Richard III Foundation

Published August 24, 2011 | By CDoart

A very engaged and energetic group of researchers about time and life of King Richard III is the

Richard III Foundation, Inc.

We have already presented the research group here on this website and they kindly contributed the wonderful biographical overview of King Richard III, which can be found here. If you want to read more about time and life of King Richard III, the Foundation has collected an excellent booklist of researches (Booklist, pdf-version).

Founded in 1993, the Richard III Foundation, Inc. has worked tirelessly to share and stimulate interest in the life and times of Richard III and the Wars of the Roses. With activities ranging from annual conferences, scholarships and grants for students and historians, to publishing and research, the Foundation is recognized as one of the best in the field.

Today, CEO/President of the Foundation Ms. Joe Ann Ricca will tell us a bit more about this group and their very special approach to promote King Richard III:

How would you describe the main purpose of your Richard III Foundation?

The Richard III Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to research into the life of the former king. We are the only organization of its kind to not take a neutral view of Richard III.

I have read that the Richard III Foundation has an impressive list of famous patrons and members.

Yes, honorary patrons of the Foundation include celebrated actor Robert Hardy, Professor Anne Curry and award-winning novelist Sharon Kay Penman, famous for her book about King Richard III “The Sunne in Splendour“.

Why in your view is it necessary to research King Richard III today?

Thanks in large part to William Shakespeare’s play, Richard III has evolved into an almost comic figure, too vile to be believed. Shakespeare’s depiction of a murderous, power-crazed, deformed madman has nearly eradicated any knowledge of who Richard really was.

We hear you will have a conference with readings about new research results about King Richard III soon. Can you tell us more about it?

In October, we will host a conference with our honorary patron, actor Robert Hardy.
(Conference details and registration form here. Non-members are welcome to join the conference!)

What is your attitude towards a new filming of the King Richard III topic?

I’m very excited at the thought of this project. I’m always highly skeptical of these types of things, expecting yet another Shakespeare knock-off. But if Mr. Armitage can bring an historically accurate portrayal of Richard III to the screen, he has our full support. A project of this sort is long overdue.
We will be watching this project closely going forward.
If people thought The Tudors was exciting, they’re in for something even better with Richard III and the Wars of the Roses.

The fifteenth century was rife with rebellion and conflict and continuous power struggles. It was an era of treachery and violence coupled with extraordinary splendor and pageantry.
I look forward to seeing what develops.

I can only agree with you, Ms. Ricca, as I am also very much looking forward to see what develops.

Thank you very much for your time to answer our questions about the Richard III Foundation and your commitment to the King Richard III topic.

Conference announcement:

If you want to learn more about King Richard III and his time, the Richard III Foundation holds a conference in Market Bosworth on 15th of October, 2011.

There so interesting topics as: