The New Murrey and Blue blog

Here is a shortish article about monarchs with a bad name. No prizes for predicting that it will include Richard III.

However, it also deals with others. Stephen’s reign, for instance, was “an unmitigated disaster”, and Henry VI was also a disaster. Enough said about John. Henry VIII is remembered only for his six wives – not a good epitaph. Queen Mary (Tudor) and James II’s reigns were religiously divisive. However, Mary is credited with being the only Queen Mary, when the article also concerns itself with William and Mary. The second Mary gets a mention, however, so I can’t understand the “only Mary” reference.

To Richard. Well, he gets a reasonable hearing, with both versions of him, bad and good. But, of course, there won’t be a Richard IV because Richard III was bad. Oh well.