Fitzg: End the Wars of the Roses – NOW
Richard III – Head Reconstruction (Source: Richard III Society)
By no right (Divine or otherwise) conferred upon me, I hereby decree that the remains of the late (late by 500+ years, for his own funeral) much maligned King, Richard Plantagenet III of that name, be interred with due honour and respect here:
Gloucester Cathedral
Let us put an end to the unseemly media and public rowing over the re-interment of the remains of a once-anointed King. Let us take the attention temporarily from Leicester and York, and provide a public/media focus elsewhere, for a temporary hiatus, while the Esteemed Authorities resolve the issue of the primary subjects. (We can wrangle over Gloucester, instead.)
A nos moutons! What has Gloucester Cathedral to offer in place of either of the other two?
It is bigger than the formerly (until 1927) parish church of Leicester. It appears that size counts, in this issue. Tomb or floor slab?
And it is prettier than Leicester…
Noble burials
Suitable tombs
Gloucester contains the alabaster tomb/effigy of Edward II.
The Richard III Society commissioned and funded a design for a suitable, aesthetic RIII tomb. Apparently under dispute? by Leicester Cathedral. No room in the inn?
Richard III Tomb design (Source: Richard III Society)
Accomodation
Gloucester appears to be sufficiently large to accommodate a TOMB, not a floor slab, to be trodden underfoot…. (rather a slobby solution, do you think?)
Titles:
The main title of Richard III, before he took the crown, was DUKE of GLOUCESTER.
Contra?
Beyond his title, what affiliation has Gloucestershire to Richard III, of the House of York?
A quick aside about York
York Minster. As glorious a façade as that of Rouen.
The Chapter of York Minster published a statement on February 7 2013, which included the words: “…it commends Richard to Leicester’s care.” Richard, not King Richard III. They have a commemorative stained glass, in the king’s honour. Well, better than a floor slob…
And while we await the decision of Eminent Authorities to award the laurels to Leicester (with a floor slob), we can also argue about the merits of the king’s birthplace, Fotheringhay, bloodily redolent, of memories of Mary Stuart. Or Middleham, which could include coach tours to Haworth for pilgrims of varying stripes…
Please allow me to mention that this is not a serious post. It is strictly “tongue-in-cheek”, as an indirect comment on the media, etc. “wars”.
A Dwarf of our acquaintance, originally from Leicester, is wisely silent on the Wars. Obviously, he has quite enough to deal with, in retrieving Erebor for his family.
Thorin Oakenshield – The Hobbit (Source: RichardArmitageNet.com)
Richardarmitagenet Gallery. The Hobbit.
Guestpost by:
Fitzg
[Image Sources: As far as not otherwise mentioned, the images are Wikimedia Commons files.]
Announcement: Conference 2013 – Richard III Foundation (Open to the Public!)
♛ Conference 2013 ♛
Richard III Foundation
The Richard III Foundation, Inc. Celebration 2013
This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Richard III Foundation, Inc.
Since its inception in 1993, the core of the Foundation has been research and scholarship focusing on the life and reign of King Richard III and the Fifteenth Century. The Foundation’s focal points have been educational programs for students, the local historian, fostering research, publishing works on King Richard III and the Fifteenth Century, interacting with other like-minded organizations, and its annual symposiums. Our annual symposiums have featured the best historians in the medieval period, and for 2013, this year’s symposium will be an event to remember.
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Battle of Bosworth: Tudor’s Perspective
The Battle of Bosworth was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. Fought on the 22 August 1485, the battle was a defining moment in English history. At its conclusion, Richard III, the last English King to have fought in battle was slain by treachery. The battle has left us with many unanswered questions, but in recent years, it has been the centre of study and re-evaluation with remarkable and new research. While our focus has been on the study of the actions of King Richard III, we will for the first time be exploring the battle from the point of view by Henry Tudor and his army. We believe this will provide us with a different perspective of the battle providing us with more answers in how King Richard III acted and reacted.
Our tour will begin at the Bosworth Heritage Centre. Transportation via a mini-bus will be provided along with handouts and historical commentary by Richard MacKinder at the Bosworth Heritage Centre and Joe Ann Ricca, Founder and CEO/President of the Foundation.
Reservations are on a first come-first serve basis.
Our format will be as follows:
Saturday, October 12
White Rose: Scottish Thistle – The Legacy of King Richard III and King James IV
Our annual conference will be held at the Dixie Grammar School in Market Bosworth. We are proud to announce our speakers and their topics.
