: When Gloucester doesn't show up to parliament hall, Henry gets worried about his pal. Margaret uses the opportunity to scheme against Gloucester. She and Suffolk talk smack about the Duke to Henry; then Gloucester shows up and they arrest him for treason. Henry isn't convinced.
• 3.2: News of Gloucester's death reaches Henry, and he gets depressed. As he mourns his friend, he accuses Suffolk of being a fake, and Warwick points out that Gloucester was totally murdered. Oops.
• 3.3: Henry visits Cardinal Beaufort on his deathbed. When Warwick judges the evil life Beaufort must have lived, Henry encourages everyone to pray for Beaufort. Everyone has sinned, Henry says.
• 4.4: The rebellion has taken a hold of the kingdom, and Henry reads Cade's demands. Henry sends Buckingham and Clifford to talk some sense into the rebels while he and his crew flee from London so that they won't get taken down.
• 4.9: Henry wishes he were happier: it kind of sucks being king. Then he forgives the commoners for rebelling. But his troubles aren't over yet: York is on the move with an army. Why? Henry sends Buckingham to find out.
• 5.1: It's worse than Henry thought: York thinks he should be king. Henry can't believe what he's hearing, but he knows he won't give up his crown without a fight—er, without sending out other people to do the fighting, that is. He doesn't want to get his hands dirty.
• 5.2: Since Henry doesn't want to fight, Margaret suggests they hightail it to London, where he has supporters. That way, York can't take the throne out from under him. He doesn't want to go, but he eventually flees to London.