How old was richard iii when he died

King of England from the Plantagenet family, who reigned from to Date of Birth: Country: Great Britain

Content:

1. Biography of Richard III
2. Early Life and Military Career
3. Rise to Power

Biography of Richard III

Richard III (–) was an English king from the Plantagenet dynasty who reigned from to He was born on October 2, , in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire.

Richard was the youngest child of Richard, Duke of York, and a descendant of Edward III.

Early Life and Military Career

Richard's early life was marked by the Wars of the Roses, a series of conflicts between the House of York and the House of Lancaster. His father, Richard, led the Yorkists in opposition to Henry VI of Lancaster.

Richard 3rd biography wikipedia This decision was driven by his belief that the queen mother and her relatives intended to deny him his rightful position as protector of the realm. Greyfriars Franciscan Friary , Leicester [ 1 ]. This long and bloody civil conflict is known as the War of the Roses. One of them was Richard's friend the Duke of Buckingham, who started a rebellion that failed.

Richard's military fortune fluctuated during the war. However, at the time when Shakespeare portrays him as the driving force behind Yorkist victories in Henry VI, Richard was only 8 years old.

From the time of Elizabeth I, historians who called themselves "defenders of the most maligned king" emerged.

They challenged the accounts of Tudor chroniclers Thomas More and Edward Hall regarding Richard's alleged crimes, particularly the murder of his nephews, the young princes Edward (Edward V) and Richard, the sons of Edward IV. While these historians were unable to definitively prove Richard's guilt or innocence, they argued that the negative depiction of Richard in Shakespeare's play was a distortion of the truth.

Contrary to Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard as a hunchbacked villain, he was an attractive prince, albeit of delicate build.

He was one of the most successful military commanders in Europe during his brother Edward IV's reign.

Richard 3rd biography Parliament then passed a law that agreed with this. Contact About Privacy. In September , a team of archaeologists from Leicester University uncovered a body believed by some to be the remains of Richard III. Page Talk.

Richard remained loyal to his brother and played a key role as constable and admiral of England, as well as the Lord of the North.

Rise to Power

After Edward IV's death on April 9, , Richard took on the role of protector to his year-old nephew Edward V. This decision was driven by his belief that the queen mother and her relatives intended to deny him his rightful position as protector of the realm.

However, just two months later, Richard executed Lord Hastings (June 13, ), accusing him of conspiring with the queen mother to seize Edward V. The plans for the young king's coronation were abandoned, and it was declared that Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York, were illegitimate and had no claim to the throne due to a prior marriage contract that invalidated Edward IV's marriage.

Richard ascended to the throne formally on June 26 and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on July 6, , without facing any significant opposition.

In October, Richard easily suppressed a rebellion led by his former ally Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who sought to place Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, a distant Lancaster relative, on the throne. Tudor agents spread rumors and fabricated accusations about the fate of the princes, creating unrest.

Richard 3rd shakespeare Famous British People. He is credited with the responsibility for several murders, including those of his nephews Edward and Richard, and of Henry VI. Henry Tudor , a distant relative of the House of Lancaster , then became Richard's main enemy. During his reign, which lasted only two years, he was very popular in parts of the country, especially the north of England.

However, when Henry Tudor landed in Wales in early August , neither he nor Richard could rely on widespread popular support. The last-minute defection of the powerful Stanley family and the Earl of Northumberland tipped the balance in favor of Henry Tudor. On August 22, , Richard fought bravely but was killed in battle at Bosworth Field.

The widely circulated theory that the princes were killed by Henry Tudor (coronated as Henry VII) also lacks sufficient evidence. It is possible that it was the Duke of Buckingham himself, Richard's constable of the Tower, where the boys were held, who sought to discredit the king he hoped to overthrow. Regardless, Richard's usurpation had fatal consequences for Edward V and his brother.