Richard III (Penguin Monarchs): A Failed King?

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 24 September 2020
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

No English king has generated such widespread and enduring controversy, both during his reign and in the centuries that have followed, as Richard III. He was despised in his own time for the unsubstantiated allegations of his murder of his young nephews, the Princes in the Tower, and met his demise in a bloody battle against his own subjects. This portrayal of Richard is ingrained in our cultural consciousness, thanks to the works of Shakespeare. Equally, he commanded unwavering loyalty from his followers. In this comprehensive and impartial examination, Rosemary Horrox paints a nuanced portrait of a king who, by any measure, fell short of fulfilling his monarchical duties. He ruled for only two years before his untimely demise, leaving no heir to the throne. This decisive turn of events paved the way for Henry Tudor to ascend to the throne, despite his tenuous claim. Whether Richard's downfall was a result of his own audacious ambitions or the enduring legacy of a dysfunctional Yorkist dynasty, the ultimate outcome was the same: Richard III brought about the destruction of the very dynasty that he had devoted his entire life to defending.

No English king has generated such widespread and enduring controversy, both during his reign and in the centuries that have followed, as Richard III. He was despised in his own time for the unsubstantiated allegations of his murder of his young nephews, the Princes in the Tower, and met his demise in a bloody battle against his own subjects. This portrayal of Richard is ingrained in our cultural consciousness, thanks to the works of Shakespeare. Equally, he commanded unwavering loyalty from his followers. In this comprehensive and impartial examination, Rosemary Horrox paints a nuanced portrait of a king who, by any measure, fell short of fulfilling his monarchical duties. He ruled for only two years before his untimely demise, leaving no heir to the throne. This decisive turn of events paved the way for Henry Tudor to ascend to the throne, despite his tenuous claim. Whether Richard's downfall was a result of his own audacious ambitions or the enduring legacy of a dysfunctional Yorkist dynasty, the ultimate outcome was the same: Richard III brought about the destruction of the very dynasty that he had devoted his entire life to defending.

Weight: 180g
Dimension: 128 x 186 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780141978932