Here we go... HERE WE GO! One of the big ones.....
Today's monarch of England is a legend in and of himself. The reviled, the mysterious, the often misunderstood Richard III!
- Spent most of his childhood on the run from Lancastrian forces. He was educated by Robert "The Kingmaker" Neville, and by all accounts was a cheery, bright boy.
- Was not a grotesque hunchback. (Shakespeare was a liar, among other things,) Though he did have scoliosis, he did not have a hunchback. His arms were fine, he wasn't particularly ugly. His scoliosis didn't seem to bother him overmuch. He received knightly training as a child, and was reported to have done fairly well in his martial classes.
- Married one of Robert Neville's daughters, Anne Neville. This of course led to problems later in life when Robert fell out of favor. (Anne had originally been betrothed to Edward, son of Henry VI, but he died in battle.)
- George, his older brother, was engaged to Anne's sister, but he did not want to marry her. He wanted a woman who was well off, and the Neville daughters still had their mother to care for. (Who would actually outlive them.) This meant they only had a 50/50 share of an estate that MIGHT be theirs. George wasn't keen, but eventually acquiesced.
- Stayed loyal to Edward IV, even when George turned traitor. There is no evidence to support the claim that Richard was anything less than loyal to his family. Richard also does not seem to have been involved in George's eventual drowning, either. (More Shakespeare lies)
- When he and Edward were forced to flee Margaret's forces, it is said that they had no money with them. Edward traded his fur cloak, and Richard borrowed 3 pounds from a local sheriff, which he later repaid with a sizable gift on the side.
- Was Edward's closest lieutenant on his march to regain the throne. He and his household were known to be in the thick of the fighting at many of the battles.
- Under Edward IV, he was sent on campaign to France. Richard disapproved of Edward and other nobles making a profit from money given to them by parliament, and refused to join negotiations during the surrender. Thus, he received nothing for his efforts.
- Frustrated, he returned to York, where he ruled for some years and was "well thought of." He kept the Scots at bay, even retaking the lost city of Berwick.
- When Edward died, the Rivers family attempted to seize the prince for themselves. Richard, thinking fast, had the key members of the plot executed and took over his position as protector legally. (Not illegally, as Shakespeare and Thomas More would later claim.)
- Was told by the Bishop of Bath of the shady marriages of Edward IV. This threw the legitimacy of the princes into question, and Richard "reluctantly" took the throne.
- Took the throne under less than auspicious circumstances. His older brothers were dead, Edward from sickness, Edmund in battle, George from being drowned in a butt of Malmsy wine.... only his nephews stood between him and the throne. The fact that the nephews were illegitimate did not convince many.... and when the princes went missing, Richard was left looking like a child murderer. (Though that's still debated among historians.)
- The Woodville, Stafford, and Beaufort families all rebelled against Richard III, claiming corruption and murder most foul. At first, they fought to depose Richard and put Edward V on the throne... but as it became more clear that Edward V was dead, they threw their lot in with the last remaining male in the whole family: young Henry Tudor, now a man living in France.
- Though Tudor was technically ineligible, because his mother was a Beaufort, his father was "sort of" a York... through a marriage... and a woman... and an act of parliament... well, Edmund wasn't REALLY a York, but young Henry was sort of related to them. The fact that he had blood from both Lancaster and Yorks made him an ideal candidate to bury the hatchet, so to speak, once and for all. Henry "reluctantly" entered into war to claim the throne... when I say "reluctantly," I mean, "With gusto."
- On a steamy day in August of 1485, Richard rode out with his army to meet the army of Henry Tudor, at a place called "Bosworth Field."
- early in the battle, Richard's dear friend, Duke of Norfolk, was cut down. Soon after, The Stanley family betrayed Richard and turned against him. In desperation, Richard led a cavalry charge into the midst of the enemy command.
- This did not go well for Richard. Although he dehorsed a local jousting champion and fought well, he was struck in the back of the head with a polearm, dehorsed, and cut down like a dog. (Over 11 wounds to the body, including 8 to the head.) He was the last English monarch to die in battle.
- He was stripped nude, mocked, and then buried in a local monastery graveyard. There, his body would remain uncared for, and eventually lost to time. It was recently recovered under a parking lot.
- Richard's only legitimate son had died young. Not that it mattered much, Henry Tudor took over, claimed that he had been the legitimate king, and Richard a vile usurper, and claimed the throne for the Tudor family. Richard III had only ruled for 2 years.
- The Plantagenet family, started by William the Conqueror, was dead. The future now laid on Henry VII... but he had two strapping young sons, Arthur and Henry.... surely his line would be strong and secure, right?
