On Forgiving the Crimes of the Past
We downplay terrible acts from the distant past, in a way that we never would when considering more recent crimes, says Tim Stanley.
The discovery of Richard III’s body under a car park in Leicester seems to have rekindled the British public’s love of their own history. The debates about where he should be buried and whether or not he was as bad as Shakespeare said show that popular history doesn’t have to all be Henry VIII or Adolf Hitler. Richard’s deformed skeleton has lifted the amnesia surrounding the Wars of the Roses.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
