During the Tudor period the four weeks leading up to Christmas was known as Advent and consisted of fasting and a limited range of foods which were allowed to be eaten; a tradition that is still practised by some today. Christmas Eve was particularly strict and people were not allowed to eat eggs, cheese or meat. However when Christmas day came around the Tudors were allowed to cast off the food restrictions and enjoy a lavish feast!
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I’ve been talking about Henry VIII’s illegitimate and alleged illegitimate children in my Claire Chats videos recently so it seems appropriate to look at a woman who was the mother of the king’s only acknowledged illegitimate child, his son Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Over to Sarah…
Elizabeth “Bessie” Blount was the daughter of John Blount and his wife Katherine Pershall. She was born around 1498 at Kinlet Hall. Bessie’s grandmother, through her mother, had been Isabel Stanley, daughter of Sir John Stanley, a distant relative of Lord Thomas Stanley whom had married Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother. It had been Isabel’s brother Sir Humphrey Stanley whom had arranged the marriage between John Blount and his niece Katherine Pershall when the couple were only young. Sir Humphrey, while quite a rouge was also a Knight of the Body to King Henry VII.
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On 14th December 1558, just under a month after her death, Queen Mary I was buried at Westminster Abbey. Although Mary had left instructions in her will for her mother Catherine of Aragon’s remains to be exhumed and brought to London so that mother and daughter could be buried together, her instructions were ignored and Mary was buried by herself at Westminster on 14th December 1558 with just stones marking her resting place.
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How much do you know about the treaties, alliances and agreements of the Tudor period? Test yourself with this fun quiz – good luck!
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On 13th December 1577, Sir Francis Drake finally left Plymouth with his fleet of five ships on a journey which would see him circumnavigating the Globe. Storm damage to two of his ships had scuppered earlier plans.
The purpose of this journey was to sail into the Pacific and raid the Spanish colonies there. It was a secret mission authorised by Queen Elizabeth I and investors of Drake’s mission included the Queen, Sir Francis Walsingham, William and George Wynter, Christopher Hatton and John Hawkins.
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Tudor Christmas festivities were not complete without the Tudor equivalent of punch or sangria: the Wassail or Lambswool, a hot spiced ale or cider drink which was passed around in a communal bowl for everyone to enjoy. I thought I’d have a go at making some Lambswool Wassail, so called because the pureed apple rises to the top and creates a foamy head. I hope you enjoy my video.
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I’m excited to share news of this new online medieval history course which is now available at MedievalCourses.com and which is twenty-module course written by historian and author Toni Mount and narrated by Claire Ridgway (me!). What’s great about this course is that it is online and can be done at your own pace, so no worrying about attending classes at a certain time or missing lectures. Simply download the lectures and listen/read when it’s convenient, or listen online with streaming.
More good news is that MedievalCourses.com is offering Tudor Society members a saving off this course – scroll down to the bottom of this post for more information.
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As it’s Mary, Queen of Scots’ birthday today I have added a brief biography of her to our Bios section, which already features brief bios of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I and Elizabeth I.
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An exhibition telling the story of Shakespeare’s life in London through the paper trail left behind.
Discover the stories behind key moments in Shakespeare’s life, from the birth of the Globe theatre in London to his last days in Stratford-upon-Avon, 400 years ago.
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Thank you to author Sarah Bryson for this article on the Amicable Grant, a tax imposed to fund the war against France in 1525.
England had previously been at war with France in 1523 and war against the old enemy was once again proposed in early 1525. In February of that year the French troops had suffered a devastating loss against the Imperial troops of Charles V outside of Pravia. To make matters even worse for the French, their King, Francis I, had been captured in the battle and was now a prisoner of Charles V. When the messenger brought the news of Francis I’s capture to Henry VIII the King is reported to have been likened to the Archangel Gabriel, such was his happiness and excitement at hearing the news. Henry VIII, ever the opportunist, saw another chance at military glory and quickly proposed war against France. The English King believed that the idea to go to war had been blessed by God and, unlike two years previously, he had visions of reclaiming the French throne for England.
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How much do you know about the prominent churchmen of the Tudor period? Test yourself with this fun quiz.
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In today’s Claire Chats I discuss Ethelreda Malte, the theory that she was fathered by Henry VIII and the evidence used to back up the theory.
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Here’s this month’s expert talk with our resident art historian Melanie V. Taylor, author of “The Truth of the Line”. It’s a fascinating delve into the life and artwork of Nicholas Hilliard.
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Jane Seymour’s phoenix badge[/caption]Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI, died days after giving birth. An inscription above her grave read:
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Another Phoenix life gave breath:
It is to be lamented much
The world at once ne’er knew two such.
As this week has been the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s marriage I thought I’d test your knowledge of the Bard. Have fun with this quiz and good luck!
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In today’s Claire Chats I continue my series on those said to be illegitimate children with a look at Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, who Henry VIII did acknowledge as his son, and his half-sister (or maybe sister) Elizabeth Tailboys.
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Happy Christmas Tudor Society Members!
Unless you’re one of our many Australian or South American members, December can be a very cold month indeed. What better way to keep out the damp and the wind than snuggling up with our December Tudor Life Magazine. It’s full of Christmas and festive themed articles, and this month we also have some food related sections too … all to help you survive the weather, where’er you are.
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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.
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Today is the anniversary of the death of Thomas Tallis, musician and composer, on 23rd November 1585 at his home in Greenwich. Greenwich. He was buried in St Alfege’s Church, Greenwich, in the chancel and the text on the brass memorial which once marked his tomb read:
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On 23rd November 1499, Perkin Warbeck faced his death at Tyburn. He was sentenced to be hanged until he was dead. His crime was attempting to escape the Tower of London where he was held a prisoner, but his story goes back several years and involves a tale of deception, treason and rumours of a young Prince come back to life!
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As this week has been the anniversary of Elizabeth I’s accession to the throne on 17th November 1558, I thought it was appropriate to test your knowledge of this queen’s early years – good luck!
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Thank you to all who came to our live chat event online yesterday. Jane Moulder really enjoyed answering your questions and we had a great turn out. For all those who missed the event, here is the transcript of our discussion
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For this week’s Claire Chats video, I decided to do a recipe from the November section of Elinor Fettiplace’s Receipt Book, a compilation of Elizabethan recipes by Lady Elinor Fettiplace. As I say in my video, I didn’t think it would be sweet enough with just sugar scattered over the top, but it actually was. It was a big hit at lunch, disappearing rapidly.
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On this day in 1563, Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester, courtier, patron of the arts and poet, was born at Penshurst in Kent. Sidney was the second son of Sir Henry Sidney and his wife, Mary (née Dudley), daughter of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.
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