options?

Re.valuable kingship: I read that the most important thing for a King was to protect his crown (kingship). Obviously. Here we have King Richard running around a dangerous battlefield in hand to hand combat facing off&hopefully, his enemy. Risking serious physical injury or death, he was forced to gamble it all in a losing physical fight. Very archaic, and its always noted he was the last king to die on the battle field. Smart move. What exactly could Richard have done at the time, as he was threatened by constant challengers. He did execute, but then had to have a stand down fight. He was a pivotal king, but what changed, as it had to, to protect future kingships. Please provide the details about the change in kingly practices, that avoided a battlefield as diplomatic meeting room. Carol D.

Yes...agreed...Perhaps Dr Starkey et al could tell us what they thought Richard should have done in the circumstances he found thrust on him with the unexpected death of Edward.
Probably there was an attack planned on him on the journey from Northampton to Stoney Stratford...There was a foiled assassination attempt on him that day at the Tower..Should he have just submitted to the young Edward being crowned and the Woodvilles effectively ruling for the foreseeable future..How long would he have survived. Richard was fighting for his very life and also that of his young son...

But what do they have to say on the matter...not a murmer..Eileen

--- In , Carol Darling wrote:
>
> Re.valuable kingship: I read that the most important thing for a King was to protect his crown (kingship). Obviously. Here we have King Richard running around a dangerous battlefield in hand to hand combat facing off…hopefully, his enemy. Risking serious physical injury or death, he was forced to gamble it all in a losing physical fight. Very archaic, and its always noted he was the last king to die on the battle field. Smart move. What exactly could Richard have done at the time, as he was threatened by constant challengers. He did execute, but then had to have a stand down fight. He was a pivotal king, but what changed, as it had to, to protect future kingships. Please provide the details about the change in kingly practices, that avoided a battlefield as diplomatic meeting room. Carol D.
>