History often has a way of calling into
question the character of certain famous and powerful people. This is a
phenomenon that continues to this day. This is where stereotypes are often born
and perpetuated by the masses. These perceptions can often be misleading and
can do harm to people's reputations. It is even worse when the person whose
character is called into question is no longer around to defend themselves or
attempt to create a different perception for all to see.
These types of perceptions are greatly
enhanced with media. If there is a movie about someone that the director
doesn't particularly like or agree with, that movie becomes the political
platform for the director to taint the image of his selected subject. News
often does this, and depending on whether it is liberally or conservatively
skewed can make a big difference for the formulation of perception within the
masses.
This is not a new construct however, and
is not limited to the invention of radio or television. This type of utilization
to reach the masses goes back to the advent of the written word. We've seen
examples of this throughout the ages, such as new pharaoh's of Egypt erasing
all traces of their predecessors or making wild accusations that may be
unfounded.
But let's fast-forward from ancient Egypt
to approximately 1452. The subject of this era in the late 15th century is none
other than Richard III.
Richard III was born on October 2nd,
1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in England. His parents were the 3rd
Duke of York, Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville. Out of thirteen children
born to Richard and Cecily, Richard III was number twelve.
Richard III was born during the “Wars of the Roses”, which was a highly unstable political time spanning nearly forty years, and had such tumultuous times that there were civil wars between supporters of Richard III father, who was potentially in line to claim the throne from King Henry VI, and those who still supported the continued reign of King Henry VI.
Supporters of Richard III father were called “Yorkists”, and those loyal to King Henry VI were called “Lancastrians”. Due to all the tumult, the entire family of Richard III, including all of his mother’s Neville relatives found it necessary for their survival to leave Ludlow in 1459. To further protect the line of succession, Richard III and his older brother George were sent to live with the Duchess of Buckingham and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Richard III was born during the “Wars of the Roses”, which was a highly unstable political time spanning nearly forty years, and had such tumultuous times that there were civil wars between supporters of Richard III father, who was potentially in line to claim the throne from King Henry VI, and those who still supported the continued reign of King Henry VI.
Supporters of Richard III father were called “Yorkists”, and those loyal to King Henry VI were called “Lancastrians”. Due to all the tumult, the entire family of Richard III, including all of his mother’s Neville relatives found it necessary for their survival to leave Ludlow in 1459. To further protect the line of succession, Richard III and his older brother George were sent to live with the Duchess of Buckingham and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
There was a massive battle on December 30th,
1460 called the “Battle of Wakefield” in which Richard III oldest brother
Edmund was killed, as well as Richard III father. Finding it now more ominous,
the Duchess of York, Richard III mother sent George and Richard III (who was
only eight-years-old at the time) to live in the “Low Countries”, what today would
be known as the Netherlands and Belgium.
Eventually, as the wars continued to rage
in pursuit of ultimate power, the “Lancastrians” were vanquished in the “Battle
of Towton” and Richard III and his brother, George, were able to leave the “Low
Countries” and return to England as it was now safer for them.
Soon, in June of 1461, Richard III older brother, Edward, was crowned King Edward IV and Richard III gained a new station as Duke of Gloucester and was also inducted into two Knightly factions know as, “Knights of the Garter” and “Knights of the Bath”.
After Richard III and George’s now oldest brother was crowned King Edward IV, Richard III spent a great deal of time at Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, Yorkshire. Here he was a student of his cousin, the 16th Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville. His schooling under Richard Neville included rigorous training as a Knight and King Edward IV was supporting his education financially in the sum of £1,000.
At this time, it is suspected that Richard Neville was seeing more status for himself through promising his two daughters, Isabel and Anne Neville to George and Richard III respectively. During this time, there was a strain on the relationship between King Edward IV and Richard Neville due in large part to King Edward IV not approving of the union between Richard III to Anne Neville as his brother George was already married to Isabel Neville, and the King hadn’t given his permission for Richard III and Anne to wed.
Relationships continued to deteriorate and eventually Richard III older brother George sided with Richard Neville, while Richard III stayed loyal with King Edward IV.
