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April 11 – The end of a rebel and victory for Anne Boleyn at last

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th April 1554, in the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary I, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, son of poet and diplomat Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder, was beheaded on Tower Hill after being found guilty of high treason.

Wyatt had led a rebellion which sought to depose the queen and to replace her with her half-sister Elizabeth, but he refused to implicate Elizabeth in the plot. He went to his death asserting her innocence.

Find out more about what happened and hear his final speech…
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April 10 – The Gregorian Calendar and a son for Margaret Tudor

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 10th April 1585, Pope Gregory XIII died from a fever. He was succeeded by Pope Sixtus V.

Pope Gregory is known for his reform of the calendar. He introduced what is now called the Gregorian Calendar, or Western or Christian Calendar, replacing the Julian Calendar, which had been used since 45 BC.

But why was this reform needed and how was it done?
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Henry VIII’s Great Matter Crossword Puzzle

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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As yesterday was the anniversary of Catherine’s demotion from queen to dowager princess in 1533, I thought I’d test your knowledge of Henry VIII’s Great Matter, his quest for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

How much do you know about the Great Matter?

Find out with this fun crossword puzzle.
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April 9 – A demotion for Catherine of Aragon and the death of Richard Bertie

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 9th April, Catherine of Aragon, who’d been banished from the royal court, received a visit from a delegation of the king’s councillors. They were there to inform her that she was no longer queen.

Catherine was a tough cookie, though. Even when she was threatened by the king, she did not submit…
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April 8 – A priest cat and the Second Martin

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th April 1554, in the reign of Queen Mary I, there was an act of rebellion and religious defiance in London.

Someone who didn’t like Mary’s religious changes hanged a cat on the gallows at Cheapside. The cat was dressed as a Catholic priest and was holding a piece of paper to represent that communion wafer.

Find out more about what happened, the meaning behind it, and Mary’s reaction to it…
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St Andrews – Julian Humphrys

2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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Further north even than Edinburgh lies the town of St Andrews, famous today for its golf range and its university. But did you know that St Andrews has an ancient history?
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April 7 – Robert Aske and Elizabeth Boleyn

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 7th April 1537, Robert Aske and Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy, were sent to the Tower of London.

Both Aske and Darcy had been involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion of 1536, with Aske being “chief captain” of the rebels.

Even though Henry VIII pardoned the rebels after negotiations in 1536, Darcy and Aske were arrested, imprisoned and executed as traitors.

Find out more about what happened and more about Robert Aske, the rebel leader…
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April 6 – A spymaster and a serial secret husband

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in history, 6th April 1621, in the Stuart period, Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford, died at around the age of 81.

Now, Hertford is known for his secret marriage to Lady Katherine Grey, sister of Lady Jane Grey, and their conjugal visits in the Tower of London, but Hertford had a thing for secret marriages, and his son and grandson followed in his footsteps!
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April 5 – A pope is declared wrong and a cook is boiled to death

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in 1533, Convocation, ruled that the pope was wrong and that Henry VIII was right, i.e. it ruled that the Pope had no power to dispense in the case of a man marrying his brother’s widow, and that it was contrary to God’s law – Catherine of Aragon should not have been able to marry Henry VIII.

This was just as well seeing as the king had got married to Anne Boleyn and she was pregnant with his child!
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April 4 – William Strachey, a shipwreck and Mildred Cecil

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 4th April 1572, writer and historian William Strachey was born in Saffron Walden in Essex, England.

Strachey’s account of the 1609 shipwreck of the Sea Venture in a hurricane was used as a source for William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.

Find out more about Strachey, how he was marooned for a year, and why he died in poverty
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Tudor Mistresses and Bastards Crossword Puzzle

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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Henry VIII has been linked romantically to a number of women, but how much do you know about these women and his alleged illegitimate children.

And what about the other Tudor kings and queens and Tudor personalities who were said to be royal bastards?

Test your knowledge of Tudor mistresses and Tudor bastards in this week’s puzzle – a fun crossword puzzle.
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April 1 – William Harvey, his experiments and blood circulation and Henry VIII courts Jane Seymour

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 1st April 1578, English physician William Harvey, was born in Folkestone, Kent. Harvey has gone down in history as being the man who discovered the circulation of blood, and he was also physician extraordinary to King James I and King Charles I.

How did Harvey work out that the heart pumped the blood around the body and how was his challenge of Galen’s work received?

Find out more about William Harvey’s work, and also his role in the pardoning of women accused of witchcraft, in this…
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Harvington Hall

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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The Story of the Death of Anne Boleyn – JoAnn DellaNeva

2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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This month we have JoAnn DellaNeva as our expert speaker. JoAnn is looking at the end of Anne Boleyn’s life as shown through Lancelot de Carle’s work
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Blog: Parr’s Million Pound Mansion and Henry’s Regret

2 years ago Author: Emma
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March 31 – John Donne, the bell tolls for thee and King Henry VIII as King Ahab, Anne Boleyn as Jezebel

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in history, 31st March 1631, the Tudor and Stuart metaphysical poet, satirist, lawyer and clergyman John Donne died.

Donne had an amazing career, going on voyages, serving as a royal chaplain and diplomat, and writing sermons, songs, satires and poetry, including an erotic poem, “The Flea”.

