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[Chezzymann]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/genetics/scientists-confirm-remains-king-richard-iii-17487010

Two years ago, a battle-worn, scoliosis-riddled skeleton was unearthed beneath a parking lot in Leicester, England. Based on the evidence at hand, the archeologists behind the discovery claimed that they had found the bones of Richard III—the 15th century monarch with the cartoonishly villainous reputation. (Richard, immortalized in one Shakespeare's greatest plays, reportedly stole the throne by marrying his dead brother's wife, killed his nephews, and ruled for two years before dying in battle.)

Today, a team of biologists, historians, and archeologists announced that they have completed a DNA analysis of the skeleton. As they report in the journal Nature Communications, these remains truly are the former king beyond any reasonable doubt. What's even more impressive: By tracing the genetic evidence through more than 20 generations of the dead king's family tree to his living descendants, the scientists have completed the oldest DNA identification case of a known individual.

Crazy stuff. The ability science has to find out that a skeleton under a parking lot is a 600 year old dead king by tracing it through the generations is pretty crazy. I guess they did arrange a lot of "in family" relationships to preserve the royal blood line, though so it might have been easier than others. Preserve my bones under a parking lot if old.

 

[cagelessrat]

His spine!

 

[Gabriel_Logan]

Are they going to bury him? Or put him on display in a museum.

 

[Sickboy007]

That's a fucked up spine.

 

[Savitar]

As a lover of history this is too awesome.

 

[Speevy]

Also found, several Black Friday shoppers.

 

[Guevara]

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lour'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the parking lot buried.​

 

[Borgnine]

Best character.

 

[Chanser]

Living descendants.

 

[Samara]

How did this happen?

That's a fucked up spine.

he was evil, so he had to round his back while rubbing his hands

 

[Hari Seldon]

The adultery bit at the end of the article in the OP is the best part haha. This is really awesome though.

 

[Matt_]

20 generations? Jesus
Good thing nobody played away. Could have mucked up some dna samples

 

[Purkake4]

That's a pretty weird place to bury your king, was Westminster full or something?

 

[terrisus]

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lour'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the parking lot buried.​

A+

 

[Stinkles]

That's a pretty weird place to bury your king.

It wasn't always a parking lot, strangely.

 

[War Peaceman]

It is a car park not a parking lot.

But pretty incredible, really. Also pretty meaningless as it doesn't really change our understanding of the past. I know a lot of the medievalists in my department are very excited.

 

[Masquerader]

That's a pretty weird place to bury your king.

Killed in battle, darling. Likely tossed into a ditch. Then has name shat upon unopposed for about 300 years. Not the best way to go.

 

[speculawyer]

One day a King . . . and a few years later, you are just parking lot filler dirt.

That sure puts life into perspective doesn't it?

 

[Borgnine]

The car park is where a church used to stand.

 

[tcrunch]

They paved him paralyzed and put up a parking lot.

The best I could do, sorry.

 

[terrisus]

It wasn't always a parking lot, strangely.

Yeah, it wasn't one until after they tossed him there.
Then they built it over him.

They paved him paralyzed and put up a parking lot.

Shoo bop bop bop.

 

[massoluk]

That's a pretty weird place to bury your king, was Westminster full or something?

"Cartoonishly villainous reputation" wasn't an understatement. Dude is lucky he's not fed to dogs.

 

[Guevara]

Imagine the kind of vehicles they parked there back in the 15th century! :-0

 

[lastplayed]

That's a pretty weird place to bury your king, was Westminster full or something?

He was defeated in battle, his supporters fled, changed sides or hid, and his victor Henry Tudor backdated his reign so that any further supporters could be tried for treason.

We should be surprised he was still buried at all and not tossed into the river as legend once claimed.

 

[FillerB]

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lour'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the parking lot buried.​

Damn.

 

[Purkake4]

Yeah, it wasn't one until after they tossed him there.
Then they built it over him.




Shoo bop bop bop.

Man, call it Richard III's Royal Parking Lot and charge 2.5x the normal rate for parking there. Become a millionaire in a few decades.

 

[speculawyer]

They paved him paralyzed and put up a parking lot.

