Richard III - Rediscovered

I have been fascinated with the discovery of the bones of the English King Richard III from the 1400's.

Bones of Richard III

Bones of the King who died in 1485, before Columbus discovered America, have been resting safely beneath a parking lot north of  London. Which is why the probably still survive.

The Washington Post article discusses the possible impacts of this discovery of the remains of the final monarch of the House of Planetagenet whose death ushered in the Tudors as monarchs of England.

That I am so fascinated with this relic of history is not amazing. But that I am so intrigued by a king of England who was a tyrant and a warrior and depicted by Shakespeare as an evil, deformed, child murdering monster is a bit disturbing. I am looking forward to a future History Channel program about the search and subsequent discovery of the bones.

The curved spine makes me cringe in pain every time I think about it--yet he was a King.

I think back to life during the 1400's when the world was clearly flat and survival was a daily battle for most people. What a time. And why was he buried 90 miles north of London? I can scarcely imagine life during those times of upheaval.

And like all despots and evil leaders--he died. Now his bones have been found and the stories can be confirmed or refuted. It reminds me of being in 11th grade history class and having to memorize all of the Kings and Queens of England--for no apparently good reason.

How cool is it that science can confirm that these are the bones of that man.  Wow!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Anchorage, AK