Time for a little hide and seek

So as most of you will know, the remains of the late Richard III were discovered underneath a car park in Leicester. After over a staggering 500 years since his death in 1485, the magnitude of this discovery has surpassed many that have gone before. Furthermore, for the jovial members interested in History out there, Richard III can easily be crowned (excuse my pun) champion of the longest game of 'hide and seek' to have ever been played. *cue humorous meme*

So what makes this discovery so significant? Why has it taken over 500 years to discover his body? And the question I keep asking myself... Why build a car park over the top of a previous King of England? (admittedly unintentionally).

On the throne as King of England for a mere two years from 1483 until his death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, Richard III never had a serious chance in pushing forward plans and implementing his power in as short a time as he was ruling over his lands. Conflict brewed and came to the fore in the years prior to Richard's crowning as King, with battles and skirmishes between his Father (Richard Plantagenet), Uncle (Edward IV) and their 'enemies of the state' Henry VI and Henry Tudor (later to become Henry VII). Consequently, Richard III was placed on the crown in a country riddled with turmoil, corruption and deceit. Rebellions were effective ways to reduce the power, influence and support of Richard's aristorcracy and gentry. Thus, Richard's brief and short-lived stay in power was suitably predictable, given the state the country was in come the time of his accession to power, the length of his stay in power was merely going to be determined by how effective his army and supporters were in derailing any negativity or backlash surrounding possible revolutions or uprisings.

So why is this discovery so significant?

In terms of honorary duties, being King of England obviously has its significance with regards to reputation, past culture, and notion of royalty. Hence, the media outcry of recent days regarding his burial remains. In addition, his death marked the end of the War of the Roses, a conflict fought between the House of York and the House of Lancaster over sporadic years between 1455 and 1485. During this time of upheaval and suppression of power, the significant inability to gain any real notion of power, status and reputation bypassed the trivial bystanders level of approval and was brought significantly by military power and success.

Furthermore, Richard III was popularised through William Shakespeare's play of an identical name. This play, written in 1592, was to bring forward the history of not only the effects of the War of the Roses, but also the extended circumstances surrounding Richard III's family, notably his two young nephews who were said to have been murdered by Richard's own ruling after he succeeded the throne. What this play did, in turn, was to publicise what role Richard III had in changing the course of history, in a way in which the general populous could recognise the overwhelming state of conflict he got placed into, the role he played in attempting to remain in power for as long as possible, and most of all the significance of his death.

Jonathan Whitehead