Richard III: The Great Debate

by Paul Murray Kendall

Book Overview

Was Richard III a villain who murdered the little princes in the Tower, or was he a tragic victim of history when his reputation fell into the hands of his enemies? The 'great debate' has gone on for almost four centuries. Central to this debate are two documents: History of King Richard III by Sir Thomas More and Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard III by Horace Walpole, brought together in this volume with introductions by the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393003108
• ISBN13: 9780393003109
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

`Loyaulte me lie'

This is a very readable biography of Richard III. While more recent research may have overtaken some of Mr Kendall's conclusions it by no means diminishes his scholarship. Richard III's life has been the subject of many works of historical fiction. Additionally, he appears in the works of Shakespeare, is dissected by Sir Thomas More and others writing during Tudor times. Variously lionized and demonized, he is considered by many to be either the tragic hero slain in battle at Bosworth Field or the murderer of the princes in the Tower of London. To see Richard solely as either a villain or a victim is to ignore the realities of the period in which he lived and the circumstances whereby he came to the throne. I recommend this biography to those who want to know more about the life and reign of Richard III or are seeking some historical background to some of the works of historical fiction in which he features. Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The man and the statesman

This book is one of the few that succeeds in revising the historical profile of king Richard by giving him the place he deserves. For centuries Tudor historians, particularly More and Vergil (using all the heavy artillery of political propaganda on behalf of their masters the Tudor kings) had drawn a caricature of king Richard, making him a monster, the incarnation of evil, not to speak of Shakespeare's play, as brilliant as false. This book proves that king Richard was a wise ruler, an excellent warrior (he decisively contributes to the final Yorkist victory over the Lancastrians in the battles of Barnet and Tewksbury in 1471), loyal to his brother king Edward IV, tender to his wife, loved by the people (specially by Northerners, by the people of York, where he was almost adored, while Henry VII and Henry VIII, the first Tudor kings, were much hated, which explains the constant rebellions of Yorkshire under Tudor rule) The tragedy of king Richard III has nothing to do with Shakespearean plot; it is very unlikely that he ordered the death of Edward IV's sons (the book provides an interesting appendix on the matter) and, of course, he had no body deformity. His tragedy was both personal and political: a man who saw the death of his beloved wife, son and brothers, a king who tried to rule for the people against the barons and paid a terrible price, the price of being betrayed at Bosworth field in 1485; a ruler who tried to take control of the political turmoil, hopelessly, as he found himself trapped in the turmoil, overwhelmed and finally swept away. However, he set the foundations of modern Britain, creating a strong State by undermining the territorial rebellious powers of the old feudal peerage, which were the cancer that had consumed the nation since the Beauforts had made a puppet of Henry VI, the last Lancastrian king, and which degenerated into the open enmity between the dukes of Somerset and York and the subsequent civil strife. Apart from reading a fascinating period of the History of England, this book made me seriously think of how easy it is to falsify History. Richard III is somebody who definitely deserved rehabilitation. Well done, Paul!

The standard Ricardian biography of Richard III

Paul Murray Kendall's work on Richard III is considered by most historians as the standard for Ricardian scholarship. By "Ricardian" I mean pro-Richard, as opposed to "traditionalist," which characterizes those historians, such as Charles Ross, who support the theory that Richard III murdered his nephews, the princes in the Tower. Kendall's treatment of Richard III, in contrast to Ross's, is more like a historical novel than a work of dry historical prose. For those interested in the story of Richard III's life without all the minutiae, Kendall's biography is the place to being. Anyone wishing to research more deeply the reign and policies of Richard III should consult the biography by Charles Ross. And those who like Kendall's work but desire a more literary treatment should read Sharon Kay Penman's novel about Richard III, entitled 'The Sunne in Splendour,' which is loosely based on Kendall's biography.

Richard III - without the Tudor stain

I loved this book! Kendall has you believing that you arereading a novel - not history. It is so nice to read a book onRichard III that cites Richard's near contemporary sources as well as those written as Tudor propaganda, not just Thomas More. Kendall fairly deals with all the issues and comes up with a few suggestions of his own. It is nice to see a more balanced history instead of one that blindly follows "The Gospel According to More" (Rowse, Seward, Weir).

Extremely interesting.

Mr. Kendall does an excellant job in his research and his theories, but he is a tad too repetitive. He gives terrific analagies, but could have consolidated many of these and made easier to read. Some places are tedious to read. but the subject matter is so interesting that you plod through and are never disappointed. Great theories and his research is incredible. I only wish there was more DNA research available for this book. Great book.