Wherein you will find all that there is to know about the sequence of books by that title, telling the story of Matthew Wansford as he serves his master, King Richard III
The Order of the White Boar follows the adventures of Matthew Wansford, 12-year-old page to Duke Richard of Gloucester, and his friends, Alys, Roger, Elen and little Ed, at Middleham Castle from the summer of 1482. The King’s Mancontinues the story in the spring of 1483, as the Year of the Three Kings unfolds.
King in Waiting and Sons of York pick up the story of Matt and his friends in 1486, in the tumultuous early part of the reign of a certain Henry Tudor…
After my Q&A earlier today with Wendy Johnson, debut author of the fantastic The Traitor’s Son, about the early life of King Richard III, I’m delighted to also host her fascinating discussion of the knightly training that he would have experienced as a boy. The article offers an example of the meticulous research that went into Wendy’s novel, and is of course an area that is important in my own novels. It’s reassuring to discover, from reading Wendy’s article, that my recounting of the life of my young characters, Matthew, Roger, Alys and little Ed, at Middleham Castle may have been fairly close to the truth!
Here are Wendy’s words on the subject.
(K)night School: The Chivalric Training of Richard III
by Wendy Johnson
As youths, the sons of medieval noblemen commenced their training in the art of war. Often, they were placed in the households of other nobles where they were coached not only in military matters and horsemanship, but in the social graces: dancing, chess, the playing of musical instruments and the art of intellectual conversation. All of these were designed to transform them into courtiers fit for the king’s service.
Re-enactors showing interested onlookers how young noblemen might train at Middleham Castle
One imagines that such a transition would have had a huge impact on their lives. Known as ‘henxmen’, the boys would be very much aware of what was expected of them, and doubtless struggled to attain the ideal. However, each boy was unlikely to been alone, and would have studied alongside others under the instruction of a tutor. Bonds must have formed and it is interesting to note that, in the case of the young Richard III, at least two of those with whom he trained – Robert Percy and Francis Lovell – remained his lifelong friends.
Richard’s knightly training took place within the household of his cousin, the illustrious Richard Neville, earl of Warwick. In my debut novel, The Traitor’s Son, we follow Richard’s progress as he joins the earl’s household as a nervous boy of twelve. It occurred to me that, in addition to the Herculean tasks expected of him, Richard must also have been very much aware of his position as a close relative of the earl. Did this affect the way he was treated? As well as their martial pursuits and lessons in languages, music and dancing, the boys were also subject to ‘correcions’. If this meant corporal punishment, then did Richard suffer the birch for misdemeanours alongside his fellows, or did his privileged status mean he was exempted from such harsh treatment? In the novel, Richard has his own views on the subject:
‘In London and York, he is the brother of a king. Here, he’s merely a henxman, one of many. The rules which apply to his fellows apply equally to him. Seated together at mealtimes, they share a chamber at night. They train together, ride together, acquire the arts of singing, dancing, of serving at table. He’s learning to hunt, he’s learning to harp, early to rise and early to bed. Once a week, Warwick consults with his tutors, but although his cousin has the power to beat him, Richard has yet to feel the sting of the birch. It is administered to others, he knows that; he’s witnessed the shrieks, the tears, the bruises of the unfortunates. If Warwick is sparing him, he wishes he wouldn’t. Favouritism breeds contempt.’
Training at Middleham Castle – in modern times!
From our knowledge of Richard’s books, we can assume that one of his favourite pastimes was reading. A book of Romances and Old Testament stories exists in a collection at Longleat House, in which a youthful Richard has signed his name ‘R. Gloucestre’ in addition to a motto ‘tant le desieree’ (I have longed for it so much), in the chivalric romance Ipomedon. This certainly suggests an idealistic teenager, keen to enjoy the tale of the perfect knight, and to proudly inscribe his ownership upon its pages. We know that he enjoyed music, and as king retained a love of religious choral melody. Hawking also appears to have been a pastime he enjoyed. All of these interests would have been nurtured during his years of training in Warwick’s household.
In The Traitor’s Son, I have re-imagined one of the dancing classes in which Richard and his fellow henxmen would have been required to take part. Here, the youth is partnered by the earl’s eldest daughter. Isabel:
‘Cousin Richard?’ Isabel’s fingers coil around his, their grip strong as twine.
Watery light filtering through leaded diamonds splashes on the polished floor of the countess’ private solar. The chamber has been cleared, the henxmen in their scented livery, paired with her women in logical fashion. Percy, taller than most, is placed with the eldest and stoutest of the ladies; Lovell, the shortest, with the youngest female present, the Lady Anne. Musicians, purloined from Warwick’s troupe, gather with flute and shawm while Raulin Gifford, dancing master, strikes the boards with his wand to still the chatter.
‘The basse dance, my lords and ladies. You know the steps. Let us begin.’
Isabel flashes an impish smile. ‘Remember to point your toes, Cousin.’
‘Naturally. As Master Gifford says, we all know the steps.’ Accustomed to her teasing, Richard has learnt to reciprocate. ‘But it’s Lovell I’m concerned for; your sister tolerates little error. Look at him, poor boy.’
It could be Warwick himself leading Lovell around the floor. For every mistimed bobbing of the knee, each misdirected bow, the boy receives a testy glance more meaningful than any rebuke.
‘Father would have us shine at court,’ Isabel says, ‘and she wishes to please him. Our father’s opinion matters greatly to Anne.’
Middleham Castle today, with the great hall to the left – where Richard and Isabel may have danced together
It seems that during his tenure in the earl’s household, Richard developed the symptoms of scoliosis – a sideways curvature of the spine which can ultimately result in one shoulder appearing higher than the other. The discovery of his remains during the Greyfriars dig have disproved the myth that Richard suffered from kyphosis (a forward curvature). However, it is possible that the military training he would have undertaken on a daily basis, and its resulting muscular development, assisted the boy; helping to strengthen both his body and his resolve, as he came to terms with his condition.
Warwick’s growing disaffection with King Edward’s rule, and Richard’s subsequent coming of age, resulted in the young man being recalled and settled at court. Only two years later, Richard’s military training was to be tested as he was appointed to lead the vanguard in the king’s army at the Battle of Barnet. We can only surmise how he must have felt when, on a fog-laded morning on Easter Sunday 1471, the forces he was compelled to face across the battlefield included his now traitorous cousin – and former mentor – Richard, earl of Warwick.
For anyone wishing to delve further into the king’s life, I would recommend the Richard III Society. Formed in 1924, this active Society supports research into Richard’s life and times, and celebrates its centenary this year.
For more on Wendy Johnson and her debut novel, please visit my Q&A earlier today.
ISBN: 978-84-125953-7-6
The Traitor’s Son
Caught between a king and a kingmaker, young Richard Plantagenet knows he’ll have to choose…
1461: Richard Duke of York, King by Right, has been branded a traitor and slain by his Lancastrian foes. For his eight-year-old son—Richard Plantagenet—England has become a dangerous place.
As the boy grapples with grief and uncertainty, his elder brother, Edward, defeats the enemy and claims the throne. Dazzled by his glorious sibling, young Richard soon discovers that imperfections lurk beneath his brother’s majestic façade. Enter Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick—cousin, tutor, luminary—whose life has given him everything but that which he truly craves: a son. A filial bond forms between man and boy as they fill the void in each other’s lives. Yet, when treachery tears their world asunder, Richard faces an agonizing dilemma: pledge allegiance to Edward—his blood brother and king—or to Warwick, the father figure who has shaped his life and affections.
Painfully trapped between duty and devotion, Richard faces a grim reality: whatever he decides will mean a fight to the death.
In “The Traitor’s Son”, Wendy Johnson masterfully weaves a tapestry of loyalty, love, and sacrifice against the backdrop of England’s turbulent history. Through the eyes of a young Richard III, readers are transported into a world where every choice is fraught with peril, and the bonds of kinship are tested to their limits. As Richard Plantagenet navigates the explosive tensions within his own family, readers are swept along on a journey of intrigue and passion that will leave them spellbound until the final page.
“Exquisitely written. An evocative and thoughtful retelling of the early life of Richard III.” Philippa Langley, MBE
‘The Traitor’s Son is a stunning debut novel that draws the reader into a skilfully woven and utterly believable fifteenth century.’ Matthew Lewis
‘If you want to meet the real Richard III in a well-crafted novel, know his thoughts and feel his emotions, you cannot do better than read The Traitor’s Son.’ Toni Mount
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
I’m thrilled today to be hosting a very special guest on the final leg of her debut book tour.
You may already know Wendy Johnson (in fact, you certainly will if you follow and read my blog!), but a brief introduction may be helpful. Wendy came to my own notice more than ten years ago as part of the amazing Looking for Richard Project team who were responsible for the famous rediscovery of King Richard III’s grave under that car park in Leicester. Philippa Langley may have become the best-known face of the project, but Wendy and her partner, Dr David Johnson, together with fellow historians Dr John Ashdown Hill and Annette Carson, all provided vital input into the years-long project.
The Looking for Richard Project team: left to right: Dr David Johnson, Wendy Johnson, Philippa Langley, Dr John Ashdown-Hill (not in picture: Annette Carson). Photo courtesy Philippa Langley, https://www.philippalangley.co.uk/looking-for-richard.html
I was fortunate enough to meet Wendy on the day of King Richard’s reburial in March 2015 at a memorial held in York. I discovered that she was also a writer of fiction and was delighted when she contributed short stories to our anthologies inspired by Richard, Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved.... In fact, the idea for the first anthology came from a conversation we had at Middleham Castle about short stories we’d recently written, and what we could do with them. We joked that two stories didn’t make a book – but then the notion of asking other authors to contribute occurred to us.
Meanwhile, Wendy was completing her own full-length work, a novel which is one of a planned trilogy charting King Richard’s life, beginning with a fresh retelling of the early part of Richard’s life – when he had no notion that he might one day become king. The novel was published a week ago as The Traitor’s Son and has already been enthusiastically received, especially (of course!) by Ricardians. After much badgering, Wendy kindly let me read an early draft, and I have to say I loved it! And I’m sure you will too.
‘Dickon” the boar approves The Traitor’s Son
But this is Wendy’s guest post and I’d rather she told you all about The Traitor’s Sonin her own words. Later today I’ll be posting a fascinating article she’s written about Richard’s knightly training, ‘(K)night School: the Chivalric Training of Richard III‘, but first I have some questions to ask her…
Alex: Thank you so much for coming on my blog today to talk about The Traitor’s Son, Wendy. But first, I have to ask you about yourself. When did you become a Ricardian? And what prompted you to write a Ricardian novel?
Wendy: My fascination began in the early 1970s, on a family visit to Middleham Castle. That a king could have lived so close to my home town seemed very exciting. I have always held a fascination for the Middle Ages and this visit to Richard’s former home kindled a lifelong interest. I love historical fiction and the idea of writing a novel has been an ambition for as long as I can remember.
Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire – view from the gateway to the keep Copyright: Wendy Johnson
Alex: Tell me a little about your writing process. Why did you choose to write in the present tense?
Wendy: There have been many incarnations of The Traitor’s Son and the whole process, from research, to composition and editing, has taken over a decade. That may seem an inordinate length of time, but for much of those years I was working full time and, frustratingly, could only spend around one or two hours a week writing. However, most of the book had been written by the time I retired from work, and the past couple of years have been spent editing and polishing the prose.
I decided to write in the present tense for a particular reason. The period known to us as ‘the Wars of the Roses’ was a complex time with the political situation changing rapidly, the participants sometimes not knowing from one day to the next which way the wind was blowing. It seemed better to approach this situation in the present tense, rather than retrospectively, as I wanted to be ensure my characters reacted to events as they happened, rather than with the knowledge of hindsight.
Alex: I know some readers aren’t always keen on books in the present tense, but I personally agree with you – I find it can offer an immediacy and freshness that the past tense doesn’t always provide. And a few paragraphs in and I no longer notice, being carried along by the action. The Traitor’s Son itself is centred around the young Richard III’s search for a father figure. Was this concept something you created for the purposes of your story, or do you believe Richard genuinely did need to fill this void in his life?
Wendy: It has been suggested that Richard deeply venerated the memory of his father, the Duke of York. His inclusion of the duke’s name in prayers and chantry foundations, as well as his role as chief mourner at the duke’s reburial in 1476, tends to confirm this. I considered that, having lost his father when he was a mere eight years old, it would be natural for Richard to yearn for a ‘surrogate’ father: someone he could look up to, and feel wanted by, someone who would feel proud of him, as his father would have done had he lived. Richard’s eldest brother, Edward IV, was only ten years his senior – too young, I feel, to have become that figure.
His cousin, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, however, was the perfect age to become that ‘second father’. He had been close to the duke, fought alongside him, and could have offered Richard the encouragement and support the boy would have undoubtedly craved. That Warwick had no sons of his own is also significant: could Richard, in turn, have become the son Warwick had always wanted? I’d like to think so.
From the Rous Roll, “Warwick the Kingmaker”, Oman, 1899
Alex: The relationship between Richard and Warwick is certainly a major part of the story of The Traitor’s Son (and I guess, from what you say, and given what happens towards the end of the novel, we could read the book’s title from more than one angle). Meanwhile, Richard’s relationships with his two elder brothers, Edward and George, tend to be a more prominent feature of other Ricardian novels. How did you tackle them in your work?
Wendy: It’s my belief that Richard would have been naturally closer to his brother George, who was only three years his senior, than he would have been to Edward, from whom he was separated both in years and in experience. George shared Richard’s childhood home of Baynard’s Castle and would have been the brother he spent most time with. Both boys experienced exile in the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands) following their father’s untimely demise, and upon their return, they shared a household with their sister, Margaret, at the palace of Placentia (later known as Greenwich). In my novel, the boys enjoy a close, but at times, troublesome relationship, George becoming jealous of Edward, who takes upon himself the responsibility for their younger sibling: a role George feels was naturally his own. Yet, ultimately, it is with George that Richard feels an affinity, both having looked up to their cousin, Warwick, and both desperate to smooth the troublesome waters between earl and king.
George, Duke of Clarence, Richard’s elder brother
Alex: Richard, of course, had not just brothers, but several sisters too, all older than him. One is particularly close to my own heart, being a major character in my own King in Waiting. What kind of an influence do you feel their sister Margaret, later Duchess of Burgundy, had upon her younger brothers?
Wendy: I see Margaret as a stable influence upon Richard and George. Someone they both love and look up to, and upon whom they know they can rely. I think their mother, Cecily Neville, was in turn the greatest influence upon Margaret herself: both being loyal and devout women with a strong sense of ‘family.’
Margaret of York and Burgundy
Alex: At the risk of spoilers(!), the climax of The Traitor’s Son is the Battle of Barnet, on 14th April 1471. I know how I feel about writing battles for my novels (having sworn more than once I’ll never do it again!) Did you find it difficult to write about the bloody battle at Barnet?
Wendy: Absolutely. I didn’t relish having to portray a battle scene, but as this was Richard’s first military encounter, I felt it was necessary to depict the kind of horrors he would have faced, as we need to see how he deals with them and how he has developed. This, after all, was exactly what Richard had been trained for, but that his first taste of conflict would involve facing his beloved cousin across a battlefield is something he could never have envisaged as a young trainee in the earl’s household.
Alex: As I mentioned above, this is the first in a proposed Ricardian trilogy. So, where do we go from here?
Wendy: I’m currently working on the sequel, which will be the second volume in the trilogy. I’m pleased that Book Two will still depict some of my favourite characters – particularly George of Clarence, whom I feel has also been treated rather unfairly by history. I’m going to enjoy throwing myself into the next stage and am looking forward to the challenge!
