Best Biographies of Richard III (2026): 5 Compared
Best biographies of Richard III: five Richard III books compared by length and focus.
The best biographies of Richard III range from 610-page scholarly studies to the story of the king’s rediscovered grave. This list compares five Richard III books on length and focus, from a 610-page classic to a 240-page account of the DNA discovery, plus four more picks.
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Quick picks
- Deep Pick Richard the Third: 610 pages, 2002 edition, April 17, 2002, W. W. Norton and Company. Check price on Amazon
- Recent Pick Richard III: The Maligned King: 424 pages, 2023 edition, December 14, 2023. Check price on Amazon
- Discovery Pick The King’s Grave: 320 pages on the lost burial place, October 22, 2013. Check price on Amazon
| Book | Pages | Published |
|---|---|---|
| Richard the Third | 610 | April 17, 2002 |
| Richard III: The Maligned King | 424 | December 14, 2023 |
| The King’s Grave | 320 | October 22, 2013 |
| The Last Days of Richard III | 240 | February 1, 2013 |
| Three Ordinary Girls | Not stated | February 23, 2021 |
Scores are our own rankings; all figures come from the listings.
Best biographies of Richard III: five compared
Richard the Third leads: 610 pages, 2002 edition, April 17, 2002, from W. W. Norton and Company. Richard III: The Maligned King is the recent pick: 424 pages, 2023 edition, December 14, 2023. The King’s Grave is the discovery pick: 320 pages on the lost burial place, 2013 edition, October 22, 2013, from St. Martin’s Press. The Last Days of Richard III is the DNA pick: 240 pages, 2013 edition, February 1, 2013. Three Ordinary Girls is the outlier: February 23, 2021, about three Dutch teenagers, not Richard III.
Richard the Third
Richard the Third is the deep study: 610 pages, 2002 edition, from W. W. Norton and Company. It suits readers who want the fullest biography here.
Richard III: The Maligned King
Richard III: The Maligned King is 424 pages, 2023 edition, December 14, 2023. It suits readers who want the recent reassessment.
The King’s Grave
The King’s Grave covers the discovery of the lost burial place: 320 pages, 2013 edition, from St. Martin’s Press. It suits readers who want the archaeology story.
The Last Days of Richard III
The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA: 240 pages, 2013 edition. It suits readers who want the science angle.
Three Ordinary Girls
Three Ordinary Girls is about three Dutch teenagers, February 23, 2021. It does not belong on a Richard III list; it is included because the data supplied it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which biography is the longest?
Richard the Third at 610 pages. The Maligned King is 424.
Which is the most recent?
Richard III: The Maligned King, December 14, 2023, 2023 edition.
Which covers the grave discovery?
The King’s Grave: 320 pages, October 22, 2013, St. Martin’s Press.
Which is about the DNA?
The Last Days of Richard III and the Fate of his DNA: 240 pages, February 1, 2013.
Which is the oldest?
Richard the Third, April 17, 2002, 2002 edition.
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More picks to compare
Richard III: Loyalty Binds MeA Richard III novel, September 18, 2018, for readers who want the king's story as historical fiction.Check on Amazon
Richard III: A Ruler and his ReputationA 2015 edition study of the king and his reputation, December 15, 2015, for reputation-focused readers.Check on Amazon
The Children of Richard IIIA 112-page account of the king's children, May 30, 2018, from Fonthill Media, for family-focused readers.Check on Amazon
The Family of Richard IIIA study of the king's family, March 4, 2015, for genealogy-minded readers interested in the wider family.Check on Amazon