Soon, in June of 1461, Richard III older brother, Edward, was crowned King Edward IV and Richard III gained a new station as Duke of Gloucester and was also inducted into two Knightly factions know as, “Knights of the Garter” and “Knights of the Bath”.
After Richard III and George’s now oldest brother was crowned King Edward IV, Richard III spent a great deal of time at Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, Yorkshire. Here he was a student of his cousin, the 16th Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville. His schooling under Richard Neville included rigorous training as a Knight and King Edward IV was supporting his education financially in the sum of £1,000.
At this time, it is suspected that Richard Neville was seeing more status for himself through promising his two daughters, Isabel and Anne Neville to George and Richard III respectively. During this time, there was a strain on the relationship between King Edward IV and Richard Neville due in large part to King Edward IV not approving of the union between Richard III to Anne Neville as his brother George was already married to Isabel Neville, and the King hadn’t given his permission for Richard III and Anne to wed.
Relationships continued to deteriorate and eventually Richard III older brother George sided with Richard Neville, while Richard III stayed loyal with King Edward IV.
Richard III was again forced to run for
his life, this time with his brother King Edward IV. For the second time in his
short life, Richard III found himself again in the “Low Countries”. At
eighteen-years-old, Richard III took up the mantle of warrior and leader in the
battles of Barnet and Twekesbury, which he prevailed and was crucial in getting
King Edward IV back to his throne in 1471.
It is worth noting for anyone who has suffered from back pain or scoliosis, that Richard III developed idiopathic scoliosis during adolescence so severe that it caused a deformity massive enough that regular clothing couldn’t hide it. He won decisive battles in spite of the pain he must have endured.
It is worth noting for anyone who has suffered from back pain or scoliosis, that Richard III developed idiopathic scoliosis during adolescence so severe that it caused a deformity massive enough that regular clothing couldn’t hide it. He won decisive battles in spite of the pain he must have endured.
Richard III was able to finally marry Anne
Neville after her father was killed in the battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471,
and her previous husband, Edward of Westminster (who incidentally was the only
son of the vanquished King Henry VI) died in the battle of Tewkesbury on May 4,
1471. At this time Richard III and King Edward IV were still in conflict with
their brother, George, but having no more powerful allies, George begrudgingly acquiesced.
Eventually, the relationship between George and King Edward IV deteriorated so much and George was going against any and all wishes of King Edward IV, that he was eventually convicted of treason and executed without Richard III involvement.
Eventually, the relationship between George and King Edward IV deteriorated so much and George was going against any and all wishes of King Edward IV, that he was eventually convicted of treason and executed without Richard III involvement.
Richard III continued to remain in the
good graces of King Edward IV which afforded him many prestigious positions
including; Constable of Gloucester and Carfe Castles; Admiral of England,
Ireland and Aquitaine; Governor of the North (which garnered him the reputation
as the wealthiest and most powerful nobleman); Constable of England; Chief
Justice of North Wales; Chief Steward and Chamberlain of Wales; Great
Chamberlain and Lord High Admiral of England; High Sheriff of Cumberland for
life; Lieutenant of the North and Commander-in-Chief against the Scots.
On July 14, 1471, Richard III power was increased even more and he was granted the Lordships of the Strongholds Sheriff Hutton and Middleham in Yorkshire and Penrith in Cumberland which originally belonged to the 16th Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville.
On July 14, 1471, Richard III power was increased even more and he was granted the Lordships of the Strongholds Sheriff Hutton and Middleham in Yorkshire and Penrith in Cumberland which originally belonged to the 16th Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville.
Richard III continued in his role as
Leader of the North all through the rest of King Edward IV life until King Edward IV death
on April 9th, 1483. After King Edward IV died, the throne went to
his twelve-year-old son, Edward V. It was at this time that Richard III was
named Lord Protector of the Realm which prompted him to put up resistance to
any attempt by the Queen to wield any power or usurp it from her son, the newly
crowned King Edward V.
Sometime after King Edward V was crowned,
a clergyman approached Richard III with some fairly startling and life-changing
information. Richard III was told that the marriage between King Edward IV to
Elizabeth Woodville was not binding due to King Edward IV previous marriage to
Eleanor Butler.
This effectively made King Edward V and his siblings illegitimate heirs and he was found not worthy of the throne. On June 22nd, 1483, it was decided by noble and common citizens that King Edward V be removed from the throne and on June 26th, 1483, Richard III accepted the petition and his place as the next King of England. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey on July 6th, 1483 and was confirmed officially in the document “Titulus Regius” in January of 1484.
This effectively made King Edward V and his siblings illegitimate heirs and he was found not worthy of the throne. On June 22nd, 1483, it was decided by noble and common citizens that King Edward V be removed from the throne and on June 26th, 1483, Richard III accepted the petition and his place as the next King of England. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey on July 6th, 1483 and was confirmed officially in the document “Titulus Regius” in January of 1484.
On August 22nd, 1485, Richard
III went into battle against a rebelling army led by Henry Tudor, but was unfortunately
gravely outnumbered. He led a brave charge, hoping to go right to the heart of
Henry Tudor, but was eventually surrounded by Sir William Stanley’s men. The death
blow to Richard III was delivered by a weapon called a “halberd” and was used
with such force that it drove Richard III helmet into his skull.
He was buried unceremoniously and in an unmarked grave soon after and wasn’t again discovered until 2013 when a parking lot was excavated in England. The autopsy did show that part of the rear of Richard III skull had been sheared away by a blade of some sort. Richard III was the last English King to perish in battle. Richard III death marked the end of the Plantagenet Dynasty that stared in 1154 with King Henry II. Henry Tudor went on to be crowned King Henry VII.
He was buried unceremoniously and in an unmarked grave soon after and wasn’t again discovered until 2013 when a parking lot was excavated in England. The autopsy did show that part of the rear of Richard III skull had been sheared away by a blade of some sort. Richard III was the last English King to perish in battle. Richard III death marked the end of the Plantagenet Dynasty that stared in 1154 with King Henry II. Henry Tudor went on to be crowned King Henry VII.
After Richard III death, the perception of
him started to change from that of benevolent King and leader of men to that of
a tortured soul, with a twisted mind, in a deformed body, doing whatever was
necessary including cruelty and murder to get to the throne. This of course
started to be perpetuated by the newly crowned King Henry VII.
This is where media started to play a huge role. In approximately 1592 there was a prolific artist named William Shakespeare. Likely everyone in Western Civilization knows of Shakespeare to some degree. Shakespeare was almost as famous then as he is now. His words were heard and seen all through Europe and he was one who could sway perception if he so chose to do, and he may have chosen to do just that with his subject at the time, Richard III.
Shakespeare, through his masterful use of prose, painted a picture of how Richard III rose to power in a Machiavellian way. Richard III is portrayed as monstrous and murderous in a way to claim the thrown from his nephew, King Edward V after King Edward IV died, supposedly at the hands of Richard III. Therein lies the mystery. Was this actually the true character of Richard III, or was his true character much different?
This is where media started to play a huge role. In approximately 1592 there was a prolific artist named William Shakespeare. Likely everyone in Western Civilization knows of Shakespeare to some degree. Shakespeare was almost as famous then as he is now. His words were heard and seen all through Europe and he was one who could sway perception if he so chose to do, and he may have chosen to do just that with his subject at the time, Richard III.
Shakespeare, through his masterful use of prose, painted a picture of how Richard III rose to power in a Machiavellian way. Richard III is portrayed as monstrous and murderous in a way to claim the thrown from his nephew, King Edward V after King Edward IV died, supposedly at the hands of Richard III. Therein lies the mystery. Was this actually the true character of Richard III, or was his true character much different?
It is thanks to people such as “The
Richard III Society” that have dedicated themselves to cleaning Richard III
reputation that perceptions can finally start to shift. For centuries, Richard
III has been portrayed as bloodthirsty and evil, but since 1924 when “The Richard
III Society” was founded, this has slowly started to mend and he can join the
annals of history more likely who he was, rather than a murderous, power-hungry
freak. This just goes to show how powerful words can be and as you have seen,
it created another one of History’s Mysteries
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