Club contact: Andrew Grant
andygrantrwg@yahoo.co.uk
September 2024 – update
Richard III from Car Park to Cathedral
A talk by Dr.Rhian Morgan
Dr. Morgan explained that although she had had no part in the physical location and extraction of the remains of Richard III in Leicester she had been interested in the role that DNA had played in the identification of the body.
Some history:
Richard was born in Fotheringhay Castle 30 miles from Leicester on 2 October 1452
His parents were Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville. Richard Plantagenet was descended from Edward III both on his father’s side (great-grandson) and his mother’s side (great-great-great-grandson). During the mental breakdown of Henry VI, he served as Lord Protector of England. Richard was the 12th of 13 children and among his siblings was the future King Edward IV and George Plantagenet – who would later become the Duke of Clarence and engage in several conspiracies against Edward. Richard married Anne Neville at the age of 20 and she was Queen of England for most of her husband’s reign, but died in March 1485, five months before Richard III’s death. Richard was loyal to his older brother King Edward IV and ran the north of England up until his brother’s death in 1483, when Richard became Lord Protector. Richard also remained loyal to Edward when their middle brother, George, rebelled and schemed against the king. Richard was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1483
The coronation came after Londoners had petitioned Richard to have the throne. Richard fought his final battle at Bosworth in 1485with his army around 8,000 strong, pitted against 5,000 of Henry Tudor’s men. Richard was killed during the Battle even though a strong warrior and managed to unhorse a jousting champion in his final fight. But he was later surrounded by men of Sir William Stanley who were said to have beaten him so hard that his helmet entered his skull, killing him. It is thought the late Duke of Beaufort may be a direct descendent of Richard III and although he is considered to be the last member of the Plantagenet blood line, it is thought the late David Somerset may have been a direct descendent via a possible illegitimate relationship that took place centuries ago.
Historical records report that after Richard III was killed on the battlefield, age 32, his remains were brought back to Leicester and buried in the medieval church of the Grey Friars. The friary was dissolved in 1538 under the orders of King Henry VIII, with most of the buildings being torn down in the following years. Approximately 125 years later, a rumour arose that Richard III’s remains had been disinterred during the dissolution of the monasteries and thrown into the river Soar in Leicester. However, it had long been thought that this rumour was unsubstantiated, and it was therefore expected that the grave of Richard III should still lie within any remains of the Grey Friars church. While historical records and the subsequent analysis thereof have long indicated the approximate location of the Grey Friars friary, and its likely situation in relation to the modern urban landscape of Leicester, the exact site of Richard III’s grave had been lost in the 527 years since his death. Although Richard III reigned for only a little over two years, substantial historical information about various features of his life and death exists. These include aspects of his physical appearance such as having a slim build, one shoulder higher than the other and that he suffered battle injuries, which resulted in his death. In September 2012, a skeleton was excavated at the presumed site of the Choir area of Grey Friars friary in Leicester, the last-known resting place of Richard III. The archaeological, skeletal and radiocarbon dating evidence were all consistent with the remains being those of Richard III. The skeleton was that of a male aged 30 to 34 years, with severe scoliosis rendering one shoulder higher than the other, with numerous battle injuries leading to death. Modelled radiocarbon dating was also consistent with these being the remains of an individual who died in 1485.
DNA work initially done by Dr. King who came to Cardiff in 2015, hence the local interest.
We have 23 pairs of chromosomes in our bodies with women having two X and men having an X and a Y. Fathers pass their Y chromosome to their sons but only the mother passes her mitochondrial DNA to her children.
Samples taken from the teeth and femur were analysed by several laboratories under extreme care conditions and were found to be a very good match with the known living relatives through the female line. However, although there were some differences with the Y chromosome showing that there had been some infidelity by a mother at some point in the heritage line. With all the evidence now available there is a 99.99% confidence that the skeleton is Richard III and it has been reburied in a lead coffin within Leicester Cathedral which is far more appropriate than the car park where it was found. One more interesting fact was the large letter “R” found printed on the car park floor at the same place as the skeleton was discovered!
Richard III with Blue eyes
Please contact me for any further information at the e-mail address above or on 02920252422.
Although our membership is growing, we still have room for new people and I would be glad to hear from any interested parties. We meet on the second Thursday of each month at the Llanishen Golf Club in Cardiff at 10am for coffee before starting the meeting proper at 10.30am. Lunch is available at the club and the great majority of the members stay for this excellent value meal.
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Andrew Grant (Secretary)