Who was Richard III? This notorious King of England reigned for only two years, but left a considerable legacy. In episode one we explored Richard's life up to the summer of 1483 and we left him in the midst of a building crisis. In episode two we investigate Richard’s rise to power, his reign starting in 1483, and his final showdown at the Battle of Bosworth on the 22nd of August 1485.

We begin at St Paul’s exploring how the medieval rumour mill really began to turn in favour of Richard III and against his elder brother Edward. The victims of this would be the young future King to be Edward V and his brother Richard, more famously remembered as the Princes in the Tower. We find out how and why the illegitimacy rumour spread like wildfire across London and changed English history forever, ending with not Edward V on the throne, but Uncle Richard. Matt meets back up with Dr Euan Roger to discover documents that can tell us all about Richard’s lavish coronation on the 6th July 1483. We investigate the impact Richard’s new role as King had on both his mother, Cecily, and his wife Anne Neville before another formidable female creates cracks in Richard’s perfect route to Kingship, Margaret Beaufort. And it wasn’t just Margaret that Richard had to worry about, her son Henry was creating problems of his own that would ultimately end in Richard’s death. Richard died on the 22nd August at the Battle of Bosworth. He was the last king of England to die in battle, on the field his body was stripped and mutilated, along with his reputation in the centuries that followed.

Now you have more evidence, what do you think: villain or a misremembered hero? Or neither!

Let us know what you think in the comments.

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Want to find out more about Richard 3rd? Why not listen to one of Matt’s specialist Richard III episodes on Gone Medieval here or on your preferred podcast player:
https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval

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Fancy visiting some of these places?

Basing House, Hampshire Cultural Trust, https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/basing-house
The National Archives, https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
St James's Church, Sussex Gardens, https://stjamespaddington.org.uk/
Royal Arms Hotel, Bosworth, https://www.royalarms.co.uk/
Battle of Bosworth, https://www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk/