DNA proves skeletal remains to be Richard III of England

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/remains-of-king-richard-iii-identified/2013/02/04/d79e87b2-6ebb-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_story.html

Quote :

The verification came after scientific tests were used to match DNA samples taken from Canadian-born Michael Ibsen, a direct descendent of Anne of York, Richard’s elder sister....

Richard III’s grave, which was found underneath the Leicester site in the remains of Greyfriars friary, had been lost during the religious reforms of Henry VIII. Richard, the last king of England to fall on the battlefield, was slain in the 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field while defending his crown against the raiding upstart, Henry VII. He was famously depicted in Shakespeare’s “Richard III” crying out before his death: “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”....

Richard III supporters such as Philippa Langley, a screenwriter and member of the Richard III Society, were driven to find the lost king’s remains by a desire to reopen the debate over his place in history. Experts say that most of what is known today about the medieval king is largely “propaganda” of the Tudor monarchs who followed him.....

From the time the bones were found, there was strong evidence to suggest the remains belonged to the monarch. The skeleton indicated a personage who was well nourished, who had suffered cranial trauma during battle and who exhibited spine damage from scoliosis, a type of curvature of the spine — all signs that pointed to Richard III.

I am somewhat curious as to how the finding can prove or disprove the negative image. Shakepeare obviously believed it - or was perhaps one of those "media giants" who twisted history in favor of the ruling elite.

At any rate, The Shakespeare play, Henry VI, Part II, was the basis for my own projections in The Ballad of Jack Cade, written for the novel, And Adam was a Gardener, back in the late 80's, which had as one of it's themes, the natural equality of all people vs the negative effects of greedy despots and their political leaders.

15th century portrait of Richard III:


http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/topic/86007-richard-iii-bones-confirmed/page__st__60

and reconstruction from skull:




We hardly needed the DNA evidence.