Alex: It sounds like there may be another battle or two looming on the horizon for you! But hopefully also some quieter and happier moments for Richard and his family. I’ll look forward to reading them in time. Thank you so much for visiting my blog today and answering my questions, and also for writing the accompanying article about Richard’s chivalric training (which can be found here later today).
Wendy: Thank you so much, Alex, for inviting me on to your blog site, and good luck with all your future ventures.
Don’t forget to read Wendy’s article on Richard’s knightly training here.
ISBN: 978-84-125953-7-6
The Traitor’s Son
Caught between a king and a kingmaker, young Richard Plantagenet knows he’ll have to choose…
1461: Richard Duke of York, King by Right, has been branded a traitor and slain by his Lancastrian foes. For his eight-year-old son—Richard Plantagenet—England has become a dangerous place.
As the boy grapples with grief and uncertainty, his elder brother, Edward, defeats the enemy and claims the throne. Dazzled by his glorious sibling, young Richard soon discovers that imperfections lurk beneath his brother’s majestic façade. Enter Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick—cousin, tutor, luminary—whose life has given him everything but that which he truly craves: a son. A filial bond forms between man and boy as they fill the void in each other’s lives. Yet, when treachery tears their world asunder, Richard faces an agonizing dilemma: pledge allegiance to Edward—his blood brother and king—or to Warwick, the father figure who has shaped his life and affections.
Painfully trapped between duty and devotion, Richard faces a grim reality: whatever he decides will mean a fight to the death.
In “The Traitor’s Son”, Wendy Johnson masterfully weaves a tapestry of loyalty, love, and sacrifice against the backdrop of England’s turbulent history. Through the eyes of a young Richard III, readers are transported into a world where every choice is fraught with peril, and the bonds of kinship are tested to their limits. As Richard Plantagenet navigates the explosive tensions within his own family, readers are swept along on a journey of intrigue and passion that will leave them spellbound until the final page.
‘Exquisitely written. An evocative and thoughtful retelling of the early life of Richard III.’ Philippa Langley, MBE
‘The Traitor’s Son is a stunning debut novel that draws the reader into a skilfully woven and utterly believable fifteenth century.’ Matthew Lewis
‘If you want to meet the real Richard III in a well-crafted novel, know his thoughts and feel his emotions, you cannot do better than read The Traitor’s Son.’ Toni Mount
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
I’m delighted to say that this Sunday, 14th April, sees the publication of a new Ricardian classic.
The Traitor’s Sonis the debut novel of Wendy Johnson. Wendy will be known to many people as a member of the Looking for Richard Project team, which spearheaded the search for and discovery of King Richard III’s grave under a Leicester car park in 2012. A longtime Ricardian, she and her partner, David, teamed up with Philippa Langley, John Ashdown-Hill and Annette Carson in the 2000s to embark on a quest that many people at the time thought was hopeless. We all know now that it wasn’t and led to one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries of all time.
The Looking for Richard Project team: left to right: Dr David Johnson, Wendy Johnson, Philippa Langley, Dr John Ashdown-Hill (not in picture: Annette Carson). Photo courtesy Philippa Langley, https://www.philippalangley.co.uk/looking-for-richard.html
Immense amounts of research went into the discovery and Wendy now brings her copious knowledge of Richard’s life and times to this meticulously researched novel, weaving it into a hugely enjoyable story telling of King Richard’s childhood and early youth with beautiful prose and skilful character creation.
The story opens with young Richard’s trepidation at seeing his father, Richard, Duke of York, ride off in the middle of winter to what we soon discover is his final, fatal confrontation with the Lancastrian forces of then King Henry VI. This small boy, his father branded a traitor, is immediately plunged into the tumult of the conflict that will shape his entire life and that of his family: the Wars of the Roses.
I’m delighted that on 22nd April Wendy will be joining me here on my blog to discuss the novel, her research, Richard’s early life and training, and her own writing journey as part of her launch blog tour. All the blog tour dates can be found here:
And paperbacks are available through all good bookstores and from 14 April from Amazon.
I can’t wait for you to read The Traitor’s Son yourselves!
Loyaulte me lie
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
It’s been another busy few weeks, or indeed months, for me. I can’t believe that it’s already March and spring is tentatively rearing its head here in the Yorkshire Pennines. Snowdrops are going over, and miniature daffs (and even the full-sized ones) are sun-shining in our garden (which is just as well, because the real sun has been mostly absent this past week).
Last week I visited an old friend in Belgium, who has over recent years driven me to various locations for book research, and very kindly did again. This time the destination was Binche castle, at one time owned by Margaret of York, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy. The reason for visiting? That it may have been somewhere Richard of England stayed during his time with his aunt Margaret.
The remains of Binche castle
And the reason I’ve been so busy over the past few weeks/months? First, I’ve been working towards publication of my work-in-progress (working title ‘The Mystery of Coultry Tower’ – see my previous post), hopefully this summer. And, second, I’ve been wrestling with the challenge of deciding what book to write next.
I’ve enjoyed writing a contemporary-set book with historical elements, but without the constraints imposed by writing historical fiction based on real events. But with so many readers of my ‘White Boar‘ books asking me in person or in reviews to tackle the thorny issue of so-called ‘Perkin Warbeck’ aka Richard of York/England, and/or tell the future lives of Matthew and his friends, I’ve had a lot to consider. And I have to admit, though the idea of telling such a story is pretty daunting, it’s also very enticing. Wouldn’t it be nice to ‘complete the set’ – to tell, for younger readers, the stories of both pretenders/both sons of Edward IV, so important to the overall legacy of King Richard III – the task I set myself all those years ago?
