The Birth of Richard III | History Today The Birth of Richard III The last Plantagenet king was born on October 2nd, 1452 The earliest surviving portrait of Richard (c. 1520, after a lost original). Society of Antiquaries The baby was born at one of his mother’s favourite residences, Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, the fourth and youngest son of his family. His older brothers were Edward, who was ten, Edmund, nine, and George, four. Descended on both sides from Edward III, they were born into a desperately dangerous world and only the eldest would meet a natural death. The reigning king, Henry VI, was weak, inept and not quite right in the head, and Richard was still a baby when a battle at St Albans in 1455 ushered in the Wars of the Roses, thirty years of sporadic civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York which would end only with his own death in battle at Bosworth Field. He was named after his father, Richard, Duke of York, Henry VI’s challenger for the throne, and took after him physically – short and dark.

A frail baby, he perhaps had one shoulder higher than the other, but he was not hunchbacked or seriously deformed. Nor is it likely that he was two years in the womb and emerged with a full set of teeth. His mother, the pious and beautiful Cecily Neville (‘Cecylee’ she signed herself), was a grand-daughter of John of Gaunt and the aunt of Richard Neville, the ‘Kingmaker’ Earl of Warwick, England’s most powerful magnate and the powerhouse of the Yorkist cause. Richard probably spent his childhood mainly at Fotheringhay with his mother. When he was seven, in 1459, his father was driven out of England and proclaimed a traitor and outlaw. Richard and George and their mother were handed over by the triumphant Lancastrians to Cecily’s sister Anne, Duchess of Buckingham. They were probably decently treated and within a year Warwick and Richard’s brother Edward won a battle at Northampton and took the King prisoner. Richard’s father returned to England to claim the throne, but the wheel turned again and in December 1460 he was defeated and killed at Wakefield.

His severed head was stuck up on the wall of York adorned with a paper crown. Richard’s brother Edmund was caught and killed, too. Duchess Cecily sent George and Richard abroad to the Duke of Burgundy in the Netherlands. The position in England soon changed again, however, when Edward won a decisive victory at Towton in March 1461. He sent for his brothers, who arrived in London in time for the nineteen-year-old Edward’s coronation in Westminster Abbey in June. George was created Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Gloucester. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier, apparently had charge of the boys for a time, but Richard was later entrusted to the Earl of Warwick, whose lavish household was said to support 20,000 retainers. Richard would have been trained in arms, hunting and hawking, dancing and courtesy. He probably spent much of his time at Warwick’s Yorkshire castles of Middleham and Sheriff Hutton.

He must have got to know his future wife, Warwick’s younger daughter, Anne Neville (George married her sister Isabel), and he made useful friendships among leading families in the north of England, who came to consider him a northerner, not some alien from the south. He grew into a capable soldier and administrator, and he remained staunchly loyal to Edward IV, unlike his brother George and the Kingmaker, who turned against Edward in 1469 and restored Henry VI to the throne. Anne Neville was married to Henry’s teenage son, the Lancastrian Prince of Wales. Edward and Richard fled to The Hague, but they returned in 1471 and recovered control. George came back to the fold, Warwick was killed in battle, the Prince of Wales was caught and butchered, possibly by George and Richard, and King Henry was murdered in the Tower of London, allegedly by Richard or while he looked on, supervising. Richard succeeded to Warwick’s commanding position in the north and married the widowed Anne Neville after dramatically carrying her off from George’s house in London. George wanted the whole Neville inheritance for himself and according to one story he disguised Anne as a kitchen maid to hide her.

George’s treacherous intriguing persisted until in 1478 Edward sent him to the Tower where, according to tradition, he was drowned in a butt of malmsey wine. King Edward now reigned unchallenged, with Richard as his efficient lieutenant in the north. Edward’s early death in 1483, however, leaving sons of twelve and nine, pitched Richard into yet another crisis. He took the throne himself, a fatal decision which would bring him the most evil reputation in English history. He was widely believed to have murdered his two nephews in the Tower and when Anne died he had publicly to deny that he had poisoned her. He was thirty-two when he was killed at Bosworth in 1485. Who was Richard III - Last Plantagenet King to die in battle -Timeline - University of Leicester Who was Richard III? A Plantagenet primer on the last English king to die in battle. Although he only ruled for two years – from 1483 to 1485 – Richard III stands out among his peers as one of the most famous (or infamous) Kings of England. But who was he? And why does he continue to inspire such interest?

Richard was born in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire on 2 October 1452 – about 30 miles (50km) from Leicester and only about 40 miles (65km - two days’ ride) from Bosworth where he met his end a third of a century later. Richard and his older brother Edward were the great-great-grandchildren of Edward III, a line of descent which was used to justify the claim to the throne by the House of York during the Wars of the Roses (the House of Lancaster was also descended from Edward III, via a different route). The Princes in the Tower The Princes in the Tower The Two Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower, 1483 by Sir John Everett Millais, 1878. Edward ruled as King Edward IV from 1461 until 1470 and again from 1471 until his death in 1483, when his 12-year-old son succeeded as Edward V, with Richard named Lord Protector.

Young Edward and his brother moved into the Tower of London (which was then a royal palace, not a prison) but in June their parents’ marriage was declared invalid, making the princes illegitimate and hence their uncle became the heir apparent. Richard lost no time in being crowned King Richard III and the two boys were not seen again. Thus began the legend of ‘the Princes in the Tower’ and a long-standing popular belief that Richard had his nephews murdered in order to remove any competing claim to the throne. This has been widely debated for many years, with passionate arguments made both for and against Richard. Death and disappearance After defeating an unsuccessful rebellion in October 1483, Richard led his army to Bosworth in Leicestershire two years later to face Henry Tudor (whose somewhat tenuous claim to the throne was also through descent from Edward III). On 22 August 1485, Richard was killed at Bosworth Field, the last English King to die in battle, thereby bringing to an end both the Plantagenet dynasty and the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor was crowned King Henry VII.

Richard’s body was brought back to Leicester, publicly displayed and then given for burial to a group of Franciscan friars. An alabaster tomb monument was constructed over the grave in 1495, paid for by the new King. With the dissolution of the monasteries (by Henry Tudor’s son, Henry VIII) that friary disappeared and along with it any clear record of Richard’s grave. Stories and rumours about where Richard’s mortal remains lie – or what happened to them – have circulated over the ensuing centuries, but most of these have subsequently been shown to be tall tales. Re-evaluating Richard Portrait of Richard III of England, painted c. 1520 (approximate date from tree-rings on panel), after a lost original, for the Paston family, now owned by the Society of Antiquaries, London. History, they say, is written by the victors. Tudor writers and artists had no qualms about depicting Richard III as an evil tyrant and child-murderer, as well as a crippled hunchback.

Shakespeare’s eponymous play, written 106 years after Richard’s death, cemented the King’s bad reputation (and appearance) among the general public for centuries, although scholars including Francis Bacon and Horace Walpole sought to re-evaluate his reign. In 1924 the Richard III Society was founded, aiming to challenge accepted beliefs and assumptions about ‘the last Plantagenet’, not least the accusation of murder and the popular depiction of Richard as having a crooked spine. Among the inarguably good works of this popular King, they pointed out, were a number of significant changes to English law, including the presumption of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ and a reformation of the jury system. With a controversial claim to the throne, accusations of blood on his hands, a violent and gory death, and a bad press (largely derived from a classic of English literature) – not forgetting serious debate about his physical appearance – it is no wonder that Richard III continues to fascinate historians, scholars and the public in the 21st century.

Timeline Fotheringhay Castle soil to be buried with Richard III - BBC News BBC News Fotheringhay Castle soil to be buried with Richard III 20 March 2015 Close share panel Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Richard III, whose remains were found in a car park, will be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral Soil from the village where Richard III was born will be placed alongside his remains when he is reburied. The last Plantagenet king was born at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, and members of his family were buried at the local parish church. Soil from the castle grounds and two other sites will be laid around his coffin by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby on 26 March. Site owner John Gould said he was "delighted" to have been involved. Soil from the castle, a Yorkist palace during the 15th Century, is one of three samples from sites significant in the former king's life to be sprinkled inside the vault where his coffin will be placed. 'Brimming with history' Samples from Middleham in Yorkshire, where Richard met future wife Anne, and the site of the Battle of Bosworth, have also been collected.

Some of the soil will be blessed by Bishop of Leicester Tim Stevens at a private ceremony on Sunday and will be put into a wooden casket to be displayed at the Battle of Bosworth Field Centre. Image copyright Katie Lonslow Image caption Castle owner John Gould(left), village chair Ros Clayton, and councillor David Brackenbury with the soil sample Image copyright Philip Jeffrey/Geograph Image caption Richard III's great-uncle Edward, his parents and his brother Edmund are buried at Fotheringhay Image copyright PA / University of Leicester Image caption The former king's skeleton was placed inside a lead-lined inner casket known as an ossuary Richard's body was found buried under a car park in Leicester in 2012. Mr Gould said: "It was a unique and very interesting request to be asked to provide a sample of soil from the castle site. "I have lived in the village all my life and four generations of my family have farmed here. "We have all grown up with Fotheringhay's history and often take it for granted. We are delighted to have been involved." Village chair Ros Clayton said it was "brimming with rich history".

"The village played an instrumental role in the history of the Plantagenets and King Richard." BBC - History - King Richard III (pictures, video, facts & news) King Richard III King Richard III Richard was the last Yorkist king of England, whose death at the Battle of Bosworth effectively ended the Wars of the Roses. He has become infamous because of the disappearance of his young nephews - the Princes in the Tower - and through William Shakespeare's play 'Richard III'. In 2012, archaeologists and researchers began excavating beneath a carpark in Leicester, hoping to find Richard's final resting place. The search captured the public's imagination and the remains subsequently found were confirmed as those of Richard. Photo: Portrait of Richard III by an unknown artist. (National Portrait Gallery) Introduction The Battle of Bosworth Field Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, the celebrated climactic encounter of the Wars of the Roses. More information about: King Richard III Richard was born on 2 October 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire.

His father was Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York and his mother Cecily Neville. Richard had a claim to the English throne through both parents. We now know that Richard had a curvature of the spine, but the withered arm and limp of legend are almost certainly either fabrications or greatly exaggerated. Wars of the Roses His father's conflict with Henry VI was a major cause of the Wars of the Roses, which dominated Richard's early life. His father and older brother died at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. In 1461, Richard's brother, Edward, became Edward IV and created him Duke of Gloucester. In 1470, Edward and Richard were exiled when Henry VI was briefly restored to the throne. The following year, they returned to England and Richard contributed to the Yorkist victories at Barnet and Tewkesbury which restored Edward to the throne. The Princes in the Tower and seizure of the throne When Edward died in April 1483, Richard was named as protector of the realm for Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old Edward V.

