http://www.umich.edu/~shkspre/richardiii/list.html
Richard III List of Characters
Richard III
Richard III begins Richard III as the Duke of Gloucester. He and other characters in the play use his deformed body as an excuse and explanation for his evil personality. He hires thugs to kill most of his family and other people in power in order to gain the throne. At one point he seduces Lady Anne to gain power through her familial connections. He then rumors her sickness and impending death in order to kill her. Once he has killed his two young cousins, his brother, and other people who stand in his way, he becomes King Richard III.
Historical: King Richard III (1452-1485)
Richard was the son of Richard, Duke of York. He began his reign in 1483 and was the last ruler of the Plantagenet line. Before and during his reign some sources say that he killed Henry VI, Henry's son Edward, his own brother Clarence, and his nephews Edward and Richard. However, not all scholars agree that he killed Henry VI, Lady Anne, his nephews or his brother. Lady Anne and Richard married for seemingly legitimate reasons and lived together in peace until she died of disease, probably tuberculosis. Many sources say that Richard did not have physical deformities and that Shakespeare contrived them to show a correlation between physical and mental misshapenness. His right-hand man throughout Richard III, Buckingham, led an unsuccessful revolt against Richard, which helped the Tudor line to rise up against Richard. The Tudors successfully defeated Richard and his troops at Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. Shakespeare portrays Richard as an evil villain who enjoys murder and chaos. However, historically scholars do not believe him to be as bad as Shakespeare's portrayal throughout Richard III.
Duke of Clarence
George, the Duke of Clarence is brother to Richard III and King Edward. He is imprisoned early on in Richard III because a prophecy tells that a man with a name that starts with "G" will usurp the throne. With full trust Clarence believes that Richard will save him from imprisonment. Once in the tower, Richard sends murderers to kill Clarence who drowns in a butt of malmsey wine.
Historical: (1449 - 1478)
In 1470-1471, Clarence took up arms against his brother Edward IV and challenged his legitimacy. Historically, King Edward IV killed Clarence for treason and Richard vehemently protested his execution.
Robert Brakenbury
Sir Robert Brakenbury was the lieutenant of the tower and therefore had Clarence and the young princes in his charge until their deaths.
Historical: ?-1485
Brakenbury was a constable of the tower, but he did not hold this position during the time of Clarence's imprisonment or death. Like Richard, Brakenbury was killed at the battle of Bosworth Field.
Lord Hastings
Hastings trusts, and is killed by Richard. He remains loyal to Edward IV and the Yorks throughout his life. Despite his loyalties, he benefits from Richard's rise until Richard accuses him of treason and has him killed.
Historical: Lord William Hastings (1430-1483)
Hastings was a member of a group that wanted to remove Richard from his position of Protector. He was probably executed for treason without a trial much like Shakespeare's portrayal.
Richard III List of Characters
Richard III
Richard III begins Richard III as the Duke of Gloucester. He and other characters in the play use his deformed body as an excuse and explanation for his evil personality. He hires thugs to kill most of his family and other people in power in order to gain the throne. At one point he seduces Lady Anne to gain power through her familial connections. He then rumors her sickness and impending death in order to kill her. Once he has killed his two young cousins, his brother, and other people who stand in his way, he becomes King Richard III.
Historical: King Richard III (1452-1485)
Richard was the son of Richard, Duke of York. He began his reign in 1483 and was the last ruler of the Plantagenet line. Before and during his reign some sources say that he killed Henry VI, Henry's son Edward, his own brother Clarence, and his nephews Edward and Richard. However, not all scholars agree that he killed Henry VI, Lady Anne, his nephews or his brother. Lady Anne and Richard married for seemingly legitimate reasons and lived together in peace until she died of disease, probably tuberculosis. Many sources say that Richard did not have physical deformities and that Shakespeare contrived them to show a correlation between physical and mental misshapenness. His right-hand man throughout Richard III, Buckingham, led an unsuccessful revolt against Richard, which helped the Tudor line to rise up against Richard. The Tudors successfully defeated Richard and his troops at Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. Shakespeare portrays Richard as an evil villain who enjoys murder and chaos. However, historically scholars do not believe him to be as bad as Shakespeare's portrayal throughout Richard III.
Duke of Clarence
George, the Duke of Clarence is brother to Richard III and King Edward. He is imprisoned early on in Richard III because a prophecy tells that a man with a name that starts with "G" will usurp the throne. With full trust Clarence believes that Richard will save him from imprisonment. Once in the tower, Richard sends murderers to kill Clarence who drowns in a butt of malmsey wine.
Historical: (1449 - 1478)
In 1470-1471, Clarence took up arms against his brother Edward IV and challenged his legitimacy. Historically, King Edward IV killed Clarence for treason and Richard vehemently protested his execution.
Robert Brakenbury
Sir Robert Brakenbury was the lieutenant of the tower and therefore had Clarence and the young princes in his charge until their deaths.
Historical: ?-1485
Brakenbury was a constable of the tower, but he did not hold this position during the time of Clarence's imprisonment or death. Like Richard, Brakenbury was killed at the battle of Bosworth Field.
Lord Hastings
Hastings trusts, and is killed by Richard. He remains loyal to Edward IV and the Yorks throughout his life. Despite his loyalties, he benefits from Richard's rise until Richard accuses him of treason and has him killed.
Historical: Lord William Hastings (1430-1483)
Hastings was a member of a group that wanted to remove Richard from his position of Protector. He was probably executed for treason without a trial much like Shakespeare's portrayal.
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