RICHARD III

THE LAST YORKIST AND PLANTAGENET KING OF ENGLAND 1452-85 YORKIST

Richard grew up during the opening phase of the conflict and was still a child when his elder brother was crowned Edward

IV. Richard became duke of Gloucester and lived in the household of Warwick the Kingmaker until he was 16. When conflict broke out again in 1469, Richard remained loyal to Edward IV and joined him in exile. During Edward’s restoration campaign Richard was wounded at Barnet and commanded the Yorkist left flank at the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Tewkesbury established Richard’s martial reputation, but when Edward IV died in 1483 his loyalty did not extend to his nephew Edward V. Richard claimed the throne for himself and Edward, along with his younger brother, permanently disappeared within the Tower of London.

The usurper king put down a rebellion by the Duke of Buckingham in 1483, but Richard was soon undone when Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond invaded England.

Despite outnumbering Richmond’s largely mercenary army, Richard received no loyalty from the Stanley family, whose force defected at the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485. Richard personally led a cavalry charge to kill Henry but he was unhorsed and killed. Even later Tudor propagandists agreed that Richard

fought with great courage.

Although Richard III is an extremely controversial king, his military experience and courageous death in battle has never been doubted, even by his most ardent critics