History VS Shakespeare

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HistoryVSShakespeare
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Introduction

• Richard III has been immortalised by
  Shakespeares play, which depicts him as an evil,
  ambitious character.
• However, the REAL Richard only partially
  resembles the scheming lump of deformity
  portrayed by Shakespeare.

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Supposed Crimes

• In Richard III one of Richards earliest crimes
  was his murder of Edward of Lancaster and his
  father, King Henry at the battle of Tewkesbury.
• for I did kill King Henry...
• twas I that stabbd young Edward
• (Act 1 Sc 2)

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Actual Crimes

• Though Richard did have a leading part in the
  battle of Tewkesbury, there is no reference to
  Richard as the murderer of Edward. Instead, it is
  widely believed that he died in battle.
• King Henry was captured in the battle at
  Tewkesbury and kept prisoner in the Tower of
  London, where he was executed, by order of King
  Edward of York.

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Supposed Crimes

• In the play, one of Richards earliest crimes was
  to kill his brother Clarence by sending two
  assassins to drown him in a barrel of wine.
• Clarence hath not another day to live
• Act 1 Scene 2

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Actual Crimes

• There is no contemporary evidence to suggest that
  Richard was actively involved in Clarences
  death.
• Historians write that Clarence had been in a
  dispute with Edward IV for some time and this led
  to Clarences execution for treason.

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Supposed Crime

• Shakespeares Richard woos the recently widowed
  Anne Neville over the corpse of her dead father
  in law, Richard being responsible for both crimes
  Annes widowhood and Henrys death.
• Richard wins Anne over marries her. The marriage
  does not last and Richard has her poisoned.
• Ill have her but I will not keep her long
  (Act 1 Sc 2)
• He then proceeds to bolster his claim to the
  throne by attempting to marry his niece,
  Elizabeth of York.

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Actual Crime

• In fact, Richard and Anne married and even had a
  child. There was no evidence to suggest that they
  were not happy together. When their only child
  died, both parents were grief stricken and said
  to be bordering on madness.
• It is believed that this loss was a contributing
  factor to her natural death.

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Supposed Crimes

• Richard imprisoned the two young princes in the
  Tower of London and had them executed.
• He did this to legitimise his claim to the
  throne.

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Actual Crimes

• It was never proven that Richard had killed the
  two princes.
• Two bodies were found later, near the tower but
  they were never successfully linked to Richard.

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Similarities

• Richard III did become the Duke of Gloucester in
  1461.
• He did have a leading part in the battle at
  Tewkesbury.
• In 1471, Richard III married Anne Neville
• Richard III did bastardise Edwards children in
  1483.
• Richard was crowned King in 1485 (though he would
  only be King for a month.)