The Hours of Richard III

Anne F. Sutton, Livia Visser-Fuchs

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN: 9781803996370
• Topic: Geschichte
• Subtopic: Historische Biographien

As a person's religious convictions, especially in times past, can be considered fundamental to their character and behaviour, the nature of King Richard III's piety has been the subject of considerable debate. Much of this controversy has focused on the Book of Hours adopted by the king for his own private use following his coronation, and to which certain prayers, including that known as the 'Prayer of Richard III', were added.

In The Hours of Richard III Ricardian experts Anne F. Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs explore the manuscript and the prayer's text. The manuscript (now preserved in Lambeth Palace Library) was originally produced in London around 1420 and the text shows the preoccupations of a devout man of the fifteenth century, while its decoration showcases the development of London manuscript illumination during that period. Moreover, in this analysis of the manuscript, the authors offer an insight into the personality of Richard III, one of the most controversial figures in medieval history.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Illustrations
• Acknowledgements
• The Yorkist History Trust
• List of Abbreviations
• 1. General Introduction
• 2. The Manuscript, Its Scheme of Decoration and Status
• 3. The Illumination: Style, Workmanship and Date
• 4. Ownership
• 5. Analysis of Contents
• 6. The ‘Prayer of Richard III’
• 7. Richard III’s Piety
• Notes
• Bibliography: Manuscripts
• Index of Incipit of Prayers
• Picture Section