Outline On Richard Iii

Richard III, King Edward IV's younger brother, resented Edward's power. Bitter about his physical deformity, Richard began to aspire secretly to the throne, killing anyone he needed to. He manipulated noblewoman Lady Anne into marrying him--although she knew he murdered her first husband. He executed his older brother, Clarence, and put the guilt on King Edward to accelerate Edward's illness and death. After King Edward died, Richard became in charge until Edward's two sons grew up.

Richard killed the court noblemen loyal to the princes. He then had the boys' maternal relatives--the powerful kinsmen of Queen Elizabeth--arrested and executed. With Elizabeth and the princes unprotected, Richard had his political allies, campaign to have him crowned king. Richard then imprisoned the princes in the tower and sent hired murderers to kill both children.

England's people feared and hated Richard; he alienated nearly all the noblemen of the court--even the power-hungry Buckingham. When people found out that Richard was being challenged, everyone joined his forces. The challenger was the earl of Richmond, from the Lancaster family.

Meanwhile, Richard tried to secure his claim to the throne. He had his wife, Queen Anne, murdered, so that he could marry his niece Elizabeth. Nevertheless, Richard began to lose control of events, and Queen Elizabeth managed to forestall him, while secretly promising to marry Elizabeth to Richmond.

Richmond finally invaded England. The night before the battle that would decide everything, Richard had a terrible dream where the ghosts of all the people he murdered appeared and cursed him, saying he would die the next day. In the battle the next morning, Richard was killed, and Richmond was crowned King Henry VII. He was then engaged to Elizabeth in order to unite the Lancaster and York families.