For centuries historians have debated Richard III and whether his reputation as a ruthless hunchback king was a true reflection of his reign or just a figment of Shakespeare’s imagination.

Now it would seem that at least some of that legend may be true, after archaeologists unearthed a fully intact skeleton that they believe is that of the medieval king, which, crucially, has a deformed spine.

The remains were found three weeks into an archaeological dig by a team from Leicester University, which recently pinpointed the site of Grey Friars Church, where Richard was believed to be buried after being killed in the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485.

To the team’s astonishment, the excavation unearthed a result “beyond our wildest dreams”, and strengthened their belief, which they hope will be put beyond doubt by DNA testing, that they have ended a decade-long search for his remains.

The skeleton was of an adult male, who appeared fit and strong, but with spinal abnormalities that pointed to the fact that he had severe scoliosis, a form of spinal curvature. This would have made his right shoulder appear higher than his left, and in less enlightened times would almost certainly have been cause for him being nicknamed a “hunchback”.

 Poleaxed to the head
He had suffered significant trauma to the head where a blade had cut away part of the back of his skull, an injury consistent with battle, and a barbed arrow head was found lodged between vertebrae in his upper back. The remains were found in the choir area of the Church, again consistent with historical record of where he was buried.

The only known account of Richard’s death is in a poem that states he was “poleaxed to the head”. Philippa Langley, of the Richard III Society, who has driven the search to find his body since 2000, said: “This will allow us to really challenge what we know about Richard.

“We can find out how he got to the Church, how he was buried, how he died; all the things that have been the subject of assumptions and misconceptions.” Little has been known about Richard III’s end, other than he died on the battlefield and was supposedly taken on horseback by his vanquisher, Henry Tudor, who later became King Henry VII.

The only known account of Richard’s death is in a poem that states he was “poleaxed to the head”. He was the last of the Plantagenet dynasty and his death was decisive in the Wars of the Roses. Richard’s two-year reign was the subject of one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays, which portrayed him as an evil, ugly hunchback, and which helped cement the public perception of him.

Richard Taylor, whose team led the dig, said: “We are not saying that we have found Richard III. What we are saying is that the search for Richard III has entered a new phase. Our focus is shifting from the archaeological excavation to laboratory analysis. We are all very excited.”

Sir Peter Soulsby, Leicester’s mayor, said: “They can’t say it, but I can. This is as near a certainty as we can get that we’ve found him. Everything fits.” DNA tests are expected to take 12 weeks. The team will compare samples from the skeletal remains with the DNA of a direct descendant of the king’s sister, Michael Ibsen, 55, a Canadian furniture maker who lives in London.

Ms Langley, who has driven the search to find his body since the year 2000, added: “This goes to show that if you have a dream, you should follow that dream.”

So who was Richard III? Richard III, King of England, youngest son of Richard, Duke of York, by Cicely Neville, was born at Fotheringhay on October 2, 1452. After the Second Battle of St Albans in February 1461, his mother sent him with his brother George for safety to Utrecht.

They returned in April, and at the coronation of Edward IV, Richard was created Duke of Gloucester. As a mere child he had no importance till 1469-1470, when he supported his brother against Warwick, shared his exile and took part in his triumphant return.

He distinguished himself at Barnet and Tewkesbury; according to the Lancastrian story. After the latter battle he murdered the young Edward of Wales in cold blood; this is discredited by the authority of Warkworth (Chronicle, p. 18); but Richard may have had a share in Edward’s death during the fighting. He cannot be so fully cleared of complicity in the murder of Henry VI, which probably took place at the Tower on the night of the May 21-22, when Richard was certainly present there. Richard shared to the full in his brother’s prosperity.

He had large grants of lands and office, and by marrying Anne (1456-1485), the younger daughter of Warwick, secured a share in the Neville inheritance. This was distasteful to George, Duke of Clarence, who was already married to the elder sister, Isabel.

