King Richard III was probably killed by blows to the head while he was not wearing a helmet, British scientists say.

A team of researchers have put together a blow-by-blow account of the death of Richard, the last English king to die in battle, who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

They said two of many blows to his bare head could have killed him very swiftly.

Their analysis of his remains suggests he was attacked by one or more people, and that nine of 11 blows, clearly inflicted in battle, were to his skull and another possibly fatal blow was to his pelvis.

The findings also support previous opinion that he had no helmet on.

The real Richard Born in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, he was still a child when his elder brother Edward IV became king.

Born in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire, he was still a child when his elder brother Edward IV became king. He led the war against Scotland in 1480, securing Berwick in 1482.

He led the war against Scotland in 1480, securing Berwick in 1482. After Edward's untimely death in April 1483, Richard's future was put in doubt as Edward's young sons were still alive.

After Edward's untimely death in April 1483, Richard's future was put in doubt as Edward's young sons were still alive. Richard was believed to have ordered the murders of the boys - the so-called 'Princes in the Tower' - and they were never seen again.

Richard was believed to have ordered the murders of the boys - the so-called 'Princes in the Tower' - and they were never seen again. In a series of palace coups he secured power, first becoming protector and then king. He was crowned on July 6, 1483.

In a series of palace coups he secured power, first becoming protector and then king. He was crowned on July 6, 1483. Months later the southern counties raised a rebellion in the name of Henry Tudor.

Months later the southern counties raised a rebellion in the name of Henry Tudor. Richard reigned for another two years in a climate of an ever-growing crisis.

Richard reigned for another two years in a climate of an ever-growing crisis. He was killed on August 22, 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field.

He was killed on August 22, 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was known to have shouted "Treason, treason, treason!" as he was killed.

He was known to have shouted "Treason, treason, treason!" as he was killed. In Shakespeare's play his last words are famously: "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"

In Shakespeare's play his last words are famously: "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!" Following his death, the victorious Tudors began rewriting history to destroy Richard's reputation.

Following his death, the victorious Tudors began rewriting history to destroy Richard's reputation. He suffered from scoliosis (curvature of the spine).

He suffered from scoliosis (curvature of the spine). Shakespeare's Richard III portrayed him with a hunch, a limp and a withered arm.

The head injuries are consistent with some near-contemporary accounts of the battle, the researchers said in findings published in The Lancet medical journal.

"The wounds to the skull suggest that he was not wearing a helmet, and the absence of defensive wounds on his arms and hands indicate that he was otherwise still armoured at the time of his death," said Sarah Hainsworth, a professor of materials engineering at Leicester University, who co-led the study.

Richard's remains were found by archaeologists under a car park in the central English city of Leicester in 2012 and subsequently identified by experts from the city's university.

A court ruled in May this year that the king should be re-buried close to where he was slain in battle, dashing the hopes of descendants who had wanted his remains to be taken back to his northern English stronghold of York.

Professor Hainsworth's team used whole body computerised tomography (CT) scans and micro-CT imaging to analyse trauma to the bones and determine which of Richard's wounds might have proved fatal

They also analysed tool marks on bone to identify the medieval weapons potentially responsible for his injuries.

According to Guy Rutty, a pathologist on the research team, "the most likely injuries to have caused the king's death are the two to the inferior aspect of the skull - a large sharp force trauma possibly from a sword or staff weapon, such as a halberd or bill, and a penetrating injury from the tip of an edged weapon."

According to historical record, the monarch was killed in battle on Bosworth Field, near Leicester, on August 22, 1485.

Those accounts suggest Richard was forced to abandon his horse after it became stuck in a mire and was then killed fighting.

His death was the culmination of the Wars of the Roses, a bloody 30-year power struggle between Richard's House of York and the rival House of Lancaster.

Reuters