Vital to my decision-making has been publication of Philippa Langley’s new book, The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case. I’ll make no secret of the fact that I delayed making my decision on whether to embark on a new ‘White Boar’ book until after I read it – and found out about the new material that has come to light about whether the ‘princes’ survived. Throughout the writing of King in Waitingand Sons of YorkI was well aware that the Missing Princes Project was underway and might discover information that could turn my premises upside down. If you’ve read the books, you’ll know that I take the view that both sons of Edward IV survived, and the elder (Edward V) returned as the Dublin King (who has gone down in Tudor-led history as the imposter ‘Lambert Simnel’).
Imagine my relief when, not only was my basic premise not overturned, but at least one document had been found that supported the theory about Edward V being the Dublin King!
So – should I write the story of the younger boy, Richard of York, or not?
This isn’t the time to let you know where my deliberations are going (though you may have a clue already from recent posts on Facebook and Instagram). Rather I thought I would share with you the review I’ve written on Philippa’s book for posting on Amazon. If you’re in any doubt about reading this book, maybe this will help you decide. It’s certainly been helping me in making what could be a very important decision!
Did he or didn’t he? This excellent book suggests not!
“History’s greatest cold case” – did King Richard III murder the so-called “Princes in the Tower”? After this incredibly researched book, it seems increasingly unlikely that he did.
For centuries English law has insisted on the principle that a person should be deemed innocent until proved guilty, but strangely it’s taken more than 500 years for this to apply properly to Richard III. A number of mock trials in recent decades have found him “not guilty” of the worst charges levelled at him by Tudor chroniclers and later historians – the murders of his two young nephews, usually known as “the Princes in the Tower” – but still many historians stick to the line that he must have done it. But surely no more, following this landmark publication.
“The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case” presents the interim findings of the Missing Princes Project – eight years (so far) of reconsidering every piece of “evidence” known that could be used for the prosecution of the crime or for the defence – plus investigation of as many archives as possible containing documents from the relevant time period. Established by Philippa Langley, who was the driving force in the quest to find King Richard’s grave in Leicester, the multilingual Project team followed every relevant line of investigation that they could, and new discoveries from those archives, on the continent in particular, include four remarkable documents new to English-language researchers.
These documents are remarkable as they appear strongly to support the possibility that the two boys survived after Richard’s death at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 – contrary to the “official” Tudor story – and that they returned as the improbably named pretenders, Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck. At the very least, the documents, together with mounting other evidence of the boys’ survival, undermine the prosecution “case” for their murder by King Richard.
Philippa Langley’s clear, dispassionate dissection and discussion of both old and new evidence – comprehensively referenced throughout – presents both cases, for and against, at length, beginning with the evidence for the prosecution. This is shown to be primarily rumour and hearsay, mostly recorded years or decades after the events in question, and often by individuals who had their own particular agendas, usually political. The latter charge could be levelled at much of the evidence for the “defence” too – supporters of both pretenders may well have had an interest in stirring trouble for the new king of England, Henry Tudor, especially Margaret of Burgundy, the boys’ aunt and stalwart supporter of the rival House of York. Yet when seemingly insignificant records such as receipts and household accounts – including those of Henry Tudor himself, records not conceivably aimed at propaganda or persuasion – name the boys as Edward son of Edward IV or Richard, Duke of York, and when the huge sums of money spent by various European rulers on backing their claims are taken into account, it does seem that such support may have had a firmer foundation than simply a desire to cause problems for a king with a sometimes shaky hold on his crown.
For me the weight of evidence has now shifted firmly to the defence. It may not yet be “beyond reasonable doubt” that the boys survived King Richard’s reign, although I personally think the evidence taken all together and laid out clearly in this book is very compelling. Does the book actually do what it says in its bold subtitle and solve “history’s greatest cold case”? Not 100 per cent perhaps. But with more investigations by the Project underway and more revelations likely, it may well not be too long before this 500-year-old mystery is finally solved. And it will all be due to the incredible efforts of Ms Langley and her team, and the other open-minded historians on whose work they’ve built over many years.
If you enjoyed and were intrigued by the recent Channel 4/PBS documentary based on the findings, do take a look at this book. There’s so much more to explain why the findings are so significant, and so much more background to the controversial story outlined. It’s a sizable volume, but don’t let that put you off. The prose is straightforward and very readable, whether or not you know a great deal already about King Richard and the enduring mystery of what happened to his nephews.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Today is Twelfth Night, the traditional end to the Yuletide festivities – and a day for gift-giving during the medieval period (and beyond). Having lost much of the New Year so far to illness, I’ve just scraped some energy together to make a Kings’ Day cake to celebrate and thought I would also share with you a little of how Matthew Wansford and those at court at Westminster in 1482/3 may have spent the day. The snippet from The Order of the White Boar begins with Matt’s first (later fateful) meeting with young Edward, at that time Prince of Wales….
“By the time Twelfth Night arrived, I sensed the Duke was heartily sick of life at court. He left the revels earlier each night, his eyes shadowed even in the flare of the torchlight, and he spoke more sharply to the servants.