- Richard Buckley, BA FSA MIFA – Leicester’s Greyfriars and the Search for the Resting Place of Richard III
- Diana Dunn, Senior Lecturer – Queens in Late Medieval Politics and War
- Professor Peter Hancock – Speculations on the Asserted Legal Foundation of Richard III’s Assumption of the Throne
- Robert Hardy, CBE, FSA – Two Battles Scotland Should Have Won: Halidon Hill and Flodden
- Gervase Philips, Principal Lecturer – England; Scotland and the European Revolution – 1480-1560
- John Sadler, Historian – The Last Yorkists – the English army at Flodden 1513
- Chris Skidmore, MP and Historian – The Military Manoeuvres of the Battle of Bosworth
- Professor Matthew Strickland – Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: James IV and the Scottish army at Flodden
Mr. Buckley will have new information on the dig and remains of King Richard III. We welcome the Bosworth Heritage Centre, the Lance and Longbow Society, Dave Lanchester Books and the Tewkesbury and Towton Battlefield Societies. Join us as we celebrate the discovery of King Richard III, the 20th anniversary of The Richard III Foundation, Inc and the 500 anniversary of the Battle of Flodden.
Monday, October 21
Ceremony and Private Tour at York Minster.
There will be a special wreath laying ceremony at York Minster in memory of King Richard III followed by a private tour of the Minster. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 and will conclude at noon. At this time, this event is open to patrons of the Foundation only. Please note this events can be attended individually or collectively. For further information or general questions, please contact us at Middleham@aol.com
Registration Form for the Conference 2013 (pdf-file)
To reserve your seat, please mail your registration form along with your check payable to “The Richard III Foundation, Inc.” and submit to Ms. Dorothy Davies, Half Moon House, 32 Church Lane, Ryde. Isle of Wight PO33 2NB. For further questions, please email us at Richard3Foundation@aol.com. Website: www.richard111.com.
Of Gold & Wisdom
♛ King Richard III ♛
Those two, gold & wisdom, not necessarily go together.
The gold for the Museum of York…
The wisdom at the conference of the Richard III Foundation…
- Harborough Mail: Richard III’s character may be disputed, but he would have made a good ruler, by Chris Brady (15.07.2013) – Report about the talk at Wycliff Lutterworth U3A by Liz Brandow.
- The York Press: Richard III gold badge set to be auctioned (15.07.2013) – That King Richard III is worth gold, the Yorkshire Museum already seems to have recognized and uses it to raise money for further museum acquisitions.
- ThisIsNottingham.co.uk: New take on old classic; Teenage filmmaker Jordan McGibney has modernised Shakespeare for his latest short film that is getting an airing at a national festival…, by Liam Coleman, Nottingham Post (15.07.2013) – Have no closer information about the film, but the title “Richard III: A Memoir of a King’s Love” in combination with Shakespeare somehow suggests that it is about King Richard III and his wife Anne Neville. From the article/interview I am just not sure.
If you have a chance to see the film, please let us know!
The film will be shown this week till Friday at the Film Festival at Bradford’s National Media Museum. More details on the Festval Website: www.co-operative.coop/filmfestival/. - ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: Leicester Cathedral calls for the speedy resolution of the Richard III reinterment licence, by PA:Warzynski, Leicester Mercury (16.07.2013) – The Dean of Leicester Cathedral pleads for a speedy resolution in the ‘Battle of the Cities’ and the legal battle with the Plantagenet Alliance, who opposes the burial in Leicester and demands the license by the Ministry of Justice granted to the University of Leicester should be revoked.
If you want to show where your favours lie, our poll about the ‘Battle of the Cities‘ is still open. - BBC News: Richard III remains: Reinterment delay ‘disrespectful’ (16.07.2013) – King Richard III patiently waited almost 500 years till somebody took heart and searched for him. Thanks to the persistence of Philippa Langley, this endeavour was taken up. Don’t you think he might be patient enough to await his burial to be done properly?
- ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: Claire’s white rose is fitting tribute to king, by Peter Warzynski, Leicester Mercury (17.07.2013) – A Rose in memory of King Richard III. Official service for King Richard III on 22 August 2013 at 5:30 p.m.
- ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: End delays to legal case over Richard, by Leicester Mercury (17.07.2013) – The legal decision about the burial place seems to be further delayed. Leicester Cathedral is worried, as preparations for a decent burial for King Richard III are under way and may – in case of the legal success of the Plantagenet Alliance – may become in vain.
