The Trial Of King Richard The Third - The Defence (13)

[Lizzie9176]

Although the manipulation of the art of the time tells us nothing of Richard's involvement in the deaths of the Princes, it is still fascinating stuff!

[valentinejay]

@Lizzie9176 It does show how desperate the Tudors were to blacken Richard's character. And Henry VII never came right out and accused Richard of killing his nephews - you would think that material like this would have been manna from heaven for a usurper like Henry.

[PoliticalPars]

@valentinejay Jumping ahead, and as I am a staunch disbeliever of the anti-Richard III stories, I wouldn't be surprised if Henry VII and his in-laws set up the stories about the young princes and all the rumours about Richard. Furthermore, I wish the issue of More's veracity had been taken on inasmuch as his legacy is based almost solely on his daughter's testimony.

[milady1066]

@valentinejay Additionally, the common people of the time did see deformities to be signs of the devil or an unlucky mark on someone, they would have seen the "hunchback" Richard with a mincing stare as monumentally more capable of murder than a Richard of sound body with a pleasant countenance. So, the propaganda wasn't just to blacken the image of Richard but to bring his very character into question. It is safe to say that they succeeded...at least until more recent times.

[valentinejay]

Shakespeare's play of Richard III was didactic and bore no relation to the real King Richard III. Sir Laurence Olivier was very good in Shakespeare's play, but it is important to separate fact from fantasy.