Richard III: life and legacy
Duke of Gloucester
Richard supported his brother Edward IV and exercised authority in northern England. His record there helped build a reputation for effective regional lordship.
The 1483 succession
After Edward's death, Richard became protector and then king when Edward's children were declared illegitimate. The disappearance of the princes remains central to debate, but surviving evidence does not prove every later accusation.
A short reign
Richard promoted legal measures and faced rebellion almost immediately. Henry Tudor assembled a coalition of exiles and disaffected Yorkists with French support.
Bosworth and reputation
Richard died fighting at Bosworth in 1485, and the victorious Henry VII founded the Tudor dynasty. Tudor writing and Shakespeare shaped the tyrant image, while modern rehabilitation can be equally selective.
