The Tudor Society

  • Happy International Women’s Day!

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    It was my son that reminded me that it’s International Women’s Day today because where he lives, in Russia, it is a public holiday and a day that celebrates women. I hope he spoils his wife today!

    International Women’s Day is about celebrating “the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women” and each year has a different theme. This year’s campaign theme is “#BeBoldForChange” and the International Women’s Day website explains that “For International Women’s Day 2017, we’re asking you to #BeBoldForChange. Call on the masses or call on yourself to help forge a better working world – a more inclusive, gender equal world.”

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  • Nicholas Carew

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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  • Bradgate Park commemorates Lady Jane Grey – 8-16 July 2017

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Thank you to Tamise Hills of the Lady Jane Grey Reference Guide for sharing this bit of news on Facebook.

    The Loughborough Echo have reported that Bradgate Park, which is the location of the ruins of Lady Jane Grey’s family home, is commemorating the short reign of Lady Jane Grey, or Queen Jane, with events including dusk tours, ghost walks, a talk and book signing with Alison Weir and a remembrance service at the Chapel.

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  • Comets and composers

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    7th March 1556 was one of the days on which the Great Comet, or the Comet of Charles V, was seen and recorded by Paul Fabricius, mathematician and physician at Emperor Charles V’s court.

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  • Transcript of Mary, Queen of Scots live chat

    7 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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    Here is the transcript of the lively discussion we had over the weekend about Mary, Queen of Scots. Thank you for all those who came as this turned out to be a very memorable discussion on such a fascinating character.

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  • Juan Luis Vives

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 6th March 1492, Juan Luis Vives was born in Valencia, Spain.

    Juan Luis Vives was a scholar and humanist, and is known for being the friend and adviser of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII, and the tutor of the couple’s daughter, the future Mary I. Catherine of Aragon commissioned him to write the treatise Education of a Christian Woman (Instruction of a christen woman) and he created the Satellitium animi, or Escort of the Soul, a study plan for the Princess Mary, which also included “spiritual mottoes and devices”. It was the forerunner of the 16th- and 17th-century emblem books, books which contained a number of emblematic images with an accompanying explanatory text.

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  • This week in history 6 – 12 March

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 6th March…

    1492 – Birth of Juan Luis Vives, scholar, humanist and tutor of Mary I, in Valencia, Spain.
    1536 – Introduction into Parliament of the “Act for the Suppression (or Dissolution) of the Lesser Monasteries”. The act affected the “lesser monasteries”; those with fewer than twelve members and those worth less than £200 per year. They were to be dissolved, their heads pensioned off and their members to become secularized or moved to larger monasteries “where they may be compelled to live religiously for reformation of their lives”.
    1547 – Thomas Wriothesley lost the Great Seal of his Lord Chancellorship and was confined to his home at Ely Place for abusing his authority. He was found guilty of issuing a commission without the knowledge or permission of the other executors of Henry VIII’s will, but it was probably more to do with his opposition to Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, becoming Lord Protector. He was later re-admitted to the Privy Council, a position he’d also lost at his fall.

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  • The Howard Family Quiz

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

    The Howards were an ancient and important family, but how much do you know about them? Test yourself with this fun quiz.

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  • Two great books

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    In this week’s Claire Chats, I share two books that I’ve been sent…

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  • Expert Talk – Wendy J. Dunn on Thomas Wyatt, The Elder

    7 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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    The expert speaker for March is Wendy J. Dunn, author of “Dear Heart, How Like You This?”, “The Light in the Labyrinth” and “Falling Pomegranate Seeds: The Duty of Daughters (Katherine of Aragon Story)”. In this month’s expert talk, Wendy goes into detail about the fascinating Tudor character, Sir Thomas Wyatt, the Elder.

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  • The Madness of Juana of Castile

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Thank you to regular contributor Heather R. Darsie for this article on Juana of Castile who has gone down in history as “Juana la loca”.

    Juana of Castile, known as Juana la Loca or Joanna the Mad, was the elder sister of Catherine of Aragon and sister-in-law to Henry VIII of England. Juana married Philip the Handsome in 1496, when she was 16. She went on to have six children with her husband, including Charles, who later became the Holy Roman Emperor. Juana was an intelligent young woman and, like her sisters, received a considerable education for the time-period. It was reported that Juana could speak the three main languages of the Iberian Peninsula, along with Latin and French.

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  • Anne Askew by Roland Hui

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today we have a guest post from Roland Hui as part of his book tour for his debut book “The Turbulent Crown: The Story of the Tudor Queens”.

    MadeGlobal Publishing is giving away a copy of Roland’s book at each stop and all you need to do at this stop is to leave a comment below saying which queen or queen consort you feel had the most turbulent life. Leave your comment before midnight on 8th March 2017. One comment will be picked at random and the person contacted for their details.

    Over to Roland…

    When Henry VIII married Katharine Parr in 1543, the general opinion was that the King had chosen most wisely. Unlike his previous wife, Katheryn Howard, this Katharine was no young lady with a sordid past, but a mature, sensible widow. The new Queen was also known for her piety.

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  • Transcript of our live chat with Lauren

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    We had a wonderful live chat with historian Lauren Browne on Saturday night. It was all about the reputations of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Eleanor of Castile in the Tudor period.

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  • Mary, Queen of Scots – live chat on Saturday 4 March

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    We’re holding one of our informal live chats on the chatroom this Saturday. Regular contributor Heather R. Darsie will be moderating and you can ask her questions or simply pose questions for debate and discussion. Heather thought it would be nice to talk about Mary’s life after her return from France, but we can stray to her earlier life if you like. We can also discuss books, theories about her… whatever you like, it’s an informal chat.

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  • Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in 1620, Thomas Campion, the famous Tudor and Stuart physician, poet and musician, died. He was laid to rest on the same day he died at St Dunstan-in-the-West, Fleet Street, London.

    Campion was born in 1567 and was the son of John Campion, cursitor to the chancery court, and Lucy Searle. His father died when he was nine, so he was brought up by two stepfathers. Campion was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, and he was admitted to Gray’s Inn, one of the four Inns of Court in London, in April 1586.

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  • Ash Wednesday and St David’s Day

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today is both Ash Wednesday and St David’s Day!

    Ash Wednesday was the first day of Lent and was a day of penitence. Before the Reformation banned the practice, priests would bless ashes, which were traditionally made from burning the previous year’s Palm Sunday ‘palms’, mix them with holy water and then mark the congregation’s foreheads with the sign of the cross in ash. As the priest did this, he would say “Remember, man, that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return.”

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