Richard III
Sept 2019 · Pen and Sword
5.0star
2 reviewsreport
eBook
192
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn more
About this eBook
“Bust[s] some commonly held myths that have built up about Richard III over the centuries, most coming from Shakespeare’s famous play . . . eye-opening.” —Sarah Bryson, author of La Reine Blanche: Mary Tudor, a Life in Letters
King Richard III remains one of the most infamous and recognizable monarchs in English or British history, despite only sitting on the throne for two years and fifty-eight days. His hold on the popular imagination is largely due to the fictional portrayal of him by William Shakespeare which, combined with the workings of five centuries of rumor and gossip, has created two opposing versions of Richard. In fiction he is the evil, scheming murderer who revels in his plots, but many of the facts point towards a very different man.
Dissecting a real Richard III from the fictional versions that have taken hold is made difficult by the inability to discern motives in many instances, leaving a wide gap for interpretation that can be favorable or damning in varying degrees. It is the facts that will act as the scalpel to begin the operation of finding a truth obscured by fiction.
Richard III may have been a monster, a saint, or just a man trying to survive, but any view of him should be based in the realities of his life, not the myths built on rumor and theater. How much of what we think we know about England’s most controversial monarch will remain when the facts are sifted from the fictions?
“He’s been portrayed as one of history’s biggest baddies—and Shakespeare shares the blame for that.But now historian and author Matt Lewis is out to right the wrong done to Richard III.” —Shropshire Star
King Richard III remains one of the most infamous and recognizable monarchs in English or British history, despite only sitting on the throne for two years and fifty-eight days. His hold on the popular imagination is largely due to the fictional portrayal of him by William Shakespeare which, combined with the workings of five centuries of rumor and gossip, has created two opposing versions of Richard. In fiction he is the evil, scheming murderer who revels in his plots, but many of the facts point towards a very different man.
Dissecting a real Richard III from the fictional versions that have taken hold is made difficult by the inability to discern motives in many instances, leaving a wide gap for interpretation that can be favorable or damning in varying degrees. It is the facts that will act as the scalpel to begin the operation of finding a truth obscured by fiction.
Richard III may have been a monster, a saint, or just a man trying to survive, but any view of him should be based in the realities of his life, not the myths built on rumor and theater. How much of what we think we know about England’s most controversial monarch will remain when the facts are sifted from the fictions?
“He’s been portrayed as one of history’s biggest baddies—and Shakespeare shares the blame for that.But now historian and author Matt Lewis is out to right the wrong done to Richard III.” —Shropshire Star
Ratings and reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Lisa P
- Flag inappropriate
9 March 2021
A Very Good Read. Historical investigations can sometimes be extremely dry and tedious. This was neither. The controversies surrounding Richard III and the lasting impressions of popular fictions have done much to cloud how we see this ill fated King. I enjoyed the little extra facts, glossary terms and location appropriate photos added by the author. They added colour despite being black and white. The author showed how gossip, fiction and a lack of evidence to the contrary have unfairly strengthened all the negative aspects of Richard III. That the region where he still enjoys a far better reputation is also warped by certain factors of bias. The man is far more interesting than either Shakespear or his admirers have written him to be, and that is not lessened by the mysteries accrued over time.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
Matthew Lewis trained in law and is now a full time author of historical fiction and non-fiction. He also blogs on his website, Matt’s History Blog, and can be found on Twitter as @mattlewisauthor. His main interest is medieval history and he has a number of books on that topic, including The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy and Richard, Duke of York: King by Right.
Rate this eBook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Centre instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