As the new king travelled to London from Ludlow, Richard met him and escorted him to the capital, where he was lodged in the Tower of London. Edward V's brother later joined him there. A publicity campaign was mounted condemning Edward IV's marriage to the boys' mother, Elizabeth Woodville, as invalid and their children illegitimate. On 25 June, an assembly of lords and commoners endorsed these claims. The following day, Richard III officially began his reign. He was crowned in July. The two young princes disappeared in August and were widely rumoured to have been murdered by Richard. The beginning of the end A rebellion raised in October by the Duke of Buckingham, Richard's former ally, quickly collapsed. However, Buckingham's defection, along with his supporters, eroded Richard's power and support among the aristocracy and gentry. Death of a warrior king In August 1485, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who was a Lancastrian claimant to the throne living in France, landed in South Wales. He marched east and engaged Richard in battle on Bosworth Field in Leicestershire on 22 August. Although Richard possessed superior numbers, several of his key lieutenants defected.

Refusing to flee, Richard was killed in battle and Henry Tudor took the throne as Henry VII. Northamptonshire - Famous People Northamptonshire - Famous People People Connected to Northamptonshire Top Surnames Katherine Vaux (c.1488 - 1571) Katherine Vaux who married Sir George Throckmorton in the early 16th century was the aunt of Katherine Parr, the 6th and final wife of Henry VIII. She had no fewer than 19 children and 112 grandchildre... history Famous People Connected to Northamptonshire Those people of note with connections to the county are listed below. Some of these connections are a little tenuous - counties like to lay claim to people of renown! Please add information about people of renown connected to Northamptonshire, England. If the person has a profile on Geni please add their profile to the project and add the link in bold. Getting Involved Feel free to follow, request to collaborate To join the project use the request link under "actions" at the top right of the page. Visit See the discussion Project Help: How to add Text to a Project - Starter Kit to get you going!

A Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006): Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE was born in Northampton, in 1921. A prominent musician of the 20th century, Malcolm Arnold excelled across a broad musical spectrum; compositions include symphonies, ballet music, opera and chamber music, as well as numerous film scores. Sir Malcolm Arnold was among the first British composers to win an Oscar (for Bridge on the River Kwai, in 1958). B Herbert E. Bates (1905 – 1974): Born in Rushden, Northamptonshire and educated at Kettering Grammar School, novelist, Herbert Ernest Bates is best known for his development of the short-story genre. Herbert E. Bates is author of The Darling Buds of May, (1958) which became a popular television series (1991 – 1993). Bates’s writings are profoundly influenced by rural England and particularly the Northamptonshire countryside (e.g. the setting for the novel Love for Lydia was based on Rushden).

C John Clare (1793 - 1864): Born in the village of Helpston, the poet John Clare drew much of his inspiration from the natural landscapes of the Northamptonshire countryside. John Clare was also a gardener at Burghley House, before joining the Northamptonshire Militia at Oundle, in 1812. Eric Coates (1886 – 1957): - well-known English composer from Northamptonshire, Eric Coates was born in Hucknall, Northamptonshire. He lead violinist for the Queen’s Hall Orchestra, in 1912. D Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 – 1997): One of the most Famous People of Northamptonshire, adored the world over, Princess Diana, often fondly referred to as the ‘People’s Princess’ is buried in the grounds of Althorp, Northampton, home of the Spencer family. To find out more about Althorp and Princess Diana, follow the link on the Information and Articles link on this website, ‘Althorp House’.

John Dryden (1631 – 1700): The famous poet and prolific writer, John Dryden, was born in Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire; appointed Poet Laureate in 1668. Probably best known for his final contribution - Fables, Ancient and Modern (1699). Anne Dudley (1612 – 1672): The famous American poet, Anne Dudley was born in Northampton, in 1612. E F Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790): U.S. Statesman, Franklin, had close links with Northamptonshire, (his ancestors came from the village of Ecton). Benjamin Franklin’s letters and diaries make numerous references to his family lineage and historic family links with Ecton, Northamptonshire. Thomas Fuller (1608 – 1661): 17th century writer, historian and clergyman, Thomas Fuller, was born in Aldwinkle St Peters, Northamptonshire; appointed Chaplain-Extraordinary to Charles II; author of The History of Holy War (1639).

G H Sir Christopher Hatton (1540 – 20 November 1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. I J K Henry Kingsley (1830 – 1876): Novelist Henry Kingsley, youngest brother of Charles Kingsley, was born at Barnack Rectory, Barnack, Northamptonshire; he later emigrated to Australia. L M Charles Montagu (1661 – 1715): Statesman, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, founder of the Bank of England in 1694, and briefly Prime Minister (1697 – 1699), Charles Montagu was born in Horton, Northamptonshire; also a popular poet and writer, who had a hand in writing the ‘Story of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse’ (1687).