Today's monarch of England is a legend in and of himself. The reviled, the mysterious, the often misunderstood Richard III!
- Spent most of his childhood on the run from Lancastrian forces. He was educated by Robert "The Kingmaker" Neville, and by all accounts was a cheery, bright boy.
- Was not a grotesque hunchback. (Shakespeare was a liar, among other things,) Though he did have scoliosis, he did not have a hunchback. His arms were fine, he wasn't particularly ugly. His scoliosis didn't seem to bother him overmuch. He received knightly training as a child, and was reported to have done fairly well in his martial classes.
- Married one of Robert Neville's daughters, Anne Neville. This of course led to problems later in life when Robert fell out of favor. (Anne had originally been betrothed to Edward, son of Henry VI, but he died in battle.)
- George, his older brother, was engaged to Anne's sister, but he did not want to marry her. He wanted a woman who was well off, and the Neville daughters still had their mother to care for. (Who would actually outlive them.) This meant they only had a 50/50 share of an estate that MIGHT be theirs. George wasn't keen, but eventually acquiesced.
- Stayed loyal to Edward IV, even when George turned traitor. There is no evidence to support the claim that Richard was anything less than loyal to his family. Richard also does not seem to have been involved in George's eventual drowning, either. (More Shakespeare lies)
- When he and Edward were forced to flee Margaret's forces, it is said that they had no money with them. Edward traded his fur cloak, and Richard borrowed 3 pounds from a local sheriff, which he later repaid with a sizable gift on the side.
- Was Edward's closest lieutenant on his march to regain the throne. He and his household were known to be in the thick of the fighting at many of the battles.
- Under Edward IV, he was sent on campaign to France. Richard disapproved of Edward and other nobles making a profit from money given to them by parliament, and refused to join negotiations during the surrender. Thus, he received nothing for his efforts.
- Frustrated, he returned to York, where he ruled for some years and was "well thought of." He kept the Scots at bay, even retaking the lost city of Berwick.
- When Edward died, the Rivers family attempted to seize the prince for themselves. Richard, thinking fast, had the key members of the plot executed and took over his position as protector legally. (Not illegally, as Shakespeare and Thomas More would later claim.)
- Was told by the Bishop of Bath of the shady marriages of Edward IV. This threw the legitimacy of the princes into question, and Richard "reluctantly" took the throne.
- Took the throne under less than auspicious circumstances. His older brothers were dead, Edward from sickness, Edmund in battle, George from being drowned in a butt of Malmsy wine.... only his nephews stood between him and the throne. The fact that the nephews were illegitimate did not convince many.... and when the princes went missing, Richard was left looking like a child murderer. (Though that's still debated among historians.)
- The Woodville, Stafford, and Beaufort families all rebelled against Richard III, claiming corruption and murder most foul. At first, they fought to depose Richard and put Edward V on the throne... but as it became more clear that Edward V was dead, they threw their lot in with the last remaining male in the whole family: young Henry Tudor, now a man living in France.
- Though Tudor was technically ineligible, because his mother was a Beaufort, his father was "sort of" a York... through a marriage... and a woman... and an act of parliament... well, Edmund wasn't REALLY a York, but young Henry was sort of related to them. The fact that he had blood from both Lancaster and Yorks made him an ideal candidate to bury the hatchet, so to speak, once and for all. Henry "reluctantly" entered into war to claim the throne... when I say "reluctantly," I mean, "With gusto."
- On a steamy day in August of 1485, Richard rode out with his army to meet the army of Henry Tudor, at a place called "Bosworth Field."
- early in the battle, Richard's dear friend, Duke of Norfolk, was cut down. Soon after, The Stanley family betrayed Richard and turned against him. In desperation, Richard led a cavalry charge into the midst of the enemy command.
- This did not go well for Richard. Although he dehorsed a local jousting champion and fought well, he was struck in the back of the head with a polearm, dehorsed, and cut down like a dog. (Over 11 wounds to the body, including 8 to the head.) He was the last English monarch to die in battle.
- He was stripped nude, mocked, and then buried in a local monastery graveyard. There, his body would remain uncared for, and eventually lost to time. It was recently recovered under a parking lot.
- Richard's only legitimate son had died young. Not that it mattered much, Henry Tudor took over, claimed that he had been the legitimate king, and Richard a vile usurper, and claimed the throne for the Tudor family. Richard III had only ruled for 2 years.
- The Plantagenet family, started by William the Conqueror, was dead. The future now laid on Henry VII... but he had two strapping young sons, Arthur and Henry.... surely his line would be strong and secure, right?