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[The Mystery of the Princes in the Tower: A Royal Whodunit]-[Episode 89: The Princes In The Tower Mini Morbid]

Morbid · B2 · 2019-08-25

True crime
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📋 Summary

The Mystery of the Princes in the Tower: A Royal Whodunit

In this episode of Morbid, hosts Ash and Elena step away from the heavy, draining nature of their recent deep-dive into the BTK serial killer case to explore a historical "whodunit": the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. The hosts frame this centuries-old mystery as a real-life Game of Thrones, involving power struggles, questionable successions, and the tragic fate of two young boys.

The Princes: Edward and Richard

At the center of the mystery are Edward, Prince of Wales, and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York. Following the sudden death of their father, King Edward IV, in 1483, the boys were caught in a precarious political position. Edward V, at age 12, was the rightful heir to the throne, but because he was a minor, his uncle, Richard III, was appointed "Lord Protector of the Realm." This position allowed Richard III to effectively act as king, setting the stage for a treacherous power grab.

The Tower as a Prison

Initially, the boys were moved to the Tower of London for safekeeping, a common practice for royalty during periods of instability. However, the narrative shifted when a clergyman claimed that the marriage of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville was invalid, declaring the princes "bastards" and stripping them of their legitimate claim to the throne. This convenient development allowed Richard III to seize the crown. The princes were effectively turned into prisoners, with reports indicating that the young Edward V became "completely resolved to the fact that he was probably going to die."

The Disappearance and Discovery

In 1485, Henry Tudor (later King Henry VII) defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, taking the throne for himself. Following this, the princes disappeared from history. It was not until 1674, nearly two centuries later, that construction workers at the Tower of London discovered two small skeletons hidden under a staircase, accompanied by pieces of velvet—a material reserved for royalty.

In 1933, these remains were exhumed and analyzed by experts, including anatomist William Wright and dental surgeon Dr. George Northcroft. They concluded that the bones were consistent with the ages of the princes. Notably, they found a brown stain on one skull and damage to the nasal bones, suggesting the boys may have died from suffocation—a method the hosts note would have been a common way to eliminate such threats at the time.

Competing Theories: Richard III vs. Henry VII

The central mystery remains: who was responsible for their deaths? The hosts debate two primary suspects:

  • Richard III: As the uncle who stood to gain the most by removing the legitimate heirs, Richard III is a prime suspect. He was known for being ruthless, having previously ordered the deaths of other political rivals, including Lord Hastings and Elizabeth Woodville’s brother. The hosts point out that he had the proximity and the motive to eliminate the boys to secure his own reign.
  • Henry VII: The alternative theory suggests that Henry VII, whose own claim to the throne was "weak and shitty," might have orchestrated the narrative. By marrying Edward IV’s daughter, Elizabeth of York, Henry VII consolidated his power. Some historians argue that a "true psychopath" like Henry VII might have had the boys killed to ensure his path to the throne was undisputed, while simultaneously framing Richard III for the crime to bolster his own legitimacy.

Ultimately, the hosts remain divided on the culprit, but they agree that the story of the Princes in the Tower serves as a chilling reminder of the "bloodshed" and "Game of Thrones"-style treachery that defined the era. The case concludes with the boys reinterred in Westminster Abbey, leaving the definitive answer to their fate a haunting, unsolved mystery.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I am absolutely loving it.
2
Think about the most disturbing government secrets you've learned from history.
3
Are you changing the game?
4
It drained a lot of my resources.
5
I agree. It really is.
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📝Key Phrases

1
change up the game
2
take a lot out of someone
3
hunker down
4
clear the way
5
take something with a grain of salt
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📖 Transcript

Hey weirdos, it's Ash here, ready to share a little secret.
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