David BaldwinFRHistS ( 22 December 1946 (?) – 4 April 2016) was a British historian, author and formeruniversity lecturer, who lived nearLeicester, England.
Baldwin specialised inlate Medieval history—"the great medieval families of theMidlands"—and wrote several books about the people and events of theWars of the Roses.[1] Before retiring from teaching,[2] Baldwin had previously worked as a lecturer at both theUniversity of Leicester and theUniversity of Nottingham.[1] In 1986, over 25 years before the 2012 excavation and the discovery of the king's body, he predicted thatRichard III's remains would be found atGreyfriars, Leicester.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
In his 2010 book,Robin Hood: The English Outlaw Unmasked, Baldwin argued that the 'real'Robin Hood wasRoger Godberd, a disinherited supporter ofSimon de Montfort. He drew attention to the many similarities between Godberd's career and the stories told of Robin in the earliest ballads, and to a grave slab inLoxley churchyard inWarwickshire which appeared to be identical to one associated with Robin in earlier centuries.
In his 2007 book,The Lost Prince: The Survival of Richard of York, Baldwin discussed the possibility that the younger of thePrinces in the Tower,Prince Richard, survived, and was the "Richard Plantagenet" who died in December 1550 atEastwell inKent. Richard had worked as a bricklayer atSt. John's Abbey, Colchester, until 1539, but, unusually for someone of his class, could read Latin.[9] He is sometimes said to have been an illegitimate son of KingRichard III.[10]
Baldwin was elected aFellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2012.[11]
A religious man, Baldwin was a member of aChristadelphian congregation in Leicester.[11]
Baldwin was the author of several books and contributed to a number of historical journals. In addition to teaching at Leicester and Nottingham Universities, he professionally lectured for societies and conferences.[1]
