The skeletal remains of Richard the Third may have been discovered under a parking lot in England, archaeologists announced. The scientists from the local university in Leicester had been searching for the English king for about a month and discovered a skeleton with a curved spine and a broken skull, which could have resembled descriptions of Richard III.
Richard the Third was made famous by William Shakespeare, who depicted the king as a deformed, evil, child-murderer in his tragic play, Richard III.
Richard III may not have resembled Shakespeare’s anti-hero. In fact, there is no evidence that Richard ever murdered his nephews in the Tower of London. Additionally, during his two-year reign as king, he created several progressive laws and social reform, including legal aid to those who could not afford it.
Richard was killed in battle in 1485 by the Tudor family, which rose to power after his death. Historical reports say that Richard died at the abbey in Leicester. Archaeologists hypothesized that the abbey stood where the parking lot is today.
The discovered skeleton’s spine is severely curved, a sign of scoliosis, which could have given the king an appearance of having a hunchback, which is how he had been described. A descendant of Richard the Third in Canada was contacted to retrieve a genetic sample. Scientists will compare it with the skeleton and determine definitively in a few weeks if it was Richard the Third.
Meanwhile, the historical and scientific communities wait to see if the skeleton will be the winter of their discontent or made glorious summer.
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