Richard III: A Royal Enigma (English Monarchs: Treasures from the National Archives S.) - Tapa blanda

The titles in this series introduce England's royal heritage through the very stuff of history itself: priceless original papers, letters and other documents, mostly held at the Public Record Office - the UK's national archives. This work focuses on Richard III. On the throne for just over two years, Richard is still probably the most controversial monarch in British history. To some a hunchbacked schemer, usurper and murderer of the "princes in the Tower", to others a very capable and much maligned ruler. Surviving documents from his reign, including letters in Richard's own hand and extracts from official papers, are reproduced here from the 500-year-old originals. These include a letter from Richard to his mother, 1484; Richard's official justification for taking the throne, 1484; a proclamation against Henry Tudor, 1485; and Richard's letter to the Lord Chancellor requesting the Great Seal, 1483. Each key document is reproduced in a double-page spread which also includes an extended contextualizing caption and a modern transcription where necessary. The original sources are woven together by a brief narrative history of the reign, fully illustrated in colour with portraits, photographs and other material from the archives.

Sean Cunningham is Medieval and Early Modern Records Manager at The National Archives and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.