When a group of amateur historians set out to find the bones of Richard III under a parking lot in England, everyone thought they were mad—that is, until a skeleton, hunchbacked and with an arrow in its spine, emerged. Could these bones really be the remains of the fearsome King Richard III? University of Leicester scientists ultimately confirmed the identity of the infamous king through DNA.
What did Richard’s bones reveal about his physical condition? Could a king with such a deformed body fight ferociously in battle as the heroic accounts of Richard III in the War of Roses suggest? RESURRECTING RICHARD III follows the investigation of University of Leicester scientists as they attempt to answer these questions. Using atomic and microscopic analysis, the scientists uncover clues hidden in Richard’s bones about his diet and lifestyle. What do the bones reveal about his health? Did his health in any way impair his performance in battle?
To determine Richard’s fighting ability, the scientists need a living subject. They discover a body double for Richard, 26-year-old Dominic Smee, a War of the Roses re-enactor himself afflicted with scoliosis. But does Smee’s backbone really match the extreme curve of Richard’s spine? A medical examination reveals Richard’s and Smee’s twisted spines are virtually identical.
To discover what Richard was capable of, the scientists must train Smee, and ultimately test him in battle, where he fights in full armor. Working with world-renowned armorer Per Lillelund, Smee is outfitted with a fully-functional suit of armor. He is introduced to medieval weapons by Tobias Capwell and instructed in medieval combat by Dave Rawlings.
Can Smee show conclusively that scoliosis was not an impediment on the battlefield? Can he re-enact Richard’s famed cavalry charge where history says he killed several men before dying at the hands of Henry Tudor’s army?
SECRETS OF THE DEAD: RESURRECTING RICHARD III is produced by Darlow Smithson Productions for Channel Four Television Corporation in association with THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. Narrator is Jay O. Sanders. Director is Gary Johnstone. Executive producer for Darlow Smithson is Simon Young. Executive in charge for WNET is Stephen Segaller. Executive producer for THIRTEEN is Steve Burns. Coordinating producer for THIRTEEN is Stephanie Carter.
