# King Henry VI — Henry VI, Part II character guide > King Henry VI in Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Henry, Henry the Fifth, noble Henry, Henry king **First appearance:** 0000-henry-vi-part-ii ## Snapshot A gentle, bookish king who would rather pray for peace than rule, Henry watches his nobles tear England apart while he blesses them all. ## Who they are Henry VI sits at the head of a court already split into armed camps, greeting his new queen with a kiss while his uncles read out the treaty that surrenders Anjou and Maine. His piety and mildness, genuine virtues, make him helpless before the pride of Suffolk, the malice of Beaufort, and the quiet scheming of York. He matters because his weakness is the vacuum every ambitious lord in the play is racing to fill. ## Relationships ### [Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/humphrey_duke_of_gloucester) _professional_ Gloucester serves as the Lord Protector and loyal uncle to the king, but is increasingly undermined and isolated. ### [Queen Margaret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/queen_margaret) _romantic_ Henry is married to Margaret, but their relationship is strained by her ambition and his passive piety. ### [Jack Cade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/jack_cade) _rivalry_ Cade leads a popular rebellion against King Henry, seeking to overthrow his rule. ### [Cardinal Beaufort](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/cardinal_beaufort) _professional_ Beaufort is a powerful churchman and advisor to the king, but his counsel is often self-interested. ### [Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/humphrey_duke_of_gloucester) _professional_ Gloucester serves as the Lord Protector and loyal uncle to the king, but is increasingly undermined and isolated. ### [Jack Cade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/jack_cade) _rivalry_ Cade leads a popular rebellion against King Henry, seeking to overthrow his rule. ### [Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/humphrey_duke_of_gloucester) _professional_ Gloucester serves as the Lord Protector and loyal uncle to the king, but is increasingly undermined and isolated. ### [Queen Margaret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/queen_margaret) _romantic_ Henry is married to Margaret, but their relationship is strained by her ambition and his passive piety. ### [Cardinal Beaufort](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/cardinal_beaufort) _professional_ Beaufort is a powerful churchman and advisor to the king, but his counsel is often self-interested. ### [Queen Margaret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/queen_margaret) _romantic_ Henry is married to Margaret, but their relationship is strained by her ambition and his passive piety. ## In the story ### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i) Welcomes Queen Margaret and approves the marriage treaty, showing his passive and trusting nature. ### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii) Mentioned as the king who will go hawking at Saint Albans. ### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iii) Indifferent to the York-Somerset dispute; defers to Gloucester's judgment on the treason accusation. ### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i) Pious and peacemaking, he attempts to calm the quarreling nobles and is quick to praise God for the supposed miracle, but later orders justice against the conspirators. ### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-iii) Presides over the sentencing of Eleanor and the trial by combat, asserting his authority by taking on the role of Protector himself. ### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i) Defends Gloucester's innocence but is overwhelmed by grief and indecision, ultimately leaving the parliament to the conspirators. ### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-ii) Swoons upon learning of Gloucester's death. Initially comforted by Suffolk, then recoils in horror. Ultimately banishes Suffolk. ### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii) Visits the dying Cardinal Beaufort, prays for his soul, and urges mercy in judgment. ### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i) Mentioned as the king whose blood Suffolk claims is too noble to be shed by a commoner. ### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iv) Receives the rebels' supplication and decides to parley with Cade rather than fight. ### [Scene IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ix) Expresses his discontent with kingship and longs to be a subject; pardons the rebels; orders Somerset to the Tower to appease York. ### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i) Henry attempts to maintain order but is challenged by York's open defiance. ### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii) Flees the battlefield with Queen Margaret after York's victory. ### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-iii) Reported to have fled to London to call a parliament. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/king_henry_vi - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters