Richard the Third and Henry the Eighth Through Shakespeare's Eyes

An investigation into the life and deeds of two of the most disreputable and possibly the most enterprising kings of England. Alexandra Marinina, having studied the testimonies of William Shakespeare himself, answers the question of who in human memory was 'luckier': the 'child-killer' Richard the Third or the 'wife-killer' Henry the Eighth?

The unsympathetic Richard earned his throne through heavy bloody labors, was constantly occupied with war and state affairs, and perished at the age of 32 in the marsh of Bosworth. His grandnephew, the handsome Henry, was born a prince, raised by refined intellectuals, and never thought of reigning because he had an older brother. However, upon becoming king at 18, he indulged in debauchery, entertainment, and conflicts with the church until the age of 55. ‘Ice and Fire’. What could be common between these two men—the last knight of medieval England and the pampered patron of the British Renaissance? It turns out, a lot…