Richard III remains found & identified

[Kimberly]

I have added a "shire" to my previous post....:-)

[CountessKate]

I was being pedantic!  If the remains are Richard's I'm on the York Minster side of the question, though since possession is 9 points of the law, Leicester is in the better position to hang on to the body.  Various groups seem to be getting very proprietorial and cross about the whole matter.

[CountessKate]

After an interminable series of scientific talks, the University of Leicester team have confirmed that there is sufficient DNA evidence to identify the skeleton remains found in Greyfriars car park as those of Richard III.  The remains are to be re-interred in Leicester Cathedral.

[Lucien]

Confirmed today:It IS Richard III!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire/21063882

[aleksandr pavlovich]

Confirmed today:It IS Richard III!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire/21063882

         Well done, University of Leicester team !   The photos of the spine and the head wounds are impressive.  We will now look forward to the presentation of the subsequent facial replication.            AP.

[Louis_Charles]

Seriously, the sheer amount of fanboy squeeing over this announcement in my house this morning has been embarrassing. I have lived long enough to see them find the Imperial family, Anastasia and now Richard. I can go happily!

Simon

[Kimberly]

Me too Simon. Funny isn't it? I thought this morning- thank god I have lived to see this come to pass. Now I only hope he will receive a Catholic burial ( no such thing as C of E in Richard's day).
Looking forward to seeing the documentary tonight and seeing the reconstruction of his face.
Cheers all. Kim.

[Kimberly]

Lots more info here. I know its the Daily Wail but the images are clear, in particular the photograph of the skeleton in the grave showing the scoliosis. The "humiliation wounds" are so sad to see
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2273164/Richard-III-Scientists-reveal-DNA-results-confirm-kings-body-car-park-Leicester.html#axzz2JwZHjtT7


"Literary sources are now going to be re - evaluated, reversing the image of the maligned King. We are going to have to re write the history books" ( Phillipa Langley ).

[CountessKate]

"Literary sources are now going to be re - evaluated, reversing the image of the maligned King. We are going to have to re write the history books" ( Phillipa Langley ).

I'm not sure how they can revise Richard III's image, just on the basis of the discovery of his remains, with the exception of dispelling the story that the body was tipped into the river when Greyfriars was torn down.  The remains in fact conform very closely to historical sources which state he was killed in battle, his body was stripped and exposed to public view in Leicester (during which it presumably received the postmortem injuries) after which it was buried in Greyfriars, where it was eventually found.  All the damage to the King's image has already been examined by historians - the revision of his image is hardly new - and while his physical body is a very interesting and exciting find, there is no logical reason for anyone to change their views about Richard or rewrite any history books except with a footnote.  One can't blame Philippa Langley from doing the equivalent of a media victory dance, which is well deserved, but it doesn't actually add anything to the question of whether the accusation of murdering his nephews is true or not, and that is the only real thing which modern historians cannot find incontrovertible evidence for or against him. 

[grandduchessella]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/uk-britain-richard-idUSLNE91301X20130204

[Kimberly]

I added the quote because it might arouse some interest, glad I did now. Thanks for your input CountessKate.
Ms Langley has also said that she has designed an appropriate "tomb" for Richard's remains which will be revealed ( probably to the Richard III Society first) and discussed.
I heard on the radio just now that he will be reburied in the spring of 2014 as they have further testing to do, to look at diet etc.
There is a 1 and a 1/2 hour documentary tonight on Channel 4 at 9 pm. My poor husband has to sit through it, he will probably nod off next to the pooch :-)

[clockworkgirl21]

Interesting information about the spine. I wonder how much Shapespeare exaggerated it.

[Jen_94]

Currently watching a programme about all this on TV (Channel 4, UK). It's really interesting and the article is too. Thanks for sharing.

[Blurgle]

Interesting information about the spine. I wonder how much Shapespeare exaggerated it.

Quite a bit. Shakespeare (after his references) had Richard as hunchbacked, lame, and with a withered arm. Richard's feet weren't recovered but his legs and arms appear healthy, and his scoliosis wouldn't have caused a hunchback.

One shoulder would have been higher than the other. His scoliosis is slightly greater than Usain Bolt's, but not much.

[CountessKate]

The scientists examining the skeleton in the tv programme suggested that the (quite pronounced) curvature of the spine would have really been most apparent when the body was naked, but only slightly visible when clothed or in armour, which made me wonder whether, when the king's body was exposed after the Battle of Bosworth, the idea of severe deformities started to take shape, and played into the hands of the Tudors.