N O P Ebenezer Prout (1835 – 1909): Born in Oundle, Northamptonshire, the English composer and author of theoretical musical works, Ebenezer Prout won several awards at The British Society of Musicians and was heralded as a prominent leader of the Modernist Movement. Q R Thomas Randolph (1605 – 1635): English poet and dramatist, Thomas Randolph, was born in Daventry; also lived for a period in Little Houghton, Northamptonshire. Thomas Randolph is famous for his acerbic wit typified by such works as The Conceited Pedlar (1630). Randolph’s masterpiece, The Jealous Lovers, was presented before royalty, at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1632. James Rice (1843 – 1882): English novelist and journalist, was born in Northampton, Northamptonshire. King Richard III (1452 – 1485): The 15th century King of England, Richard III, was born in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, in 1452.

Following the death of his brother (King Edward IV) Richard III ruled briefly as Regent for Edward IV’s son, before incarcerating the youngster and his brother Richard in the Tower of London and ascending the throne himself. Richard III became King of England in 1483 and reigned until his death in the Battle of Bosworth. King Richard III was the last English king to die on the battlefield. Edmund Rubbra (1901 – 1986): Composer and well-known music critic, Edmund Rubbra, was born in Northampton; he went on to win a scholarship to Royal College of Music; Edmund Rubbra was also a pupil of Vaughan Williams. S U V Stanley Unwin (2002): Dubbed variously as ‘Professor’ Stanley Unwin, the ‘Verbal Magician’ and the ‘Master of Nonsense’; although born in Pretoria, South Africa, Stanley Unwin lived for some time in the village of Long Buckby, as well as in Daventry, Northamptonshire; he died in Daventry, in 2002. Stanley Unwin is best known as a star of variety theatre and BBC radio comedies in the 1950s.

) W John Wilkins (1614 – 1672): Born in Daventry, Northamptonshire, John Wilkins was well-known as both a churchman and a pioneering scientist; author of Discovery of World in the Moon (1628) and Discourse Concerning a New Planet (1640). Roy Wilson (1900 – 1965). Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, Roy Wilson was one of Britain's most successful and popular children's cartoonists during the 1930s and 40s; remembered also for his striking annual covers’ front pages. X-Y-Z History: Richard III Birthday 2nd October 1452 | Royal Fans - All About Royal Family History: Richard III Birthday 2nd October 1452 October 2, 2014 by Steve 2 October 1452 – Birth of Richard III Richard IIIOn 2 October 1452, Richard III, the last Plantagenet king, was born at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire.

King_richard_iii_-(c)-Michelle-Jimenez-Porras Richard was the youngest surviving child of Richard, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Richard claimed the English throne in June 1483, claiming that his brother Edward IV’s sons were illegitimate because Edward had been pre-contracted to another woman when he married Elizabeth Woodville. Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth on 22nd August 1485, and Henry Tudor claimed the throne as Henry VII. Search at historic church site of Richard III burial continues Image (C) Getty Images / PA / Splash / Rex / Wenn / AP / Reuters Richard III’s remains were found in an archaeological dig in 2012. He had been buried in the church of the Priory of the Greyfriars in Leicester and the dig in a car park in Leicester found his remains in what had been the choir of the church. His remains will be laid to rest on 26th March 2015 in Leicester Cathedral.

Dominic Smee has the same spinal deformity as King Richard III Images (C) Getty Images / AP / PA / Splash / Reuters / Wenn 1501 – Catherine of Aragon arrived in England, landing at Plymouth in Devon. She had come to England to marry Prince Arthur, the heir to the throne of England. 1514 – Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, set off from Dover to sail to France to marry King Louis XII. She was eighteen and he was fifty-two, and not in the best of health. They married on 9th October 1514, but the marriage was short-lived as Louis died in January 1515. Mary went on to marry Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, on the 3rd March 1515. 1521 – Pope Leo X was given Henry VIII’s Assertio septem sacramentorum or “Defence of the Seven Sacraments” in Rome. This work led to Henry VIII being proclaimed Fidei Defensor or “Defender of the Faith”. 1528 – Publication of William Tyndale’s “The Obedience of the Christian Man and How Christian Rulers Ought to Govern”.

This book said that rulers were accountable to God, not the Pope. Anne Boleyn owned a copy of this book, as well as Tyndale’s “New Testament”, and it is this book which she intended to show Henry VIII, marking key passages for his attention. The book got into his hands when it was confiscated from George Zouche, suitor of Anne Gainsford who had borrowed it from her mistress, Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII read it and declared “This book is for me and all kings to read.” See Anne Boleyn, William Tyndale and Henry VIII. 1536 – Start of the Lincolnshire Rising, the beginning of the Pilgrimage of Grace. It was sparked off by a sermon at evensong on the 1st October at St James’s Church, Louth, and by a visitation from a registrar on 2nd October. King Richard III died during the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 Source: theanneboleynfiles.com HOT SALE!!! FREE SHIPPING!!! OMEN CRYSTAL ROMANTIC MOON JEWELRY SETS STYLE SILVER LIGHT BLUE COLOUR HOT SALE!!! FREE SHIPPING!!!

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NEWEST COINS AND FREE SHIPPING IN MEMORY OF DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES GOLD PLATED SOUVENIR COINS HOT SALE!!! FREE SHIPPING!!! NEWEST COINS AND FREE SHIPPING IN MEMORY OF DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES GOLD PLATED SOUVENIR COINS Richard III | king of England | Britannica.com king of England Alternative Title: Richard Plantagenet, duke of Gloucester Richard III Richard Plantagenet, duke of Gloucester born Jasper Tudor, duke of Bedford Richard III, also called (1461–83) Richard Plantagenet, duke of Gloucester (born October 2, 1452, Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England—died August 22, 1485, near Market Bosworth, Leicestershire ), the last Plantagenet and Yorkist king of England. He usurped the throne of his nephew Edward V in 1483 and perished in defeat to Henry Tudor (thereafter Henry VII ) at the Battle of Bosworth Field. For almost 500 years after his death, he was generally depicted as the worst and most wicked of kings.

