21 June – Catherine of Aragon steals the show

On this day in Tudor history, 21st June 1529, Queen Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII, stole the show with an incredible speech at the Legatine Court at Blackfriars, a court that was hearing the case for the annulment of her marriage to the king.

The speech was given while she knelt at her husband's feet and she appealed directly to him. It's an incredible speech and I share it with you in today's video.

Also on this day in history:

• 1494 – Birth of George Cavendish, Cardinal Wolsey's Gentleman Usher. Cavendish wrote a biography of Wolsey, “The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey”, and a collection of tragic poems, “Metrical Visions”. His poetry and biography are widely used by Tudor historians as primary sources.
• 1509 - Henry VIII travelled from Greenwich to the Tower of London in readiness for his and Catherine of Aragon's coronation procession on 23rd June. He was accompanied by "many a well appareled gentleman", including the Duke of Buckingham who "had a gowne all of goldsmithes work".
• 1529 – Death of John Skelton, poet, clergyman and former tutor to Henry VIII when he was prince, at Westminster. He was buried in St Margaret's, Westminster. His works included “Garlande of Laurell” and “The Boke of Phyllyp Sparowe”.
• 1553 – Letters patent issued changing Edward VI's heir from his half-sister, Mary, to Lady Jane Grey.
• 1596 – Death of Sir John Wingfield, soldier. He was shot in the head after being wounded in the thigh, and being unable to walk, in the attack on Cadiz. He was buried in the Cathedral at Cadiz.
• 1612 – Death of James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino, administrator and Judge, at Balmerino. Elphinstone was James VI's secretary of state, but was attainted as a traitor and sentenced to death in 1609 after he tricked the King into signing a letter to the Pope. He escaped death, but was imprisoned until 1609.