What is the play Richard the third about?

Answer 1

The play is loosely based on the reign of Richard III, king of England between 1482 and 1485. Because Richard was succeeded by Henry VII, grandfather of Elizabeth I and great-grandfather of James I, political correctness required that Richard be portrayed as a terrible and evil tyrant, who was triumphantly destroyed and England rescued by Henry VII.

The play starts after the battle of Barnet, when England is at peace under the rule of Richard's brother Edward IV. Richard gets Edward to sentence their other brother Clarence to death for treason, then suppresses Edward's order revoking the sentence. Clarence is killed and Edward dies of the shock. Richard meanwhile courts the lady Anne, widow of the son of Henry VI, at Henry VI's funeral. Edward's two sons, the elder of whom ought to be king are locked in the Tower of London and then murdered at Richard's order. Richard becomes king and Anne his queen. But Richard still does not feel safe; he is determined to murder his wife and marry Edward's daughter and last child. He murders Anne, but Edward's widow flees the country and marries her daughter to Henry Richmond, the future Henry VII. Henry invades England and defeats Richard, who runs around the battlefield crying "A horse! a horse! My kingdom for a horse!"

The portrait of Richard as a hunchbacked psychotic mass-murderer is in stark contrast to other portrayals of this king. See the related link.