Henry Percy (Hotspur) - Shakespeare and Henry Percy

Shakespeare and Henry Percy

Henry Percy, 'Hotspur', is one of Shakespeare's best-known characters. In Henry IV, Part 1 Percy is portrayed as the same age as his rival, Prince Hal, by whom he is slain in single combat. In fact he was 23 years older than Prince Hal, the future King Henry V, who was a youth of 16 at the date of the Battle of Shrewsbury.