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King Richard 111

(49 Posts)
Nelliemoser Wed 12-Sept-12 17:08:19

News update on archeological excavations of Greyfriars church site in Leicester where King Richards remains were taken after the battle of Bosworth; show a lot of evidence that this skeleton might well be that of King Richard. I find this fascinating. much of what is popularly known about King Richard comes from Shakespeares play. Unfortunately Shakespeare based his history on great deal of Tudor propaganda sources which were written to please the Tudor monarchs of the time. There is a great deal of contemporary documentation that suggests Richard was a very humane Monarch. I hope this discovery might lead to a proper view of Richards memory and acheivements.

Nelliemoser Fri 01-Feb-13 09:25:23

The results of the investigations are being revealed on Time Team Channel 4 Monday 4th 21:00-22-30. Hrs for those who are interested.
I could be tempted to miss choir but I have set up to record this.

jeni Wed 23-Jan-13 22:10:15

Someone please remind me!

Deedaa Wed 23-Jan-13 21:25:47

For anyone who is interested the results of the tests on the skeleton will be made public on February 4th on the documentary Channel 4 are making.

j07 Fri 11-Jan-13 22:47:05

and I've put that on the wrong one of the two threads. hmm

j07 Fri 11-Jan-13 22:45:52

we have actually had a thread on this (just for reference).

Another thread will be nice though. smile

goldengirl Thu 13-Sept-12 17:52:58

Is it Phillippa Gregory who's written about this period? I don't know much about this time except from historial novels but I'm finding the reality of the dig really interesting and am looking forward to the next snippet.

baNANA Thu 13-Sept-12 14:55:38

Following the two Shakespearian jokes, the best one I heard was when Millets, Stratford on Avon were having a sale and allegedly put up notices to say "Now is the winter of our discount tents!"

JO4 Thu 13-Sept-12 09:42:36

knew!!!!! not new

(No caffeine yet) (or getting flippin' old hmm)

JO4 Thu 13-Sept-12 09:41:23

I was going to ask if anyone new of a novel about him. Have just downloaded the Josephine Tey one onto my kindle. Thank you to whoever recommended it.

sounds good

Oldgreymare Thu 13-Sept-12 09:32:47

Wondering if that's the book I read years ago.
I've always been a huge Richard 111 fan and Hilary Mantel's books have reinforced my dislike of the Tudors and their desperation to hang on to power, in HenryV111's case to the extent of beheading those who did not provide a son.

Ella46 Thu 13-Sept-12 09:31:40

Nanadog
I heard on tv that the bones did show a curvature of the spine which would make his shoulders uneven.

JO4 Thu 13-Sept-12 09:28:54

Mine's better (from a Telegraph reader).

Would be more use to him now. grin

Bags Thu 13-Sept-12 09:03:18

I enjoyed Josephine Tey's book too. I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested. I think I need to read it again as it was a very long time ago when I last did.

annodomini Wed 12-Sept-12 23:11:39

Can't claim credit for this - as the bones are in a car park: 'A Porsche, a Porsche, my kingdom for a Porsche'. (Radio 5 Live while I was just beginning to wake up this morning)

Nelliemoser Wed 12-Sept-12 22:53:53

granjura and kittylester
I was born in Leicester and somehow I remember King Richard 111 being almost celebrated there. There is a statue (somewhere) and a King Richards Road. I remember my Grandma (born 1890) telling me in the mid1950s about the history of King Richards body being brought back into the town over the back of his horse. She was no scholar so I assume she learnt that at elementary school. Did you pick any of this Richard 111 pride up?

I assume it was the routed Yorkist supporters that retrieved the body or it would probably have ended up being desecrated. I think Leicester was something of a stronghold for Richard and the Yorkists.

My history learning at school stopped at the 3rd year of secondary school but I did have a taste for historical novels about the Plantagenets. No time for the usurping Tudors at all. I also read Josephine Tey "Daughter of Time"
These finds have really set me off though.

glassortwo Wed 12-Sept-12 22:39:10

grin

POGS Wed 12-Sept-12 22:37:53

Good one 'Me duck' as we say in Leics. smile

Anagram Wed 12-Sept-12 22:36:20

That's witty! grin

JO4 Wed 12-Sept-12 22:34:26

Someone on the Telegraph webpage, in the comments bit at the end of the item, said (about what to do with his bones now) "a hearse, a hearse, my kingdom for a hearse!" grin

POGS Wed 12-Sept-12 22:32:01

JO4 Glad you found it interesting.

He certainly had the hump on the back of the horse bmm bmm.

Nanadogsbody Wed 12-Sept-12 22:26:33

Richard the Third did not have a hump or spinal curvature that was a myth put about by his enemies and perpetrated by Shakespeare, so I've been led to believe. Henry the Seventh another suspect in the murder of the princes.

JO4 Wed 12-Sept-12 21:55:13

"After the battle Richard's body was thrown naked across a horse and taken to Leicester where it was on public display for two days before being taken to Greyfriars for interment at the Church of St Mary in the city." (from the Stoke Golding history page)

That's why they took him back kitty. Mean wasn't it! hmm

JO4 Wed 12-Sept-12 21:53:55

really interesting

POGS Wed 12-Sept-12 21:35:56

Just to throw a little history into the mix for anybody interested.

Look up STOKE GOLDING HISTORY.

Stoke Golding is a village just outside Market Bosworth. It has the road signs 'Home of the Tudor Dynasty'. That is because Henry Tudor was 'crowned' in the village but history books rarely mention this as a fact.Just recently Stoke Golding has been mentioned on t.v. as they now believe the battle was nearer there than Bosworth but so much has been invested in Bosworth as the battle place, which it no doubt did also have.

Sadly Crown Hill now has a small housing estate on it much to the shame of the council.

JO4 Wed 12-Sept-12 21:16:32

medieval

where did that a come from!