The Betrayal of Richard III - V B Lamb

Jul 30, 2026

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The Betrayal of Richard III presents a reassessment of Richard III’s life and reputation, challenging the long-accepted image of him as a hunchbacked monster who murdered to seize power. Drawing on extensive scholarship, the work emphasizes Richard’s character as a man, his guiltlessness regarding accusations before becoming king, and his pursuit of justice. It also outlines the complex historical background through a clear, forensic account grounded in documentary study and later developments in historical understanding.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages140

Reading Time3 h 36 min

Prelude to Disaster

I Edward, by the Grace of God

II The King’s Brother

III Lord Protector of England

IV Treason

The Legend

V The Usurper

VI Birth of a Legend

VII Uneasy Crown

VIII The Legend is Established

IX Sir Thomas More

X The Later Tudors

XI After the Tudors

XII Some Bones

XIII Summing Up

XIV No Murder in the Tower

Bibliography

[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) To Francis Temple Bacon [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Acknowledgements Acknowledgements and thanks for permission to reproduce photographs are due to the Ashmolean Museum (3), Society of Antiquaries (1, 2, 10, 11, 12), Richard III Society, (5), to David Scuffam for his excellent drawings used as chapter endings, to Julian Rowe for the last of these drawings and for the magnificent reconstruction of Fotheringhay Castle. [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Contents Title Dedication Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Genealogical Table Introduction by Peter Hammond Foreword PRELUDE TO DISASTER I Edward, by the Grace of God II The King’s Brother III Lord Protector of England IV Treason THE LEGEND V The Usurper VI Birth of a Legend VII Uneasy Crown VIII The Legend is Established IX Sir Thomas More X The Later Tudors XI After the Tudors XII Some Bones XIII Summing Up XIV No Murder in the Tower Bibliography Copyright [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) List of Illustrations 1. Henry VI, early sixteenth century, derived from a contemporary portrait. (Society of Antiquaries) 2. Edward IV, early sixteenth century. (Society of Antiquaries) 3. Elizabeth Woodville, perhaps painted as early as 1500. (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University) 4. Fotheringhay Castle, a reconstruction of its appearance in the fifteenth century. (Peter Hammond) 5. Richard III, a reconstruction of the face. (Richard III Society) 6. Richard III, Anne Neville and Edward of Middleham, Rous Roll. 7. Middleham Castle, a modern photograph. (Geoffrey Wheeler) 8. Baynard’s Castle, a drawing of the seventeenth century. 9. Crosby Hall, a reconstruction. 10. The Broken Sword portrait of Richard III, a propaganda picture dating from the reign of Henry VIII. (Society of Antiquaries) 11. Broken Sword portrait, X-ray photograph, showing high original (deformed) shoulder line and short ‘withered’ left arm, as originally painted. Later over painting restored the portrait to a more normal appearance. (Society of Antiquaries) 12. Henry VII, probably painted in his life time. (Society of Antiquaries) Chapter Endings: Heraldic Badges 1. Falcon and Fetterlock of York 2. Livery Collar of Edward IV, with roses between suns in 23 splendour and a pendant White Lion of York 3. Rose-en-Soleil of York 4. Livery Collar of Richard III, with roses between suns in splendour, and a pendant White Boar 5. Crown in Thorn Bush of Henry VII 6. Dragon of Henry VII 7. Livery boar badge from Middleham [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) AND LANCASTER [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Introduction Mrs Lamb wrote this book more than 50 years ago, in 1959. At that time few historians seemed very interested in the late middle ages. Since then there has been an explosion of interest in both the period and in Richard III, and many books and editions of documents have been published. The discovery of his bones in 2012 has fuelled this interest. When Mrs Lamb wrote the traditional picture of Richard as a hunch backed monster who murdered his way to the throne was still widely accepted, by the general public at least. Mrs Lamb had studied the period and Richard and made a complete transcript of the English portions of the Signet office register of Richard III, from British Library Harleian Ms. 433. She tookover four arduous years to complete this work, also making name and place indexes to these portions. The existing edition of the manuscript is based on her work. Her work on this important manuscript, and her extensive reading convinced her of the defects in the traditional picture of the last Plantagenet king and she wrote this book. In the years since it was published the perceptions of Richard have changed, Most historians would now accept Mrs Lamb’s common-sense view of Richard as a man, of his guiltlessness at least of the crimes he has been accused of committi

FAQs

What central argument does The Betrayal of Richard III make about the traditional image of Richard?

It destroys the traditional picture of Richard as a murderer-king in a clear, forensic manner, presenting Richard as a man and arguing for his innocence at least regarding crimes he was accused of before becoming king.

How does Mrs Lamb’s research methodology support the book’s conclusions?

Mrs Lamb transcribed relevant English portions of the Signet office register from British Library Harleian Ms. 433 over four arduous years and created name and place indexes, using this work and extensive reading to identify defects in earlier depictions.

What is the book’s approach to Richard’s historical context?

It provides a clear account of the complicated background to Richard’s life, reflecting how later discoveries and changing scholarship have expanded knowledge of his life and times.

Jul 30, 2026

Upload by Miles