Remains of King Richard III of England believed to have been found

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9...chard-III.html

Archaeologists believe they have found skeleton of King Richard III

More than 500 years since he was killed in battle, archaeologists believe they have finally found the skeleton of King Richard III, buried deep beneath a council car park.

An illustration of King Richard III

Over 500 years since he was killed in battle, archaeologists believe they have finally found the skeleton of King Richard III, buried deep beneath a council car park. Experts said a fully intact skeleton matched much about what they knew about the medieval king, and are hoping that DNA tests will put their beliefs beyond doubt.

The remains were found three weeks into an archaeological dig by a team from Leicester University, which recently pinpointed the site of the ancient Grey Friars church, where Richard was believed to be buried after being killed in the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485, and which was razed to the ground in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries ordered by Henry VIII. To their astonishment, an excavation unearthed a result which experts said were “beyond out wildest dreams”.

Archaeolgists use ground penetration radar (GPR)

Five key aspects underlined their belief that appears to have ended a decade-long search for his remains. The skeleton was an adult male, who appeared fit and strong. He had suffered significant trauma to the head where a blade had cut away part of the back of his skull; an injury consistent with battle.

A barbed arrow head was found lodged between vertebrae in his upper back, and spinal abnormalities pointed to the fact that he had severe scoliosis, a form of spinal curvature. This would have made his right shoulder appear visibly higher than his left, which is consistent with contemporary accounts of Richard’s appearance. Richard's two year reign was the subject of one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, which portrayed him as an evil, ugly hunchback, and which helped cement the public perception of him. The remains were found in the Choir area of the church, again consistent with historical record of where he was buried.

Little has ever been known about Richard III’s death, other than he died on the battlefield and was supposedly taken on horseback by his vanquisher, Henry Tudor, who later became King Henry VII. He remains the last King of England to die in battle. He was the last of the Plantagenet dynasty and his death was decisive in the War of the Roses. Historians believe it also marked the end of the Middle Ages.

Ed West in the Telegraph and others have suggested we hold a state funeral for the former King of England, something i'd agree on - if so happens, it would likely be held in York as he wished.

If it is the King, that is.

Interesting, thoughts?

[Kardan]

About the best thing to ever come out of Leicester I reckon...

[Inseriousity.]

Good thing he was under the car park or he'd have been charged a fortune.

[Munex]

He sounds like an appalling man who murdered, lied and cheated. I shan't be at the funeral, and don't think he needs one.

[Teabags]

Was good to have such a historical find.
Can't quite work out if he's evil or not. Can see that Shakespeare made out he was bad.
But the Princes in the Tower, anyone think he's innocent about killing them?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Was good to have such a historical find.
Can't quite work out if he's evil or not. Can see that Shakespeare made out he was bad.
But the Princes in the Tower, anyone think he's innocent about killing them?

Nobody knows for sure, history is, as they say, written by the winner.

[Ardemax]

Got to give him something, he does have a good singing voice.

[Futz]

Good thing he was under the car park or he'd have been charged a fortune.

haha zing!

I love history and things like this are well cool, I'd attend if I lived there!

[Shockwave.2CC]

About the best thing to ever come out of Leicester I reckon...

Yeah i agree with you there

It's interesting to have something like that coming out of Leicester

[dirrty]

About the best thing to ever come out of Leicester I reckon...

Yeah i agree with you there

It's interesting to have something like that coming out of Leicester

*joins in the leicester party*

i've heard so many people (and reports) say that it'd 'put leicester on the map', but i really don't have a clue how. the general public won't care after 2 weeks. i suppose they'll plonk the bones in a museum though...