Some of those charges are now regarded as excessive, the work of his enemies, and his supporters have attempted to rehabilitate him. Modern scholars take a more-balanced approach that avoids the extremes of either side. King Richard III, panel by an unknown artist. Stefano Baldini/age fotostock Formative years The future Richard III was the fourth son of Richard , 3rd duke of York (died 1460), and his duchess, Cecily Neville, to survive to adulthood. York was the most prominent duke in England, of royal descent, and the most powerful nobleman of his day. Neville came from the most prolific , most politically prominent, and best married of contemporary noble houses. Young Richard was, therefore, supremely wellborn and well-connected; but, as the youngest son, he was of so little account that a verse genealogy of the family merely recorded that he “liveth yet.” Three brothers—Edward, 3rd earl of March; Edmund, earl of Rutland (died 1460); and George, 1st duke of Clarence (after 1461)—reached maturity.

Consequently, Richard’s future at first was decidedly unpromising. United Kingdom: Richard III (1483–85) During Richard’s youth, York initiated the opening stages of the Wars of the Roses . Three times York was appointed lord protector for his feeble cousin, the Lancastrian king Henry VI (reigned 1422–61 and 1470–71). In 1460 the Yorkist claim—York’s descent through the senior female line from Edward III (reigned 1327–77)—was recognized to be superior to the Lancastrian title through the junior male line of Henry VI. York himself was designated heir to the throne when Henry V died. However, this settlement, the Act of Accord, was resisted, and York was killed attempting to enforce it at Wakefield (now West Yorkshire) on December 30, 1460. This setback was reversed by York’s eldest son, Edward, who decisively defeated the Lancastrians in February 1461; he assumed the title King Edward IV on March 4, 1461, and his coronation took place on June 28.

Although merely a child, Richard was directly affected by these upheavals and briefly took refuge in the Low Countries before his brother restored the family fortunes. Britannica Stories Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales The succession of Edward IV made Richard a royal prince. He was quickly created duke of Gloucester and a knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter . He and his other brother, George, now duke of Clarence and also a child, resided together in a tower at Greenwich Palace in Kent. About 1465 Richard was placed in the household of his cousin Richard Neville , earl of Warwick, better known as “the Kingmaker.” He was recorded with him at Warwick and York. It was probably late in 1468, when he was 16 years old, that Richard was declared of age, took possession of estates conferred by his brother, and commenced public life, attending court and judicial commissions. The Wars of the Roses resumed in 1469, when Richard’s brother George and Warwick temporarily seized control of Edward IV and his government. Richard remained loyal and was appointed by Edward as his figurehead in Wales , the real ruling being undertaken by others.

When Warwick and George succeeded in reinstating Henry VI as king briefly in 1470, Richard joined Edward IV in exile in The Hague, later accompanying Edward on his victorious campaign in 1471. Richard was prominent at the Battles of Barnet (Hertfordshire), where he was slightly wounded, and Tewkesbury (Gloucestershire), where as constable he summarily condemned the Lancastrian leaders to death. With royal approval and definitely not on his own initiative , he may also have helped kill both Prince Edward of Lancaster and Henry VI. Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction? The real beginning of Richard’s adult life occurred in 1471, when he was 18 years old. Before his accession as king in 1483 he spent a dozen years as a great nobleman. Although this experience was useful training for kingship, it was not intended as such, for Richard cannot have expected to accede to the throne; instead, he built a future for the dynasty that he was intent on founding. Richard appeared at court, as well as at chapters of the Order of the Garter, in Parliament and royal council , and in major ceremonial occasions.

He led the largest company in his brother Edward’s abortive invasion of France in 1475 and was the chief mourner for his father and brother Edmund, both slain in 1460, at their ceremonial reinterment at Fotheringhay College in 1476. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Richard had been loyal to Edward IV in 1469–71, as was his duty. He earned the king’s gratitude and proved a doughty combatant worth cultivating . Hence, it was he who gained the most from the forfeitures of the losers, principally in eastern England. He coerced the aged countess of Oxford into surrendering her own inheritance. More important, he married Warwick’s youngest daughter, Anne Neville, widow of Edward of Lancaster. There is no need to suppose that this was a love match, for he insisted on her share of her parents’ immense inheritances in a bitter dispute with his brother George, husband of the elder daughter. The three royal brothers colluded in depriving the countess of Warwick of her entitlements , more than half of the whole.

Richard’s share of the Warwick inheritance was located partly in Wales but mainly in the north of England, where he was warden for the defense of the western marches toward Scotland. The Neville lands centred on Middleham in Richmondshire (now North Yorkshire), Barnard Castle in the county palatine of Durham, and Penrith in Cumbria. Single-mindedly, Richard extended his estates, adding, for instance, the castles of Helmsley, Richmond, Scarborough, and Skipton, all in Yorkshire; recruited a large retinue; and asserted himself over the other northern peers. Even the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland accepted his preeminence. In 1478 Richard’s acquiescence in—or perhaps positive approval of—charges of treason against his brother George permitted George’s execution, from which Richard was the principal beneficiary. Although Richard made himself more dominant than the king had originally intended, Edward accepted his hegemony once it had been established. This would be the power base for Richard as king. His self-advancement was crowned by the Scottish war of 1481–83, when he was appointed the king’s lieutenant in the north, recapturing Berwick and briefly occupying Edinburgh.

