#Richard III Society

[shakespearenews]

By discussing what the movie is about, I’ve probably already spoiled the journey a bit for some, as the bulk of The Lost King tells of how Philippa (Hawkins) came to be fascinated by Richard III, and the battles she fought to get the dig to happen. It all starts (at least according to the film; the script makes some prime-time embellishments, and there may be some lawsuits) with a reluctant family trip to a performance of Shakespeare’s Richard III. Humiliated by a know-it-all couple at intermission, Philippa fixates on the contentious nature of the facts around Richard, as much of what is known about the monarch — considered a usurper, a tyrant, and a murderer — was the work of Tudor historians, working for the family that replaced Richard’s Plantagenets on the throne after killing him in battle. It’s a striking example of history being dictated by the winners. Shakespeare wrote more than a century after Richard’s death, but his play (among his greatest) has become Exhibit A in our conception of the young king as one of Western civilization’s great villains.

[cynicalclassicist]

We can never really know, of course, but while it might make a fun historical novel, it is probably not true. They probably died in the Tower of London in the 15th century.

I'm all for debating Richard III as much as the next medieval history nerd, but this feels a tad implausible.

Also, seeing the Torygraph put something up automatically makes me suspicious of a story.

TRICKY RICK MIGHT NOT HAVE DONE IT????

[legendaryten]

Ian’s Blog 28th January 2024

I have just finished reading a very entertaining novel called The Tudor Deception by Scott Mariani. It is a pro Ricardian Thriller that features the Richard III Society. At the end of the book, in the author notes, he describes Philippa Langley as a real life heroine. It's a shame that it was written prior to the latest missing Princes evidence as I am sure the author would have used this in his novel.

Here is a link to the book:-

[stonelord1]

The Lost Plot (by the Guardian) and 'The Lost King' Exhibition

A number of film critics have now viewed the new Steve Coogan movie, THE LOST KING, about the finding of Richard III’s remains. Reviews have been mixed but generally quite positive; I imagine it might be one of those ‘marmite’ films, which viewers either love or loathe. A exhibition in The Wallace Collection had also been arranged to coincide with the upcoming general release of the…

[squash1]

6:21, how very circular. an ending as a beginning.

actually life is beautiful.

i do have time.

[my4ththerapist]

Picture it: gansey and adam sobbing to dead poets society

[longsightmyth]

Listen listen I am in fact all for egalitarianism and anti monarchy etc etc and to be clear I'm not arguing that being a servant in tudor england was a utopian experience but I need authors writing in the period to understand that dining with servants is still the norm and not a measure of how Radical and Free Thinking your gemstone named plantagenet OC is

[blueseysyogurt]

i’ve never watched dead poets society but i like to think of todd and neil and the adam and gansey ones

[nostalgia-tblr]

Here we go, here we goooooooooo!!!

[une-sanz-pluis]

Refusing to adhere to the rules of the royal funeral had consequences, often immediately. The embalming stipulations in De Exequiis Regalibus were clearly disregarded by Edward IV when arranging for the exequies of Henry VI, oft referred to as Henry of Windsor. The 1910 tomb opening offers the physical evidence for this, but there is also narrative and financial evidence that corroborates the accusation of poor handling. The interval between Henry’s death and burial in May 1471 was only three days, as he died at the Tower of London. Henry was paraded with an open visage, so that he could be identified. According to Warkworth’s Chronicle, Henry’s body, while coffined, left blood on the ground, once at St Paul’s and once at Blackfriars. “Cruentation” was the medieval urban legend in which a victim always bled in the presence of his murderer. Henry theoretically bled in the presence of the pro-Yorkist courtiers and the royal house. Bleeding after death was also considered a sign of a martyr, and Henry quickly acquired a saintly following.65 The report of blood might be dismissed as pro-Lancastrian propaganda, but given the condition of Henry’s remains in 1910 and the stipulations of medieval preservation, the “bleeding” may have been the result of a poor embalming. The costs of Henry’s embalming were also low, as most of the money designated for his funeral was for the guarding of the corpse. Only £15 3s 6½d, given to Hugh Brice, was set aside for clergy, cloth, spices (the item that implied embalming), torches for the escort to St Paul’s and to Chertsey, and other items, such as the unmentioned embalmer himself. There was an additional payment of £9 10s 11d to Richard Martyn for twenty-eight yards of Holland linen and other items related to Henry’s exit from the Tower, including the soldiers’ salary for escort. Henry IV had spent far more than this amount caring for Richard’s body in 1400 compared to what Edward IV spent in 1471 for Henry’s body. In 1377, £21 had been spent solely upon the embalming of Edward III. The poor condition of Henry’s bones partially reflect the initial lack of a lead coffin—a measure recommended by the prescriptive texts the Liber Regie Capelle and the Household Articles. His exposure to the populace of London, the financial accounts, and the presence of tissue and hair clinging to the skull indicate that Henry was embalmed, though poorly. The body did not withstand the centuries, or even the days before burial.

Anna M. Duch, "'King By Fact, Not by Law': Legitimacy and exequies in medieval England", Dynastic Change: Legitimacy and Gender in Medieval and Early Modern Monarchy (Routledge 2020)

[littlemuoi]

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester does a reading at The Reburial of Richard III (2015)

Exodus 13: 19-22

19. And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, ‘God will surely take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here.’

20. They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness

21. The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

22. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

(Full service)

[artemismatchalatte]

I have no idea what I'm going to do for NaNoWriMo this year. I feel very uninspired lately.

