10 Historical Lies You Totally Fell For

History is written by the victors.

With the War of the Roses reaching its climax at the Battle of Bosworth Field in the summer 1485, Henry Tudor overthrew Richard III. Ushering in a new age of English leadership (legend has it Henry found the crown in a bramble bush during the battle), the throne hasn't changed hands on the battlefield since, and as the Tudor age began, so too did the vilification of Yorkist rule.

During Elisabeth I's reign, Shakespeare wrote a play depicting the life of Richard III, and it was no surprise that it was deliberately unflattering. After all, it was Elisabeth's grandfather who took the crown for himself by defeating Richard III, so the decision to make the Yorkist monarch as repulsive as possible was undoubtedly a wise one.

However, as time moved forward and relative peace would befall England, Shakespeare's interpretation of Richard III became widely recognised.

The truth is nothing of the sort, and while he was undoubtedly a narcissist (what king isn't?) his rule was, at least in by English standards, relatively unspectacular.

'My kingdom for a horse' was a lie, orchestrated by William Shakespeare. As were most of the stories you're led to believe.