Anyone who's visited the Tower of London will be familiar with the story of the Princes in the Tower. Edward IV, of the house of York, had claimed the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He had two sons, Edward (V) and Richard, who were both pre-teens when their father passed in 1483. Their uncle, also Richard, took the throne as guardian, awaiting the day when Edward V would reach adulthood (at age 14, in those days) and claim the throne for himself. This Richard ended up imprisoning the boys in the Tower of London, where the boys eventually disappeared, and proclaimed himself king- Richard III. He reigned for two years before dying at the battle of Bosworth in 1485; Henry VII, of the house Tudor, proceeded him, and thus ended centuries of Plantagenet rule. The boys were never seen again.
Weir's book The Princes in the Tower looks at the times in detail- specifically focusing on events that revolve around the princes. Where did the princes go? Were they killed, or did they escape and survive in obscurity? She concludes what many have- that Richard III was responsible for having the boys murdered, and their remains hidden. Bones were found buried under a staircase in 1674- almost 200 years later- that seem to indicate that the princes were indeed killed and buried on Tower grounds. These bones today reside in Westminster.
The book was okay. I agree with her conclusion- though not always her methods. She starts the book by claiming to take an unbiased look at things, which always gets my guard up- is such a thing possible? She also makes several comments throughout the work like "so-and-so's account is detailed, so it must be true," and "contemporary sources don't mention _____, so it must be false." Hmmmm. Probability is in her favor, but not such that would hold up in court. Overall, it's a good read about a dark time and the intrigues involved in a royal court. But, there may be better out there.
Rating: B-
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