Richard III of England

:For the play Richard III by William Shakespeare, see Richard III (play)

Legacy

Richard's Council of the North greatly improved conditions for Northern England, as commoners of that region were formerly without any susbtantial economic activity independent of London. In the wake of the Neville family's Kingmaker and the Council's founding, they became powerful enough to return to open revolts a la Jorvik times. From the Pilgrimage of Grace, the Province of Maryland and Jacobitism as united forces in the Catholic Reformation, the people were initially Tory and also courted the Irish in immigration after Catholic Emancipation. Its descendant position the Secretary of State for the Northern Department, provided a rebirthing in Northern Britain that hadn't existed since the time of the Vikings and sparked the Scottish Enlightenment. The Industrial Revolution in the UK was largely a product of these beginnings.

Related Topics:
Council of the North - Northern England - Commoner - London - Jorvik - Pilgrimage of Grace - Province of Maryland - Jacobitism - Catholic Reformation - Tory - Irish - Catholic Emancipation - Secretary of State for the Northern Department - Viking - Scottish Enlightenment - Industrial Revolution

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Since his death, Richard III has become one of England's most controversial kings. Modern historians recognise the damage done to his reputation by "historians" of the next reign, and particularly by William Shakespeare. Amongst other things, Richard was represented as physically malformed, which in those days was accepted as evidence of an evil character. However, it has been demonstrated that he could not have carried out most of the crimes attributed to him. The major exception is the question of whether he was responsible for the deaths of his nephews, the "Princes in the Tower".

Related Topics:
William Shakespeare - Princes in the Tower

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The Richard III Society was set up during the 20th century in an attempt to rehabilitate Richard, and has gathered considerable research material about his life and reign. Its members, known as "Ricardians", hold events, raise monuments and attempt to preserve the king's memory.

Related Topics:
Richard III Society - 20th century - Ricardians

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