When The Victorious Write History

We've all heard the saying, "history is written by the victors," and it has held true for as long as the winning team has recorded history. 

Richard III was a conniving, murdering hunchback of a king.  The English people were better off after he was killed in battle, and the benevolent Tudors took over.  Historians writing after his death recorded this, so it must be true.  Shakespeare penned it as well, so it must be true.  Right?

Actor Anthony Sher's 1984 performance of Shakespeares's Richard III.

Remember that all authors will have a bias; in particular, the writings of those who stand to profit from a certain viewpoint must always be viewed as suspect.  Shakespeare wrote for an audience living under Queen Elizabeth from the House of Tudor.  The Tudors had every reason to wish their ascendency to the throne be viewed as legitimate.  However, they needed to avoid turning the overthrown king into a martyr.  By altering the image of King Richard III into a twisted, wicked man, they secured their place in the hearts and minds of the English people.  Just as it's common for shooter video games today to paint Nazis or zombies as the great common enemy, Shakespeare created a monster in Richard III.  

Tony Rust and Kate Preston in a 1987 performance of Richard III.

Shakespeare did not act alone, though. Prior to the Tudors' win in the Bosworth battlefield, Richard was considered a "good Lord" (Rous Roll). He was a young king who funded the construction of churches, as well as gave money to charity and schools. Once Henry won the battle and throne, though, historians under the Tudors recorded the dead Yorkist king as a "bloody tyrant" (Vergil's Anglica Historia, 1534). 

After the King was killed, there was no great funeral.  Most records indicate he was buried in a church yard, but the church was eventually demolished.  Later accounts mention a stone in a garden marking the location of his remains, and his coffin being used as a horse trough at a local tavern, but even these are now lost and forgotten. How the mighty had fallen, thanks to History.

Picture from Corbis depicting Richard III rushing into the midst of his enemies.

Recently, though, archaeologists uncovered what are probably Richard III's remains (DNA tests pending).  The last King of England to die gloriously in battle for his country rests in an unmarked grave under a parking lot.

Parking lot in Leicester where the King is probably buried.

Perhaps soon history will be corrected, and Richard III will be given a state funeral befitting a fallen warrior.  This may be the impetus for new research and a more accurate representation of the King, instead of reliance upon biased sources.

Reenactors in Leicester at archaeological dig

Truly, to find truth in History, we must dig deeper.

Location where archaeologists found remains wrapped in a shroud.   

UPDATE:  DNA Tests confirm these are the remains of Richard III.

More Than Decoration: The Humble Pumpkin

As the moon waxes full over the scattered frost of the yard during these crisp October mornings, one's mind wanders to the warm colors and spicy flavors of Autumn.  In the United States, the pumpkin is the quintessential element of Fall decorating and baking.  But why limit our gourd to pies and lanterns one time each year?  Our ancestors found a multitude of uses for this versatile plant.

Gathering Pumpkings: An October Scene in New England, ca. 1860

Pumpkins, like many of our favorite vegetables, originated in North America and cultivated by American Indians for thousands of years.  Prehistoric peoples created two lineages of the gourd; one was grown in Mexico, and the other, considered a subspecies by some, along the east coast of the United States.  The pumpkin was roasted over fire, and pieces were pounded into strips to create mats.  

Pumpkins prefer warm, moist environments, and the first Spanish explorers likely encountered them in Florida and Central America.  They named them calabaza, and by the early 1700s both black and white farmers around St. Augustine, Florida, were actively growing them (may have been as early as late 1500s).
  

The English settlers brought with them to the New World their custom of carving squash into lanterns. These settlers, both Spanish and English, consumed pumpkin raw, roasted, cooked in a stew or soup. Some of the first European colonists filled the pumpkins with honey, cream and spices, then set them in the fire to cook.  This may be the origin of pumpkin pie.  During the late 1700s and early 1800s, New England farmers fattened cattle, hogs and horses on pumpkins during the winter, though they advised to place some salt on the flesh first, otherwise the animals may not find it appetizing.

La Récolte des citrouilles à la Bastide de Malvalat by François Marius Granet (1775-1849), 1796

Instead of pottage and puddings and custards and pies,

Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies;

We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,

If it was not for pumpkins we should be undone.

Poem from 1630, published in the Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 1838

Medicinal uses:  

• Pumpkin seeds have been used to rid children of intestinal worms, and indeed the amino acid in the seed inhibits growth of immature liver flukes.

• In a 2007 study, pumpkin was found promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells.  

• The seeds also contain omega-3 fats and zinc, which may promote prostate health.

Here's my recipe for simple pumpkin soup.  Feel free to share your own pumpkin recipe.  



3 tbsp. butter
2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fat free half and half.

I cook the pumpkin in a pan (to soften it), then place all the ingredients in a blender (I'm sure a food processor works as well). I then return it to the pan to continue simmering for about 20 minutes. Some people pour the soup back into the pumpkin and bake for a little while - it keeps the soup warm.

Most of my sources are from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and are a fascinating read for those interested in the history of our country's agriculture.