Ricardian Reading
Ricardian studies offer a
fertile field for the armchair investigator, the amateur student of
history, and the professional historian alike. This section offers
reading lists for Richard III and related topics at a variety of
levels. (Please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive
bibliography, but rather a sampling of past and current publications.)
Note: A 'buy' link has been provided if Amazon.com
carries the book. Clicking on this line will open a new window and you
will support The Richard III Society, American Branch by clicking over
from this site to buy the book. You may also wish to search for a copy
on AddAll for out
of print books. Members of the society may contact the librarian here
from the members only section, and of course, everyone can go to their
local public library and request an Interlibrary Loan.
|
| Suggestions
for Selected Ricardian Topics: |
Contents:
| II. |
Pollard's
Choice--This links to the "further reading" section of A.J. Pollard's Richard III and
the Princes in the Tower, presented here by permission of the author. It will open in a new window. |
| III. |
New / Noteworthy /
Classics -- Titles that
do not necessarily fit elsewhere [like Louise Gill on Buckingham's rebellion, or
Jonathan Hughes' books on Richard's piety and Edward IV's alchemy.]
|
| IV. |
Reading
lists for specific Ricardian topics |
| V. |
Articles on authors, contemporary reports and additional bibliographies |
|
|
↑Contents↑ |
| I. |
Ricardian
Primer
This
reading list was compiled for the beginning Ricardian scholar.
|
|
1. |
Cheetham, Anthony. The
Life and Times of Richard III (1972; reprinted 1992). Well illustrated
and sympathetic, although concluding Richard guilty of the demise of
his nephews. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
2. |
Cunningham, Sean. (comp.) Richard III: A Royal Enigma.
Four-color, full-page illustrations of major Yorkist and Tudor
documents, accompanied by modern English version of texts and
compiler's interpretation of events. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
3. |
Kendall, Paul Murray.
Richard the Third (1955). The "standard"
biography of Richard III for over 25 years. Highly readable and
sympathetic, with excellent sources and bibliography. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
4. |
Pollard, A.J. Richard III
and the Princes in the Tower (1991). Pollard
can be described as a "moderate traditionalist," but this excellent,
carefully reasoned, meticulously researched, and lavishly illustrated
volume is worth a leisurely reading. Brings the progress of
fifteenth-century studies into sharp focus for the general reader. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
5. |
Ross, Charles D. Richard
III (1981). The new "standard biography." Very
scholarly, fairly traditionalist in tone, but full of solid
information. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
1. |
Barber, Richard (ed.) The Pastons, A Family in the Wars of the Roses. (1981) [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
2. |
Castor, Helen. Blood and Roses. (2004) Paston family and Norfolk in the Wars of the Roses. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
3. |
Crawford, Anne. (ed.) Letters of Medieval Women (2002). Modern
English versions bring 15th century personalities and events to life.
Cecily Neville's letters are most relevant to Richard III, but Paston
and Stonor letters also qualify. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
4. |
Dockray, Keith. Richard III: A Reader in History (1988), now out
of print [Buy used from Amazon.com]; Richard III: A Sourcebook (1997) -- [Buy used from Amazon.com]. Excerpts from important
primary and secondary sources, suitable for teaching a range of
students from "oppressed thirteen year olds" through undergraduates. |
|
5. |
Gillingham, John. (ed.) Richard III: a Medieval Kingship (1995), [ISBN 1855852039]. Seven essays cover Richard's approach to governing England. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
6. |
Gillingham, John. The Wars of the Roses: Peace and Conflict in
15th Century England (1981) An outstanding reference source with the
author giving his perspective on what happened and why it happened. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
7. |
Hammond, P.W., and Sutton, A.F. Richard III: The Road to
Bosworth Field (1985). The most significant contemporary sources
reprinted in one well-illustrated volume. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
8. |
Kendall, P.M. The Yorkist Age (1962). Good account of daily life in Yorkist times. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
9. |
Kendall, P.M. (ed.) Richard III: The Great Debate (1962). The
text of Sir Thomas More's History of King Richard III and Horace
Walpole's Historic Doubts. [Buy used from Amazon.com] (Texts for More's History [1] and Walpole's Doubts [2] are available online. Links will open in a new window.) |
|
10. |
Lander, J.R., Conflict and Stability in 15th Century England.
Reviews life in 15th C England in a concise and succinct manner; argues
that the extent of civil conflict was small compared with former and
later ages. [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
11. |
Lander, J.R., The Wars of the Roses (1990). Professor Lander
uses written records of the era as background for his analysis of this
period; argues conflicts were limited and local conflicts overshadowed
the feud between Lancaster & York. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
12. |
Laynesmith, J. The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship 1445
- 1503 (2004). A balanced evaluation of how Margaret of Anjou,
Elizabeth Woodville, Anne Neville, and Elizabeth of York influenced
events. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
13. |
Littleton, T., and Rea, R. To Prove a Villain (1964). The "case"
for and against. An excellent one-volume source book, used by educators
as a text for courses on the subject. Includes the full text of
Shakespeare's Richard III and The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey as
well as significant excerpts from writers from Richard III's time to
the present day. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
14. |
Petre, J. (ed). Richard III, Crown and People (1985). A selection of important articles from The Ricardian. [Search for it on AddAll. Hard to find.] |
|
15. |
Potter, Jeremy. Good King Richard? (1983). Unabashedly pro-Richard account by the former chairman of the Richard III Society. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
16. |
Wood, Charles T. Joan of Arc and Richard III: Sex, Saints, and
Government in the Middle Ages (1988). Comparative constitutional
histories of England and France, using the lives of Joan and Richard as
exemplars. Traditional in tone; though many Ricardians debate Wood's
conclusions, this lively and thought-provoking volume is worthwhile for
its interesting perspective on the reign. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
1. |
Bevan, B. Henry VII, The First Tudor King (2000) [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
2. |
Costain, T. The Last Plantagenets (1962). History of the kings of England from 1367-1485 by popular novelist. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
3. |
Fields, Bertram. Royal Blood (1998). A celebrity lawyer looks at
the case and marshals the evidence pro and con. [link to our coverage,
including footnotes--opens in a new window] [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
4. |
Jenkins, Elizabeth. The Princes in the Tower (1978). (See Disappearance of tthe Princes section] |
|
5. |
Jones, Michael K. Bosworth 1485 (2002). A controversial
interpretation of Yorkist and Lancastrian motives underlying the Battle
of Bosworth. [ISBN 0752423347] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
6. |
Seward, Desmond. Richard III: England's Black Legend (1983). The title says it all... [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
7. |
Weir, Alison,
Lancaster and York: The Wars of the Roses (1995). Author’s
conclusions/judgments need taking with a pinch of salt. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
8. |
Weir, Alison. The Princes in the Tower (1992). A lot of
Ricardians (and traditionalist historians) take issue with the
scholarship in this vehemently anti-Richard account. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
9. |
Williamson, Audrey. The Mystery of the Princes: An Investigation
into a Supposed Murder (1978). This strongly revisionist popular account is well footnoted
and researched. Some of her conclusions are surprising, but based on well
researched factual data. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
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↑Contents↑ |
|
D. Selected Historically accurate fictions (Select Ricardian Fiction in the navigation bar for an extensive list of fictional works.) |
|
1. |
Penman, Sharon Kay.
The Sunne in Splendour (1982). Another best-seller.
Historically-accurate romance with sympathetic treatment of Richard. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
2. |
Tey, Josephine. The
Daughter of Time (1951). Reprinted as a Macmillan mystery classic and
available at most mass-market book stores. Richard's character and the
mystery of the Princes are deciphered by a modern-day detective. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
3. |
Go to the Ricardian Fiction page for a more comprehensive list. The two mentioned titles are just the beginning! |
|
A. |
Matthew Davies (ed) The Merchant Taylors’ Company of London: Court Minutes 1486-1493. [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
B. |
H.T Evans, Wales and the Wars of the Roses (1915, reprinted 1998) [ISBN 075091873X] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
C. |
Louise Gill , Richard III and Buckingham’s Rebellion (2000) [ISBN 0750916869] [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
D. |
Caroline Halstead (1844), Richard III as Duke of Gloucester and King of England. (Strongly biased to Richard.) [Buy: Volume 1 from Amazon.com; Volume 2 from Amazon.com] |
|
E. |
Rosemary Horrox (ed.), Fifteenth Century Attitudes [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
F. |
Carole Rawcliffe, Medicine and Society in Later Medieval England (1998) [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
G. |
Compton Reeves, Pleasures and Pastimes in Medieval England [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
H. |
Jonathan Hughes, The Religious Life of Richard III [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
I. |
Jonathan Hughes, Arthurian Myths and Alchemy (Edward IV) [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
J. |
Cora Scofield (1923) The Life and Reign of Edward IV. Classic work, out of print. [ISBN 071461047X] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
K. |
Alexandra Sinclair (ed.) The Beauchamp Pageant. (2004) Facsimile of medieval life of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. [ISBN 190028961X] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
L. |
Anne.
F. Sutton & P.W. Hammond (Eds.), The Coronation of Richard III,
Anne. F. Sutton & P.W. Hammond (Eds.). Includes useful biographies. [ISBN 0312169795] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
M. |
Anne F. Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs, The Hours of Richard III [ISBN 0750911840] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
N. |
Anne F. Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs, Richard III's Books [ISBN 0750914068] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
O. |
Michalove
& Reeves, ed., Estrangement, Enterprise and Education in 15th
Century England [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
P. |
Additional Richard III Society and/or Branch conference proceedings |
|
Q. |
Anthony J Pollard, The Worlds of Richard III (2001) [ISBN 0752419854] [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
R. |
Rosemary Horrox et al, Richard III, A Study in Service. (1998) [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
S. |
Diana Wood (ed) Women and Religion in Medieval England (2003) [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
↑Contents↑ |
| IV. |
Reading
lists for specific Ricardian topics |
|
A. |
The Back to Basics Series
-- issues, personalities, and more. [This link opens in a new window.] |
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1. |
Attreed, Lorraine, Hanham Redivivus - A Salvage Operation,
Ricardian, vol. 5, no. 65 (1979), pp. 41-50. A summary of the dating
controversy. |
|
|
2. |
Coleman, C.H.D., The Execution of Hastings, a
neglected Source, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research,
vol. 53 (1980), pp. 244-247. Brings to light an unambiguous entry in
the Black Book of the Exchequer. |
|
|
2. |
Hanham, Alison, Richard
III, Lord Hastings and the Historians, English Historical Review, vol.
87 (1972), pp. 233- 248. Revives Markham's argument (see below), based
on a passage in the Acts of Court of the Mercers' Company, 1453-1527
(1936). [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
|
4. |
Hanham, Richard III and His Early Historians, 1975, Oxford University Press. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
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5. |
Hanham, Alison, Hastings Redivivus, English Historical Review, vol. 90 (1975), pp. 821-827. |
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6. |
Markham, Clements, Richard III: his Life and Character, 1906. The
original argument for the date of 20 June for Hastings' execution. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
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7. |
Sutton, Anne and P.W. Hammond, The problems of dating and the
dangers of redating: the Acts of Court of the Mercers Company of London
1453-1527, Journal of the Society of Archivists, vol. 6 (1978), pp.
