Richard III
A Ruler and his Reputation
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
For many, Richard III is an obsession-the Richard III Society has a huge membership, and Shakespeare's Histories have contributed to, if not his popularity, certainly his notoriety. Now, with the discovery of Richard III's bones under a parking lot in Leicester, England, interest in this divisive and enigmatic figure in British history is at an all-time high. It is a compelling story to scholars as well as general readers, who continue to seek out the kind of strong narrative history that David Horspool delivers in this groundbreaking biography of the king.
Richard III dispassionately examines the legend as well as the man to uncover both what we know of the life of Richard, and the way that his reputation has been formed and re-formed over centuries. But beyond simply his reputation, there is no dispute that the last Plantagenet is a pivotal figure in English history-his death signaled the end of the War of the Roses, and, arguably, the end of the medieval period in England-and Horspool's biography chronicles this tumultuous time with flair.
This narrative-driven and insightful biography lays out a view of Richard that is fair to his historical character and to his background in the medieval world. Above all, it is authoritative in its assessment of a king who came to the throne under extraordinary circumstances.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"To write a book about Richard III is to tread over well-worn and treacherous terrain," disclaims Horspool (The English Rebel), history editor of the Times Literary Supplement, in this excellent biography, but he navigates the Ricardian pitfalls brilliantly. Using official records, letters, and chronicles, he traces Richard's life, particularly stressing his father's failed attempt to take the throne: "Richard began life as a victim of the Wars of the Roses, absolutely at the mercy of the changing fortunes of his family." The twin themes of family and politics are central here; both were impossible to avoid and both could be nasty. Horspool treats the court intrigues impartially, using available evidence to ascertain as much as possible what happened and Richard's part in events. Of the many murders sensationalized by Shakespeare, Horspool determines that the death of Richard's brother, Clarence, was ordered by King Edward. As for the murder of the princes in the tower, Richard's nephews, Horspool concludes that there is no solid proof, though "nothing exists to contradict the very strong likelihood that this is what happened." Richard III's "character will always remain a puzzle and a source of fascination," Horspool writes, but this unbiased and scholarly work makes a fine contribution to the historical record.
