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Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth

Series : From Retinue to Regiment 1453-1618 #1

Author : Mike Ingram

Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth

Details

General - Pages : 302 | Images : 68 b/w photos, 17 b/w ills, 8pp colour plates, 11 b/w maps, 2 tables

Paperback - Date of Publication : 15th August 2019 | Size : 248mm x 180mm | ISBN : 9781912866502 | Helion Book Code : HEL1140

This is the story of two very different men, Richard III, the last Plantagenet King of England and Henry Tudor and how they met in battle on 22 August 1485 at Bosworth Field. The Battle of Bosworth along with Hastings and Naseby is one of the most important battles in English history and on the death of Richard, ushered in the age of the Tudors. This book, using contemporary sources, examines their early lives, the many plots against Richard and the involvement of Henry’s mother, Margaret Beaufort. It also offers a new explanation for Richard’s execution of William Hastings. Despite recent portrayals as the archetypal fence-sitters, the book also shows that the powerful Stanley family had a long standing feud with Richard and were not only complicit in the plots against him in the months before the battle, but probably laid the trap that ultimately led to his death on the battlefield. It shows that the events that climaxed at Bosworth were made possible by the intrigues of King Louis XI of France and shows that it was not just the fate of England that was at stake but that of France itself. King Louis’ taste for intrigue and double-dealing had earned him the nicknames "the Cunning" and "the Universal Spider." The book details how he spun webs of plots and conspiracies first against Edward IV then Richard III, destabilised England and created a platform for Henry’s invasion. Policies that were continued by his daughter, Anne de Beaujeu after Louis death. This was also a time of revolution in warfare, so the book, examines English and European way of war at the time and how it affected the outcome at Bosworth. Then using the latest archaeology and contemporary sources it reconstructs the last hours of Richard III, where the battle took place, and how the battle unfolded using step by step maps and includes an order of battle for the day. It finally looks at the aftermath of the battle and how Yorkist resistance to the new regime continued into the reign of Henry VIII.

 

“Mike has tackled the battle from every conceivable angle, right down to most likely armour and tactics employed on the day. His treatment of the clash of armies, which ended the Plantagenet dynasty and began the Tudor age, is the real centrepiece of this book. Mike builds up a pretty convincing picture of the day’s events and in particular the key role of a French contingent fighting on behalf of Henry Tudor. Author quote…“Despite recent portrayals as the archetypal fence-sitters, the book also shows that the powerful Stanley family had a long-standing feud with Richard and were not only complicit in the plots against him in the months before the battle, but probably laid the trap that ultimately led to his death on the battlefield. “The book details how he spun webs of plots and conspiracies first against Edward IV then Richard III, destabilised England and created a platform for Henry’s invasion” Richard III and The Battle of Bosworth clears away the undergrowth on a pivotal moment in this country’s history. Mike also details the discovery of Richard’s remains in a Leicester car park and the fight to prevent part of the Bosworth battlefield being built on. As a battlefield historian he has an interesting and respectful take on sites such as these (including the Battle of Northampton location in Delapre) which were, after all, places where thousands of people lost their lives.” NQ Nene Quirer 

“One of the great pleasures of my work is receiving through the post a copy of a book that has used my illustrations. This happened today with a book entitled Richard lll and the Battle of Bosworth by Mike Ingram. Published by Helion & Company.  The book features part of my 15c style illustration of King Richard lll entitled "As His Own Champion" on the front cover as well as some of my illustrations inside. Consisting of pencil drawings of various weapons of the time as well as pen and ink study drawings of warriors from manuscript art of the period. I was lucky enough to be sent the manuscript of the book prior to its publication and I recommend anyone interested in this period of history to buy a copy regardless of if you are studying the period at academic level, working professionally in this field or have any kind of interest in the event. This is I believe the ultimate book on the battle and it is easy to see that the Author has put a lifelong study into the work which makes it feel both genuine and authentic and fills the work richly with interesting details. Based on recent archaeology and Mike's first-hand study of all the sources this book really explains concisely what happened on that pivotal day in history. The book is richly full of illustrations, photographs and maps, these and the language of the Author make it an enjoyable and easy read whilst still providing a level of in-depth detail." Mathew Ryan, book artist

“The French Connection that has been brought to light by the research of battlefield expert Mike Ingram in his new book: Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth is hugely significant not only for our understanding of Bosworth but also for the wider political situation at the time, and its many ramifications. This is an important step forward in our understanding of this key period within the Cousin’s War and in helping to challenge the mythology of the later Tudor narrative. For all those interested in Richard III and Bosworth it is highly recommended.” Philippa Langley, the driving force behind the discovery of the remains of Richard III

“If you want a comprehensive overview that covers all aspects in a single volume... this will supply what you need, complete with many first-class illustrations, in the established Helion style.” Military-history.org 

"Despite the title, this is much more than just another work on Richard III. It’s detailed account of the events surrounding Henry VII’s seizure of the throne at Bosworth, and also features useful summaries of both the work carried out to locate the true site of Bosworth battlefield and the discovery and identification of the remains of Richard III…..this is a valuable contribution to the literature surrounding this controversial period." Battlefield

"This is the sort of title that Helion does so well: a learned but readable analysis, expertly written, and combining archaeology, primary text sources, and a reasonable set of deductions about strengths, events and deductions… This is a high-value book for the historian and wargamer alike…” Miniature Wargames

"In sum this is a useful addition to books on Bosworth and the last months of the life of Richard III. The new ideas on the course of the battle are very interesting." Peter Hammond, Ricardian Bulletin 

"The work as a whole is lavishly illustrated with black-and-white photos, a section of color photos, maps, and some curious sketches from medieval manuscripts..." The Medieval Review 

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