The Characters of Shakespeare’s Richard III with historical links

The articles on these historical figures are from Wikipedia, and they are reasonably sound. I have put these here to help let you grasp the connections between the figures, but it is to be borne in mind that Shakespeare's narrative is far from the historical truth in a number of places.

King Edward the Fourth

Edward, Prince of Wales, [afterwards King Edward V], son to King Edward IV

George, Duke of Clarence, brother to the King

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, [afterwards King Richard III], brother to the King

Elizabeth Woodville, Queen to King Edward IV

Margaret, widow of King Henry VI

Duchess of York, mother to King Edward IV

Lady Anne, widow of Edward Prince of Wales (son to King Henry VI) [afterwards married to Richard]

Richard, Duke of York, son to King Edward IV

Henry, Earl of Richmond, [afterwards King Henry VII]

Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury

Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York

John Morton, Bishop of Ely

Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham

Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk

Earl of Surrey, Son of the Duke of Norfolk

Anthony Woodville, Second Earl Rivers, brother to Elizabeth

Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset, son to Queen Elizabeth

Lord Grey, son to Queen Elizabeth

Earl of Oxford

Lord Hastings

Lord Stanley, called also Earl of Derby, husband of Margaret Beaufort, father of Henry, Earl of Richmond, later Henry VII

Lord Lovel

Sir Thomas Vaughan

Sir Richard Ratcliffe

Sir William Catesby

Sir James Tyrrel

Sir James Blount

Sir Robert Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower

Christopher Urswick, a priest

Lord Mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire

Sir Walter Herbert

Second Priest

Tressel, gentleman attending on the Lady Anne

Berkeley, gentleman attending on the Lady Anne

A young son of Clarence

A young Daughter of Clarence

Ghosts of those murdered by Richard III, Lords and other Attendants; a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Soldiers, &c.

© Copyright 2015, Bruce A. McMenomy