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The legacy of the Border wars of the 14th-16th centuries has resulted in Northumberland having more castles than any other English county. Standing on a hill and dominating the village of Warkworth, the dramatic ruins of Warkworth Castle provide an image of medieval strength. Norman in origin, the castle was taken over by the Percy family (of Alnwick Castle) in 1332. Later that century, Henry Percy, the first Earl of Northumberland, allowed the castle to be the home of his eldest son, Harry Hotspur. Harry dominated the Borders in the fifteenth century with his father, the Earl of Northumberland, and fought off the Scots on behalf of the King before assisting in the removal of Richard II from the throne. The opening scene of Shakespeare's play "Henry IV" is set here.
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Western Europe
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