In 1483 Parliament thanked him, granted him Cumberland as county palatine, made him hereditary warden of the western marches, and authorized him to keep whatever Scottish territory he could conquer. A great future on the borders apparently beckoned, but he became king of England instead. Usurpation Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest On April 9, 1483, Edward IV unexpectedly died. He was succeeded at once and without question by his eldest son, Edward V , a boy of 12. His uncle Richard, designated lord protector in the late king’s will, swore allegiance to the new king at York. However, the royal council, dominated by the dowager queen’s family, the Wydevilles (also spelled Woodville), decided to crown Edward V at once, which rendered any protectorate unnecessary and probably would have enabled them to rule on his behalf. They overrode the opposition of, among others, Edward IV’s former chamberlain, Lord Hastings, who enlisted Richard as his ally. The Wydevilles mistakenly believed that Richard was their friend, and the queen’s brother Earl Rivers arranged to meet with Richard and the duke of Buckingham en route from Ludlow (Shropshire) to London .

Richard staged his first coup d’état on May 1, 1483, at Stony Stratford (Northamptonshire). He seized Edward V, dismissed his household, and placed Rivers and Edward’s half-brother Lord Richard Grey in custody. Asserting his loyalty to Edward, Richard escorted him to London and was recognized by the royal council as lord protector. Henceforth he was head of government. The queen, her daughters, and Edward’s younger brother, also called Richard, took refuge in Westminster Abbey . Most people’s fears were allayed by Richard’s respectfulness to the king and by his continued preparations for the coronation. On June 13, however, Richard had Hastings executed (his second coup), allegedly for treasonable conspiracy but more probably to remove Edward’s most devoted supporter. On June 16 he secured possession of the younger Richard on the pretext of ensuring that the boy would attend Edward’s coronation. With both princes in his power, Richard publicly declared his claim to the throne, and on June 26 he usurped it. The usurpation was backed by the northern army, which overawed London from its camp at Finsbury Fields.

King Richard III and Queen Anne were crowned at Westminster Abbey on July 6, 1483. Trending Topics Open Door policy Although modern historians reject the allegations of Thomas More and William Shakespeare that Richard planned his usurpation well before Edward IV’s death, they debate precisely when he made up his mind and why. Probably this will never be known with any certainty. Was Richard motivated by personal ambition, by self-defense because he feared the Wydevilles, or by what he honestly considered his duty? His own justification was that he was the rightful heir because Edward IV’s children were illegitimate and therefore disqualified from the crown. According to the so-called precontract story, Edward IV had betrothed himself to Lady Eleanor Butler—an obligation as binding as marriage at this time—and thus had not been free to marry his queen, Elizabeth Wydeville ; any children by Queen Elizabeth, therefore, were illegitimate. However, Lady Eleanor was deceased by 1483, and there is no independent or contemporary evidence from the 1460s to support the claim of betrothal, which was never adjudicated by a competent church court.

In any event, the betrothal would not necessarily have invalidated Edward V’s kingship once he had acceded. It was also rumoured that Edward IV himself was illegitimate, an allegation which had been made twice before and which is not wholly incredible. (The children of Richard’s elder brother George were supposedly disqualified by his condemnation.) Such arguments may have been invented at the time and were probably pretexts to justify a usurpation on which Richard had already decided. Perhaps some of Richard’s contemporaries believed the precontract story, but many did not. This invalidates the argument that Richard had no need to kill the princes because they posed no threat to him owing to their illegitimacy. The two princes were obvious focuses for conspiracy. They were sure to become more dangerous as they grew up and progressed from pawns to active plotters. Just like earlier deposed monarchs, they had to be eliminated. Even though there is no reliable evidence, it seems certain that they were killed sometime in 1483—in the summer, when they disappeared, or in the autumn, when their deaths were rumoured. Henceforth politics operated on the assumption that they were dead, which Richard never denied.

Although some sources implicate Buckingham, most blame Richard, who had the princes in his power and who evidently decided to conceal their fate. Reign and fall Richard III presented himself as a reformer committed to justice and morality who would remedy the supposed misrule of Edward IV’s last years and the sexual license of his brother’s court. His signet registers reveal plans to improve the management of the royal estates and the north. He also came to an agreement with Queen Elizabeth and the Wydevilles. She accepted him as king, and he allowed her and her daughters to emerge from sanctuary and provided for them. Unfortunately, his good intentions could not be implemented in a reign of only two years or in the face of serious opposition. Although he abolished the highly unpopular forced gifts (benevolences) employed by his brother, sheer financial desperation forced him to revive them once again. He could not afford the cost of two years of mobilization against the threat of invasion from France. Reluctantly, Richard replaced the natural rulers of southern England, who had rejected his rule, with his own northern supporters, which some southerners equated with tyranny .

