Northumberland is an important character, but we do not see much of him in this play. The most important thing to know about him is that he was instrumental in helping Henry secure the crown, but he feels as though Henry no longer appreciates him now that he has attained the powers of kingship. Ultimately, his grievances are borne out of his desire for power, but his role in the text also forces us to question notions of loyalty and allegiance. In a few short years, Northumberland has switched from ‘loyally’ supporting Richard II to ‘loyally’ supporting Henry IV to ‘loyally’ supporting his son and other rebels against Henry. But each time, his loyalty has been dubious. Even when Hotspur is the one leading the charge, Northumberland is suspiciously absent from the Battle of Shrewsbury, though he maintains his excuse of having been “sick” into Part 2. He will later mourn his son’s death, but he also neglected to give him the support of his troops when they were needed, perhaps seeking to mitigate the damage as he knew his son was too flawed a man to effectively mount a rebellion in the current political climate.