- Fitzg (Blog): End the Wars of the Roses – NOW (18.07.2013) – An ‘inofficial’ and humorous decree by Fitzg, our esteemed guest-blogger, about Gloucester Cathedral, the deserved, but mostly overlooked burial place for the rightful ‘Richard, Duke of Gloucester’. May this decree be able to end the long lasting new “Wars of the Roses/Cities”?
Guestpost on KRA!
- BBC News: Richard III: Cathedral confirms new £1m tomb plan (18.07.2013) – First pictures of tomb design for King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral. Now it becomes more understandable that Leicester Cathedral also wants the legal go sign, to proceed with the tomb and ceremonial preparations.
Image shows artist’s impression of overhead view of raised tomb at Leicester Cathedral (Source: van Heyningen and Haward)
♛ Richard III – Announcement ♛
- To plan ahead, here the dates and speakers list of the conference:
Richard III conference 2013 of the
Richard III FoundationFriday / Saturday – October 11/12, 2013
The full description with more details about the schedule and speakers and the registration form are in a separate post here.
The conference is
open to the public !
Not only for Foundation members.
Friendship, Coronation and Burial
♛ King Richard III ♛
- MattLewisAuthor (Blog): The Lost Coronation of King Richard III, by Matt Lewis (06.07.2013) – Recommended background reading about King Richard III’s coronation together with his wife Anne Neville.
- South China Morning Post: Finding King Richard III’s body a triumph of science and scholarship, by Angelo Paratico (07.07.2013) – Well deserved praise for Philippa Langley and Dr. Ashdown-Hill for their part in the research about King Richard III. With a well informed excursion about the Venetian writer Catherine de Pizan, who unwittingly helped in King Richard III’s downfall.
- Fly High! (Blog): Richard III and the Other Anne – Author Guest Post by Elizabeth Ashworth (08.07.2013) – Are you of the opinion that not enough misdeeds of King Richard III are known so far? Authors are free to invent new background to his story in novels. Read more about this very interesting way to make King Richard III plausible and a flesh and blood character for current audiences. “By Loyalty Bound” by Elizabeth Ashworth is about King Richard and his lover Anne Harrington (not his wife Anne Neville). The book is presented in a guestpost on the blog Fly High! by Elizabeth Ashworth: “Richard III and the Other Anne”.
With quite interesting arguments for this relationship, but for me exactly the noble lineage of the lady makes the connection somewhat implausible. As for me she would have more likely been a marriage candidate than a ‘silent and forgotten’ lover of King Richard III. Though I don’t want to influence you with my doubts and am looking forward to your comments and what you think about this ‘new’ royal affair. - LiveScience: New dig at King Richard III’s gravesite turns up medieval pottery, by Megan Gannon (08.07.2013)
- University of Leicester: Public can watch as archaeologists unearth history at Richard III dig site (10.07.2013) – The archaeological digging done currently in Leicester can be viewed and visited from Wednesday, July 10 to the end of July, with opening hours from 9am to 4pm.
- University of Leicester (Flickr): Richard III – The Grey Friars Dig Part 2 (10.07.2013) – With interesting updates from the current digging and excavations in Leicester.
Pictures from the first dig and a good coverage of the crave site where King Richard III was found is in the Richard III gallery. - University of Leicester: Experts create 3D map of Richard III’s grave (10.07.2013) – More details about the location where King Richard III was found and a method to preserve the gravesite for future generations in a virtual way.
- University of Leicester (Blog): A wonderful section of floor tiling still in tact, by Charlotte Barratt – Richard III Outreach Officer (10.07.2013) – Some colour around King Richard III’s grave.
- Yorkshire Post: Yorkshire discontent as rivals lay claim to Richard, by Paul Jeeves (10.07.2013) – Did you think the battle between the cities was over? Not yet! The next round is about the truth about King Richard III or rather about bending the truth to use him as a means for advertisments.
- redOrbit.com: 3D Map Of Richard III’s Grave Created Using LiDAR, by Lawrence LeBlond (11.07.2013)
- Grantham Journal.co.uk: History buff from Grantham finishes book 20 years on (11.07.2013) – The statement in the article that there are no other books about Francis Viscount Lovel is not correct. Perhaps the wonderful article about Francis Viscount Lovel by Joe Ann Ricca (from the Richard III Foundation) and my comment there together with this new book by Richard Hogg “‘Loyalty in Me Lieth’: King Richard III and Francis Viscount Lovel” can get you started with having a closer look at this fascinating friendship surpassing death.