87-91. |
|
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8. |
Thompson, J.A.F., Richard III and Lord Hastings: A
Problematical Case Reviewed, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical
Research, vol. 48 (1975), pp. 22-30. |
|
|
9. |
Wolfe, B.P., When and
Why did Hastings lose his head?, English Historical Review, vol. 89
(1974), pp. 835- 844. Refutes Hanham's arguments using building
accounts from Kirby Muxloe. |
|
|
10. |
Wolfe, B.P., Hastings Reinterred, English Historical Review, vol. 91 (1976), pp. 813-824. |
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↑Contents↑ |
|
C. |
The Deaths of Edward of Lancaster and Henry VI |
|
|
1. |
Hammond, P.W., The Battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury, 1990 (Appendix 2, Appendix 3). [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
|
2. |
White,
W.J., The Death and Burial of Henry VI, A Review of the Facts and
Theories, Part I, The Ricardian, vol. 6, 1982, pp. 70- 80. |
|
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1. |
Hammond, P.W. and W.J. White, The sons of Edward IV: A re-
examination of the evidence on their deaths and on the bones in
Westminster Abbey, in P.W. Hammond (ed.), Richard III: Loyalty,
Lordship and Law (1986). [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
|
2. |
Hicks, Michael, Did Edward V
Outlive his Reign or Did He Outreign his Life, Ricardian, vol. VII,
number 108 (1990), pp. 342-345. |
|
|
3. |
Hicks, Michael, Richard III: The Man Behind the Myth, 1991. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
|
4. |
Jenkins,
Elizabeth, The Princes in the Tower, 1978. Actually a history of the
Wars of the Roses with some discussion of the Princes' death. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
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5. |
Leslau,
Jack. Series of articles in the Ricardian supporting his hypothesis
that the Princes survived the reign of Richard III and lived in the
household of Sir Thomas More. Did the Sons of Edward IV Outlive Henry
VII, vol. IV, no. 62 (1978), pp. 2-14; Did the Sons of Edward IV
Outlive Henry VII: A Postscript, vol. V, no. 64 (1979), pp. 24-26; Did the Sons etc.: An Answer and a Rejoinder, vol. V, no. 64 (1979),
pp. 55- 60. |
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6. |
Maurer, Helen, WHODUNIT: The suspects in the
case, Loyaulte me lie: Ricardian Register, vol. 18, no. 3 (1983), pp.
4-27. A discussion of every possible candidate for committing the
murder. [Available at r3.org's online library. This link will open in a new window.] |
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7. |
Maurer, Helen, Bones in the Tower: a discussion of
time, place and circumstance, Parts I and II; Ricardian, vol. VII, No.
111 (1990), pp. 474-493 and vol. IX, No. 112 (1991), pp 2-22. |
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8. |
Molleson,
Theya, Anne Mowbray and the Princes in the Tower: A Study in
Identity, London Archaeologist, vol. 5, (1987), pp. 258-262. |
|
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9. |
Pollard, A.J. Richard III and the Princes in the Tower, 1991. (also listed in Biographies) |
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10. |
Richmond,
Colin, The Death of Edward V, Northern History, vol. 25 (1989), pp.
278-280. Suggests that Edward V's death occurred three days before the
official end of his reign. |
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|
11. |
Williamson, Audrey, The Murder of
the Princes, 1978. (also listed in Popular Accounts) |
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|
↑Contents↑ |
|
E. |
The Death of George of Clarence (and other Clarence scholarship) |
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1. |
Carpenter, Christine, The Duke of Clarence and the Midlands: A
Study in the Interplay of Local and National Politics, Midland
History, vol. 11, (1986), 23-48. |
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2. |
Carpenter, Christine, Locality and polity: A study of Warwickshire landed society, 1401-1499, 1992. [Search for it on AddAll] |
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3. |
Hicks, Michael, False, Fleeting, Purjur'd Clarence, 1980. [Search for it on AddAll] |
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4. |
Hicks,
Michael, Restraint, Mediation and Private Justice: George Duke of
Clarence as 'Good Lord', Journal of Legal History, vol. 4, (1983), pp.
56-71. |
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5. |
Lander, J.R., The Treason and Death of the Duke of
Clarence: A Re-Interpretation, Canadian Journal of History, vol.2,
(1967), pp. 1-28. |
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6. |
Sutton, Anne F., and Livia Visser-Fuchs, The Prophecy of G, The Ricardian, vol. 8, no. 110 (1990), pp. 449-450. |
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↑Contents↑ |
|
F. |
Pretenders -- Lambert Simnel, Perkin Warbeck |
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1. |
Beeston, David, A Strange Accident of State: Henry VII and the Lambert Simnel Conspiracy, 1987. |
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2. |
Bennett, Michael, Lambert Simnel and the Battle of Stoke, 1987. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
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3. |
Gairdner, James, History of the Life and Reign of Richard III, 1898 (Appendix). |
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4. |
Kleyn, Diana, Richard of England, 1990. [Search for it on AddAll] |
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5. |
Potter, Jeremy, Pretenders, 1986. [Buy used from Amazon.com] |
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6. |
Roberts, David, The Battle of Stoke Field 1487, 1987. [Search for it on AddAll] |
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7. |
Roth, Cecil, Perkin Warbeck and His Jewish Master, Transactions of Jewish Historical Society of London, Vol. 9, 1920 |
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8. |
Wroe, Anne. The Perfect Prince, 2003. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
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1. |
Ashdown-Hill, John, Lady Eleanor Talbot’s Other Husband, The Ricardian, 2004 |
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2. |
Ashdown-Hill,
John, The Endowments of Lady Eleanor Talbot And Of Elizabeth Talbot,
Duchess of Norfolk, At Corpus Christi College Cambridge, The Ricardian,
2004 |
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3. |
Ashdown-Hill, John, Further Reflections on Lady Eleanor Talbot, The Ricardian, vol 11, no 144, March 1999. |
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4. |
Ashdown-Hill,
John, The Inquistion post mortem of Eleanor Talbot, Lady Butler, The
Ricardian vol. 12, no 159, December 2002. |
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5. |
Ashdown-Hill, John, Edward IV’s uncrowned queen, The Ricardian, Vol. 9, no 139, December 1997. |
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6. |
Murray, Barabara, A., Lady Eleanor Butler And John Crowne’s The Misey of Civil War. The Ricardian, 2004. |
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7. |
Smith, Muriel, Reflections on Lady Eleanor, The Ricardian, vol. 11, no 142, September 1998. |
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↑Contents↑ |
|
J. |
Printed and Online Bibliographies--There are several excellent printed bibliographies available on
fifteenth-century history, and on Richard III in drama and literature.
Here are some of the most significant: |
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1. |
Guth, DeLloyd J. Late Medieval England, 1377-1485. Cambridge University Press for the Conference on British Studies, 1976. [Search for it on AddAll] |
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2. |
Moore, James, Richard III: An Annotated Bibliography. Garland Publishing, 1986. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
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3. |
Murph,
Roxane C. Richard III: The Making of a Legend. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow
Press, 1977 (reprinted 1984). Covers Richard III in fiction and
nonfiction. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
|
4. |
Murph, Roxane C. The Wars of the Roses in fiction
: an annotated bibliography, 1440-1994. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood
Press, 1995. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
|
5. |
Rosenthal, Joel. Late Medieval England
(1377-1485): A Bibliography of Historical Scholarship, 1975-1989.
Kalamazoo, MI: Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan
University, 1994. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy from Amazon.com] |
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|
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[Return to table of Contents]
On-Line Bibliographies of Interest to Ricardians include: |
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6. |
Godshalk
et al., The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century History Play: A Working
Bibliography, an extensive bibliography compiled for a graduate seminar
in Shakespeare's histories and 16th-17th century historiography. [Search for it on AddAll] |
|
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7. |
Michalove, Sharon, 15th Century Bibliography |
|
|
8. |
Reeves, A. Compton, Late Medieval England [Search for it on AddAll] |
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↑Contents↑ |
|
K. |
Biographies of Important 15th Century Figures |
|
|
1. |
Baldwin,
David. Elizabeth Woodville; mother of the princes in the Tower (2003).
A re-evaluation of Elizabeth Woodville's reputation and role as first
Yorkist queen. [Buy from Amazon.com] |
|
|
2. |
Chrimes, S.B. Henry VII (1972). This study
emphasizes administrative and political aspects of Henry VII's reign,
with balanced comments about Richard III. [Search for it on AddAll or Buy used from Amazon.com] |
|
|
3. |
Hicks, M.A. Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III (2006) [Buy from Amazon.com] |
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