When Does "Henry VI Part 2" (1592) Take Place?
"The second Part of Henry the Sixt, with the death of the Good Duke Humfrey" (often released simply as "Henry VI Part 2") is a historical fiction stageplay written by William Shakespeare that released as early as 1592 (according to most scholars). So when is "Henry VI Part 2" set?
It takes place in the years:
We know this because act one scene one depicts the marriage between the real-world English King Henry VI (1421-1471) and the real-world English and French Queen Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482). Immediately, the Duke of Suffolk, William de la Pole (1396-1450) specifically announces, "As by your high imperial majesty / I had in charge at my depart for France, / As procurator to your excellence, / To marry Princess Margaret for your grace, / So" ... "And humbly now upon my bended knee, / In sight of England and her lordly peers, / Deliver up my title in the queen / To your most gracious hands" because . This happened on April 23rd, 1445 AD in the real world so it's certainly April of 1445 AD during the first scene.
It takes place in the years:
1445 AD - 1455 AD
We know this because act one scene one depicts the marriage between the real-world English King Henry VI (1421-1471) and the real-world English and French Queen Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482). Immediately, the Duke of Suffolk, William de la Pole (1396-1450) specifically announces, "As by your high imperial majesty / I had in charge at my depart for France, / As procurator to your excellence, / To marry Princess Margaret for your grace, / So" ... "And humbly now upon my bended knee, / In sight of England and her lordly peers, / Deliver up my title in the queen / To your most gracious hands" because . This happened on April 23rd, 1445 AD in the real world so it's certainly April of 1445 AD during the first scene.
Later, we see a fictionalized version of Jack Cade's Rebellion, which was fought from May 1450 AD to July 1450 AD. So it must be summer of 1450 AD at this point.
At the very end. Warwick? declares, "Now, by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day: /
Saint Alban's battle won" and the First Battle of St. Albans occurred on May 22nd, 1455 AD in the real world. So presumably it is May of 1455 AD during the final scene.
It is a chronologically late play in the Henriad universe (one of Shakespeare's only two series) and can be read at its timeline point after the previous play, "Henry VI Part 1" (1592).
It was partially adapted to audio-drama in 1923, then to audio-drama again in 1947, and once again in 1952 as "The Wars of the Roses", to television in 1960 as "The Fall of a Protector" and "The Rabble from Kent", for German television in 1964 as "Heinrich VI", for audio-drama again in 1971, once again as an audio-drama in 1977 as two parts: "Witchcraft" and "Jack Cade", then to television again in 1983, and, finally, to audio-drama for German radio in 1985 as "Shakespeare's Rosenkriege".
