Today, 31st May, is the anniversary of the birth of Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby, and matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, in 1443 at Bletsoe Castle in Bedfordshire.
I thought we’d celebrate the birthday of this fascinating Tudor lady by sharing some Tudor Society resources linked to her.
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On this day in Tudor history, Saturday 31st May 1533, the eve of her coronation, a pregnant Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, processed from the Tower of London to Westminster Hall.
This coronation procession is one of those events that Claire would love to travel back in time for as it was a huge procession through the streets of London and there was lots of entertainment, including lavish, pageants, orations, music, and wine flowing in the conduits and in fountains. To be a citizen of London on that day! Wow!
Hear all about the pageantry in today’s video.
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In this week’s Claire Chats video talk, I talk about my recent visit to Knole in Kent, a beautiful house that one served as a palace, or country retreat, for the Archbishops of Canterbury.
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Tamise Hills from the Lady Jane Grey Reference Guide is our expert guest speaker for May, and her talk looks at what resources there are to help us understand this often forgotten Tudor queen.
Tamise is joining us in the Tudor Society chatroom tomorrow, 31st May, to answer your questions on her talk and all things to do with Lady Jane Grey, so I do hope you can join us.
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On this day in Tudor history, Tuesday 30th May 1536, just eleven days after the execution of his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII married his third wife, the woman he thought of as his true love and true wife, Jane Seymour.
Find out more about this event and the bride and groom in today’s video.
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June’s 76 Page FULL COLOUR Tudor Life magazine is focused on queenship during the Tudor period. It’s packed with interesting facts and articles about all of the Tudor queens and as always it’s a really great quality publication in full colour too! We know you’ll enjoy it.
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On this day in Tudor history, 29th May 1533, the celebrations for Queen Anne Boleyn’s coronation kicked off with a spectacular river pageant on the Thames.
In today’s video, I describe this amazing river procession, using details from contemporary sources. Fire-breathing dragons, wild men, music, sumptuous decorations… it must have been a wonderful sight.
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On this day in Tudor history, 28th May 1582, Roman Catholic priests Thomas Forde, John Shert and Robert Johnson suffered full traitors’ deaths at Tyburn.
The three men had been condemned for their alleged implication in the Rome and Reims Plot of 1580, but many believe that this plot wasn’t actually real.
In today’s video, I explain exactly what led to these men’s executions in 1582, why Roman Catholic priests were persecuted in this manner, and what the plot was all about.
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On this day in Tudor history, 27th May 1537, news that Queen Jane Seymour had felt her baby move for the first time provoked celebrations in London, Calais, Oxford and York.
How did people celebrate?
In today’s video, I share what the contemporary sources say about this day and how the news was celebrated.
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On this day in Tudor history, 26th May 1536, Henry VIII’s daughter, Mary, sought the help of Thomas Cromwell, the king’s right-hand man. Now that Anne Boleyn was dead and gone, Mary hoped for a reconciliation with her father the king.
What did she want Cromwell to do?
What happened to Mary after Anne Boleyn’s death? How was she treated?
In today’s video,I consider Mary’s situation and what happened between her and her father after this point.
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This week’s Sunday quiz tests your knowledge of one of my very favourite Tudor families, the Dudleys.
How much do you know about them?
Find out in this fun quiz!
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On this day in Tudor history, 25th May 1553, Lady Jane Grey got married to Lord Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.
They weren’t the only couple to get married in the ceremony at Durham House, Jane’s sister, Katherine, and Guildford’s sister, Catherine, also got married.
In today’s video, I give more details and consider who was behind this triple Tudor wedding.
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On this day in Tudor history, 24th May 1562, according to contemporary sources, a “monstrous” child was born in Chichester, Sussex.
This deformed baby was not the only “monstrous” birth that year and these events were seen as signs from God.
Find out more about this birth and the others of 1562 in today’s video.
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In this week’s Claire Chats video talk, I consider reports of monstrous births in the Tudor period and how these events were viewed and reported.
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On this day in Tudor history, 23rd May 1533, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, declared the sentence of the special court that had met at Dunstable Priory in Bedfordshire.
The Dunstable Priory court had convened to hear the case for the annulment of King Henry VIII’s marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Predictably, the court declared the marriage to be contrary to God’s laws and the archbishop was able to inform the king of the sentence of “divorce”.
Find out more in today’s video.
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On this day in Tudor history, 22nd May 1538, Franciscan friar John Forest met his end at Smithfield in London for his allegiance to the Church of Rome.
His death, along with the burning of a religious statue from Wales, was said to be the fulfilment of a prophecy made about the statue.
Find out more about Blessed John Forest and the prophecy in today’s video.
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Today is the anniversary of reformer and Bible translator William Tyndale’s arrest in Antwerp on 21st May 1535, after he was betrayed.
Why was Tyndale arrested and why didn’t King Henry VIII help him when he had the chance?
In today’s video, I explain what happened to Tyndale on this day, why the king refused to help him, and what happened next.
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Claire Ridgway from the Tudor Society was given the amazing honour by Hever Castle to hold Anne Boleyn’s books of hours. WOW!
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Lots of important Tudor people were born in the month of May, so today we have a wordsearch testing you on them. Feel free to search the Tudor Society or “google” if you get stuck!
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Today is the anniversary of the death of Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham and Bedford, in 1497.
Who was this noblewoman and how was she linked to the famous Woodvilles that rose in the reign of King Edward IV? Find out in today’s video.
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I need you! That’s right, I need your recommendations so that I can fill my kindle with lots of fantastic historical novels.
Please watch the video to see exactly what I’m looking for, and then leave your recommendations (author and title, and a bit of blurb if you like about why you recommend it) as comments below. Thank you!
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On this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1521, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was executed for treason on Tower Hill.
He’d served King Henry VII and King Henry VIII loyally for many years, so what led to this nobleman being condemned for high treason?
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Today was our final full day on the Anne Boleyn Experience tour 201 – sob!
After a delicious breakfast (Full Hever Breakfast plus a naughty Danish pastry!), it was time to hit the road. Our luxury coach, driven by the very friendly Alan, took us from Hever, which is nestled in the Kent coutryside, up to London and the incredible building that is Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London.
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I started Day 3 of the Anne Boleyn Experience 2019 off well with a Full Hever Breakfast – yum! And then it was time to head off to nearby Penshurst Place, home of Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, before it was seized by the crown after his execution and its keepership granted to Thomas Boleyn. In Edward VI’s reign, it was granted to the Sidney family and has been in that family ever since.
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On this day in history, 14th May 1635, Helena Gorges (née Snakenborg), Lady Gorges, was buried in Salisbury Cathedral.
But who was this lady and how did a Swedish royal maid-of-honour end up being buried in England?
In today’s video, I share some facts about this fascinating woman.
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