His position was gravely weakened by the deaths of his only son, Prince Edward, in 1484 and his queen in 1485. There was some good sense in the notion of marriage to Elizabeth of York, his niece and Edward IV’s daughter, who could have strengthened his title, would no longer have been available to marry Henry Tudor, and could have borne him sons anew. This plan, however—if it ever was a plan—was vetoed by his supporters and was highly unpopular. Richard’s support may have been diminished by highly effective propaganda presenting him as the murderer, like King Herod , of innocent “babes,” a betrayer like Judas Iscariot , a tyrant, and a committer of incest with his niece. Many members of the Yorkist establishment and county elites joined Buckingham and the Wydevilles in the rebellion of southern England late in 1483. Although Richard suppressed it, most of the leaders escaped to Brittany, where on Christmas Day they recognized the exiled Henry Tudor as king. Denounced by Richard as illegitimate, Tudor’s personal claim through the legitimated Beaufort line was extremely weak: it was important that Elizabeth of York remain available as his potential bride.

So hostile were the Yorkist exiles to Richard III that they were more concerned with deposing him than with the identity of his replacement. Although Richard sought Tudor’s extradition, all he achieved was his transfer from Brittany to France , where Tudor was able to recruit highly trained professional French and Scottish mercenaries. With these the exiles invaded England in 1485 and defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field . The scale and course of the battle and even the site where it took place are obscure and much disputed. A key role was certainly played by the Stanley family, whose northwestern contingents joined Tudor late in the battle. Fighting bravely, Richard himself was killed. Henry VII became the first Tudor king. Character Richard III was denigrated by John Rous (a 15th-century priest and antiquary), More, and Shakespeare . They maintained that Richard’s unnatural wickedness was foreshadowed by his unnatural birth and mirrored by his disfigured appearance.

Actually, the precise circumstances of Richard’s birth cannot be known; later accounts (recorded from 1491 onward) of a lengthy gestation, a difficult labour, a breech birth, and his emergence with teeth and hair were probably invented after his fall. Apparently a small man, Richard suffered from scoliosis (a type of curvature of the spine), but evidently he was neither a hunchback nor physically incapacitated as reputed. More recently, Ricardians have argued for his merits—as a good husband, a pious Christian, a loyal subject, ruler of the north, and a king committed to good governance. The truth lies in between. He possessed many qualities expected of a medieval king: courage, competence as a general and administrator, generosity, an interest in chivalry , and conventional piety. Effective kingship required his charisma , eloquence, persuasiveness, egotism, self-interest, and ruthlessness. Nice people did not make good kings. Unfortunately, his title was widely rejected, and his accession proved a political miscalculation. His usurpation was the result not of consent but of temporarily overwhelming force.

However sincere his protestations of the public good, ultimately Richard took the crown because of self-interest, and afterward he appeared to be fighting for his own benefit only. Michael Hicks Discovery of remains The precise location of Richard’s burial place had long been a mystery; all that was known was the approximate spot where he had fallen in battle and that he had been “irreverently buried.” In late 2012 a skeleton exhibiting signs of mortal injury inflicted in battle and of scoliosis was uncovered by archaeologists in a Leicester parking lot. In early 2013 genetic testing confirmed that the skeleton was that of Richard. Facial reconstruction of Richard III, based on the skull recovered with the other skeletal remains … Andrew Winning—Reuters/Landov The skeleton of Richard III. Reuters/Landov King Richard III of England | Unofficial Royalty King Richard III of England Credit – Wikipedia King Richard III of England was born at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, England on October 2, 1452. He was the twelfth of the thirteen children of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York and Cecily Neville , both great grandchildren of King Edward III of England .

Richard’s birthplace, Fotheringhay Castle, was the last place Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned and it was the site of her execution. The castle fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1635. Richard’s father was the Yorkist leader during the Wars of the Roses until his death. In 1399, Henry of Bolingbroke , the eldest son of John of Gaunt who was the third surviving son of King Edward III, overthrew his cousin King Richard II and assumed the throne as King Henry IV. Henry IV’s reigning house was the House of Lancaster as his father was Duke of Lancaster and Henry had assumed the title upon his father’s death. Henry IV’s eldest son King Henry V retained the throne, but he died when his only child, King Henry VI , was only nine months old. Henry VI’s right to the crown was challenged by Richard, 3rd Duke of York, who could claim descent from Edward III’s second and fourth surviving sons, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence and Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York .

During the early reign of King Henry VI, Richard, 3rd Duke of York held several important offices and quarreled with the Lancastrians at court. In 1448, he assumed the surname Plantagenet and then assumed the leadership of the Yorkist faction in 1450. The first battle in the long dynastic struggle called the Wars of the Roses was the First Battle of St. Albans in 1455, when the future King Richard III was not yet three years old. Richard, 3rd Duke of York was killed on December 30, 1460 at the Battle of Wakefield along with his second surviving son Edmund, Earl of Rutland . Within a few weeks of Richard of York’s death, his eldest surviving son became King Edward IV, establishing the House of York on the throne following a decisive victory over the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton . Edward IV was overthrown by the Lancastrians in 1470, and Henry VI once again assumed the throne. His second reign was short and in 1471, Edward IV was once again king. This was the atmosphere in which the future King Richard III spent his childhood.

