Apologies to Richard III

I always write something about Richard III on the anniversary of his death at Bosworth. I owe Richard a great deal; if I’d not become fascinated with his story, I’d probably have continued to practice law until I finally cracked and ran screaming for the hills. I think yesterday was the first time that I’ve missed doing a Bosworth post, though I do have an excuse, another nasty flareup of back pain that has kept me off the computer this week. For many years, an In-Memoriam message was placed for Richard in the New York Times and the Times of London on August 22nd. I am not sure if this is still being done; does anyone know? Richard will never escape from Shakespeare’s shadow, but at least he has not been forgotten.
Another historical figure who deserves to be remembered is William Wallace, who was put to death in the most brutal manner possible—drawn and quartered—on August 23, 1305, after being charged with treason by Edward I. And as if that were not bad enough, he’d later be played by Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
And on August 23, 1358, Isabella of France, queen of Edward II, lover of Roger Mortimer, and mother of Edward III, died at Hertford Castle; she was 63 and had been in poor health for a while. She asked to be buried in her wedding mantle and with the heart of her husband, Edward II. Our Edwardian expert, Kathryn Warner, is one of those who have cast doubts upon whether Edward really died at Berkeley Castle as reported. I do find it strange that Edward’s half-brother, the Earl of Kent, tried to free him three years after his death had been announced, paying for that abortive rescue mission with his own life. So he must have believed that Edward was still alive. But I just don’t know enough about that era of British history to draw conclusions of my own.
And the notorious St Bartholomew’s Day massacre began in Paris on the night of August 23rd, 1572; thousands of French Huguenots were slain before the madness stopped. My favorite French king, Henri of Navarre, the future Henri IV, escaped being murdered because of his new bride, Marguerite de Valois, sister of the ruling French king; Henri would later convert to Catholicism to gain the French crown and is famously said to have quipped, “Paris is worth a Mass.” Some historians have questioned whether he really said that, but it certainly sounds like him. If only I had nine lives like a cat, I’d have loved to tell Henri’s story. C.W. Gortner dramatizes the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in his novel, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, who was Marguerite’s mother.