Richard III of England

Richard III earliest surviving portrait

Richard III of England (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death in 1485, at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at Bosworth Field, the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, marked the end of the Middle Ages in England. Richard was the youngest son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and his wife Cecily Neville. He was the uncle of Edward V of England and, following the death of his brother Edward IV of England, declared himself king, sidelining Edward IV's sons.

Early Life

Richard was born at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, where he spent much of his childhood. In 1461, his brother Edward defeated the Lancastrian faction in the Wars of the Roses and became King Edward IV. During Edward's reign, Richard demonstrated his loyalty and military capabilities, which led to his appointment as the Duke of Gloucester. He played a significant role in the Yorkist victories at the Battle of Barnet and the Battle of Tewkesbury, which solidified Edward IV's reign.

Ascension to the Throne

Upon Edward IV's death in April 1483, his 12-year-old son ascended to the throne as Edward V. Richard was named Lord Protector but quickly moved to consolidate power. In June 1483, he declared Edward V's reign illegitimate, claiming that Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid. This declaration made Edward V and his siblings illegitimate and paved the way for Richard to be crowned Richard III.

Reign

Richard III's reign was marked by his attempts to strengthen royal authority and improve the justice system. However, his rule was overshadowed by the disappearance of Edward V and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, known as the Princes in the Tower. Their fate remains one of the most enduring mysteries in English history and has significantly marred Richard's reputation.

Death and Legacy

Richard III died fighting against Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth Field, which led to the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. Henry Tudor ascended the throne as Henry VII of England, uniting the warring houses of York and Lancaster through his marriage to Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV.

Richard's body was buried without pomp at Greyfriars Church in Leicester. In 2012, his remains were discovered under a car park in Leicester and were reburied in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.

Richard III's reputation has been subject to significant revisionism, particularly following the efforts of the Richard III Society, which seeks to promote a more balanced view of the king. His portrayal by William Shakespeare in the play Richard III has significantly influenced the popular perception of him as a villain.

In Popular Culture

Richard III has been depicted in numerous works of literature, film, and television, often characterized by his physical deformity—a hunchback—as described by Shakespeare and other contemporary sources. However, the discovery of his remains showed that while he did have scoliosis, it was not as severe as historically dramatized.