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Human remains found buried beneath a social services car park in Leicester are those of Richard III who was killed in battle in 1485, archaeologists confirmed today.

In an extraordinary discovery which rewrites the history books, the skeleton of the last of the Plantagenet kings was identified by DNA analysis after researchers traced his living descendants.

Investigators from the University of Leicester today revealed that the remains bore the marks of ten injuries inflicted shortly before his death.

More gruesome, however, was evidence of ‘humiliation’ injuries, including several head wounds - part of the skull was sliced away - a cut to the ribcage and a pelvic wound likely caused by an upward thrust of a weapon, through the buttock.

Speaking at today’s press conference, University of Leicester geneticist Dr Turi King described how researchers had traced Richard’s descendants to confirm the body was indeed that of England’s last medieval king.

These were Canadian born furniture maker Michael Ibsen, a direct descendant of the Richard’s sister Anne of York, and a second person who has asked to remain anonymous.

Dr King said: ‘The DNA sequence obtained from the Grey Friars skeletal remains was compared with the two maternal line relatives of Richard III.

‘We were very excited to find that there is a DNA match between the maternal DNA from the family of Richard III and the skeletal remains we found at the Grey Friars dig.’

The analysis showed the individual had a slender physique and severe scoliosis - a curvature of the spine - possibly with one shoulder visibly higher than the other.

This is consistent with descriptions of Richard III's appearance from the time, the researchers said today.

Trauma to the skeleton showed the king died after one of two significant wounds to the back of the skull - possibly caused by a sword and a halberd.

Dr Appleby said this was consistent with contemporary accounts of the monarch being killed after receiving a blow to the head.

The skeleton also showed a number of non-fatal injuries to the head and rib and to the pelvis, which is believed to have been caused by a wound through the right buttock.

Dr Appleby said these may have been so-called ‘humiliation injuries’ inflicted after his death.

‘The skeleton has a number of unusual features: its slender build, the scoliosis and the battle-related trauma,’ she said.

‘All of these are highly consistent with the information that we have about Richard III in life and about the circumstances of his death.

‘Taken as a whole, the skeletal evidence provides a highly convincing case for identification as Richard III.’

 

The bones had also undergone radiocarbon dating which indicated the man found had died sometime between 1485 and 1550 - consistent with historical records of the king’s death.

Archaeologists, historians and local tourism officials were all hoping for confirmation that the monarch's long-lost remains have been located.

So were the king's fans in the Richard III Society, set up to re-evaluate the reputation of a reviled monarch.

 

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