Richard III



Late 16th century portrait, housed in
 the National Portrait Gallery, London.

A thousand hearts are great within my bosom.

Advance our standards. Set upon our foes.

Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,

Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons.

Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.

Richard III (5.3. 367-371).

The Back Story

King Richard III reigned over England from 1483 to 1485. He died aged 32 during the Battle of Bosworth against the Lancastrian supporters of Henry Tudor. He was the last English monarch to die in battle and the last Plantagenet King. His death brought with it an end to the War of the Roses (House of York, white rose V. House of Lancaster, red rose) and ushered in the Tudor age.

In 2012, experts set out in search of the last known burial site of Richard III, whose remains were believed to have been unceremoniously handed over to monks after his death. Their search led them to the modern day site of what was formerly the Church of Grey Friars, where, by historical account, his bones were believed to have been buried. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Site of Greyfriars Church, Leicester, shown superimposed over a
modern map of the area. The skeleton of Richard III was recovered in
September 2012 from the centre of the choir, shown by a small dot.[1]

And in the fall of 2012 they found what were believed to be his skeletal remains beneath the site where the former church’s choir would have been located. [1][8]

The skeletal remains were that of an adult male with severe scoliosis of the spine. [1][9]

There was an object that appeared to be an arrowhead embedded in the spine; and multiple stabbing injuries to the skull. [1]


The history of war, as we all well know is invariably written by the victors. And in the case of Richard III, the victors were the Tudors. And as it happened, the Tudor reign continued through a time of some of history’s greatest story tellers. Poets and playwrights who were hardly inclined to paint the Plantagenet sons in a favourable light. And thus, Richard III had the misfortune of having his character and his history painted by the Tudor brushstroke.
 
Though the bloody history of the English crown provided a wealth of villainous characters to choose from, it seems Richard managed to garner more than his fair share in that regard. Perhaps, this was due to the curvature of his spine, a physical deformity, revealed to the masses when he was stripped naked after his death.

It was after all a time when such things were considered bad luck. And if his being stripped naked revealed something which up to that point had only spoken of in whispers, if at all, its confirmation would have provided potent material for the embellished story telling of the victorious Lancaster’s.

Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog,

Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity

The slave of nature and the son of hell,

Thou slander of thy heavy mother’s womb,

Thou loathèd issue of thy father’s loins,

Thou rag of honor, thou detested—

Richard III (1.5.230-235).

Richard III, yes that Richard III, the subject of the flattering words above. Yes, he the hunchback with withered arm who had his nephews locked in the tower so that he could assume the thrown. But my Richard III is not he as was depicted by William Shakespeare. My Richard III is he as was depicted by Anne Easter Smith. And if it is possible to fall in love with a fictional depiction of a historical figure, then I fell in love with Anne Easter Smith's Richard III.

Still, 15^th century England, blech! No thanks. Probably not my time machine destination of choice. Stink, poor hygiene, disease, pestilence, pus, rot, blood, guts, wine reserved for the wealthy and a whole lot of pain and suffering. Oh, you have a rotten tooth? Let us pull it out. Cancer? Perhaps we’ll cut it out, or perhaps not. A time when even the wealthiest bellies were inhabited by roundworm. And warfare? Probably better to have been killed quickly on the battlefield than to have temporarily survived a mortal injury.

On September 17^th, 2014, the results of an extensive forensic investigation were published in the medical journal, The Lancet.

What the post-mortem revealed:

Well, what we now know for certain is that during the battle at Bosworth Field in 1485, King Richard III lost his horse, his helmet and as a result his life.

According to Professor Guy Rutty, a co-author of the study, [5][22] 

"Richard's head injuries are consistent with some near-contemporary accounts of the battle, which suggest that Richard abandoned his horse after it became stuck in a mire and was killed while fighting his enemies." 

Of his 11 injuries, three had the potential to cause death quickly: two to the skull and one to the pelvis. The weapons used to inflict the injuries included daggers, swords and a long metal pole with an axe and hook that was used to pull knights off their horses. [7][20][22][24]


According to Professor Sarah Hainsworth, another of the study's authors, [5][22]

"The wounds to the skull suggest that he was not wearing a helmet, and the absence of defensive wounds on his arms and hands indicate that he was otherwise still armored at the time of his death." 