The rivalry of the two brothers caused a quarrel that was never appeased. Richard does not, however, seem to have been directly responsible for the death of Clarence in 1478; Sir Thomas More, who is a hostile witness, says that he resisted it openly “howbeit somewhat (as men deemed) more faintly than he that were heartily minded to his wealth.” Richard’s share of the Neville inheritance was chiefly in the north, and he resided usually at Middleham in Yorkshire.

In May 1480 he was made the king’s lieutenant general in the north, and in 1482 commanded a successful invasion of Scotland. His administration was good, and brought him well-deserved popularity. William Lord Hastings, who shared his dislike of the Woodville influence On Edward’s death, kept him informed of events in London.

On the 29th of April 1483, supported by the Duke of Buckingham, he intercepted his nephew [Edward V] at Stony Stratford and arrested Lord Rivers and Richard Grey, the little king’s half-brother. It was in Richard’s charge that Edward was brought to London on May 4.

Richard was recognised as protector, the Woodville faction was overthrown, and Queen Elizabeth Woodville with her younger children took sanctuary at Westminster. For the time the Government was carried on in Edward’s name, and June 22 was appointed for his coronation.

Richard was nevertheless gathering forces and concerting with his friends. In the council there was a party, of whom Hastings and Bishop Morton were the chief, which was loyal to the boy-king. On June 13 came the famous scene when Richard appeared suddenly in the council baring his withered arm and accusing Jane Shore and the Queen of sorcery; Hastings, Morton and Stanley were arrested and the first-named at once beheaded.

A few days later, probably on June 25, Rivers and Grey were executed at Pontefract. On June 22, Dr Shaw was put up to preach at Paul’s Cross-against the legitimacy of the children of Edward IV. On the 25th a sort of Parliament was convened at which Edward’s marriage was declared invalid on the ground of his pre-contract with Eleanor Talbot, and Richard rightful king. Richard, who was not present, accepted the crown with feigned reluctance, and from the following day began his formal reign.

Typical man
On July 6, Richard was crowned at Westminster, and immediately afterwards made a royal procession through the Midlands, on which he was well received. But in spite of its apparent success the usurpation was not popular. Richard’s position could not be secure while his nephews lived.

There seems to be no reasonable doubt that early in August Edward V and his brother Richard (whom Elizabeth Woodville had been forced to surrender) were murdered by their uncle’s orders in the Tower. Attempts have been made to clear Richard’s memory. But the report of the princes’ death was believed in England at the time, “for which cause king Richard lost the hearts of the people” (Chronicles of London, 191), and it was referred to as a definite fact before the French states-general in January 1484. The general, if vague, dissatisfaction found its expression in Buckingham’s rebellion. Richard, however, was fortunate, and the movement collapsed.

He met his only Parliament in January 1484 with some show of triumph, and deserves credit for the wise intent of its legislation.

He could not, however, stay the undercurrent of disaffection, and his ministers, Lovell and Catesby, were unpopular. His position was weakened by the death of his only legitimate son in April 1484. His queen died also a year later (March 16, 1485), and public opinion was scandalised by the rumour that Richard intended to marry his own niece, Elizabeth of York.

Thus the feeling in favour of his rival Henry Tudor strengthened. Henry landed at Milford Haven on the 7th of August 1485, and it was with dark forebodings that Richard met him at Bosworth on the 22nd. The defection of the Stanleys decided the day [cf. Lord Stanley]. Richard was killed fighting, courageous at all events. After the battle his body was carried to Leicester, trussed across a horse’s back, and buried without honour in the Church of the Greyfriars.

Richard was not the villain that his enemies depicted. He had good qualities, both as a man and a ruler, and showed a sound judgment of political needs. Still it is impossible to acquit him of the crime, the popular belief in which was the chief cause of his ruin. He was not a monster; but a typical man in an age of strange contradictions of character, of culture combined with cruelty, and of an emotional temper that was capable of high ends, though unscrupulous of means.

Tradition represents Richard as deformed. It seems clear that he had some physical defect, though not so great as has been alleged. John Stow told Buck that old men who remembered Richard described him as in bodily form comely enough. Extant portraits show an intellectual face characteristic of the early Renaissance, but do not indicate any deformity.

Compiled from the Luminarium Encyclopedia and BBC