Richard III, the last English king to die in battle whose remains were found under a car park three years ago, was reburied on Thursday in a ceremony the current queen said was of "great international significance". Depicted by Shakespeare as a sadistic, crafty hunchback, Richard was re-interred at Leicester Cathedral in central England some 530 years after he was slain at the Battle of Bosworth Field on Aug. 22, 1485.
Following the battle, his naked body was thrown on the back of a horse, taken to nearby Leicester and buried in a humble grave. At a sombre ceremony on Thursday, he was reburied with the honor his modern-day supporters say his conqueror in battle Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, denied him.
"The reinterment of King Richard III is an event of great national and international significance," Queen Elizabeth said in a message. "The discovery of his remains in Leicester has been described as one of the most significant archaeological finds in this country's history."
Despite reigning just 777 days, he still fascinates not just historians but ordinary people across the world, some of whom made the trip to Britain to witness the ceremony. "He seems a hero to some and a villain to others," wrote David Monteith, the Dean of Leicester, in a foreword to Thursday's order of service.
IN-DEPTH
- Bones Tell the Grisly Tale Behind King Richard III's Death
- Crowds Line the Streets to See Richard III's Coffin in England
- King Richard III Finds His Final Resting Place
--- Reuters