The post-mortem revealed two wounds to Richard III's body. One, damage the right 10th rib. The other, the aforementioned pelvic injury. Delivered through the right buttock, the pelvic injury had the potential to be fatal, but according to Hainsworth, it was almost certainly delivered after death because his armor would have protected him. [7][22][24]


It is generally accepted that after his death, Richard's naked body was thrust over a horse, with his arms slung over one side and his legs and buttocks over the other. [1] This would have presented a very opportunistic target for onlookers, and the angle of the blow on the pelvis suggests that one of them stabbed Richard's right buttock with substantial force, as the cut extends from the back all the way to the front of the pelvic bone and was most probably an act of humiliation. [1][8][9][10][24]

Identification

In 2004 (prior to the discovery of the skeletal remains) the maternal descendants of Richard’s sister, Anne of York had been traced to Joy Ibsen, a 16th-generation great-niece of the king in the same direct maternal line. [1][11][12] It was her son Michael Ibsen who provided the mitochondrial-DNA for comparison against the skeletal remains. [1][13][14][15][16] (Joy Ibsen passed away in 2008)

On 11 February 2014, University of Leicester announced the project to sequence the entire genome of Richard III and Michael Ibsen. This would make Richard III the first ancient person with known historical identity to have their genome sequenced. [1][17]

"It should give us an insight into his genetic make-up, his predisposition to disease," said Turi King, the geneticist who carried out the DNA tests on the bones, and who will lead the genome project." [19]

Once completed, the full details of Richard's genome will be published online.

"As we know more and more about which genes are responsible for what, we can keep going back to check evidence," King said, adding that, "Experts should be able to look for clues to everything from curly hair and obesity to lactose intolerance and heart disease.... Theoretically, Michael Ibsen and Richard should not be genetically related any other way -- apart from the mitochondrial DNA -- after so much time, but it will be really interesting to see if there are other similarities." [19]

Scoliosis

Scientists have determined that he was not actually a hunchback; rather, he had scoliosis, or a significant spinal curve. [1][4][21]

Using computerized tomography, researchers created a 3-D reconstruction of Richard's spine. [4][21]

"It's a twist rather than a bend," said study co-author Piers Mitchell of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge.[21]

The researchers believe that Richard's scoliosis probably began sometime after age 10, and was not genetic. [4][21]

Mitchell also notes that Richard does not appear to have had a limp or withered arm, as Shakespeare had described. His trunk and abdomen would have appeared short compared with his arms and legs. His right shoulder would have been slightly higher than his left. [4][21]


Roundworm

Several roundworm eggs were found in samples taken from the pelvis, where his intestines would have been, but not from the skull and only very small numbers were identified in soil surrounding the grave. The findings suggest that the higher concentration of eggs in the pelvic area probably arose from a roundworm infection the King suffered in his life, rather than from human waste dumped in the area at a later date, researchers said. [1]

*Roundworm: In humans, the giant roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) can grow up to around 35cm. [25][26] Infections with these parasites is more common where sanitation is poor [25][27] and raw human feces are used as fertilizer. After being ingested, they take up residence in the intestine where they lay eggs. Bleach does not kill Ascaris eggs but it will remove their sticky film, to allow the eggs to be rinsed away. Most diagnoses are made by identifying the appearance of the worm or eggs in feces. Infections can be treated with anti-parasitic drugs. [25]

He enjoyed his wine & peacock. [24]

Tests revealed a diet of peacock, heron and swan, and that his consumption of these rich foods, as well as wine, increased after he became king. 

Scientists at the British Geological Survey measured the levels of isotopes including oxygen, strontium, nitrogen and carbon in the remains of Richard III. 

As Richard Buckley, the University of Leicester archaeologist in charge of the dig which uncovered the king's remains, explained: [24]

"It is very rare indeed in archaeology to be able to identify a named individual with precise dates and a documented life.…This has enabled stable-isotope analysis to show how his environment changed at different times and, perhaps most significantly, identified marked changes in his diet when he became king in 1483." 

"Back then wine was very much the preserve of the upper classes -- it was imported, expensive and only the very wealthy could afford it,” said Isotope geochemist Angela Lamb, who led the study.” [6]

By carrying out tests with modern equivalents, the scientists were able to conclude that Richard drank up to a bottle of wine a day. [6]

Memorial to Richard III in the choir of Leicester Cathedral

To quote from another play wherein a different Richard met his end through the actions of different Henry:

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

Henry IV, Part II (3.1.1735)

UPDATES

Richard III Gets a Regal Tomb 530 Years After His Death LIVESCIENCE MARCH 26, 2015

New Footage Reveals Discovery of Richard III's Death blow LIVESCIENCE FEB 12, 2015

REFERENCES

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_III_of_England
[2] Philippa Langley: Hero or Villain? – Profiles – People. The Independent (10 February 2013).
[3] Richard III society welcome raised tomb for reburial | Central – ITV News. Itv.com. 18 July 2013.
[4] Maev Kennedy (5 February 2013) It's like Richard III wanted to be found. The Guardian.
[5] “Historic search for King Richard III begins in Leicester". University of Leicester.
[6] "Hunt for Richard III's remains under car park". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
[7] "Richard III dig: 'Strong chance' bones belong to king". BBC. 12 September 2012.
[8] "Scoliosis & Richard III". Archaeology.co.uk. 12 September 2012.
[9] http://www.le.ac.uk/richardiii/science/osteology.html
[10] http://www.le.ac.uk/richardiii/science/osteologybody.html
[11] John F. Burns, DNA could cleanse a king besmirched, International Herald Tribune, 24 September 2012, p. 4
[12] "Family tree: Cecily Neville (1415–1495) Duchess of York". University of Leicester.
[13] "Richard III dig: 'It does look like him'". BBC News. 4 February 2013.
[14] Randy Boswell (27 August 2012). "Canadian family holds genetic key to Richard III puzzle". Postmedia News.
[15] "Results of the DNA analysis". University of Leicester. 4 February 2013.
[16] "Geneticist Dr Turi King and genealogist Professor Kevin Schürer give key evidence on the DNA testing". University of Leicester.
[17] Burns, John F (4 February 2013). "Bones Under Parking Lot Belonged to Richard III". The New York Times.
[18] Press Release (11 February 2014). "Genomes of Richard III and his proven relative to be sequenced". University of Leicester.
[19] http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/11/world/europe/richard-iii-genome-sequence/index.html
[20] http://www.smh.com.au/world/lancet-study-confirms-richard-iii-died-painfully-on-battlefield-20140917-10i2e3.html#ixzz3Djn9Cqbl
[21] http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/29/health/richard-iii-spine-scoliosis/index.html
[22] http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/16/world/europe/richard-iii-bones-injuries/index.html
[23] http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/18/world/europe/richard-iii-bones-reveal-luxury-lifestyle/index.html
[24] http://www.livescience.com/47869-richard-iii-final-moments-postmortem.html
[25] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascaris_lumbricoides
[26]"eMedicine - Ascaris Lumbricoides : Article by Aaron Laskey". Archived from the original on 27 January 2008.
[27]"DPDx - Ascariasis". Archived from the original on 24 February 2008.

    
IMAGE CREDITS
 
"King Richard III" by Unknown - Scanned from the book The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings and Queens of England by David Williamson, ISBN 1855142287. A copy of this work is also in the Royal Collection.[2][3] This painting has been copied and sold to many patrons.[4]. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Richard_III.jpg#mediaviewer/File:King_Richard_III.jpg


"Greyfriars, Leicester site" by Hel-hama - Own work, based on work of RobinLeicester (Base map OS OpenData VectorMap District. Greyfriars perimeter from Billson, C.J.,1920, Medieval Leicester, facing p.1. Edgar Backus, Leicester (Archive.org). Greyfriars Church details, University of Leicester Plan of the 2012 Archaeological dig, Mail Online, 12 Sept 2012)This vector image was created with Inkscape.. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greyfriars,_Leicester_site.svg#mediaviewer/File:Greyfriars,_Leicester_site.svg


"Memorial to King Richard III of England in Leicester Cathedral" by Andrewrabbott - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memorial_to_King_Richard_III_of_England_in_Leicester_Cathedral.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Memorial_to_King_Richard_III_of_England_in_Leicester_Cathedral.jpg