Richard III by Jacob Abbott

Richard III by Jacob Abbott

King Richard III of England (1452-1485) only occupied the throne for two years, but his death at the Battle of Bosworth Field marked the end of the thirty-year long Wars of the Roses and symbolized the end of the Middle Ages in that country. His life and death became entwined with intrigue and myth, spurred on by William Shakespeare's dramatization of his life in one of the Bard's most famous plays.
This enthralling account of Richard III's life, retold by master storyteller Jacob Abbott, starts with his family background and the build-up to the Wars of the Roses, which saw the Houses of York and Lancaster lock horns over the succession to the throne. When Edward IV died in 1483, Richard, as his younger brother, was named Lord Protector of the realm on behalf of Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old King Edward V. This young boy-king and his brother disappeared under mysterious circumstances, allegedly murdered in the Tower of London, and Richard was declared king in terms of the rules of royal succession.
Linked by common gossip to the disappearance of the two princes, Richard's reign was marked by continued civil unrest, culminating in the landing of Henry Tudor on the coast of Wales. Henry, who claimed the throne for himself, met Richard's army in battle at Bosworth Field, where Richard was slain, making him the last English king to die in battle.
Henry Tudor was crowned king, and the Wars of the Roses came to an end.

Jacob Abbott (1803-1879) was a children's book author from the United States. Outside of literature, he worked as a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College, founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Women in Boston in 1829, and founded Abbott's Institute and the Mount Vernon School for Boys (alongside his brothers). Jacob Abbott was a prolific author who wrote children's publications, short history, biographies, general religious books, and a few works in popular science. His Rollo Novels, such as Rollo at Work, Rollo at Play, Rollo in Europe, and others, are the most well-known of his works, with a young kid and his associates as the main protagonists. Lucy Books, Jonas Books, Harper's Tale Books, Marco Paul, Gay Family, and Juno Books are among the notable works.

John Stevens Cabot Abbott and Gorham Dummer Abbott, his brothers, were also novelists. Benjamin Vaughan Abbott, Austin Abbott, all prominent lawyers, Lyman Abbott, and Edward Abbott, a clergyman, were among his sons who became well-known authors.