Richard III King of England
Considered as the thirteenth and the last King of the Royal house of Plantagenet to be killed in a war, Richard III exercised his sovereign power only for almost two years until his death on the Bosworth hostile encounter in 1485. He was born on 2nd of October 1452 in Northamptonshire, at Fotheringay Castle, to parents Richard (Duke of York) and Cecily Neville. Being the fourth son and last to remain alive he was born at the time of War of the Roses, transferring from one safe location to another together with his older brother George, as the position in life of their father changes.
It was quite common procedure in Royal history that the education of the sons of Kings was carried out in the house of members of the noble class.
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Richard's studies were trusted to the Kingmaker, Richard Neville, and he expended several years at the Castle of Middleham studying arts, literature, combat, tournament and hunting. Also, a mounted soldier, named Francis Lovell, was expected to withstand with Richard in the future, as well as with Anne and Isabel, daughters of the Kingmaker. It was already arranged for these daughters to marry Richard and George in order for them to become Queen of England. Richard's father died at war in Wakefield in 1461.
Many reports were written that Shakespeare represented Richard in words as a hunchback. The truth is, pictures were over painted and that they made him look that way.
Richard did not kill his brother George (Duke of Clarence), it was primarily a secret legal punishment capably carried out on the order of their brother, Edward IV. Richard was at the territory, where he exercised power and ruled on behalf of his brother, the King, when George's death occurred, gaining a favorable reputation as an able in-charge leader of York during the War of the Roses. The suspicious deaths of Richard's son and wife were both caused by illness and disease.
The death of Edward IV spurred Richard into opposing his brother's Queen, Elizabeth Woodville, whose son was heir to the throne but too young to take it. Following the death King Edward IV, his aim and wish Richard was proclaimed as the Lord Defender of the new King, Edward V. Richard accomplished the plan to put the young Edward V into prison at the Tower of London and he was never seen again.
On the order of Henry Tudor, Richard was announced as King. The legislative assembly formally requested him to take the sovereign throne after the disclosure of the early contract of marriage, which proclaimed the prince unlawful and unable to take the position, as well as the banishment of the Titulus Regis. On July 6, 1483, he was crowned as King Richard III, popular due to establishing many legal reformations as well as the money given as surety system, which we have imitated today. Richard standardised many authoritative measures over the kingdom, abolished charitable institutions and founded English as the official dialect of law so that all people would understand everything he said. He also endowed many schools and colleges and was described as intensely showing a dutiful spirit of reverence of God to fulfill religious obligations.
The disappearance of the two princes, thought to have been killed by Richard III, was widely gossiped about throughout the kingdom without confirmation, which continues as his reputation to this day. But, the murdering can be attributed to the Duke of Buckingham, Henry, who became traitor to Richard and was executed after a series of failures. Bosworth Battle was a calamitous event when Buckingham quickly fell. The remaining supporters destroyed Richard's sovereignty and ruling power, giving way and bearing to other aristocracy and high status people. In spite of his superiority, some of Richard's men and lieutenants were defeated and defected. On August 11, 1485, Richard was killed on Bosworth battlefield, fighting against the armed forces of the Earl of Richmond, Henry Tudor, who automatically over took the throne as Henry VII.
For many centuries Richard III was perceived as the immoral Crouchback, an offensive, harmful and malicious ruler as described by many members of Richard's opposition. Today, many loyal Ricardians are trying to work to build and restore his publicly recognised name but the old preferences and view is that he was the one responsible for murdering and taking the position of his nephews on the noble line. Historians and writers have come to the conclusion that Richard III was unkind during his reign, based on clearly existing conditions and group of proofs; Shakespeare dramatically represents him as a complete monstrous creature in his play. One thing is for sure, Richard's frustrations and stopping of the Wars of the Roses gave way to the establishment England required to cure, bring together, and push through into the modern era.
Original Authors: Phil Post
Edit Update Authors: Nicola Norfolk
Updated On: 07/02/2007
