Abstract

Prof. Sarah Hainsworth, University of Leicester, has been involved in the examination of Richard III ’s skeleton since its discovery in 2012. Some of this work has been published in the Lancet online in the past month (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60804-7/abstract). Sarah has kindly agreed to come along and cover some of the investigations in her presentation.

Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth on 22 August 1485. He was the only English Monarch since 839 whose final resting place was unknown until in August 2012, the site of Greyfriars in Leicester was excavated and revealed a grave in a high status position beneath the choir. The skeleton was an adult male with severe scoliosis and significant trauma from battlefield injuries. Radiocarbon dating indicated the skeleton’s age fitted a timeframe that was consistent with that of Richard III . Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that the skeleton’s DNA matched that of well-verified matrilineal descendants and thus the skeleton was confirmed to be that of Richard III . This talk will discuss the trauma sustained by the skeleton, the techniques used to analyse the wounds and will relate them to the armour and mediaeval weapons used at that time.