E.g. there are:
Marian Palmer (about 1958)
“The White Boar” and “The Wrong Plantagenet” (Lovell Duo)
Christopher Rae (2011/2012)
has two books from the perspective of Francis Lovell as well:
“G – Loyalty Binds Me” (Part 1)
“G – God and My Right” (Part 2)
- redOrbit.com: Viewing Platform Erected At Richard III, Grey Friars Dig Site, by Lawrence LeBlond (12.07.2013)
- ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: Richard III find inspires festival of facts and fun, by Peter Squires (12.07.2013) – In this article a few events centering specially around King Richard III in Leicestershire are presented by Peter Squires out of the range of archaeological events on ArchaeologyFestival.
♛ Richard III – Announcements ♛
- 17th July 2013, 9 p.m. – BBC Two: The Real White Queen and Her Rivals
- 14th July 2013, 2 p.m. – Bosworth Battlefield Centre
Professor Caroline Wilkinson will hold an illustrated talk about her work of the craniofacial reconstruction of King Richard III’s head.
(Tickets cost £ 10,- and include entry into the Bosworth Battlefield Exhibition.
Place is limited and advance booking essential!
Telephone: 01455 290429 – Bosworth Battlefield Centre)
King Richard Celebrations
♛ King Richard III ♛
- The Northern Echo: Richard III’s standard raised over childhood home ahead of anniversary celebrations, by Joe Willis (26.06.2013) – The celebrations can begin, now that the reign of King Richard III has started and the official coronation ceremony is coming up shortly.
- LiveScience.com: Archaeologists Return to Richard III Gravesite, by Megan Gannon (28.06.2013)
- BBC News: New Richard III painting revealed at Bosworth (29.06.2013) – New painting about King Richard III by artist and historian Graham Turner revealed at Bosworth.
- ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: Honour as church artists are awarded a royal assignment, by Peter Warzynski, Leicester Mercury (29.06.2013) – Two artists, Thomas Denny and Jacquie Binns, were commissioned to create a stained glass window and a funeral pall for King Richard III.
- University of Leicester (Blog): What will we unearth this time? By Charlotte Barratt (01.07.2013)
- Huffington Post: King Richard III Burial Site To Host New Excavation To Discover More About Grey Friars Church (01.07.2013) – With extensive information, pictures and video.
- Express & Star: New excavation at King Richard site. A new excavation has started at the site where the remains of King Richard III were found under a city centre car park. (01.07.2013)
- Herald Scottland: Edinburgh historian plans book on hunt for Richard III, by Kathleen Nutt (01.07.2013) – Book by Philippa Langley is announced to come out in October 2013.
- BBC News: Richard III site in Leicester to be excavated again (01.07.2013) – The digging and expected knowledge gain from it are more about the location of Greyfriar’s church itself and the coffin about 100 years older than King Richard’s grave, which was found but not excavated in the first dig, rather than finding out more about King Richard III. Still to know about the church, will probably allow more conclusions why and where exactly King Richard III was buried.
- 24dash.com: Archaeologists start new excavation of Richard III’s final resting place, by University of Leicester (02.07.2013) – Status updates on the current archaeological research of the area around King Richard III’s burial location in the Greyfriars’ Church.
The only further wish I could possibly have is an installed webcam at the location, to get a live view of the further digging done.
What a treat that would be for all people around the world interested in King Richard III. - ThisIsLeicestershire.co.uk: Richard III: Bird’s eye view of king’s journey, by Peter Warzynski, Leicester Mercury (02.07.2013) – King Richard III from a perspective he himself never would have reached at his time.
♛ King Richard III – Events ♛
- 6 July 2013 – 7:30 p.m.:
Dr. Phil Stone (from the Richard III Society) about “Richard III – a bloody tyrant?” (St Nicolas Church, Witham)
Ticket reservation in advance Tel. 01376 502674 or on the door (£ 8,-)
Source: Braintree & Witham Times (03.07.2013) - 5 – 7 July 2013
Middlehamonline.com: Richard III Festival
Middleham Richard III Weekend (5 – 7 July 2013)
- 15 July 2013 – 7 p.m.
Talk about discovery of King Richard III and the recent excavations will be hosted by Peter Liddle at Lutterworth Library.
Tickets available from the library in George Street (£ 3,-)
Source: Lutterworth Mail (29.06.2013)
