Knowra Richard III Richard III Richard III was king of England from 1483 until his death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. The last English king of the House of York, he was also the last Plantagenet monarch.
Edward IV : King of England from the House of York, who ruled from 1461 to 1470 and again from 1471 to 1483. Richard’s elder brother, whose death left the crown and his young heirs at the center of a succession crisis.
Lord Protector : A senior official entrusted with governing England during a monarch’s minority or incapacity. Richard held this office while Edward V was a minor, giving him authority before he claimed the crown.
Buckingham’s Rebellion : A failed 1483 uprising against Richard III, led by Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, in support of Henry Tudor’s claim. It was the first major armed challenge to Richard’s rule and exposed its fragile support.
Shakespeare’s Richard III : A history play by William Shakespeare depicting Richard III’s rise to power and defeat at Bosworth. Its memorable villain shaped popular impressions of Richard beyond the evidence of his brief reign.
House of York : A branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet that contested the throne during the Wars of the Roses. Richard’s dynasty provided his claim to the throne and the political base of his reign.
Titulus Regius : A 1484 act of Parliament declaring Richard III’s title lawful and Edward IV’s children illegitimate. It formalized the argument used to exclude Edward V and justify Richard’s accession.
Battle of Bosworth Field : The 1485 battle in which Henry Tudor defeated Richard III, ending the Plantagenet dynasty’s rule in England. Richard was killed there, and the battle transferred the crown to the Tudor claimant.
Tudor historiography : Historical writing produced under the Tudor dynasty, often presenting the Tudor accession as the restoration of order after civil war. Tudor accounts helped establish the hostile tradition that Shakespeare later dramatized.
Wars of the Roses : A series of civil wars between rival branches of the English royal family, chiefly Lancaster and York, from 1455 to 1487. The conflict shaped Richard’s career and made control of the crown a matter of force as well as inheritance.
Tower of London : A historic royal fortress in London that served as a palace, prison, and place of state custody. Edward V and his brother were held there after Richard assumed control of the government.
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