Resumen
Resumen de Ricardo III: vida y carácter
Para quién es
For readers who enjoy a historical argument, anyone curious about the Wars of the Roses, and those who want to test Shakespeare's Richard against the record.
De qué trata este libro
What if the most famous villain in English history was framed by the men who beat him? In 1906 Sir Clements Markham, a geographer and head of the Royal Geographical Society, asked whether that picture is fair. His book is a biography and a defence. Markham reads like a lawyer. He weighs witnesses, asks who gained from a story, and trusts records from Richard's own day over tales told under the Tudors.
En este resumen
- 1The story was written by his enemiesFree
- 2A loyal brother in a dangerous age
- 3The crisis of 1483 and the crown
- 4What happened to the princes in the Tower
- 5A ruler with a record worth reading
- 6How the case has fared since
Idea clave 1 de 6
The story was written by his enemies
Markham opens with a problem of evidence. Richard reigned only from 1483 to 1485 and died in battle at Bosworth. The Tudors who then ruled England had every reason to paint him as a monster. Markham argues that nearly all the hostile detail comes from writers who lived under Henry VII or Henry VIII.
He points to John Morton, a churchman who had been Richard's prisoner and later served Henry VII. Morton's views are said to stand behind Thomas More's famous history of Richard. Markham treats that work as literature built on gossip, written long after the events. Polydore Vergil, who wrote at the Tudor court, comes under the same suspicion.
Then comes Shakespeare, who made the Tudor tale unforgettable. Markham argues that the writers behind that tale need much closer scrutiny. The lesson is a habit for any reader of history: before you ask what happened, ask who is telling you and why.
That’s 1 of 6 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Questions about Ricardo III: vida y carácter
What is Richard III: His Life and Character about?
It is a biography of Richard III that tries to clear his name. Markham argues that the king was a loyal brother and a good ruler, and that the tales of his crimes came from Tudor writers.
Did Richard III really murder the princes in the Tower?
Nobody knows for certain. Markham argues Richard was innocent and that the charge rests on late, hostile sources. Many historians still think Richard was responsible or knew of it, so the question remains open.
When was the book written and who was Clements Markham?
It was published in 1906. Markham was a geographer and explorer who led the Royal Geographical Society, and he wrote history as a keen amateur with a strong interest in the late fifteenth century.
Is this book a fair picture of Richard III?
It is a defence, so it argues one side. It is useful for the records it draws on and the questions it asks. Later historians think it trusts friendly sources too much.
How does Markham's Richard differ from Shakespeare's Richard?
Shakespeare shows a scheming villain who kills his way to the throne. Markham shows a loyal, lawful and capable man whose bad name was created by the Tudors, who had defeated him.