He was widely despised during his brief reign as King of England.
But almost 530 years since Richard III was slain, the controversial monarch’s reputation is enjoying something of a revival.
The infamous royal, whose remains were discovered beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 and was who was reburied in the city’s cathedral in March this year, was named the most interesting historical figure of the past year by readers of BBC History Magazine, which is published today.
The survey, which received 2,065 votes, asked readers to vote for the historical figure who died before January 1, 1985 that they have been most interested in during the past year.
Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I, Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn made up the next three places.
How Richard III had us gripped: King named most interesting historical figure of the past year after discovery of remains and reburial
Royal's remains found under car park before he was reburied in March
Survey by BBC History Magazine asked readers about historical figures
Winston Churchill came second, followed by Elizabeth I and Cromwell
Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII followed, while Shakespeare came in 11th
By Simon Cable for the Daily Mail
8 June 2015
Daily Mail
Richard III: The controversial monarch’ s reputation has been enjoying something of a revival recently
He was widely despised during his brief reign as King of England.
But almost 530 years since Richard III was slain, the controversial monarch’s reputation is enjoying something of a revival.
The infamous royal, whose remains were discovered beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 and was who was reburied in the city’s cathedral in March this year, was named the most interesting historical figure of the past year by readers of BBC History Magazine, which is published today.
The survey, which received 2,065 votes, asked readers to vote for the historical figure who died before January 1, 1985 that they have been most interested in during the past year.
Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I, Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn made up the next three places.
William Shakespeare was voted in 11th place in the survey.
The inclusion of so many medieval historical figures is said to be a result of Hilary Mantel's novel Wolf Hall, which was turned into a big-budget BBC2 adaption earlier this year.
Richard, who ruled between 1483 and 1485, was a controversial figure during his lifetime and rumours persisted that he had had 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother Richard murdered to remove any threat they may have posed to his reign.
Famous historical figures: Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I was third
Of interest: Thomas Cromwell (left) and Anne Boleyn (right) came fourth and fifth respectively in the BBC History Magazine survey
He was killed at Bosworth Field in Leicestershire during a battle with Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who later took the throne as Henry VII.
Rob Attar, BBC History Magazine Editor, says: ‘Our History Hot 100 list has thrown up a delightfully eclectic mix of the great and the good (and not so good) from centuries past.
‘There are some obvious characters here to be sure – Richard III and the army of Tudors among them – but also some intriguing lesser-known figures including Lurcrezia Borgia, Ragnar Lodbrok and Ethelflaed, Lady of Mercia.’
Dominic Sandbrook, British historian and author, says: ‘The controversial Yorkist king’s runaway victory is another reminder of the extraordinary hold he has exerted on our national imagination ever since his bones were unearthed under that Leicester car park.
‘I can think of few news stories in recent times that have encouraged such interest in our medieval history – and that can only be good for the subject. I can’t help thinking that Hilary Mantel has single-handedly transformed the public perception of the Tudor age.
‘It is a salutary reminder that when it comes to the public perception of the past, fiction is often far more powerful than fact. If there is one lesson from the Hot 100, then it is that old-fashioned, kings-and-queens history still very clearly monopolises our national imagination.’
Seventh and eighth place are taken by two historical figures celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2015 - King John, who sealed Magna Carta which celebrated its 800th anniversary this month, and the Duke of Wellington, who triumphed over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo 200 years ago.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Twelfth Century Queen-consort of France, Queen of England and one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages, came ninth, with William Marshal, considered by many as the world’s greatest knight and the architect of Magna Carta, completed the top ten.
HISTORY HOT 100 - TOP 20
But almost 530 years since Richard III was slain, the controversial monarch’s reputation is enjoying something of a revival.
The infamous royal, whose remains were discovered beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 and was who was reburied in the city’s cathedral in March this year, was named the most interesting historical figure of the past year by readers of BBC History Magazine, which is published today.
The survey, which received 2,065 votes, asked readers to vote for the historical figure who died before January 1, 1985 that they have been most interested in during the past year.
Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I, Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn made up the next three places.
How Richard III had us gripped: King named most interesting historical figure of the past year after discovery of remains and reburial
Royal's remains found under car park before he was reburied in March
Survey by BBC History Magazine asked readers about historical figures
Winston Churchill came second, followed by Elizabeth I and Cromwell
Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII followed, while Shakespeare came in 11th
By Simon Cable for the Daily Mail
8 June 2015
Daily Mail
Richard III: The controversial monarch’ s reputation has been enjoying something of a revival recently
He was widely despised during his brief reign as King of England.
But almost 530 years since Richard III was slain, the controversial monarch’s reputation is enjoying something of a revival.
The infamous royal, whose remains were discovered beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 and was who was reburied in the city’s cathedral in March this year, was named the most interesting historical figure of the past year by readers of BBC History Magazine, which is published today.
The survey, which received 2,065 votes, asked readers to vote for the historical figure who died before January 1, 1985 that they have been most interested in during the past year.
Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I, Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn made up the next three places.
William Shakespeare was voted in 11th place in the survey.
The inclusion of so many medieval historical figures is said to be a result of Hilary Mantel's novel Wolf Hall, which was turned into a big-budget BBC2 adaption earlier this year.
Richard, who ruled between 1483 and 1485, was a controversial figure during his lifetime and rumours persisted that he had had 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother Richard murdered to remove any threat they may have posed to his reign.
Famous historical figures: Winston Churchill, whose death 50 years ago has been widely commemorated this year, came in second place, while Elizabeth I was third
Of interest: Thomas Cromwell (left) and Anne Boleyn (right) came fourth and fifth respectively in the BBC History Magazine survey
He was killed at Bosworth Field in Leicestershire during a battle with Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who later took the throne as Henry VII.
Rob Attar, BBC History Magazine Editor, says: ‘Our History Hot 100 list has thrown up a delightfully eclectic mix of the great and the good (and not so good) from centuries past.
‘There are some obvious characters here to be sure – Richard III and the army of Tudors among them – but also some intriguing lesser-known figures including Lurcrezia Borgia, Ragnar Lodbrok and Ethelflaed, Lady of Mercia.’
Dominic Sandbrook, British historian and author, says: ‘The controversial Yorkist king’s runaway victory is another reminder of the extraordinary hold he has exerted on our national imagination ever since his bones were unearthed under that Leicester car park.
‘I can think of few news stories in recent times that have encouraged such interest in our medieval history – and that can only be good for the subject. I can’t help thinking that Hilary Mantel has single-handedly transformed the public perception of the Tudor age.
‘It is a salutary reminder that when it comes to the public perception of the past, fiction is often far more powerful than fact. If there is one lesson from the Hot 100, then it is that old-fashioned, kings-and-queens history still very clearly monopolises our national imagination.’
Seventh and eighth place are taken by two historical figures celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2015 - King John, who sealed Magna Carta which celebrated its 800th anniversary this month, and the Duke of Wellington, who triumphed over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo 200 years ago.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Twelfth Century Queen-consort of France, Queen of England and one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages, came ninth, with William Marshal, considered by many as the world’s greatest knight and the architect of Magna Carta, completed the top ten.
HISTORY HOT 100 - TOP 20
- Richard III
- Winston Churchill
- Elizabeth I
- Thomas Cromwell
- Anne Boleyn
- Henry VIII
- King John
- Duke of Wellington
- Eleanor of Aquitaine
- William Marshal
- William Shakespeare
- Benjamin Disraeli
- Abraham Lincoln
- Napoleon
- Hitler
- Jesus
- William Gladstone
- Nelson
- Henry V
- Oliver Cromwell