Henry IV, Pt. 1 characters

Also known as Henry Bolingbroke

Appears from the start

The king of England, whose seizure of Richard II's crown has left him burdened by unrest and questions about the legitimacy of his rule. He hopes to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but rebellion at home demands his attention first.

Also known as Hal, Harry Monmouth

Appears from the start

The king's eldest son and heir. He spends his time in taverns with Falstaff and other disreputable companions, but privately indicates that he understands the expectations attached to his position and does not intend to neglect them forever.

Also known as Sir John Falstaff

Appears from the start

An aging knight and Prince Hal's closest tavern companion. Large, boastful, inventive, and habitually short of money, he treats theft and deception as occasions for entertainment while relying on Hal's affection and royal prospects.

Also known as Harry Percy

Appears from the start

The king's celebrated young northern commander, known for courage, impatience, and an intense concern for honor. His refusal to surrender valuable prisoners deepens a dispute between the crown and the Percy family.

Also known as Thomas Percy

Appears from the start

Hotspur's uncle and a skilled political organizer. He believes King Henry has forgotten the Percy family's help in gaining the throne and encourages coordinated resistance to the crown.

Also known as Henry Percy

Appears from the start

Hotspur's father and the head of the powerful Percy family. Once an important supporter of Henry Bolingbroke, he now joins his relatives in challenging the king they helped place on the throne.

Appears from the start

Prince Hal's quick-minded companion, less credulous than Falstaff and willing to make Falstaff himself the object of a joke. He devises a plan in which Hal and he will rob the robbers after the Gadshill theft.

Also known as Lady Percy, Kate

First appears in chapter 2

Hotspur's wife. Affectionate and direct, she recognizes that her husband's sleeplessness and secrecy signal political danger and presses him to trust her with his plans.

Also known as Dame Quickly

First appears in chapter 2

The hostess of the Boar's Head tavern in Eastcheap, where Hal and Falstaff gather. She tries to collect Falstaff's unpaid debts but is easily drawn into his arguments and evasions.

First appears in chapter 3

A Welsh ruler, warrior, and ally of the Percys who holds Mortimer captive and then connects his family to the rebel cause. Proud of his learning and supernatural reputation, he clashes with Hotspur's impatience during their planning.

Also known as Edmund Mortimer

First appears in chapter 3

A claimant with a strong hereditary connection to the English crown and the brother of Hotspur's wife. Captured while fighting Glendower, he has married his captor's daughter and joins the alliance against Henry.

Also known as Prince John

First appears in chapter 3

King Henry's younger son, who enters military service against the rebellion. His seriousness and readiness for battle contrast with the public reputation of his older brother Hal.

Also known as Archibald Douglas

First appears in chapter 4

A formidable Scottish nobleman allied with Hotspur. His arrival strengthens the rebel army, and his battlefield courage makes him one of the royal side's most dangerous opponents.

Also known as Sir Walter Blunt

Appears from the start

A loyal knight serving King Henry as soldier and messenger. He brings the court a detailed report of Hotspur's victory over the Scots, helping establish both the northern danger and Hotspur's military reputation.