Five facts about King Richard III

King Richard III was the subject of the William Shakespeare play 'King Richard' Credit: University of Leicester

King Richard III ruled England from 1483 to 1485 but he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, his body was buried at an old church in Leicester called Greyfriars.

The church became lost over time but experts are hoping to find the remains of the building and with it the remains of the king's final resting place.

Facts about King Richard III:

  • King Richard III death at the Battle of Bosworth effectively ended the Ward of the Roses. He has become infamous because of the disappearance of his young nephews known as the Princes in the Tower as well as William Shakespeare's play 'Richard III'.

  • Many historians believe Richard III was responsible for the murder of his young nephews King Edward V and Prince Richard, they disappeared while being kept in the Tower of London in 1483.

  • Born on 2nd October 1452 in Northamptonshire, his father's conflict with Henry VI was one of the main causes of Wars of the Roses. Richard and his brother (who became) Edward IV were briefly exiled when Henry VI returned to the throne.

  • He was the subject of a play by William Shakespeare 'Richard III' though historians are quick to point out the play is not history but 100 years of propaganda.

  • Following Richard III death rumours surfaced that he was born with severe deformaties, but historians believe this is not true but the result of Tudor propaganda who used his 'deformity' to 'prove' his guilt in killing his nephews, in Tudor times it was believed a deformed body meant the mind was also deformed and 'evil'.