Then came the unearthing of a mysterious coffin, near where the king was buried. Archaeologists theorized it contained the remains of a prominent man, possibly a knight or a Catholic Church official.

After the coffin was opened, another shocker: The person inside was a woman, researchers said this week.

Who was she? A wealthy aristocrat, church benefactor, beloved servant?

Whoever she was, the woman found in a double coffin -- a lead coffin encased in a larger stone coffin -- near the final resting place of King Richard III was probably a very noteworthy person.

At least that's the theory of Mathew Morris, an archaeologist at the University of Leicester.

Photos: The remains of King Richard III Photos: The remains of King Richard III In 2012, experts began digging away at the area and established that it was part of the friary and that a skeleton, hastily buried in an uneven grave, was that of King Richard III, who was killed in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III Mitochondrial DNA extracted from the bones was matched to Michael Ibsen, a Canadian cabinetmaker and direct descendant of Richard III's sister, Anne of York. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III Scientists at the University of Leicester say their examination of the skeleton shows Richard met a violent death: They found evidence of 11 wounds -- nine to the head and two to the body -- that they believe were inflicted at or around the time of death. Here, the base of the skull shows one of the potentially fatal injuries. This shows clearly how a section of the skull had been sliced off. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III The lower jaw shows a cut mark caused by a knife or dagger. The archaeologists say the wounds to Richard's head could have been what killed him. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III A wound to the cheek, possibly caused by a square-bladed dagger, can be seen here. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III This hole in the top of the skull represents a penetrating injury to the top of the head. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III Two flaps of bone, related to the penetrating injury to the top of the head, can clearly be seen on the interior of the skull. Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III The image shows a blade wound to the pelvis, which has penetrated all the way through the bone. Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III Here, a cut mark on the right rib can be seen. Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III As the skeleton was being excavated, a notable curve in the spine could be seen. (The width of the curve is correct, but the gaps between vertebrae have been increased to prevent damage from them touching one another.) Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: The remains of King Richard III The body was found in a roughly hewn grave that experts say was too small for the body, forcing it to be squeezed into an unusual position. The positioning also shows that his hands may have been tied. Hide Caption 11 of 11

"A grave like this -- very elaborate stone sarcophagus, lead inner casket buried in a very prominent position in the church, close to the high altar -- you've got to think this person was important," said Morris, who led the excavation.

Final resting place

The parking lot where the coffins where found, in Leicester, England, is where a church, known as Grey Friars Friary, once stood.

Over the centuries, the whereabouts of the friary's remnants were forgotten, but it remained in the records as the burial place of Richard III.

In 2012, experts began digging away at the area and established that it was part of the friary and that a skeleton, hastily buried in an uneven grave , was that of Richard, who was killed in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field.

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In 2013, Morris and his fellow archaeologists discovered the mysterious coffin within a coffin . On Sunday they announced their findings: the skeleton inside was from an elderly woman, who may have been a church benefactor and who probably died sometime in the 14th century.

Not what they expected

The fact that she was a woman may be the most surprising discovery. Scholars were certain that the coffin's inhabitant had to be one of three men: a medieval knight named Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, or two leaders of the English Grey Friars order, Peter Swynsfeld or William of Nottingham.

Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Controversial king – A visitor center telling the story of King Richard III's life and death and of the discovery of his remains beneath a car parking lot is to open on the site in Leicester, central England, where his skeleton was found in 2012. Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Final chapter – The new attraction is housed in an old school just a stone's throw from Leicester's Cathedral, where Richard III will be laid to rest in 2015. Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Life and death – Displays recreate scenes from King Richard III's life and death and explain how his long-lost grave was unearthed. Visitor center director Iain Gordon is expecting tourists from around the world -- including the U.S., Canada and Australia. Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Grave of the lost King – Visitors can stand over the trench where Richard III's remains were found and look down into the grave; special lighting effects are used to make it appear as though his skeleton is still inside. Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: King Richard III visitor center opens Science and the skeleton – A replica of Richard III's skeleton, with its distinctive curved spine, forms part of a display on the discovery and identification of the remains by experts from the University of Leicester. Hide Caption 5 of 5

But they are most certain that this woman was important. The known details surrounding her burial -- inner lead coffin inlaid with a crucifix, placement of the coffin in a prominent location -- all point to someone who was esteemed and held in high regard.

Scientists can see this even in the foods she ate. An analysis of the woman's remains revealed she had a diverse, protein-rich diet with large amounts of sea fish. Such a diet suggests that she was a wealthy person and would have been able to consume expensive foods like game, meat and fish, according to a press release from the University of Leicester.

'Forever remain anonymous'

Unfortunately that's about all Morris and his team have been able to find out about her. Documents and records in Leicester from around the time of her burial suggest she could be someone named Emma, who was married to John of Holt. But there's not enough information available to make even a cursory connection.

"We know little about (Emma) and a lack of fundamental information, such as her age at death, what she did for a living, what she looked like or where in the church she was buried, coupled with no known descendants who can provide a DNA sample, make it impossible to say for certain (if the skeleton) is that of Emma," Morris said.

He lamented that the skeleton will probably "forever remain anonymous."

Fit for a king

The skeleton wasn't the only female found at the site. According to the university, it was one of 10 graves discovered in the grounds of the former church, including that of Richard III, six of which were left undisturbed. The others that were examined were all found to have female remains.

And the obvious care put into the burials of the others found at the site says something about Richard III's burial.

"What stands out more is the contrast between the care and attention taken with these burials -- large, neatly dug graves with coffins -- and the crudeness of Richard III's grave," Morris said. "The more we examine it, the clearer it becomes how atypical Richard III's burial really was."

When Richard's grave was discovered, he was found in a grave that was simply too small for his body. His torso was left in an "odd position" that left his head partially propped up against the grave side. In an academic paper published a few months after the discovery, British archaeologists described the slain king as having been buried "with minimal reverence."

The skeleton being excavated, showing the curve in the spine and the way the head had been squashed into the grave. The hands may have been tied.

A burial more fitting for a king is in the offing, however. Richard III will be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral later this month, after his remains are released by the University of Leicester.