New Scientist
Image copyright: University of Leicester
Shakespeare famously labelled King Richard III a hunchback, but a new analysis suggests England’s last Plantagenet king had a different spinal deformity – one with a cause that continues to elude modern medicine.
Richard is among the most controversial of English monarchs, accused by some of grabbing the throne by foul means. He held power for just two years before his defeat – and death – at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
Perhaps the earliest description of Richard’s unusual physique came from contemporary chronicler John Rous who wrote unflattering descriptions of the late king’s physical stature. Until recently, with the exact whereabouts of Richard’s body unclear, it was difficult to know whether Rous’s description of Richard as stunted and with unequal shoulders was accurate or was merely Tudor propaganda designed to vilify him.
The situation changed in September 2012. In a Leicester car park just miles from Bosworth Field, archaeologists discovered the 500-year-old skeleton of a young adult with a twisted spine. The skeleton’s location, in the choir of an ancient church that once stood on the site, suggested that it belonged to an important individual, and injuries preserved in the bones are consistent with death during a fierce battle. Read more on newscientist.com…
