In the teeth of the evidence

Here, a little-known television journalist-historian named Dominic Selwood disputes the identity of Richard III’s remains, despite the mtDNA match with collateral descendants in Canada and Australia, their height, age of death, era of death, scoliosis, battle injuries, region of origin and the location of his original burial at the choir of the Greyfriars. In fact… Continue reading In the teeth of the evidence

A few years ago …

… we showed you, through the use of snooker balls, how it is significantly more probable that the Y-chromosome break occurred in the long Gaunt-Beaufort male line than the Langley-York line to Richard III.Although snooker was a nineteenth century invention, some earlier monarchs might well have enjoyed it: Harold II, whose informal wife (in more… Continue reading A few years ago …

The Sitwells

I have recently come across this photo, showing a similarity between Margaret Countess of Salisbury and her descendant, Dame Edith Sitwell, of the Renishaw literary family of baronets. The Sitwell’s ancestry is through the early Dukes of Beaufort – the family who are theoretically descended in the male line from Edward III, but not necessarily.… Continue reading The Sitwells

Yes, that Thomas of Lancaster

He lost his head at Pontefract so what was he doing on sale in Colchester? This Kathryn Warner post gives a lot of detail about Thomas Earl of Lancaster’s life, rebellion and execution six days after the Battle of Boroughbridge. Here we explained the circumstances in which John Ashdown-Hill is seeking his remains, to solve… Continue reading Yes, that Thomas of Lancaster

Was Edward IV gay and/or bisexual? Dr John Ashdown-Hill thinks maybe so….

What follows was written entirely by Caroline Tilley, Senior Reporter of the Daily Gazette/Essex County Standard Secret marriages, scandalous affairs and one of the best-kept secrets in English history…. WHEN you have helped to unearth arguably the greatest historical find of the 21st century, some people might decide to put their feet up. Not Dr John… Continue reading Was Edward IV gay and/or bisexual? Dr John Ashdown-Hill thinks maybe so….

Just one missing word mars a conclusion

I have recently perused the critical pages (180-191) of Michael Hicks’ latest work: “The Family of Richard III”, relating to the evidence of the remains found in the former Greyfriars. He states that the mitochondrial DNA evidence only shows that the remains are of an individual related to Richard III. He doesn’t admit that the… Continue reading Just one missing word mars a conclusion

Three (or four) different Y-chromosomes

Further genealogical research by the University of Leicester has uncovered and tested Patrice de Warren,  descended in the male line from Geoffrey of Anjou, the husband of Matilda, the ancestor of all Plantagenets: http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2015/march/research-by-dr-turi-king-university-of-leicester-geneticist-into-the-ancestry-of-king-richard-iii His Y-chromosome neither matches that of Richard III nor that of the Somersets, one of whom differs from his cousins. There… Continue reading Three (or four) different Y-chromosomes

Straight from the horse’s mouth?

……… in which Dr. John Ashdown-Hill, who located the mtDNA match, tells nerdalicious what these findings really mean, not what the Cairo brigade (eg Hicks, Dan Jones and their acolytes) are already twisting them to mean: What do King Richard III’s Latest DNA Results Really Prove? 1) Given that Richard III is only four generations… Continue reading Straight from the horse’s mouth?

A big development

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/141202/ncomms6631/full/ncomms6631.html It seems from this that there is a Y-chromosome mismatch between Richard III (as confirmed by his mtDNA, age, scoliosis etc), and the present Duke of Beaufort. There are various possibilities and our piece “A genealogical mystery deepens” outlined one – that Sir Hugh Swynford fathered the first “Beaufort”, making the Dukes of Somerset,… Continue reading A big development