How Richard III “Survived” Shakespeare

A journey through the rehabilitation of a king’s image, between Tudor propaganda, theatre, archaeology, and modern public memory.

Shakespeare’s play Richard III (written around 1592–1594) stands as one of the most influential works in his historical cycle. Written during the Tudor dynasty, it functioned as both a political instrument and an artistic creation. Shakespeare crafted Richard as a demonic, manipulative, and murderous figure to reinforce the legitimacy of the Tudors, who ruled England at the time. The result was a mesmerizing stage presence — sharp-tongued and magnetic — yet far removed from historical truth.

For centuries, the playwright’s version of Richard defined public perception. In a world without historical literacy or access to alternative sources, Shakespeare’s stage was the people’s history book—the result: the permanent demonization of a king whose real story was far more complex.

From Villain to Victim: The Tudor Agenda

Richard’s transformation into a monster served the Tudors’ political needs. Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor line, had seized the throne from Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Depicting Richard as evil and deformed turned that victory into divine justice rather than a violent coup.
This portrayal shaped not only popular imagination but also centuries of “accepted” history. The line between fact and theatre blurred completely.

The Return of the Bones

In 2012, archaeologists from the University of Leicester discovered Richard’s skeleton beneath a parking lot, a discovery that reignited historical debate. The body showed scoliosis (a spinal curvature), but not the monstrous deformity Shakespeare described. DNA tests confirmed his identity, and the reconstruction of his face revealed a strikingly human figure: young, refined, and intelligent.

The discovery sparked a global reassessment, from BBC documentaries to The Guardian’s coverage, asking whether Richard III had been one of history’s greatest victims of propaganda.

📎 BBC: The rediscovery of Richard III
📎 The Guardian: How Shakespeare’s Richard III shaped history

The Modern Reappraisal

Since the 20th century, scholars and independent societies, most notably The Richard III Society, have sought to rehabilitate his image. Their research portrays Richard as an able ruler and reformer: he introduced legal aid for the poor and curbed corruption in the courts. He sought to establish administrative order after years of civil war.
The gap between this historical record and Shakespeare’s narrative exposes the power of art to shape moral and political memory.

Why It Still Matters

Richard’s case exemplifies how storytelling can outlast evidence. When plays replace chronicles, myth replaces fact. Shakespeare’s brilliance gave life to one of literature’s greatest villains, but it also buried the real man beneath centuries of theatrical shadow.
Today, between digital archives and historical research, the king is slowly reclaiming his voice not as a saint, but as a human being stripped of his complexity by art and politics alike.