The Princes in the Tower is historian Alison Weir’s latest title, in which she aims to re-examine both primary and secondary sources relating to the death of the boy king Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York
The involvement of Richard III in the Deaths of the Two Princes
The disappearance of the two princes in 1483 is a mystery which has fascinated both historians and the wider public for centuries. Hundreds of books have been written about the circumstances of the princes’ disappearance, but no one has ever provided absolute proof of what happened.
Through this book, the author aims to weigh up all the evidence, taking into account why the various sources were written and the often complex relationships between the powerful people at the centre of this drama.
The author leaves the reader in no doubt that she believes the murder was committed by Richard III. However, she has clearly been thorough in her investigation and explains carefully how she has reached this conclusion. She advises the reader which documents she has consulted in forming her conclusions and explains her thought processes throughout. All this allows the reader to form their own judgement.
The Disappearance of Edward V
Much of the value of this study comes from the wide range of sources which the author has consulted and the large time frame which she uses to tell her story. The drama begins in the reign of Edward IV, father of the murdered princes.
Alison Weir assesses Edward IV’s reign and introduces the various factions who struggled to gain control of the King’s young son upon his death. Because Edward V was too young to rule alone, different powerful families struggled to gain his confidence and thus influence the prince.
Richard, Duke of York, uncle of the two princes was one of the people who hoped to gain by his blood relationship with Edward V. He was a powerful landowner in the North of England, where he held several important castles and huge estates. Richard was able to gain control of the princes and removed them to the Tower of London, saying this was for their own safety.
The princes were seen in the tower by various visitors, for months after their incarceration. Their apartments in the tower were luxurious and the tower at this time was a public building, to which members of the public could gain access. When the sons of Edward IV were proclaimed illegitimate, Richard was crowned and the boys were seen no longer.
The Murder of the Two Princes in the Tower
There have been many theories on how and why the boys died, and even their deaths have been open to interpretation. Several historians suggested that the boys were smuggled overseas and lived the rest of their lives in exile. The author examines each of these theories and explains why she discounts each of these.
She believes that if the boys had survived, they would have been produced at some point in the following tumultuous years, when various pretenders tried for the English crown. She also asserts that if Richard III hadn’t had the boys murdered, he would have produced them to display his innocence.
Summary
This is a complicated subject, which still exerts strong emotions centuries after the event. Supporters of Richard III still seek to clear him of suspicion more than 500 years after he was first accused of murder. Alison Weir treads a sure path through the volumes of evidence and is confident in her opinions. Where evidence is patchy or unclear, she points this out to the reader. She also refers to sources which existed at one time and have been lost over the years.
Whether or not the reader agrees with the conclusion reached by the author, this is an interesting and readable assessment of a mystery which may never be solved.
Publication Details
Weir, Alison The Princes in the Tower [Vintage, 2008]
304 pages, ISBN 9780099526964
