King Richard III - An English King and His Lives

King Richard III - An English King and His LivesKing Richard III: An English King and his Lives (Watson, 2020) is a concise, well written and engaging introduction to the reign of King Richard III (as portrayed in the famous television drama of the same name). It is not your usual history lesson that most 'Richard III' reference books include. I have to admit I was somewhat skeptical about a Richard III reference book that is not about Richard the third in my opinion. My father was an avid and passionate King Richard III buff.However, if you are looking for a short but handy reference book on the subject of Richard III, this is probably the best selection for you. It also does not have any form of fancy, out of the box style of writing that other 'Richard III' reference books tend to include.King Richard III, like most kings of England, had four children by two different wives. His eldest daughter, married to William of Orange, gave birth to her first son, Henry, then married John, t he first Duke of York. In 1483 she gave birth to her second son, Edward, by her second husband, Prince Arthur.The English court was troubled when it was discovered that one of the young princes born from these marriages was not in fact the heir to the throne. This sparked a bitter feud between the York and Lancaster families. When Henry, the younger son of King Richard II died, King Richard III invaded and took Henry from the duke of York. She was to bear three more sons.The fourth Richard III is portrayed in the television series. He had both a swarthy skin and grizzled facial features and was described as a moustache-twirling villain in the show. I was reminded of the famous saying: 'It is good to be feared'.In King Richard III: An English King and his Lives by Louis de Bondeville, Richard's third wife, Mary, Queen of Scots is extensively featured. There is a very lively account of the battles and treachery at Bosworth Field. This was one of the most famous battles in English hist ory and one of the bloodiest battles of the English Civil War. This book is a history lesson with interesting and juicy details about the main characters.King Richard III: An English King and his Lives is a short, but handy, read. It is not exactly a study guide or a class with all the intricacies of the civil war and the battles. It is a quick, fun read that will be full of action and intrigue. Overall, I would recommend this book to students who are studying history.There are other related King Richard III reference books to consider if you are in need of an in depth and insightful review on the subject of Richard III. Among these are: 'The Kings of England' by Phillip C. Gertz; 'Richard III: English King and his Lives' by Louis de Bondeville; 'The Trial of Richard III' by Antony Woods Wilson; 'The Red Death: A History of the Plague of Black Death' by Anthony Aveni; 'The Reign of Richard III' by Michael Lindsay Smith; 'The Black Death: A People's History of the Great Plague' by Mi chael Parkes; 'The Reign of Richard III: The Madness of King Richard III' by James Halse; 'Henry V' by Keith Roberts; 'Henry VIII and the Tudors' by Richard Hughes; 'Buckingham Palace: The Story of the Royal Family' by Isabel Allende; 'Richard III: A Biography' by Noel King. Each of these books offer an insight into the rich, colorful and convoluted life of the English monarch and kings. I have only mentioned a few of the many 'Richard III' reference books available for purchase.