On this day in Tudor history, 5th May 1586, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, fifty-six-year-old Sir Henry Sidney died. His body was buried in the Sidney Chapel at Penshurst and his heart in Ludlow, where he lived as President of the Council in the Marches of Wales.

On this day in history, 4th May 1608, the funeral of Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, took place at All Hallows, Derby.

Bess of Hardwick as she is commonly known, was the daughter of John Hardwick and Elizabeth Leake.
She married four times and each marriage saw her rise in status and wealth. Her husbands were heir to an estate Robert Barley or Barlowe, Treasurer of the King’s Chamber Sir William Cavendish, Captain of the Guard and Chief Butler of England Sir William St Loe, and George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury.

On this day in Tudor history, 29th April 1500, William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre of Gilsland and 7th Baron Greystoke was born.

Here are some facts about this Tudor baron:

The 25th April is the feast of St Mark the Evangelist who was killed when he dragged by a horse until his head parted from his body.

In medieval and Tudor times, St Mark’s Day was the traditional day for praying for fertile land and a good harvest. People would process across fields carrying the cross, banners and bells to bless the crops and drive away evil spirits. It derived from the Roman pagan tradition of asking the gods for a good harvest.

23rd April is the feast of St George, patron saint of England.

George, who famously saved a princess from a dragon, wasn’t always England’s patron saint. Until the 14th century, it was Edward the Confessor, and George didn’t officially take over until 1552, when all religious flags and banners, except for St George’s red cross, were abolished.

St George’s feast day was celebrated in Tudor England because this warrior saint had been important to the crusaders. His red cross on a white background had been adopted by the crusaders, eventually becoming England’s flag. The Order of the Garter was established under his banner in 1348 by Edward III and an annual chapter meeting always took place on 23rd April.

On this day in history, 22nd April 1451, Isabella I of Castile was born.

She may not have been English and her birth was not in the Tudor period, but she is linked to the Tudors because her daughter, Catalina de Aragón, or Catherine of Aragon, married Henry VII’s eldest son, Arthur, in 1501, and his second son, Henry, in 1509.

On this day in Tudor history, 21st April 1509 fifty-two-year-old Henry VII died, leaving the throne to his seventeen-year-old son, also called Henry.

Henry VII had ruled for over 23 years, since defeating King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

The accession of Henry VIII, who was a good-looking and athletic young man of 6’3, was greeted with rejoicing. He seemed to be the ideal Renaissance Prince.

On this day in Tudor history, 20th April 1534, in the reign of King Henry VIII, prominent citizens of London were required to swear the Oath of the Act of Succession.

Chronicler Charles Wriothesley explained that all the guilds were called to their halls to swear:

To be true to Queen Anne (Anne Boleyn) and to recognise her as Henry VIII’s lawful wife and the rightful Queen of England.
To think of the king’s eldest daughter Mary as illegitimate.