Description
By Jacob Abbott. Enter the dangerous world of fifteenth-century England in this absorbing account of ambition, betrayal, and dynastic conflict during the Wars of the Roses.
In Richard III, historian Jacob Abbott recounts the turbulent life and reign of one of England’s most controversial monarchs. Against the background of the bitter struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster, he traces Richard’s path from royal prince and powerful nobleman to the throne of England.
Abbott follows the rival claims, shifting alliances, imprisonments, executions, and battles that marked this violent period of English history. As Richard attempts to establish his authority over a kingdom divided by years of civil war, suspicion gathers around his accession and the fate of those who stood between him and the crown. The narrative culminates at the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard’s defeat brought his reign to an end and ushered in the Tudor dynasty.
Throughout the narrative, Abbott portrays Richard as a man corrupted by hereditary privilege and driven by pride, ambition, and a desperate desire for power. His account examines how the struggle for the crown could overturn loyalties, divide families, and draw an entire kingdom into violence.
Written in Abbott’s clear and engaging style, Richard III offers a compelling portrait of England during the closing years of the Middle Ages and of the king whose character and actions have remained the subject of debate for centuries.
This carefully restored edition presents Abbott’s classic account in a newly prepared and richly illustrated volume.
About the author: Jacob Abbott (1803–1879) was an American educator, historian, and prolific author of biographies and historical works. He wrote hundreds of books, including the celebrated Makers of History series, which introduced generations of readers to important figures and events from world history.
