March 25, 2026
Forking code, forking crowns
The Last Testaments of Richard II and Henry IV
Tech forum falls for royal drama as readers gush over wills, tombs, and TV rewatches
TLDR: A feature explores how Richard II and Henry IV wrote unusual wills that reveal their personalities beyond standard royal rules. Tech forum readers loved the surprise history break, sharing local ties and binge recs while gently debating whether medieval drama belongs next to code talk—consensus says yes.
A deep dive into the wills of medieval rivals Richard II (the “tyrant”) and Henry IV (the “usurper”) slipped into a tech forum and promptly stole the show. The article spotlights how most royal wills were boringly formal—no, you couldn’t leave the crown to your favorite nephew—while the Black Prince micromanaged his tomb at Canterbury and even ordered a French verse (“as you are, so I was…”) for extra mood. But it’s Richard II and Henry IV’s unusual, personality-packed testaments that grabbed readers, revealing clashing mindsets in an era when kings couldn’t code their succession, only pray for their souls.
The comments lit up with delight and a dash of identity crisis. One reader confessed, “I don’t know why this is on Hacker News,” then immediately called it a great read. Another casually announced they drive past Richard II’s first burial site, prompting half the thread to plan tomb tours. A fan cheered that this gem arrived “nestled among” talk of forking code, inspiring a wave of BBC Richard II rewatches and The Rest Is History binge lists. The only debate? Whether history belongs on a tech site. Verdict from the crowd: yes—especially when the drama includes thrones, rivals, and wills with more plot than most startups
Key Points
- •14th‑century English royal wills were formal, formulaic, and excluded the crown, focusing on burial and intercessory provisions.
- •On 7 June 1376, the Black Prince detailed his tomb, inscriptions, funeral, and gifts in a precise will, exemplifying standard practice.
- •Edward III briefly attempted a legal entail to direct succession in late 1376/early 1377, but it was soon abandoned.
- •The wills of Richard II and Henry IV were atypical and differed markedly, offering insight into their contrasting psychologies.
- •Richard II’s early kingship and belief in divinely sanctioned authority led to conflict in 1387–88 with five leading nobles.