To tell the truth, I was also chafing to leave the confines of the palace. I had little to occupy me beyond being useful to the Duke or Master Kendall. I even missed the broad moors around Middleham and cantering with Alys and Roger across the scrubby heather, Murrey and Shadow scampering at our heels.
On that last day of Christmas I was leaning on Storm’s stable door, missing my friends and Bess, when from behind me came the yap of pleasure Murrey would make when tossed a morsel of food. As I swung round, she was rolling on her back, exposing her belly to be tickled by a boy crouching there.
Although his face was hidden, I recognized him, this boy with the richly embroidered riding cloak and shock of fair hair. I knew him, though I had never spoken to him. This was Ed’s cousin, also Edward, he who would be king some day after his father.
I watched, saying nothing, while Murrey wriggled on her back in raptures.
The boy giggled with delight and reached inside his pouch to fish out another tidbit.
Murrey twisted back on to her feet in an instant and sat upright, alert. As he offered her the treat, she pulled her lips back from her sharp little teeth and delicately took it from his fingers. He fondled her ears and raised his head. His eyes shone despite the dim light.
‘Is she yours?’
‘Yes, Your Grace.’
‘She’s a pretty hound. Are you training her yourself?’
‘Yes, Your Grace.’
He straightened up. Murrey, seeing there would be no more food, sidled over to lie down at my feet.
‘You’re not a stable boy, with a hound like that. Who are you?’
‘No, Your Grace. I’m here as part of the Duke’s party.’
‘The Duke? Oh, my uncle Richard.’ He gazed at the bustle of the grooms all around us. ‘My father said to meet them both here to ride out this morning. It’s the last day before my uncle leaves us.’
I tried not to smile too broadly.
‘Indeed, Your Grace? I’m sure he’ll miss the pleasures of the court when he goes.’
The Prince’s eyes flicked back to mine.
‘You think so? I fancy my uncle finds less to enjoy here than many another man would. My father tells me he doesn’t like life in the city. My mother says —’
But what else the Duke’s family said about him was lost in commotion as the King and his brother entered the stables with several gentlemen. The stable men ceased their work and bowed low. I shrank back into the shadows, drawing Murrey with me.”
Later that evening –
“The last day of Christmastide was marked by the most elaborate festivities. A fabulous banquet with more courses than I could number. Not one or two, but three dancing bears. Then troops of mummers performed for the assembled guests.
It was very different from the Bible stories of our Corpus Christi plays in York, but, may God forgive me, I enjoyed it as much. The jewelled costumes, colourful speeches, ribald songs, fantastical monsters fashioned from sumptuous fabrics stretched over wooden frames, the swordplay agile like dancing, the dances alight with fire-eaters, sword-swallowers, knife-jugglers. And with the dancing that followed under the still-flaring torches, all my senses were sated by the time, long after midnight, when the Queen rose.
She gathered her children around her like her voluminous satin skirts, and prepared to leave. At her throat, the fire of the brands reflected from the liquid depths of the blood-red ruby the King had presented her this Twelfth Night. Each daughter wore a similar jewel, though smaller – blue, green or purple – his sons thick gold chains draped around their necks.
As they each curtsied or bowed to their father, I fingered the soft emerald green cloth of my new doublet. My own gift from him as a household guest. I had found it laid out in the pages’ quarters on my return from the ride.
The final deep curtsey was by the Queen to her husband, then the high table almost emptied as she swept from the hall with her family. Only the King and Duke Richard remained standing there together, Lord Hastings now behind them, a hand resting on the shoulder of each…”
Wishing all my readers and followers (rather belatedly) a very happy and peaceful 2024
Loyaulte me lie
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Well, as suspected, I’m well behind with the #HistFicXmas, or snippets about my books and characters prompted by the list from the Historical Writers Forum:
So I guess it’s about time I caught up a little…
Some of the days I’ve posted directly to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – so if you click on the links you’ll find more detail – and why not follow me on there while you’re about it?
Here are some edited ‘highlights’:
Day 4 – which of my books would make excellent Xmas presents? All of them, of course! But mostly The Order of the White Boarbecause of its snowy winter scenes & Xmas at Edward IV’s court☃️❄️
Day 6 🎄 Do you prefer winter or summer? Summer every time! I may write lots of snowy winter scenes but my heart is in spring/summer – I hate the cold! The hot summer of Time out of Time was more pleasant to write, despite the climate issues arising… https://mybook.to/TimeoutofTime
… which also provides the answer for Day 7!
Days 11-13 🎄 – are all about families – especially at Christmas. Given that Matthew Wansford is away from his family through most of the four books in which he appears, perhaps this is a moment to focus on Drew – main character of my upcoming (as yet untitled!) Scottish ghost story. While Matt is the product of a large medieval family (with seven siblings by the end of Sons of York, albeit the last two by his stepmother after his mother has died), Drew lives only with his mother and younger sister, Ellie. His mum and dad have recently separated – something that has affected Drew badly, especially as it’s resulted in a relocation from Surrey to Coultry in Scotland.
‘Most dysfunctional family scene’ – well, I guess it might involve the looming Christmas when Drew’s dad is planning to visit them all up in Coultry – and he’s bringing along an unexpected guest…
The happiest family scene? Perhaps when Matt returns to York to see his family for the first time after he moves to Middleham Castle … it’s been eight long months, but in that time he’s won the favour of Duke Richard of Gloucester, saved the Duke’s son’s life, and visited the court of King Edward IV in London.
Bootham Bar, York
Which brings us to Days 14 and 15 🎄- which are the best and worst places my main characters have ever spent Christmas or winter?
Apart from at home in York when his mother was still alive, I guess Matthew could take his pick of a few:
1482 – at court in London/Westminster as a guest of King Edward IV – serving Duke Richard and feasting and dancing with royal guests
1485 – in the court of Margaret of Burgundy at Malines/Mechelen (though at one of the finest courts in Europe, Matt may have had rather a miserable Christmas given the events of the previous year …)
1486 – at Dublin Castle … (read a little about it in King in Waiting)
Which of these count as best or worst? I’ll let you decide!
Duchess Margaret’s palace
As far as Drew is concerned, he’s dreading his first Scottish Christmas. Will his family be able to celebrate the way they always have before, despite how much things have changed since last Christmas – or will all the Christmas traditions he loves be neglected this year? I guess you’ll have to wait until publication day to find out!
Watch this space for more #HistFicXmas over the coming days…
Meanwhile, don’t forget to get in touch if you want any copies of my books for your own Christmas gifts – there’s still time to post them within the UK!
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
I’m delighted to have a Spotlight post today on the fabulous Coffee Pot Book Club blogspot, where I talk about the inspiration for my Order of the White Boar books – and of course the latest revelations about the fate of the so-called ‘Princes in the Tower’.
In my Author Note for Sons of York I mentioned that I was awaiting the findings of The Missing Princes Project with interest to discover whether my story in it and King in Waiting were far wide of the mark. If you’re aware of Philippa Langley and her teams recent discoveries, you’ll already know the result!
For more on the subject, please check out the post at:
Meanwhile, as a little pre-Christmas treat as part of the Historical Writers Forum’s Jolabokaflod, The Order of the White Boar, the first book in the sequence, will be FREE to download all weekend – 9th-10th December. Just follow the link and enjoy – and please share to friends and family!
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
The Historical Writers Forum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/214932209068655/) is hosting a little pre-Christmas fun by inviting all its members to offer brief daily posts prompted by a festive list. I thought I would join in when I can. And yes, this blog is already three days late! But I can perhaps be forgiven as I was attending Philippa Langley’s interesting talk in York yesterday on the Missing Princes Project – and have been dealing since with an eye issue (which fortunately didn’t become an emergency!)
So the prompts throughout December are:
As it’s 3rd December today, I’ll roll my first three into one.
Day 1 – Introduce yourself
As you will already know if you follow this blog, I write children’s fiction, mostly historical – focusing on King Richard III & the mystery of the ‘Princes in the Tower’. But I’ve also written timeslip & ghost stories… I’m currently between projects – having finished the first draft of my latest book and being uncertain what to start on next, as I wait before doing edits.
Having most recently published King in Waiting and Sons of York, telling the story of the ‘Dublin King’ (otherwise best known to history as the pretender to Henry Tudor’s throne dubbed ‘Lambert Simnel’, but who may well have been Edward V), many readers are urging me to tackle the story of the second major pretender, dubbed ‘Perkin Warbeck’ (who may well have been Richard of York, the younger of the two ‘Princes in the Tower’). What do you think? Should I give it a go?
Day 2 – Tell us about your WIP or latest release
I suppose this has partly just been answered. My work-in-progress is of course a ghost story set around a defensive tower house in often-snowy Scotland. For a snippet, visit my recent blog post Happy Thanksgiving.
Love it – so long as it doesn’t start in November (or sooner!) There are only 12 days of Xmas after all!
But my kids think I’m a bit of a Scrooge as I won’t put the tree up on 1st December like so many of their friends’ families…
And all this is something that I write about in my work-in-progress – the Scottish ghost story that takes place in the run-up to a very snowy Christmas and Hogmanay. Drew’s mum isn’t based on me, but we do share the mantra of ‘Keep Christmas in December’!
All my books make excellent stocking-fillers!
Tune in tomorrow (or maybe, more realistically, later in the week) for more festive chat.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
After a week in which most of my attention has been firmly focused on my new release and King Richard and the so-called ‘Princes in the Tower’ – following the startling new evidence presented by Philippa Langley and her team – as Monty Python used to say, ‘And now for something completely different.’
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the USA – or anywhere else in the world celebrating this holiday today.
It’s a celebration that figures pretty heavily in my current work-in-progress (working title ‘Coultry Tower’), despite the book being set in Scotland. But the scenes are based on experiences of my own when living in Scotland some years ago – and working alongside an American in ‘exile’ from her homeland.
Mary Ann is based on that colleague only in being in similar circumstances – married to a British man and unable to meet up with her geographically-distant family for this major holiday because of work commitments. Oh, and in being an archaeologist whose workmates decide they should prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for her to partly make up for it.
In recognition of the day, I thought I’d share with you a snippet from the book – still in its first draft (so it may well change before publication). It may give you a flavour of what to expect – something rather different from my other books perhaps!
Alloa Tower, which inspired ‘Coultry Tower’
Drew and Mairi are young schoolfriends who have been befriended by the archaeologists working to discover the remains of an ancient mansion (who hail from several different countries). They’ve been invited to join the Thanksgiving party along with their families and Uncle Stu and Donnie, owners of the site, including its still-standing stable block where the party is held and where Drew lives with his family. While I generally describe the book as a ‘contemporary ghost story’, I’m afraid this excerpt ends just a little before any ghostly happenings get going. (Maybe I’ll save a snippet from them to post at the classic ghost-story-telling time of Christmas Eve…)
The stable block where the party is held…
“Coultry Tower”
“Everything was ready in good time for the party, of course. And Ryan, Mary Ann’s husband, had managed to keep it secret from her. Watching the emotions chasing across her face as she entered the carriage house – seeing confusion and bewilderment dissolve into shock, then delight – was one of the highlights of the evening.
‘What on earth – how – who –?’
Words tumbled from her mouth as her gaze ranged around the small crowd waiting about the shadowy room, took in strings of fairy lights and lanterns casting their glow over stars and stripes banners and bunting and tables piled high with plates of party food, bottles, cans, glasses. And as cheers and clapping erupted all about her, her speech died away entirely, bubbling over into laughter.
She swung round to Ryan and pummelled his chest with both fists, beaming and stuttering, ‘You – you – you –’
Mairi and I stood together looking on, though Mairi’s attention was mostly drawn to the laden table next to us.
‘This all looks tasty,’ she said, one hand stealing out to help herself from a bowl of tortilla chips. I tapped her hand as Mum used to with us when we were younger.
‘Wait until everyone else is eating,’ I hissed. ‘Mum said the turkey’ll be ready soon. She and Sinéad have been cooking it in our kitchen, along with lots of other stuff. It all smelt fantastic.’
As though his sharp ears had caught my words, Donnie detached himself from the cluster of people and announced,
‘Help yourself to nibbles and drinks, everyone. The main event won’t be long.’
And he went off to switch on some music and help at the drinks table, while Mum disappeared back to our house with Uncle Stu and Sinéad in tow.
The main event arrived in just a few minutes – the glossy brown turkey borne by Uncle Stu on our huge holly-wreathed Christmas platter, followed by the others carrying trays with overflowing dishes of nut roast, roasties, mashed potato, sweet potato, cranberry sauce, sprouts, and many other foods I couldn’t even guess at. Maybe some were the Ghanaian, Polish and Irish delicacies Sinéad had hinted at the day before.
‘Americans really know how to eat,’ Mairi whispered. ‘I’m going to try a bit of everything.’
Soon our plates were laden with as much food as could be crammed on them. And for a few minutes after that, little more than the scraping of cutlery and the clinking of glasses vied with the music that Donnie had set playing earlier. Gradually, though, as people started to get up to help themselves to pumpkin pie or another drink, the chatter of voices increased. I’d just sat down at the table again and was prodding with a spoon the beige slab in pastry that was my portion of pumpkin pie, when Mairi nudged me.
‘I think Dad’s getting on his high horse again,’ she said in an undertone.
My ears tuned in to what was being said on the next table while I dug out a spoonful of the smooth-textured pie filling. As I’d manoeuvred my way back through the chairs after fetching dessert for Mairi and me, I’d overheard Mary Ann telling André the story of the first American Thanksgiving – when local Native Americans who helped the Pilgrim Fathers to survive when they first landed in New England then shared the incomers’ meal to give thanks for their first successful harvest.
‘That’s why we always serve turkey and pumpkins and sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving – foods that the locals taught the Pilgrim Fathers to grow,’ she’d told him.
I vaguely remembered the story from primary school history lessons, but maybe it didn’t figure on the curriculum in Ghana. Now, as I slipped the cloying, sweetly-nutmeggy morsel into my mouth, I heard Greg say, darkly,
‘I’m not sure the Native Americans celebrate it that much these days.’
‘Maybe not.’ A tiny grimace flitted across Mary Ann’s face. ‘But at the time, of course, they were all friends.’
‘Until the immigrants started infecting the locals with European diseases,’ put in Uncle Stu with a grin, ‘and stealing huge swathes of their hunting grounds. Relations soured a bit after that.’
‘But I’m sure Mary Ann celebrates the day in the original spirit,’ said Mum hurriedly. Did I catch sight of a movement under the table and a sudden grimace this time on Uncle Stu’s face? It wouldn’t be the first time Mum had surreptitiously kicked him for stirring things. No one else seemed to notice.
Greg said, with a smile, ‘So should we all, I guess.’ He raised his glass of beer to first Mary Ann, then Mum. ‘It’s a great excuse for a party, anyway.’”
‘Coultry Tower’ (or whatever it’s finally titled) will be published in 2024 and you’ll be able to find out more about Drew, Mairi and the ghostly mystery they get caught up in.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
After the exciting news of new evidence that the ‘Princes in the Tower’ survived and Edward V returned as the Dublin King, it’s time to read his story in King in Waiting!
Out today – 2 books in 1!
Books 3 & 4 of The Order of the White Boar together for the first time
Follow young Matthew Wansford, once page to good King Richard III, as he serves his new master, Edward Plantagenet, now true King of England, on his mission to reclaim his crown
What challenges lie ahead for Matt and his friends? Can the Order claim victory against usurper Henry Tudor?
Aimed at ages 10+ and also enjoyed by adults of all ages
Only £3.99/$4.99 – a kind of ‘buy 1 get 1 half price’ deal (King in Waiting, Books 3 & 4, incorporates both King in Waitingand Sons of York.)
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
(King in Waiting, Books 3 & 4, incorporates both 
The Order of the White Boar 
