Oh Dear, Richard III

Proving once again that truth is frequently stranger than fiction, the bones of King Richard III, of England (1452-1485), were recently found beneath a car park in Leicester. The internet greeted this news with the amusing memes it richly deserves. For example:

Spotted on actress Dawn French‘s Facebook page.

See also:

Spotted on the Blackadder Facebook fan page.

(If you are not familiar with Rowan Atkinson’s comedic turns as Edmund Blackadder, you have some DVDs to request. Click here.)

Good fun all around! However, it would be a pity if the only thing we knew about history were that it’s often subject to creative hilarity. Therefore, I give you a short list of resources for learning more about Richard III.

Biography

The History of King Richard III / Thomas More. (Yes, that Thomas More, in a lovely Yale Press reproduction!).
History of the Life and Reign of Richard III / James Gairdner (with bonus info on Perkin Warbeck).
Richard III / David Hipshon.
The Last Days of Richard III / John Ashdown-Hill
Richard III: His Life and Character Reviewed in the Light of Recent Research / Clements R. Markham (“recent” being relative, when it comes to the historical record).

Useful Websites

The Richard III Society (contains a great FAQ that tackles myths, legends, and stories you might have heard about the king).
The Official Website of the British Monarchy (nothing like asking an expert, eh?).
The Richard III Foundation (“Loyal to the Truth”).
The University of Leicester (Get the facts behind the search for the missing grave)

Cool Stuff We Keep Locked Up

Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard III / Horace Walpole
The Ghost of Richard the Third / Christopher Brooke (a poem inspired by Shakespeare).
The True Tragedy of Richard the Third / Thomas Legge, ed. (a source Shakespeare most likely consulted when writing his own play).
King Richard III (1602) / William Shakespeare (the Bard himself, in a facsimile from the British Museum).

(To see any of these nifty items up close, ask a librarian.)

Digital Resources Even Your Teacher Will Love

Working on an assignment? Not allowed to use “web resources”? We can get you behind the paywall for those journal articles. Visit our electronic history resources and browse through: