I have to start somewhere, so I will show you the most famous portrait of the last English king of England, King Richard the Third, the original of which hangs in Windsor Castle, close by St George's chapel, where his garter stall still exists, and where his brother King Edward IV lies buried. A copy hangs in the National Portrait Gallery London for all to visit and gaze at.
Do that.
Look at that face, study it closely, and tell me you can see through the legends that cloud so many people's judgement of this amazing man, as I have, and let me tell you about him, his life, his contemporaries, the challenges he faced, and the sacrifices he made.
I will also tell you of those who knew and loved him, and of those who did not and betrayed him for their own selfish needs.
With his betrayal and death in battle we lost one of our most enlightened and forward thinking rulers.
Join me and find out more, and if you have questions feel free to ask them.
A start then....
There are three new books on Richard out already, and two more are possibly promised.
The first is Richard III: the Young King To Be, by Josephine Wilkinson, and clearly is the first part of two; the second book is by John Ashdown-Hill, Eleanor, The Secret Queen: The Woman Who Put Richard III on the Throne, a biography of Eleanor Butler, the 'other woman' in the early history of Edward IV, whose marriage to the king made his children by Elizabeth Woodville illegitimate, and thus cleared the way for Richard to become king.
Both of these last two are winging their way to me from Amazon to add to the pile of books I am trying hard to work my way through.
Annette Carson's book on Richard III: The Maligned Monarch is on the top, and is simply wonderful. The author sets out all the many problems Richard faced, and all the various 'charges' made against him, and deals with both sides of each and every argument in an intelligent and very readable manner, quoting all the sources available. I'm sure this will be sitting close at hand in future as a means of reference.
[I'm halfway though a rather good biography, another very readble one, on the Emperor Augustus, a man I admire a lot, consummate politician that he was. But my other reading matter and interests will come as a side bar in future.]
There is another book about Richard I've been told of by Anne Kettle. I am waiting to get more information on this book and it's author. I understand that although she has studied the period in detail, she is not an admirer, but we shall see. At £54, the publisher's quoted price, I hope my local library can afford a copy as I won't be buying it myself, the first book about Richard I have not added to my collection. There is however some doubt on this book actually being published.
Soon though David Hipshon is publishing 'Richard III and the Death of Chivalry' which examines some aspects from Richard's life not often dealt with. But more of that later.
Richard liveth yet
Annette Carson's book, Richard III, The Maligned King, can be cited to be the new biography to replace the 1955 biography by Paul Murray Kendall.
ReplyDeleteMs. Carson's book is easy to read, and the traditionalists, who will hate the book, need to take a look at what she presents.
Too many times people judge Richard III by the works of William Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More, but she takes good slant of following the sources of his time.
She doesn't set out by starting with Richard was born on bla bla, but gets to the heart and soul of the questions that have plagued Richard III starting with the death of Edward IV.
Ms. Carson attacks Richard's case with clarity that would make any solicitor envy of her tactics.
She attacks the issue of the Princes in the Tower head on leaving no stone unturned and provides new insight to what may have happened, including what most of his distractors accuse him of "Why didn't he produce his nephews." Want to know why? Read her book!
The important issues of Richard's reign is brought into play, i.e, the Buckingham rebellion, the conduct of Elizabeth Woodville, and Lord Hastings.
Edward IV's precontract with Eleanor Butler is equally discussed.
Annette's work is a long time coming, and she does what other authors fail to do. She examines Richard in his own life and times, and not of ours.
She provides great illustrations along with a comprehensive appendix of sources for reading. This book is a must if you want to learn and understand more about one of England's most maligned monarchs.