The King's Grave: The Discovery of Richard III's Lost Burial Place and the Clues It Holds

Michael Jones · Philippa Langley

Oct 2013 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Corrie James

About this audiobook

On 22 August 1485, Richard III was killed at Bosworth Field, the last king of England to die in battle. His victorious opponent, Henry Tudor (the future Henry VII), went on to found one of our most famous ruling dynasties. Richard's body was displayed in undignified fashion for two days in nearby Leicester and then hurriedly buried in the church of the Greyfriars. Fifty years later, at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, the king's grave was lost-its contents believed to be emptied into the river Soar-and Richard III's reputation buried under a mound of Tudor propaganda. Its culmination was Shakespeare's compelling portrayal of a deformed and murderous villain, written over a hundred years after Richard's death. Now-in an incredible find-Richard III's remains have been uncovered beneath a car park in Leicester. The King's Grave traces this remarkable journey. In alternate chapters, Philippa Langley, whose years of research and belief that she would find Richard in this exact spot inspired the project, reveals the inside story of the search for the king's grave, and historian Michael Jones tells of Richard's fifteenth-century life and death. The result is a compelling portrayal of one of our greatest archaeological discoveries, allowing a complete re-evaluation of our most controversial monarch-one that discards the distortions of later Tudor histories and puts the man firmly back into the context of his times.

About the author

Michael Jones, author of Bosworth 1485, is a military historian, battlefield tour-guide, and documentary film presenter. He is coauthor of The Women of the Cousins' War and The King's Grave: The Search for Richard III. He lives in England.

Philippa Langley is a screenwriter and producer who inaugurated and led the successful archaeological search to locate King Richard III's grave in Leicester. Her project became the basis for the acclaimed TV documentary The King in the Car Park. Philippa is the secretary of the Scottish branch of the Richard III Society.

Corrie James has worked on both sides of the Atlantic in theater, radio, and audiobooks. She credits growing up listening to the BBC for her love of the spoken word.