Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
It's interesting on a number of levels.
The story of Richard III is a great example of how the winners of the wars are the ones who write the history books. While Richard III lived in decadence like most late-medievel monarchs, he was also one of the first liberal monarchs in Europe. He made a push for literacy among the commoners, he offered them greater legal protections and limits of Crown authority. Even to this day though, the character assassination persists. I think it sort of writes the final chapter by giving him a proper burial.
Civilizations rise and fall, and one day our whole species will be extinct. In that respect, is anything important? It will be nice if the story we leave behind is as complete and truthful as possible.
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Most of what people "know" about Richard III is from Shakespeare, who also happened to write during the age of the Tudors. The Tudors beat Richard III on the battlefield, so you're absolutely right that this is a prime example of history being written by the victors.