Found in the winter of our discontent: Richard III skeleton confirmed
Published: 2/4/2013 11:42 AM
Last Modified: 2/4/2013 11:42 AM
Defenders of King Richard III hope the confirmation of his skeleton's discovery will open up debate on his life to restore his reputation.
Skull of King Richard III
But, his bones can’t clear him completely of his top villain status.
It could open a debate about the facts of his life, rather than relying on literature.
DNA tests confirm that history’s most reviled king was buried in a hastily dug, shallow grave in a parking lot.
Or, “car park” as the English say.
The king has been a source of fascination, controversy and contempt since his death on the battlefield in 1485.
William Shakespeare made him infamous with descriptions of his decrepit body – a humpback, withered arm and limping walk – and his endless quest for power, including murdering his two nephews.
Historians and members of the King Richard III Society say the dead king was slandered by playwrights, Henry VII and the Tudor monarchs, who inherited the crown after his death.
Defenders hope this discovery will lead to a more balance view of the king, who lifted restrictions on books and printing presses and introduced the right to bail.
King Richard III’s skeleton shows severe scoliosis with a twisted spine and right shoulder higher than the other.
No evidence of a bad arm though.
The scientific tests confirm much of the contemporary information about his appearance.
He died at 32, ate a protein-rich diet and had a slender, “almost feminine” build.
At the time of death, 10 wounds were inflicted, eight of those to the skull.
Archeologists say his violent death included at least two severe blows to the head and evidence his corpse was mistreated.
No shroud or other items associated with royal burials were found.
Richard III reigned for two years and is the last English king to die in battle.
Historical accounts indicate he left from Leicester, in central England, to join the fighting at the Bosworth Battlefield.
This is considered the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and some historians say it ended the Middle Ages.
After being struck down, his naked body was put on display as proof of his death then quickly buried in a nearby church.
As a defeated warrior, he was not given a state funeral given to other monarchs.
Last August, officials in Leicester and the Richard III Society combined efforts to search for the fallen king’s remains.
The search was made for the lost site of the former Greyfriars Church, which was demolished in 1538 by King Henry VIII, who dissolved all monasteries.
Once the site was discovered, human bones were found beneath what was once the church’s choir.
Three descendants in his family line were used for DNA comparisons.
The Mayor of Leicester said the king will be re-interred at Leicester Cathedral with a memorial service, and a Richard III museum will be opened next to the grave site.
Written by
Ginnie Graham
News Columnist
