Synopses & Reviews
An important contribution to Ricardian scholarship offering revelations about John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, and why he became Richard III's key supporter
In 1455, John Howard was an untitled and relatively obscure Suffolk gentleman. At the time of his death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 he was Earl Marshal, Duke of Norfolk, Lord Admiral and a very rich man (and the current Duke of Norfolk is his direct descendant). How had he attained these elevations? Through his service to the House of York, and in particular to Richard III during the setting aside of Edward V. John Ashdown-Hill examines why he chose to support Richard, even at the cost of his life; what secrets he knew about Edward IV; what he had to do with the fate of the "Princes in the Tower;" and what naval innovations, until now ascribed to the Tudors, he introduced. This book is based on original research and contains previously unpublished material.
Review
"With its new details and perspectives about Richards last days and its use of original sources, this book will be an essential read for Ricardians and all interested in studying the Wars of the Roses, here accessible to them without being marred by hundreds of years of interpretations, rumors, and biases." Library Journal
Review
"Although this is a specialized work, the sun never sets on interest in British royalty, the Shakespearean Richard III in particular." Booklist
Review
"[The Last Days of Richard III] should prove of interest to anyone who wants to go deeper into this watershed moment in English history." —The Historical Novels Review
Synopsis
What Richard III did in his last five months, what happened to his body, and how his DNA was found in Canada A new and uniquely detailed exploration of Richard's last 150 days explores these events from the standpoint of Richard himself and his contemporaries. By deliberately avoiding the hindsight knowledge that he will lose the Battle of Bosworth Field, this book presents a new Richard--no passive victim, awaiting defeat and death, but a king actively pursuing his own policies and agenda. It also reexamines the aftermath of Bosworth--the treatment of Richard's body, his burial, and the construction of his tomb. Based on newly discovered evidence and wider insights it explores the motives underlying these events. And there is the fascinating story of why and how Richard III's DNA was rediscovered, alive and well, and living in Canada. This is a stimulating and thought-provoking account of the end of Richard's life--even readers very familiar with his short life will discover a new and fascinating picture of him.
About the Author
John Ashdown-Hill is a historian and a member of the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Genealogists, the Richard III Society, and the Centre Européen dEtudes Bourguignonnes. The author of The Last Days of Richard III, he has been heavily involved in the DNA testing of Richard III's remains. He is also the author of Eleanor, the Secret Queen; Royal Marriage Secrets; and The Third Plantagenet. He has appeared on NPR and the Smithsonian Channel as an expert on Richard III.