Henry IV, Part 2 - William Shakespeare - In the first years of the 15th century, England is in the middle of a civil war. Powerful rebels have assembled against King Henry IV in an attempt to overthrow him. They have just suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Shrewsbury, but several rebel leaders—including the Archbishop of York, Lord Mowbray, and Lord Hastings—remain alive and continue to wage war against the king. King Henry, aging prematurely because of his anxiety over the war and over his oldest son, Prince Hal, has recently become very ill.