The best I could do, sorry.

Oooooooooooh Bop Bop Bop Bop!

Edit: Damn you terrisus

 

[Deadstar]

Living descendants.

Are they going to take their rightful place as King and Queen?

 

[lastplayed]

Are they going to take their rightful place as King and Queen?

Well they aren't direct descendants since Richard had no legitimate children after he died (supposedly). Elizabeth II probably has a better claim than this guy.

 

[dluu13]

Richard III is the guy who got screwed by his daughters in the Shakespeare play right?

 

[Paper Sparrow]

King of Par

 

[120v]

I was watching this documentary on netflix the other day was pretty blown away.

i was rolling my eyes expecting a cop out ending like "is the skeleton Richard III's? well... IT COULD BE" but when the DNA matched i was stunned

i mean what are the chances they'd find the skeleton pretty much right away by an "R" on the ground in a parking lot. some straight up indiana jones shit

 

[starsky]

This is great article. Thanks for sharing.

 

[frontovik]

Richard III is the guy who got screwed by his daughters in the Shakespeare play right?

I think that was King Lear.

That being said, the discovery is quite fascinating.

One day a King . . . and a few years later, you are just parking lot filler dirt.

That sure puts life into perspective doesn't it?

Reminds me of this quote from Barry Lyndon .. "It was in the reign of George III that the aforesaid personages lived and quarreled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now."

 

[TheBaldEmperor]

It is a car park not a parking lot.

But pretty incredible, really. Also pretty meaningless as it doesn't really change our understanding of the past. I know a lot of the medievalists in my department are very excited.

Um what is a car park? Do the car owners take their cars there for some exercise? Maybe throw the ball around and play some catch?

 

[way more]

They already knew it was Richard III but this gave me a reason to re-look one of my favorite Shakespeare stories. The ones about war are the best. If you haven't already seen the Ian Mckellan version this should entice you enough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwKSJ7XtNzc#t=169

 

[HK-47]

Time to reread the Sunne in Splendor.

 

[Gleethor]

They let a skeleton be king? Terrifying.

 

[Monocle]

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lour'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the parking lot buried.​

This got me good.

They let a skeleton be king? Terrifying.

Well he was supposed to be like super awful so it makes sense when you think about it.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Good message to people who think themselves immortals of history. All you are is just gonna end up lost, paved over by a parking lot.

 

[adamsappel]

They already knew it was Richard III but this gave me a reason to re-look one of my favorite Shakespeare stories. The ones about war are the best. If you haven't already seen the Ian Mckellan version this should entice you enough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwKSJ7XtNzc#t=169

McNulty!

 

[thetrin]

Richard III is the guy who got screwed by his daughters in the Shakespeare play right?

"A horse, my kingdom for a horse!" is Richard III.

 

[Loofy]

Theres power in Kings blood.

 

[soepje]

His spine!

His jaw seems kind of out of place too

 

[foxuzamaki]

Man, his spine was fucked

 

[terribletwo]

given that spine i feel like stage actors, or McKellan in his version, were underplaying the handicap

 

[Paper Sparrow]

They let a skeleton be king? Terrifying.

Well he was supposed to be like super awful so it makes sense when you think about it.

Yeah, I heard he was pretty heartless.

 

[Basketball]

 

[Valhelm]

Living descendants.

Sort of. They're more like his great-great-great... grand niece and nephew.

 

[Bodacious]

How did this happen?

In the documentary about the discovery, it all happened because this weird woman with a Richard III fixation (she had a 'fan' website with members all over the world) researched until she was sure she knew where the body was, raised the money for a small scale dig, and then pointed to the EXACT parking space where she thought they should start, because it was labeled as parking space "R." They dug down 6 feet or so, right below that same parking spot, and hit the skeleton. It was genuinely spooky. The article misrepresents this ("And good evidence had led the archaeologists to the parking lot ... ") because if you watch the documentary it's clear that the local archaeologists involved were just sort of along for the ride and were sure the woman was crazy, but she paid for it so what the hell they might find some cool trinkets, right? This all happened on camera and you more or less watch it as it happens. Kinda pisses me off that they didn't credit the crazy bitch.

I was