Edward IV was back on the throne the following year. King Henry VI resumed his reign only briefly, however. In 1469, the War of the Roses resumed with Richard's brother losing power in 1470. He was also granted the title 'Duke of Gloucester.' When he was old enough, Richard assumed the rights and responsibilities with his noble status. When Edward IV officially took power in March 1461, young Richard became a prince. Another brother, Edward IV, scored an impressive victory against King Henry VI, and his Lancastrian supporters the following February. Richard lost his father, an uncle and one of his brothers in December 1460 battling for the crown.

This long and bloody civil conflict is known as the War of the Roses. Richard III was a child when his family, the House of York, engaged in battle against the Lancastrians for control of the country. It is thought that Richard spent his early years at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. He was the youngest surviving son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and his wife, Cecily Neville. Richard arrived into this world with little expectation that he would win fame or claim power.

Modern scholars, however, question how much his bad reputation is true and how much is myth. Early Lifeīorn in Northamptonshire, England, on October 2, 1452, King Richard III remains one of England's most infamous rulers. William Shakespeare portrayed him as a tyrannical ruler in his play, King Richard III, but modern scholars have pointed to evidence that Richard III was a successful leader. He is credited with the responsibility for several murders, including those of his nephews Edward and Richard, and of Henry VI. Richard III served as king of England for only two years, but his reign was one of the most historic and turbulent.

The life and death of king richard iii