Find out more about John Donne and hear some of his work in this talk…
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March 30 – Thomas Cranmer and his protestation, and A “pregnant” Mary I makes her will

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 30th March 1533, at the Passion Sunday service, Thomas Cranmer, Archdeacon of Taunton, was consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury.

His consecration was not like those of others before him, however, because as well as making the usual oath promising to be faithful to the papacy and to denounce heretics, he also made a protestation to show that his oath would not conflict with his loyalty to King Henry VIII and his commitment to reforming the church. Hmmmm…. complicated.

Find out more in this talk…
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April 2022 – Chief Ministers

2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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Who were the chief ministers in the Tudor period? What influence did they have over the people around them and the country as a whole?
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March 29 – Children encourage John Laurence at his sad end and the marriage of Mary Dudley

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 29th March 1555, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Protestant and former Dominican priest, John Laurence, was burned at the stake for heresy in Colchester.

At his burning, young children encouraged him with their prayers.

Find out more about his John Laurence’s sad end in this talk…
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Update on the April edition of Tudor Life

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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Just to let you know that the April edition of Tudor Life Magazine will be slightly delayed. Tim has been very busy as he was away for a few days last week. He was a hero. He went to Poland to rescue a Ukrainian woman, her 13-year-old daughter and their dog, and bring them home to us in Spain. They arrived safely late on Thursday night and now we have lots to do with helping them settle and register them here. They are lovely people and we’re so very glad to be able to help them. However, it’s had a knock-on effect with work for both of us, so please forgive us if things are delayed or we don’t answer emails quickly – thank you!

Slava Ukraini!
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March 28 – The birth of the amazing Raphael and the death of Anne Boleyn’s chaplain and almoner John Skip

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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This day in history, 28th March 1483, is one of the dates out forward as the birthdate of Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, or Raphael as he is known, the Italian Renaissance artist and architect.

Did you know that Henry VII owned a piece of art by Raphael and that Henry VIII admired his work?

Find out a bit more about Raphael and see some of his beautiful works of art in this talk…
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March 27 – Arrangements are made for Prince Arthur to marry Catherine of Aragon and Reading the Bible in church could get you into trouble

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 27th March 1489, the Treaty of Medina del Campo was signed between England and Spain.

One part of it was the arrangement of the marriage between Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Catherine (or Catalina) of Aragon. It was signed by Spain on this day and ratified in 1490 by Henry VII.

Find out more about this treaty and the betrothal and marriages (yes, plural!) of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, and Catherine of Aragon in this talk…
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16th Century Ambassadors Word Search

2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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How much do you know about the men who served the Tudor monarchs abroad as diplomats or the men who were sent to the Tudor courts from other countries?

Test your knowledge and get those little grey cells working with this fun word search puzzle.
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March 26 – Robert Carey and his eventful ride to King James and the death of John Dee

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in history, late on 26th March 1603, two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Robert Carey arrived at Holyrood in Edinburgh, Scotland, to inform King James VI that Queen Elizabeth I was dead and that James was now king.

It took Carey just two days to get from London to Scotland, and he had an accident on the way, but it was all worth it. Find out about his journey and what happened in this talk…
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March 25 – Margaret Clitherow, the Pearl of York, and her awful end and the start of the new calendar year in the Tudor period

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 25th March 1586, Good Friday and also Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation, Catholic martyr Margaret Clitherow (née Middleton), known as “the Pearl of York”, was pressed to death at the toll-booth on Ouse Bridge in York, under 7 or 8 hundredweight. She was executed for harbouring Catholic priests.

Find out more in this talk…
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Anne Boleyn by Evelyn Anthony – Lil’s Book Reviews

2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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This week we have a review of a book from over 70 years ago, yet still available today, Anne Boleyn by Evelyn Anthony.
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March 24 – Robert Rich and Penelope Devereux, an unhappy marriage and The end of Queen Elizabeth I

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in history, 24th March 1619, Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, Tudor nobleman and politician, died at his London home, Warwick House in Holborn. He was laid to rest at Felsted Church in Essex.

Rich was an incredibly wealthy man and a good catch for Penelope Devereux, sister of the Earl of Essex, but their marriage was unhappy and she had an affair.

Find out more about Rich and his marriage in this talk…
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March 23 – The last abbey is dissolved and the Pope issued a bull proclaiming Catherine of Aragon to be England’s true queen

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 23rd March 1540, Waltham Abbey, an Augustinian house in Essex, was surrendered to the Crown.

It was the last abbey to be dissolved in Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell’s dissolution of the monasteries.

Find out more about this historic abbey, its origins and what’s left today, and also who profited from its lands, in this talk…
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March 22 – William Bourne, his life and his submarine, and Catherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, a woman with spirit

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 22nd March 1582, gunner, mathematician and writer, William Bourne was buried at Gravesend in Kent.

This popular author, who was able to explain technical matters for the common man in his books, was also a gunner, mathematician and inventor, yet he received no university education. He also drew plans for a submarine, although he never built it.

Find out more about the fascinating William Bourne and his works in this talk…
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March 21 – Elizabeth I takes to her bed and The end of Thomas Cranmer

2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st March 1603, a dying Queen Elizabeth I finally took to her bed.

Elizabeth I had been queen since November 1558, but now she was dying. She had deep-rooted melancholy, couldn’t sleep and was refusing to eat. She spent her days lying on cushions in her withdrawing chamber. But on 21st March, she was finally persuaded to go to bed.

Find out more about these last days in this talk…
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