At his birth in 1452, no one could have predicted that 31 years later, Richard would be King of England. Richard had twelve siblings, and a number of them did not survive childhood. Joan of York (February 1438 – died young George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (21 October 1449 – 18 February 1478), married Isabella Neville , had issue; executed for treason Thomas of York (1450/1451 – died young) Ursula of York (22 July 1455 – died young) As was customary at the time, Richard was sent to a noble’s household, Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, the home of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick , for his education and training as a knight. Neville, who was known as Warwick the Kingmaker during the Wars of the Roses, was Richard’s first cousin. It was at Middleham Castle that Richard became acquainted with the Earl of Warwick’s younger daughter Anne, who would become his wife. On November 1, 1461, Richard was created Duke of Gloucester by his brother King Edward IV.

Richard was a loyal and loving brother and fought bravely in the later battles of the Wars of the Roses in support of his brother. In 1470, when King Edward IV was overthrown and Henry VI once again assumed the throne, Edward and Richard fled to Burgundy where they knew they would be welcomed by their sister Margaret, who was the wife of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The Duke of Burgundy provided funds and troops to Edward to enable him to launch an invasion of England in 1471. Although only eighteen years old, Richard played crucial roles in the Battle of Barnet and the Battle of Tewkesbury that resulted in Edward’s restoration to the throne in the spring of 1471. On July 12, 1472, Richard married Anne Neville . Anne’s father, Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker, had switched his allegiance from the House of York to the House of Lancaster, and he had arranged for Anne to marry King Henry VI’s only child, Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales to seal his allegiance with the Lancasters.

Edward died at the Battle of Tewkesbury on May 4, 1471,while Warwick had died at the Battle of Barnet on April 14,1471. Anne’s elder sister Isabella had married Richard’s brother George, Duke of Clarence three years earlier. These marriages caused a rift between the two brothers because George wanted all of Warwick’s estate for himself. Richard and Anne had one child, Edward of Middleham , born about December 1473 at Middleham Castle. Edward was a sickly child and spent most of his time at Middleham Castle. Stained glass window of Richard and Anne Neville in Cardiff Castle; Photo Credit – Wikipedia On April 9, 1483, King Edward IV died and his twelve-year-old son succeeded him as King Edward V . Richard was named Lord Protector of his young nephew and moved to keep the Woodvilles, the family of Edward IV’s widow Elizabeth Woodville , from exercising power. The Queen sought to gain political power for her family by appointing family members to key positions and rushing the coronation of her young son.

The new king was being accompanied to London by his maternal uncle Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers and his half-brother Sir Richard Grey . Rivers and Grey were accused of planning to assassinate Richard, arrested, and taken to Pontefract Castle, where they were later executed without trial. Richard then proceeded with the new king to London where Edward V was presented to the Lord Mayor of London. For their safety, King Edward V and his nine-year-old brother Richard, Duke of York were sent to the Tower of London. William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings had been a key figure in checking the power plays of the Woodvilles. However, things changed dramatically on June 13, 1483 during a council meeting at the Tower of London. Richard, supported by Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham , accused Hastings and other council members of having conspired with the Woodvilles to kill him. The other alleged conspirators were imprisoned, but Hastings was immediately beheaded in the courtyard. On June 22, 1483, a sermon was preached at St. Paul’s Cross in London declaring Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville invalid and his children illegitimate.

This information apparently came from Robert Stillington, the Bishop of Bath and Wells , who claimed a legal pre-contract of marriage to Eleanor Butler , invalidated the king’s later marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. The citizens of London presented Richard a petition urging him to assume the throne, and he was proclaimed king on June 26, 1483. Richard and his wife Anne were crowned in Westminster Abbey on July 6, 1483 and their son was created Prince of Wales. In January of 1484, Parliament issued the Titulus Regius , a statute proclaiming Richard the rightful king Contemporary illumination of Richard III, his queen Anne Neville, and their son Edward the Prince of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia After Richard III’s accession, his nephews Edward and Richard were gradually seen less and less within the Tower of London, and by the end of the summer of 1483 they had disappeared from public view altogether. Their fate remains unknown and various theories promote their uncle Richard III, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and King Henry VII as ordering their murders. Bones belonging to two children were discovered in 1674 by workmen rebuilding a stairway in the Tower of London.

On the orders of King Charles II, these remains were placed in an urn in Westminster Abbey. The bones were re-examined in 1933, and by measuring certain bones and teeth, it was concluded the bones belonged to two children around the correct ages for the princes, but no positive identity was made. No further scientific examination has been conducted on the bones, which remain in Westminster Abbey, and DNA analysis has not been attempted. Wikipedia: Princes in the Tower On April 9, 1484, Richard’s son Edward of Middleham died at the age of 10. His burial site is unknown. Richard’s wife Anne Neville died on March 16, 1485, probably from tuberculosis. She was buried in Westminster Abbey, in an unmarked grave to the right of the High Altar, next to the door to the of Edward the Confessor’s Chapel. Richard did not survive her long. He lost his life and his crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. On that day, Henry Tudor , the Lancastrian leader, became the first monarch of the House of Tudor, King Henry VII.

The first Parliament of King Henry VII’s reign repealed the Titulus Regius, the statute proclaiming Richard the rightful king. Henry VII ordered his subjects to destroy all copies of it and all related documents. For information on Richard III’s death, the discovery of his remains, and his reburial at Leicester Cathedral, see Unofficial Royalty: Richard III – Lost and Found . Tomb of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral; By User:Isananni, CC BY-SA 3.0,

Question: At which English castle in Northamptonshire was King Richard III born?
Answer: Fotheringhay Castle