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Bezig met laden... Richard III: Brother, Protector, Kingdoor Chris Skidmore
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. Very detailed- as entertaining as a telephone directory ( ) Interesting read about a famed villain who has shot back to public awareness due to the unexpected discovery of his skeleton under a carpark. I would class this as a generally sympathetic look at Richard's life, certainly his good qualities (bravery, military skill and realpolitik) are noted, as are his unwavering focus on power, his occasional treachery and his poor treatment of the women in his life. However, the author unfortunately falls down on the one question that everyone wants answered - did he or did he not kill his nephews? No opinion is really offered, the closest the author comes is to say that everyone under-estimated how far Richard would go to safeguard his power, and thats it. I have to say that on this basis, since this is the key question, the book is a failure, but it is still a very interesting read. Usurper, murderer, tyrant or pious populist ruler, courageous warrior, and scholar. He reigned for less than three years and was dead by the age of 32, but probably no English monarch is as divisive or as debated as Richard III. In this volume Skidmore attempts to cut through the legend and propaganda by telling the story that emerges from study of contemporary manuscripts , journals, and official records. It suffers a little from too much quotation of those sources, but overall delivers a narrative that falls somewhere between the opposing viewpoints. I picked this book up when I was in Wales last spring. I'm not sure, but it seems to be the same book marketed as Richard III: England's Most Controversial King. At any rate, it was a disappointment, not covering much new ground. Mostly, Mr. Skidmore chooses to list details of the man's expenditures, asserting they are excessive, but in what context? For example, how does this compare to his brother Edward IV's or Henry Tudor who came after him? A list by itself without analysis doesn't really teach the reader much. Most of the book was like this for me. He asserts that the Croyland Chronicler is an unreliable narrator yet uses his writings without much analysis. Same with most of the other sources he uses when writing about the Princes, Margaret Beaufort, Buckingham, Elizabeth Woodville, or any of the other controversies of King Richard's reign. I would have appreciated a bit more analysis, especially for the newer bits of information like John Ashdown-Hill's discovery of the marriage negotiations with Portugal or Edward's prenup with Eleanor Talbot. It's not the most readable book for newbies looking for a good biography, yet it also was also ultimately unsatisfying, in my opinion, for someone with more knowledge. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
"The last Plantagenet king remains one of England's most famous and controversial monarchs. There are few parallels in English history that can match the drama of Richard III's reign, witnessed in its full bloody intensity. A dedicated brother and loyal stalwart to the Yorkist dynasty for most of his early life, Richard's personality was forged in the tribulation of exile and the brutality of combat. An ambitious nobleman and successful general with a loyal following, Richard was a man who could claim to have achieved every ambition in life, except one. Within months of his brother Edward IV's early death, Richard stunned the nation when he seized the throne and disinherited his nephews. Having put to death his rivals, Richard's two-year reign would become one of the most tumultuous in English history, ending in treachery and with his death on the battlefield at Bosworth. By stripping back the legends that surround Richard's life and reign, and returning to original manuscript evidence, Chris Skidmore rediscovers the man as contemporaries saw him. His compelling study presents every facet of Richard's personality as it deserves to be seen: as one of the most significant figures in medieval history, whose actions and behaviour underline the true nature of power in an age of great upheaval and instability."--Publisher's description. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)942.046092History and Geography Europe England and Wales England Lancaster and York 1400-85 Richard III 1483-85LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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