Grmela: Theory of literature for students of English, page 112).

Richard III:
Richard III is the last of the four plays in Shakespeare’s minor tetralogy of English history: it concludes a dramatic chronicle started by Henry VI (Part I) and then moving through Henry VI (Part II) and Henry VI (Part III.). The entire four-play saga was composed early in Shakespeare’s career. Culminating with the defeat of the evil King Richard III at the battle of Bosworth field in the play’s final act, Richard III is a dramatization of actual historical events that concluded in the year 1485, when the rule of the Plantagenet family over England was replaced by the Tudor monarchy. A full century after these events, Shakespeare’s Elizabethan audiences were certainly familiar with them and they were particularly fascinated with the character of Richard III Shakespeare’s audiences could readily identify the various political factions and complex family relationships described in the play as they proceed from the three parts of Henry VI. The popularity of Richard III dates back to Shakespeare’s own lifetime. Whether or not the story about Richard III is true the play had become part of popular mythology. History:
Richard Plantagenet was born on 2nd October 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, the youngest son of Richard, Duke of York and his wife, the former Cecily Neville. York, a cousin to the reigning King Henry VI, held senior government positions but was unpopular with the Lancastrian regime. York’s disputes led to his early death at the Battle of Wakefield on 30th December 1460. His eldest son, Edward, seized the throne of England in March the following year and defeated the Lancastrians at Towton. The young king Edward IV had to take care of his younger siblings. So George was created Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Gloucester. King Edward married a Lancastrian widow in 1464 and began to alienate Warwick. Over the next five years the relationship between king and ’over-mighty’ earl led to civil war in 1469 and the following year Edward was driven into exile. One of the causes of their dispute was the marriage of Warwick’s elder daughter to Clarence without the king’s permission. Richard accompanied Edward to the continent and on their return to England in 1471 the teenager was given command of the vanguards at the Battle of Barnet and Tewkesbury. These battles were resounding Yorkist victories and both Warwick and the Lancastrian heir, Prince Edward, were killed. The former king, Henry VI, died a few days later in London. Richard now assumed the responsibilities of his position. He had been admiral of England since 1461 and he was now appointed constable.