Evidence Princes in the Tower

1 evidence

1.1 rumours
1.2 writers
1.3 bodies

1.3.1 tower of london
1.3.2 st george s chapel

evidence

king edward v , duke of york in tower of london paul delaroche. theme of innocent children awaiting uncertain fate popular amongst 19th-century painters.

other disappearance, there no direct evidence princes murdered, , no reliable, well-informed, independent or impartial sources associated events. nevertheless, following disappearance, rumours spread had been murdered. 1 contemporary narrative account of boys time in tower exists: of dominic mancini. (mancini s account not discovered until 1934. accounts written after accession of henry tudor claimed biased or influenced tudor propaganda.)

four unidentified bodies have been found considered possibly connected events of period: 2 @ tower of london , 2 in saint george s chapel, windsor castle. found in tower buried in westminster abbey, abbey authorities have refused allow either set of remains subjected dna analysis positively identify them remains of princes.

rumours

several sources suggest there rumours of princes deaths in time following disappearance. rumours of murder spread france. in january 1484 guillaume de rochefort, lord chancellor of france, urged estates general take warning fate of princes, own king, charles viii, 13. reports, including of rochefort, philippe de commines (french politician), caspar weinreich (contemporary german chronicler) , jan allertz (recorder of rotterdam), state richard killed princes before seized throne (thus before june 1483). de commines memoirs (c.1500), however, identifies duke of buckingham person put them death .

only mancini s account contemporary, having been written in london before november 1483. croyland chronicle , de commines account written 3 , seventeen years later, respectively (and after richard iii s death , accession of henry vii). markham, writing long before mancini s account discovered, argued accounts, including croyland chronicle, might have been authored or heavily influenced john morton, archbishop of canterbury, in order incriminate richard iii.

early writers

robert fabyan s chronicles of london, compiled around 30 years after princes disappearance, names richard murderer.

thomas more (a tudor loyalist had grown in household of john morton, avowed foe of richard iii), wrote history of king richard iii, c.1513. identified sir james tyrrell murderer, acting on richard s orders. tyrrell loyal servant of richard iii said have confessed murder of princes before execution treason in 1502. in history, more said princes smothered death in beds 2 agents of tyrrell (miles forrest , john dighton) , buried @ stayre foote, metely depe in grounde vnder great heape of stones , later disinterred , buried in secret place.

polydore vergil, in anglica historia (c.1513), specifies tyrrell murderer, stating rode sorrowfully london , committed deed reluctance, upon richard iii s orders, , richard himself spread rumours of princes death in belief discourage rebellion.

holinshed s chronicles, written in second half of 16th century, claims princes murdered richard iii. chronicles 1 of main sources used william shakespeare play richard iii, portrays richard murderer. a. j. pollard believes chronicle s account reflected contemporary standard , accepted account , time written propaganda had been transformed historical fact .

bodies
tower of london

in 1674, workmen remodelling tower of london dug wooden box containing 2 small human skeletons. bones found buried 10 ft under staircase leading chapel of white tower. not first children s skeletons found within tower; bones of 2 children had been found in old chamber had been walled , pollard suggests have equally been of princes. reason bones attributed princes because location partially matched given more. however, more stated later moved better place , not match bones discovered. 1 anonymous report found pieces of rag , velvet them ; velvet indicate bodies of aristocrats. 4 years after discovery, bones placed in urn and, on orders of king charles ii, interred in westminster abbey, in wall of henry vii lady chapel. monument designed christopher wren marks resting-place of putative princes.

the bones removed , examined in 1933, archivist of westminster abbey, lawrence tanner; leading anatomist, professor william wright; , president of dental association, george northcroft. measuring bones , teeth, concluded bones belonged 2 children around correct ages princes. bones found have been interred carelessly along chicken , other animal bones. there 3 rusty nails. 1 skeleton larger other, many of bones missing, including part of smaller jawbone , of teeth larger one. many of bones had been broken original workmen. examination has been criticised, on grounds conducted under presumption bones of princes , concentrated on whether bones showed evidence of suffocation. no attempt made determine whether bones male or female.

no further scientific examination has since been conducted on bones, remain in westminster abbey, , dna analysis (if dna obtained) has not been attempted. petition started on british government s e-petition website requesting bones dna tested closed months before expected close date. if had received 100,000 signatories parliamentary debate have been triggered. pollard points out if modern dna , carbon-dating proved bones belonged princes, not prove or killed them.

st george s chapel

in 1789, workmen carrying out repairs in st. george s chapel, windsor, rediscovered , accidentally broke vault of edward iv , queen elizabeth woodville, discovering in process appeared small adjoining vault. vault found contain coffins of 2 unidentified children. however, no inspection or examination carried out , tomb resealed. tomb inscribed names of 2 of edward iv s children: george, 1st duke of bedford had died @ age of 2, , mary of york had died @ age of 14; both had predeceased king. however, 2 lead coffins labelled george plantagenet , mary plantagenet subsequently discovered elsewhere in chapel (during excavation royal tomb house king george iii under wolsey tomb-house in 1810–13), , moved adjoining vault of edward iv s, @ time no effort made identify 2 lead coffins in edward iv s vault.

in late 1990s, work being carried out near , around edward iv s tomb in st george s chapel; floor area excavated replace old boiler , add new repository remains of future deans , canons of windsor. request forwarded dean , canons of windsor consider possible examination of 2 vaults either fibre-optic camera or, if possible, reexamination of 2 unidentified lead coffins in tomb housing lead coffins of 2 of edward iv s children discovered during building of royal tomb king george iii (1810–13) , placed in adjoining vault @ time. royal consent necessary open royal tomb, felt best leave medieval mystery unsolved @ least next few generations. 2012 leicester archaeological dig has prompted renewed interest in re-excavating skeletons of 2 princes , queen elizabeth ii has not granted approval required such testing of interred royal.