A skeleton discovered underneath a church parking lot has been confirmed as belonging to Richard III, the last English king to die in battle. The discovery is "one of Britain's most dramatic archaeological finds," according to the New York Times.
Archaeologists discovered the skeleton last September in the exact place historical records indicated Richard III had been buried. The adult male skeleton bore several violent battle wounds, "inflicted by weapons like swords, daggers and halberds," reported the Huffington Post.
The wounds "were consistent with accounts of Richard being struck down in battle--his helmet knocked from his head--before his body was stripped naked and flung over the back of a horse in disgrace."
The remains also showed signs of scoliosis, a spinal deformity, consistent with reports that Richard III had suffered from spinal curvature, according to the New York Times' John Burns and Alan Cowell.
All the evidence suggested the remains belonged to Richard III, and today, DNA tests comparing the skeleton's DNA with that of living descendants of Richard III's sister confirmed the identity of the bones.
Historians have debated the legacy of Richard III for at least two centuries, says the New York Times. Some say he was a violent, ruthless ruler who would do anything to stay in power, including murdering his own young nephews to ensure they could not threaten his claim to the throne. Shakespeare portrayed the king as a villainous "deformed, unfinished" hunchback.
Other scholars, says the Times, believe Richard "was the victim of a campaign of denigration by the Tudor monarchs who succeeded him."
The discovery of his remains, says the UK's Telegraph, "will lead to a re-examination of his reign and may go some way to re-balance the largely negative portrayal offered by Shakespeare."
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