I just want to do well in my class and my energy has been low lately (season change on my new medicine, I'm guessing???). I need some energy because it's Shakespeare and I need to keep my grades up to stay in the honors society (no pressure lol).

Much More in the tags as per usual... :P

[legendaryten]

Ian’s Blog 31st December 2023

My song about Shakespeare’s version of Richard III was included on the 7th December 2023 Music Eye Radio Show. You can hear Chris Watson talking about Richard III and then my song at about 49 minutes into the show

[squash1]

there’s really something special about the latin-school-boys big three

[richmond-rex]

See for example, how the Milanese ambassador in France reported the situation in 1493, saying Maximilian supported Warbeck because he wanted someone on the English throne who could make war on France.

“When Henry shifted from neutrality to opposing France in Brittany and Flanders, thereby reviving the Anglo-Burgundian-Breton axis against France, it was Charles VIII who supported Yorkist conspiracies to neutralise Henry and punish him for his ingratitude. In 1490–91, the French encouraged two failed plots to murder Henry VII, and then they became involved with a new Yorkist impostor, Perkin Warbeck, who appeared in Ireland in late 1491 masquerading as Richard, duke of York, Edward IV’s youngest son. Charles VIII’s support for the impostor was a factor in Henry’s 1492 war against France, and included in the treaty of Étaples was Charles’s promise not to support Henry’s rebels. After the peace was signed, Charles expelled Warbeck from France.”

—

John M. Currin, “England’s International Relations 1485–1509: Continuities amidst Change” | Tudor England and Its Neighbours (via richmond-rex)

During the mid-1490s, Warbeck was used by Maximilian and then by James IV of Scotland to create trouble for Henry. Warbeck accompanied James during his invasion of England in September 1496. There was no Yorkist uprising, and after a bit of looting and pillaging, James withdrew his army. The pretender’s value in Scottish diplomacy depreciated rapidly, and in 1497 James expelled him from Scotland.

[vlueberries]

blueberripancake required reading that nobody asked for:

(DC comics edition, kind of in order of how I think you should read them) These are essential stories, TO ME, and I recommend all of them to YOU!!! On the off chance that this reaches anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to read a lot of comics, please consider reading these ones at readallcomics after installing an adblocker:

+[START HERE] Batman: The Long Halloween & Batman: Dark Victory

+Batman Black and White vol.1 issues #1-5

+Batman: One Bad Day-Mr. Freeze

+Robin: Year One

+Teen Titans Vol.1 (1964) –This is a silver age comic run and if you have trouble getting into it that’s understandable. Consider Teen Titans: Year One as an alternative, which is a much easier read, but it’s not as charming or prolific. 

+Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter–it’s cheesy and corny I’m just warning you.  

+The Question (1987) issues #1-18 also #28-31, #36-37–note that some comic issues tackle topics like racism in a way that is rather outdated but ultimately well-meaning (careful of issue 15, it is horrid) Proceed with caution, this is a gritty and political comic all around–it’s Denny O’Neil so duh! The textual commentary on masculinity, class, society, community, philosophy, and government is all very relevant and nuanced. 

+Fables Part I, II, and III–especially The Question Annual 1

+Azrael Plus The Question 

+Batman: Sword of Azrael

+The Huntress (1989) issues #1-19

+Huntress: Year One

+Batman Knightfall Saga (the full thing is like 80-something issues long, and I recommend reading all of it whoops. Find a collected version. It’s split into several parts. If that’s too overwhelming just read the bits that seem interesting to you, no pressure!)

+Azrael vol.1 (1995)

+Batman: Prodigal 

+Nightwing vol.1 

+Nightwing vol.2– This volume begins with writer Chuck Dixon on the first 70 (70!!) issues. This run establishes Bludhaven very well, but I have always found the writing to be a little subpar–still, this is THE Dick Grayson characterization for a lot of people, and the side characters are great. Devin Grayson picks it up after Dixon, and her run is quite controversial, but it has some really great moments, it’s a favorite of mine. She kind of loses hold of the story towards the end, and it’s my understanding that there were editorial troubles as she was trying to wrap things up???–it gets very dark and there is no catharsis. Pleaseeeee look up trigger warnings!! Tomasi’s run is also wonderful. There are reading guides out there and you should look them up. ANYWAYS READ NIGHTWING!!!!!!!

+Batman and Nightwing: Bloodborne <<Important!!!!

+Nightwing and Huntress

+Batman and Huntress: Cry For Blood

+Batman: No Man’s Land (oopsie it’s 100 issues and you have to read this whole thing because I say so)

+Batgirl (2000) issues #1-25 

+THE Arsenal mini

+Titans ‘99 issues #1-50 you have to read the whole thing sorry

+Titans/Young Justice: Graduation

+Outsiders (2003) #1-50!!!!!!!!!!!

+Titans (2003)--It’s good I promise!!!!!!!!! Read for Kory and Vic (Stone)!! 

+Titans vol.2

+Nightwing vol.3–This is New 52 Nightwing which is essentially a different guy because the universe is totally fucked but I LIKE IT OKAY????? I like it and you should read it too, it's only 30 issues. 

+Forever Evil

+Grayson–particularly issues #1-5, but the rest of the series is also good 

+Titans 2016/Vol 3 

+Mark Waid’s World’s Finest

+World’s Finest: Teen Titans 

[I ALSO MUST HIGHLY RECOMMEND SWAMP THING, IMPULSE, and THE FLASH (Wally version), and please read some GREEN ARROW, and some JL. I don’t talk about the characters involved in these comics as much, and don’t have the energy to sort through specific volumes and issues, sorry! DC has published like one million comics, whyyyyy!!!!!!!!]