Richard III: A Ruler and his Reputation

by David Horspool

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620405116
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/15/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	769,046
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

David Horspool is History Editor of the Times Literary Supplement. He is the author of The English Rebel (Viking/Penguin), King Alfred the Great (Amberley) and, with Colin Firth and Anthony Arnove, The People Speak (Canongate).
David Horspool is History Editor of the Times Literary Supplement. He is the author of The English Rebel(Viking/Penguin), King Alfred the Great (Amberley) and, with Colin Firth and Anthony Arnove, The People Speak(Canongate).

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Introduction 1

1 Son of the 'high and mighty Prince' 15

'His wit and reson wt drawen' 24

'Infants, who have not offended against the king' 31

At Fastolf's Place 35

'Into the parties of Flanders' 39

Duke of Gloucester, Squire of Warwick 44

'Little body and feeble strength' 51

2 Exile and Recovery 59

Richard of Wales 65

'My lord of Gloucester travelled to Holland' 74

'Ledyng the vaward of Kyng Edward' 85

3 Warwick's Heir 95

A Bride for a Prince 104

A Bridge on the River Somme 111

Family Business 117

Lord of the North 128

'To fight against James, King of Scotland' 133

4 'To Catch the English Crown' 141

Uncle and Protector 149

Friday the Thirteenth 155

'Ordeigned to Reigne upon the people' 161

5 'Her comyth Richard the third' 171

'The Princes in the Tower' 178

'To shine as a king' 186

'The most untrewe creature lyvyng' 195

6 In one body there are many members' 209

Castle of Care 221

'All Engeland, undyr an hogge' 225

Evil Reports 231

7 'Tant le desieree' 241

8 'My shadow as I pass' 253

'By broken faith' 256

'To secure a reassessment' 262

Richard at Rest 267

Acknowledgements 271

List of Abbreviations 273

Notes 274

Bibliography 302

Index 312

Editorial Reviews

01/11/2016
"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. Agent: Rogers, Coleridge, and White Literary Agency (U.K.). (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"This is an intelligent person’s life of Richard, strong in ascertainable fact" - Times

"Sets a new standard among biographies of medieval rulers aimed at a wide readership" - Times Literary Supplement

"Absorbing and authoritative" - Daily Telegraph

"[A] careful analysis of Richard . . . well worth waiting for . . . impeccably objective, its conclusions are all the more damning" - Spectator

From the Publisher

10/15/2015
Whether as a villainous usurper or a decent king unfairly maligned, Richard III (1452–85) has never ceased to be an object of interest. This enthusiasm gained a boost when the king's remains were discovered under a Leicester car park in 2012. The resulting furor has given Horspool (Alfred the Great) a fine launching point for his new biography. The author's interest is in both Richard III and the ways in which his detractors and defenders have affected his legacy in popular culture. Accordingly, the narrative attempts to take a neutral viewpoint and is up-front about the lack of conclusive information regarding much of Richard's life and decisions, dutifully noting instances in which these historical gaps occur as he lays out his subject's days from birth and childhood to the 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field. VERDICT This timely biography should be a fine choice for those with a recent interest in Richard III, written straightforwardly and providing a mostly balanced view of its subject as well as a look at the enduring fascination with the last Plantagenet king.—Kathleen McCallister, Tulane Univ., New Orleans

Library Journal

2015-09-03
Richard III's villainy owes much to Shakespeare. Modern histories are more understanding, and this includes this thoughtful biography by Times Literary Supplement history editor Horspool (Alfred the Great, 2014, etc.), who stresses that Richard (1452-1485) was a man of his times, although they were nasty times. After decades of reign by the simple-minded Henry VI, England descended into civil war as aristocratic factions fought to rule in his name. In 1460, Richard's father, the Duke of York, led the winners. Within months, he was killed, but his son, Richard's eldest brother, was crowned Edward IV in 1461. Edward had two sons, so Richard was not the heir, but as he matured, the king granted him honors and powers suitable to his rank, and he served loyally until Edward's death in 1483. Appointed protector of the 12-year-old Edward V, Richard postponed the boy's coronation and persuaded parliament to declare Edward IV's marriage invalid, making him the legal heir. Edward V and his brother vanished, presumably murdered by Richard, who reigned for only two years, suppressing one rebellion by Edward's supporters before his defeat at the hands of Henry Tudor, who had a distant claim on the throne. The 2012 discovery of Richard's bones revealed that he wasn't as badly hunchbacked as claimed but otherwise produced little except a flurry of books. "The Richard effect may simply be a version of the British love affair with royalty," writes the author. "He was king once, and that is all that counts." Among the better histories on this subject, this book rocks no boats while delivering a densely detailed account of a man who was no more villainous than the average 15th-century baron.

Kirkus Reviews