The Worm King

In 1485, King Richard III forfeited his life in the process of losing the Battle of Bosworth Field, thus opening the way for a Tudor ascendancy and ending the War of the Roses. But of course, that would be old news.

The new news (Redundant? Just news, you say?) is that Ole King Ricky had worms. Roundworms, to be specific.

According to a story posted today by CNN online, researchers digging in the soil around the monarch’s pelvic bones found roundworm eggs just about there his intestines would have been, had they not rotted completely away about five centuries ago.

The dude was buried in the then Greyfriars’ Friary (Hey, if ‘new news’ is redundant, how come they get to call their church Greyfriars’ Friary? I guess they had fewer annoying grammar rules in the fifteenth century A.D. ) and after much research and hand ringing, scientists determined the burial site lay beneath a current parking lot. So they dug down and sure enough – Kingly soup bones.

Scientists compared DNA from the bones to that of a couple of Richard’s modern descendants in order to confirm the identity of the corpse.

Is anyone still reading? And if so, why? And why do we spend money and the time of what must be some really smart people in finding out this guy had worms? Aren’t there more important pursuits these scientists could, you know, pursue?

Hmph!

If you are still reading – and I certainly don’t blame you if you aren’t – you may want to know that the remains will be reinterred in Leicester Cathedral. Refreshments back at the parking lot immediately after.