Here are further news on the research carried out to establish where exactly the Battle of Bosworth was fought (for our previous article please click here).  

Ben Hoyle of the British Times reports that Glenn Foard, a battlefield archaeologist who has led the investigation into the whereabouts of the fighting, is convinced that he has unearthed the proof.  The interesting bit about this proof is that  Mr Foard’s team has discovered more lead artillery shot at Bosworth than has so far been recovered from all the other 15th-century and 16th-century battlefields in Europe put together.  Abandoned cannonballs and bullets are of special interest to battlefield archaeologists because they are made of lead like the ones at Bosworth and decay far less quickly than iron and steel handweapons.  According to Steve Walton, a specialist in medieval artillery at Pennsylvania State University, the use at Bosworth predates by ten years the earliest hard evidence for cannon used as mobile battlefield weapons, as opposed to on board ships, in garrisons or for long-term sieges.

This timing is, however, contradicted by Michael Jones in a later letter to the Times.  According to him, such weapons were used as early as the Battle of Othée (1408) between Duke John the Fearless of Burgundy and the townsmen of Liège, and also at the Battle of Towton (1461).

If only Michael Jones could have left his feelings about Richard III out of his letter!  Stating that Richard was too young to take part in the Battle of Towton he adds that “he was, in fact, hiding safely in exile at the court of Burgundy”, creating a rather cowardly image which is hardly justified.    When the battle was fought on 19 March 1461, Richard was 8 ½ years old, and even in those days boys as young as that did not fight in battles.  Nor would at that age the decision to “hide in exile” have been Richard’s, as Mr Jones use of the active voice suggests, but rather that of his family.  In fact it is usually assumed that his mother Cecily sent  Richard as well as his 3 years older brother George, whom Mr Jones conveniently forgets to mention,  to Burgundy for their safety from the advancing Lancastrians.  Their father and elder brother Edmund had recently been killed in battle against the Lancastrians, leaving them the next in line after Edward, the eldest brother, who was carrying on the fight.   Nor were the boys actually “hidden”, as they were living at the Burgundian court.   This uncalled for and ill-considered remark spoils the impact of Mr Jones’ research.

Ben Hoyle’s “Battle of Bosworth moves two miles, thanks to archaeologist Glenn Foard” was published on 29 October 2009.
Michael Jones’ letter “Artillery is older than Bosworth” was published on 3 November 2009.

Tags: Artillery, Bosworth, Richard III