Richard III
Loyalty Binds Me
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
King Richard III remains one of the most controversial figures in British history. Matthew Lewisís new biography aims to become a definitive account by exploring what is known of his childhood and the impacts it had on his personality and view of the world. He would be cast into insecurity and exile only to become a royal prince before his tenth birthday.??As Richard spends his teenage years under the watchful gaze of his older brother, Edward IV, he is eventually placed in the household of their cousin, the Earl of Warwick, remembered as the Kingmaker; but as the relationship between a king and his most influential magnate breaks down, Richard is compelled to make a choice when the House of York fractures. After another period in exile, Richard returns to become the most powerful nobleman in England. The work he involves himself in during the years that follow demonstrates a drive and commitment but also a dangerous naÔvetÈ. ??When crisis hits in 1483, it is to Richard that his older brother turns on his death bed. The events of 1483 remain contentious and hotly debated, but by understanding the Richard who began that year, it will become clearer what drove some of his actions and decisions. Returning to primary sources and considering the evidence available, this new life undoes the myths and presents a real man living in tumultuous times.
Customer Reviews
Well- balanced, some intriguing points, but a little dry.
This is an even-handed look at Richard III’s life by an admitted Ricardian. Lewis eschews romanticizing Richard, and concentrates almost exclusively on his public acts and policies. Thus, we know about every commission he was appointed to by his brother, so the reading becomes a little dry.
Lewis relies on contemporary sources, and I appreciated his cogent assessment of their reliability—or lack thereof with respect to certain reports. Thus, he discounts Mancini’s report Edward IV’s bastardy was proclaimed as one of the bases for setting aside his children’s claim to the throne. He notes that Mancini wasn’t present, spoke only Italian, and probably assumed the illegitimacy claim was the one that had been circulating in royal courts of Europe for a decade or more,