Was King Richard III the ‘moost famous prince of blissed memory’ or ‘an ypocryte, a crochebake and beried in a dike like a dogge’? Students taking the third year module The Wars of the Roses were in the archive this month analysing different opinions on the controversial monarch.
The visit to York Explore was an opportunity to see fifteenth century documents first hand and read archive sources relating to the events that they have been studying this term. The Wars of the Roses module looks at the period of dynastic crisis in England from 1450-85 and the city archive holds important documents for understanding the era, in particular local perspectives on these events.
Students had the opportunity to compare the city charters of Edward IV (1464) and Henry VII (1485), documents produced over 500 years ago and preserved by the city ever since. Similarly the Chamberlains’ Rolls from the reign of Edward IV were examined for what they reveal about the ways in which the city kept accounts. Entries in the rolls show civic preparation for events such as the royal visit to York in 1478, which is not detailed in any other source.
The session focused in particular on the accession, reign and demise of Richard III (1483-85). Students explored the medieval records of city council meetings, the York House Books, to evaluate the evidence for the period. The York House Books include much detail for the Yorkist period, including the opinions on Richard III highlighted in the quotations above (from 1483 and 1491 respectively). Students thoroughly enjoyed exploring their module in the archive, reading the words of people who lived through the Wars of the Roses as they were written down half a millennium ago.
Many thanks to York Explore and especially Laura Yeoman for helping us to use these documents!
YSJU: History, War Studies and American Studies 