History · Year 7 · Crisis and Change: The 14th Century · Summer Term

The Princes in the Tower: A Historical Mystery

Investigating the mystery of Edward V and his brother Richard, and the rise of Richard III.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: History - The Wars of the Roses
• KS3: History - Dynastic Conflict

About This Topic

The Princes in the Tower mystery focuses on the 1483 disappearance of Edward V and his brother Richard, placed in the Tower of London under their uncle Richard III's guardianship. Students investigate primary sources such as the Croyland Chronicle, Dominic Mancini's reports, and Thomas More's later account to reconstruct events during the Wars of the Roses. This topic reveals Richard III's rapid seizure of the throne and the ensuing power struggle that led to the Tudor dynasty.

Within KS3 History standards on dynastic conflict, students evaluate theories implicating Richard III, Henry Tudor, or others, while critiquing how Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard as a scheming hunchback entrenched a biased view. Key skills include source evaluation for reliability and purpose, handling incomplete evidence, and recognizing propaganda's role in shaping historical narratives.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly. Group debates on guilt, mock trials with source cards, and collaborative theory timelines engage students directly with evidence, foster critical arguments, and make the uncertainty of history vivid and memorable.

Key Questions

1. Analyze the historical evidence surrounding the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower.
2. Evaluate the various theories regarding who was responsible for the Princes' fate.
3. Critique Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard III and its influence on historical perception.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze primary source documents to identify differing accounts of the Princes in the Tower's disappearance.
• Evaluate the plausibility of competing theories regarding the fate of Edward V and his brother.
• Critique Shakespeare's historical drama 'Richard III' for its dramatic license and impact on public perception.
• Synthesize evidence from multiple sources to construct a reasoned argument about Richard III's culpability.
• Compare the political motivations of key figures involved in the dynastic conflict of 1483.

Before You Start

Introduction to the Wars of the Roses

Why: Students need a basic understanding of the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York to contextualize the events of 1483.

Medieval English Monarchy

Why: Familiarity with the concept of royal succession and the role of the monarch provides essential background for understanding the political stakes involved.

Key Vocabulary

Usurpation	The act of seizing someone's position or power by force or without legal right. In this context, it refers to Richard III taking the throne.
Dynastic Conflict	A struggle for power between rival families or branches of a ruling family, often over succession to a throne. The Wars of the Roses is a prime example.
Primary Source	An original document or artifact created at the time under study, offering direct evidence. Examples include chronicles and letters.
Historical Interpretation	The process of explaining past events by analyzing evidence and forming conclusions. Different historians may reach different conclusions based on the same evidence.
Propaganda	Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. Shakespeare's play can be seen as propaganda.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Richard III definitely murdered the princes because Shakespeare said so.

What to Teach Instead

Shakespeare's play relied on Tudor propaganda to vilify Richard; contemporary sources offer no direct proof. Group debates where students defend theories using real evidence help them spot bias and weigh ambiguity over dramatic certainty.

Common Misconception

The mystery is solved by the bones found in the Tower.

What to Teach Instead

Bones discovered in 1674 were presumed to be the princes', but 20th-century analysis and DNA tests remain inconclusive. Timeline activities let students sequence discoveries and see how new evidence revises interpretations.

Common Misconception

Without a body or confession, nothing certain can be known about history.

What to Teach Instead

Historians interpret surviving clues like absences from records and political motives. Source-sorting tasks in pairs build confidence in using indirect evidence to form balanced judgements.

Active Learning Ideas

Evidence Stations: Source Analysis

Prepare stations with replicas of key sources like Mancini's dispatch and the Croyland Chronicle. Small groups spend 8 minutes per station recording what each reveals about the princes' fate and its reliability. Groups then present one key insight to the class.

45 min·Small Groups

Mock Trial: Richard III Prosecuted

Assign roles: prosecution, defense, witnesses, and judge. Pairs prepare arguments using printed evidence excerpts over 15 minutes. Hold a 25-minute trial with cross-examination, followed by class vote on verdict.

50 min·Pairs

Theory Mapping: Group Charts

Provide charts with columns for suspects, motives, and evidence. Small groups fill in details from shared sources, then connect theories with arrows showing links. Display and critique charts as a class.

35 min·Small Groups

Shakespeare Scene Rewrite: Modern Twist

Individuals read a Shakespeare excerpt on Richard III, then rewrite a short scene incorporating historical evidence. Share in small groups and discuss portrayal biases.

40 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Forensic investigators meticulously examine crime scenes, collecting and analyzing evidence to reconstruct events and determine responsibility, much like historians analyzing historical documents.
• Journalists and documentary filmmakers often grapple with presenting complex historical events, needing to weigh different perspectives and sources to create a balanced narrative, similar to evaluating the Princes in the Tower mystery.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Facilitate a class debate using the prompt: 'Based on the evidence presented, who is most likely responsible for the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower?' Assign students roles representing different historical figures or theories to argue from.

Quick Check

Provide students with short excerpts from two different primary sources (e.g., Mancini and More). Ask them to write one sentence identifying the author's potential bias and one sentence explaining how this bias might affect their account of events.

Peer Assessment

Students create a timeline of key events from 1483. They then exchange timelines with a partner. Partners check for accuracy of dates and sequence, and identify one event where the historical interpretation is particularly contested, noting the different possibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What evidence exists about the Princes in the Tower?

Key sources include Dominic Mancini's 1483 eyewitness account of the boys' isolation, the Croyland Chronicle's mention of their fate post-Richard III's coronation, and skeletal remains found in 1674 tested in modern times. No single source confirms murder, but their Tower confinement and absence from public view suggest foul play. Students benefit from comparing these for patterns in reliability and gaps.

Did Richard III kill the Princes in the Tower?

Theories point to Richard due to his motive to secure the throne and control of the Tower, but evidence is circumstantial: no bodies identified definitively as his doing. Alternatives include Henry Tudor or Buckingham. Teaching this requires balanced source work to avoid Tudor-biased views like Thomas More's account.

How did Shakespeare influence views on Richard III?

In his play, Shakespeare depicted Richard as a deformed villain plotting the princes' deaths, drawing from Tudor propaganda to legitimize Elizabeth I's rule. This image overshadowed more neutral contemporary views. Comparing play excerpts with chronicles helps students see literature's power over historical perception.

How can active learning help teach the Princes in the Tower?

Active methods like mock trials and evidence stations immerse Year 7 students in the mystery, letting them handle sources, argue theories, and vote on outcomes. This builds source evaluation skills through role-play and collaboration, making abstract concepts concrete. Debates reveal biases naturally, while group mapping reinforces uncertainty as central to historical thinking, boosting engagement over lectures.