All history is interpretation, and historical fiction too. And where reliable evidence isn’t available – as for much of the period covered here – gaps have to be filled in. One of the most gaping holes in history is perhaps the mystery of what happened to the two sons of Edward IV, who have become known as the ‘Princes in the Tower’. No matter what Shakespeare says – or many historians down to the present day – no one alive now actually knows for certain. All that can be said is that they weren’t officially seen in public again after the summer of 1483.
Tudor-era propagandists proclaimed that the boys were murdered in the Tower on the orders of their uncle, by then King Richard III. Interestingly, Henry Tudor himself, their mother Elizabeth Woodville and their sister Elizabeth of York never made such an accusation. No one did during Henry Tudor’s reign as Henry VII – almost twenty-five years; at least we don’t have evidence of any accusation – and records are relatively numerous and complete from that period. The story only grew and became widespread over the following decades – until, repeated and embellished often enough, it became accepted as ‘true history’. This of course suited Elizabeth I, only England’s second crowned queen (a woman on the throne?!), and a Protestant one at that, in a period of religious turmoil. She didn’t want there to be any doubt that she was on that throne by right, and that her grandfather, Henry Tudor, had won that right to rule – and from a ruthless, usurping, child-murdering tyrant, as Richard was now made out to be.
History is written by the winner… even, or perhaps particularly, when they themselves usurp the throne illegally…
So what did happen to the ‘Princes’, Edward and Richard? Today we can only speculate, which is what I have done in the latter part of this book – and also all that any historian can do, given the lack of evidence. Rumours, hearsay – it’s all we have. And as Duke Richard says to Matthew, rumours are ‘dangerous beasts’.
However, it is possible that a project underway since 2015 may one day find the answers. Philippa Langley, who led the search for King Richard’s grave with the Looking for Richard Project, has turned her efforts to the ‘Missing Princes Project’, seeking evidence from anywhere in Britain and Europe that may shed some light on the mystery. If you can offer help in any way, for example investigating local archives, please contact http://philippalangley.co.uk/missing-princes-project.php.
Many others aim to look again at the real Richard III. In 1924, the Fellowship of the White Boar (which of course influenced the title of my books) was set up to do just that, and was subsequently renamed the Richard III Society, which can be found at www.richardiii.net. More recently another international society has been founded, the Richard III Loyal Supporters, www.r3loyalsupporters.org. Memberships of these groups run into the thousands, and there are many more ‘Ricardians’ worldwide who may be members of neither.
I have had help and support from, and valuable discussions with, many of them – too many to name individually here without risk of missing any out – but I hope they know I am grateful for their contribution. One or two may even spot themselves somewhere in these pages. I would, however, particularly like to mention historian Matthew Lewis, whose meticulous research and rational blogs have been an excellent guide along the way, and to thank him for one especially apt metaphor! And also Deborah Willemen @MamaMoose_Be for her help with the Flemish. Whatever its faults, social media does a wonderful job of bringing likeminded people together!
Is it strange that a man who has been dead more than five hundred years stirs such interest, even passion in some? For me, it’s the continuing injustice of the smears against him, when he’s unable to respond or fight back – and when indeed he had few friends and family left to do it for him – that spurred my interest and sympathy.
By what seemed an incredible coincidence, 12 September 2012, the day of the first press conference at which it was announced that King Richard’s grave had possibly been discovered, was also the day on which was published the long-awaited report into the tragic deaths of 96 football supporters at Hillsborough in April 1989. The false stories about what happened that day in Sheffield began immediately, with modern tabloid media swinging into action, and they were made ‘official’ by repetition in the UK Parliament and by apparently ‘upstanding’ police officers. Those stories sought to place the blame for the tragedy on the Liverpool supporters, to shift the focus away from the failings of those who were really at fault – the authorities, the police themselves. The ones who had control – the ones who could get the ‘official’ story out there to the public.
Those supporters had family and friends to fight for their good name – and fight they did. Tirelessly, for almost twenty-five years – the time it took for the ‘official’ story to be overturned and shown to be the lie it was. Such injustices can be reversed – by people with extraordinary courage and determination such as they showed.
This book is dedicated to those people – the families of the 96.
About the author
A Ricardian since a teenager, and following stints as an archaeologist and in publishing, Alex now lives and works in King Richard’s own country, not far from his beloved York and Middleham. Much of this book was ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ while striding over the nearby heather-clad moors with a loyal hound, ‘rescued’ in the golden summer of 2012 and named, indecisively but Olympically, Milli Mo Ennis Ohuruogu Murray – Milli for short.
Follow Alex on WordPress @AlexMarchantBlog and on social media – on Facebook at Alex Marchant Author and on Twitter @AlexMarchant84.
Translations of coded text
Qcas og gccb og dcggwpzs – Ozmg
[trans.] Come as soon as possible – Alys
Qb eia ijwcb epmbpmz bpm jwga apwctl . . .
[trans.] It was about whether the boys should be moved from the Tower. I thought it was to stop them being a focus for rebellion, like they have been – but maybe it was about their safety. And with the Duke of Buckingham as Constable of the Tower . . .
Nyrk r nzkty!
[trans.] What a witch!
Fqp’v vgnn Oqvjgt!
[trans.] Don’t tell Mother!
Qtdfqyd gnsix rj!
[trans.] Loyalty binds me
The King's Man (The Order of the White Boar Book 2) Page 26