Thank you so much to Jean Pascal for sharing this news with me. A letter written by Henry VIII to Francis I is being auctioned in Lyon on 15th December.
[Read More...]-
Henry VIII letter being auctioned
-
Sarah Bryson chats about Westminster Hall
Thank you to Sarah Bryson for today’s chat video. Sarah talks about the history of the hall and her experience visiting it.
[Read More...] -
Live Chat with Gareth Russell – 16 December
Historian and Tudor Life Magazine editor Gareth Russell will be joining us in the chatroom for a live chat at 11pm UK time on Friday 16th December.
[Read More...] -
Six Wives with Lucy Worsley
For those of you interested in the new BBC series “Six Wives with Lucy Worsley”, I found the first episode, which was aired last night (7th December) on YouTube
[Read More...] -
8 December 1542 – Birth of Mary, Queen of Scots
On this day in history, 8th December 1542, Elizabeth I’s nemesis, Mary, Queen of Scots, was born at Linlithgow Palace in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots was the daughter of James V of Scotland and his second wife, Mary of Guise, and the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister) and James IV of Scotland. On the 14th December, when she was just six days old, Mary became Queen of Scotland after her father died of a fever. She was crowned Queen on 9th September 1543 at Stirling Castle. As Mary was a baby, James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, acted as regent until 1554 when he surrendered the regency to Mary’s mother, Mary of Guise, who acted as regent until her death in 1560.
[Read More...] -
8 December – The Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Today, many countries around the world celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This feast day does not celebrate the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ, which is known as “the Virgin Birth”, but instead celebrates the immaculate conception of his mother, the Virgin Mary, in the womb of her mother, St Anne. Mary’s immaculate conception meant that she was conceived free of the taint of original sin, unlike other women.
[Read More...] -
7 December 1545 – Lord Darnley’s birth
As today is the traditional date given for the birth of Henry Stewart (Stuart), Duke of Albany and Lord Darnley, I thought I’d share this excerpt from On This Day in Tudor History.
Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, was the son of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, and Lady Margaret Douglas, and the grandson of Margaret Tudor and her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. He was born at Temple Newsam, Yorkshire, not long after the death of his older brother, also called Henry. Darnley is known for being the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots and for being murdered on 10th February 1567.
[Read More...] -
6 December – The Boy Bishop Tradition
The 6th December was and is the feast of St Nicholas, or St Nicholas of Myra, the 4th century Bishop of Myra (modern-day Demre in Turkey), who is the patron saint of children, as well as sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, brewers, pawnbrokers and students. In medieval and Tudor times, it was traditional for a choirboy to be chosen on 6th December or Childermas (Holy Innocents’ Day) as “Boy Bishop” to act as bishop and to lead processions around communities, collecting money for the church and parish funds, and to lead some religious services.
[Read More...] -
This week in history 5 – 11 December
5th December:
1556 – Birth of Anne de Vere (née Cecil), Countess of Oxford, daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, and his second wife, Mildred (née Cooke), and wife of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. The marriage was not the happiest of matches, with de Vere refusing to acknowledge their daughter Elizabeth as his. The couple were eventually reconciled.
[Read More...]
1558 – Death of Gabriel Dunne (Donne), Abbot of Buckfast and ‘keeper of the spiritualities’, in the diocese of London. He was buried at St Paul’s, before the high altar.
1560 – Death of King Francis II of France and King Consort of Scotland as husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Francis was aged just fifteen when he died from some type of ear infection. He was succeeded as King of France by his brother, Charles, who became Charles IX. Francis was buried at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint-Denis on 23rd December. -
Mottoes Quiz
How much do you know about the mottoes of monarchs and their consorts? Test yourself with this fun quiz.
[Read More...] -
3 December 1536 – A king’s pardon for the Pilgrimage of Grace rebels
-
Quince Marmalade Video
I was lucky enough to be given a bagful of quinces by some friends so I decided to look in my medieval and Tudor recipe books for some quince recipes and found this one. I hope you enjoy it and do let me know if you try it and what you think. It really is delicious and is disappearing fast in our household.
[Read More...] -
December Expert – Gareth Russell – Henry VIII as a military leader
Gareth Russell discusses the successes and failures of Henry VIII as a military leader, leading to some interesting and damning conclusions.
[Read More...] -
Morisco! New CD from Piva
I know many of you enjoy Jane Moulder’s articles on Renaissance music in Tudor Life magazine, so I wanted to share with you this press release for Jane’s group’s brand new CD “Morisco!”. It’s not available as a digital download yet, but you can buy the CD from the Piva website.
[Read More...] -
Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, Who’s the Most Renaissance of Them All? Part II: Francis I of France
This is Part II of a four-part series, which seeks to look at what were considered the attributes of a Renaissance prince, and who of our four princes embodied the ideals of the Renaissance best. What were some of those themes? The idea of a Renaissance man stood for a person who strove to embrace knowledge and develop himself. This included concepts such as the arts, knowledge, physical achievements, and social ideals. More plainly and for a prince, this could include cultivating a court known for patronizing artists, musicians, and the like; establishing educational institutions, a good degree of physical fortitude, and things such as chivalric love or engaging in acts of charity.
[Read More...] -
30 November – The Feast Day of St Andrew the Apostle and an important day in Mary I’s reign
30th November was and is the feast of St Andrew the apostle, who is also the patron saint of Scotland. Andrew was the older brother of the Apostle Peter and the two of them were fishing when Jesus approached them and said that he would make them “fishers of men”.
