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The Last Days of Richard III

by John Ashdown-Hill
History Pr., dist. by Trafalgar Square. Dec. 2010. c.192p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780752454047. $26.95. BIOG
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Historian Ashdown-Hill (Eleanor the Secret Queen) chronicles the last 150 days of the reign (1483–85) of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king. Richard is portrayed here not as a doomed king waiting for defeat but as a strong monarch actively pursuing his policies and plans for his kingdom. Ashdown-Hill brings to light typical daily activities, plans to deal with Henry Tudor's threat to the throne, and arrangements for a second marriage after the death in March 1485 of Richard's beloved wife, Anne Neville. The remainder of the book delves into the treatment of Richard's body after his death at the Battle of Bosworth, his burial, and his tomb built by Henry VII. Most intriguing is a discussion of the recent discovery of a living descendent of Richard III's sister Anne of Exeter.
VERDICT With its new details and perspectives about Richard's last days and its use of original sources, this book will be an essential read for Ricardians and all interested in studying the Wars of the Roses, here accessible to them without being marred by hundreds of years of interpretations, rumors, and biases.
Reviewed by Troy Reed, Southeast Regional Lib., Gilbert, AZ , Oct 15, 2010
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