The Murder of the Princes in the Tower

DESCRIPTION: King Richard III is the most infamous suspect tied to the event depicted in this 19th-century engraving, The Murder of the Princes in the Tower. The print—engraved by A.H. Payne after a painting by Theodor Hildebrandt—captures the legendary moment right before the assassination of the deposed young King Edward V and his younger brother, Richard of York. Following the sudden death of King Edward IV in 1483, his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was named Lord Protector. He placed his two young nephews inside the Tower of London for their "protection" ahead of Edward V's scheduled coronation. Shortly after, Richard declared his nephews illegitimate, cancelled the coronation, and claimed the crown for himself as King Richard III. The Disappearance: The two boys were seen playing in the Tower gardens less and less until they completely vanished from the historical record during the summer of 1483. Rumours immediately spread across Europe that Richard III had ordered his loyal servants, such as Sir James Tyrrell, to smother them with bedding while they slept. See also #4661 STYLE: Engraving COLOUR: Monochrome SIZE (cm; mount board typically a few mm larger): 18.25 x 17 CREATORS: A H Payne after Hildebrand PUBLICATION: William Hickman Smith Aubrey's The National and Domestic History of England PUBLISHER: London: J Hagger DATE: C19 COMMENTS: Excellent condition with some patina from its antiquity SUBJECT: Works of Art; Events PACKAGE: Single one-sided sheet in acid-free mount, flat & unfolded inside hard-backed envelope. Royal Mail Tracked 24 included. Note: Images are provided for illustration purposes only and are intended to show the complete printed product, including any imperfections of age that may be present. Frames or props shown in the images are for display purposes only and are not included with your purchase.