Following Christ’s crucifixion, Andrew travelled around preaching the Good News (some sources say as far as Kiev and Veliky Novgorod in Russia) before he was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen and singers, as well as Scotland, Ukraine, Romania, Russia and Patras. The saltire, or St Andrew’s Cross, is used on the flag of Scotland.
[Read More...] -
December 2016 Tudor Life Magazine
Merry Christmas! Here’s the December Tudor Life Magazine, an 80-page magazine packed with facts, fun and festivity. There’s a full 20-page feature on Tudor portraits, and there’s even a “Cut out Elizabeth I” fun activity! Enjoy this month’s magazine.
[Read More...] -
This week in history 28 November – 4 December
28 November:
1489 – Birth of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland and consort of James IV, at Westminster Palace. Margaret was the eldest daughter of Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, and the sister of Henry VII. She spent her childhood at Sheen and at Eltham Palace, but was sent to Scotland at the age of thirteen to marry James IV.
[Read More...]
1499 – Execution of Edward Plantagenet, styled Earl of Warwick, on Tower Hill. Edward was the son of George, Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV and Richard III, and so was a potential claimant to the throne. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London after Henry VII’s accession, and was executed for treason after the pretender Perkin Warbeck had allegedly plotted to free himself and Edward. He was buried at Bisham Abbey.
1557 – Death of Sir Robert Rochester, administrator. He was buried at the Charterhouse at Sheen. Rochester served Mary I as Comptroller of the Royal Household, Privy Councillor, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Keeper of the Privy Seal and a member of Parliament. -
27 November 1556 – Death of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
On this day in history, 27th November 1556, Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley, nobleman, diplomat, translator and father of Jane Boleyn (wife of George Boleyn), died at his home, Hallingbury Place, in Great Hallingbury, Essex. He was in his late seventies at the time of his death. He was buried at St Giles’s Church, Great Hallingbury.
[Read More...] -
Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Quiz
How much do you know about Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII and sister of Henry VIII? Test those little grey cells over your morning coffee with this fun quiz.
[Read More...] -
Danny Dyer and Thomas Cromwell
In last night’s episode of “Who do you think you are?”, Eastenders actor Danny Dyer found out that he has royal blood and that he’s descended from Thomas Cromwell through Cromwell’s son Gregory. It’s a wonderful episode. I do love Danny Dyer, he’s so down to earth!
[Read More...] -
25 November 1487 – Elizabeth of York is crowned queen
On 25th November 1487, St Catherine’s Day, Elizabeth of York, consort of Henry VII and mother of one-year-old Arthur Tudor, was crowned queen at Westminster Abbey. As Elizabeth’s biographer Amy Licence explains, her coronation had been postponed due to her pregnancy and then unrest in England.
[Read More...] -
Hever Castle with Sarah Bryson
Today in our regular Friday video spot, Sarah Bryson, author of Mary Boleyn in a Nutshell and Charles Brandon: The King’s Man, tells us about Hever Castle, the family home of the Boleyns, and shares her experience of visiting it recently. Thank you Sarah!
[Read More...] -
24 November 1542 – the Battle of Solway Moss
Thank you to Heather R. Darsie, our regular Tudor Society contributor, for today’s article. Over to Heather…
Happy Thanksgiving to our American members! Today also marks the 474th anniversary of the Battle of Solway Moss, a border skirmish that took place on the English side of the border with Scotland on 24th November 1542. This was the last of a series of such battles that arose from a falling-out between Henry VIII of England and his nephew, James V of Scotland.
[Read More...] -
Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, Lady of Tortona
-
This week in history 21 – 27 November
On this day in history events for 21-27th November.
21 November:
1495 – Birth of John Bale, churchman, Protestant playwright, historian and Bishop of Ossory, at Cove, near Dunwich, in Suffolk. Bale wrote twenty-four plays, including “Three Laws of Nature, Moses and Christ, corrupted by the Sodomytes, Pharisees and Papystes most wicked”, “A Tragedye; or enterlude manifesting the chief promyses of God unto Man”, “The Temptacyon of our Lorde”, “A brefe Comedy or Enterlude of Johan Baptystes preachynge in the Wyldernesse, etc” and “ Kynge Johan”. His most famous work is his Illustrium majoris Britanniae scriptorum, hoc est, Angliae, Cambriae, ac Scotiae Summarium… (“A Summary of the Famous Writers of Great Britain, that is, of England, Wales and Scotland”), which was his effort to record every work by a British author.
[Read More...]
1558 – Death of James Bassett, courtier and stepson of Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle. Bassett was a member of Philip of Spain’s Privy Chamber and private Secretary to Mary I. He was buried at Blackfriars, London. -
King Edward VI Quiz
How much do you know about King Edward VI, the third Tudor monarch? Test yourself with this fun quiz! Good luck!
[Read More...] -
Transcript of Janet Wertman live chat
Here is the transcript of last night’s wonderful live chat session with Janet Wertman about Jane Seymour and Janet’s book “Jane the Quene”.
[Read More...] -
Henry Vaux, poet and Catholic recusant
On this day in history, 19th November 1587, Henry Vaux, poet, Catholic recusant and priest harbourer, died of consumption at Great Ashby, the home of his sister, Eleanore Brooksby. Vaux was sent to Marshalsea prison after being arrested in November 1586 for offering accommodation and assistance to Catholic priests. He was released in May 1587 due to ill health.
[Read More...] -
Pears in Compote – Tudor Cooking with Claire
For today’s Tudor Cooking with Claire video, I’m making a recipe dating back to the 15th century called Pears in Compote, or, as it’s written in the manuscript, Pears in Compost!
[Read More...]