Monday, September 17, 2012

Time for King Richard III to “Come Home to York”, says Foundation


The Richard III Foundation, Inc. is calling for the remains of King Richard III to be brought home to York and interred at York Minster.

Last week, the remains of a male skeleton were discovered in Leicester during an archaeological dig aimed at finding the lost burial place of the English monarch who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The archaeologists believe there is strong evidence to suggest that this is Richard III, although DNA testing will take several weeks to confirm the results.

A debate is now underway on where the body should be buried if it is that of the former king. While some have suggested that he be laid to rest in Westminster Abbey alongside other kings and queens of England,the Richard III Foundation believes the most appropriate location would be York. Richard III wanted to be buried in that city, and in 1483 set in motion plans for a new chantry chapel at York Minster. Indeed, so strongly was Richard linked to York that the City authorities greeted the news of his death at the Battle of Bosworth with these words: “King Richard, late mercifully reigning over us, was, through great treason, piteously slain and murdered, to the great heaviness of this city.”

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net