Julian Humphrys looks at a dangerous time for Elizabeth I’s government.
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The Revolt of the Northern Earls 1569 – Julian Humphrys
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9 December – Agnes Tilney, Catherine Howard’s step-grandmother, was detained and Sir Edward Neville was beheaded.
In this day in Tudor history, 9th December 1541, sixty-four-year-old Agnes Tilney, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk and step-grandmother of Queen Catherine Howard, who was being detained at the Lord Chancellor’s home, was questioned regarding the location of her money and jewels.
Why? What was all this about?
Find out about this, why the dowager duchess ended up in the Tower, and what happened when she was indicted for misprision of treason, in this talk…
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8 December – The death of Sir William Coffin, master of the horses, and the birth of Mary, Queen of Scots
On this day in Tudor history, 8th December 1538, courtier and Master of the Horse to Queens Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, Sir William Coffin, died at Standon in Hertfordshire.
It is thought that he died of the plague because his wife Margaret wrote to Thomas Cromwell saying that Coffin had “died of the great sickness, full of God’s marks all over his body”.
Who was Sir William Coffin and what did the Master of the Horse do?
Find out in this talk…
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Claire becomes a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
I just have to share this news with you lords and ladies because I know how excited and happy you will be for me. This morning, I received an email from The Royal Historical Society and I’ve been going from jumping up and down in excitement, or bursting into tears of joy, ever since.
The email was to let me known that I’ve been elected as a Fellow of the Society…
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7 December – A rebel comes to a sticky end and the birth of Henry Stuart
On this day in Tudor history, 7th December 1549, rebel leader Robert Kett was hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle after being found guilty of treason. His brother William was hanged the same day, but from the steeple of Wymondham Church.
In 1549, Kett was seen as a rebel and traitor who endangered the city of Norwich, but today Norwich pays tribute to him as “a notable and courageous leader in the long struggle of the common people of England to escape from a servile life into the freedom of just conditions”.
Find out all about Robert Kett and Kett’s Rebellion in this talk…
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6 December – Sir Hugh Paulet died a natural death and the Feast of St Nicholas
On this day in Tudor history, 6th December 1573, soldier and administrator, Sir Hugh Paulet, died at his home in Hinton St George in Somerset.
He distinguished himself as a soldier in Henry VIII’s reign, served as Governor of Jersey in Edward VI’s reign, was a Protestant but survived Mary I’s reign and served as Vice-President of the Welsh marches, and had a successful career in Elizabeth I’s reign. He was an important man and a servant of the Crown, but still managed to die a natural death at his home.
Find out more about Sir Hugh Paulet, his life and career, in this talk…
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5 December – Mary Queen of Scots’ husband dies of an ear infection and Anne Cecil’s unhappy marriage
On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1560, King Francis II of France, died at the age of just 15. Francis was King Consort of Scotland, as the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and his father had also proclaimed him and Mary as King and Queen of England back in 1558!
He was taken ill in mid-November with what appears to have been an ear infection, and it led to him dying on this day in history. His death led to Mary, Queen of Scots, returning to her homeland of Scotland, a country she hadn’t seen for 13 years.
Find out more about Francis II of France, his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, his death and what happened next, in this talk…
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Day 5 of the Tudor Society Advent Calendar
We have a wonderful treat for you today on the Tudor Society Advent Calendar – a talk from battlefield historian Julian Humphrys answering the question “Was Henry Tudor a Coward at the Battle of Bosworth?”.
Find out the answer in Julian’s talk.
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Mary I Places Crossword Puzzle
As the topic of our expert talk this month is Queen Mary I, I thought I’d test your knowledge of Mary I places with a fun crossword puzzle.
Good luck!
Simply click on the link or image below to open and print out.
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4 December – Murder made to look like suicide and the beginning of the end for Thomas Cranmer
On this day in Tudor history, 4th December 1514, merchant tailor and leading member of the Lollard community in London, Richard Hunne died while imprisoned in the Lollard’s Tower at St Paul’s.
Hunne, who had been arrested for heresy in October 1514, was discovered hanging from the ceiling of his cell. The Bishop of London and his chancellor claimed that Hunne had used his own silk girdle to commit suicide, but a coroner’s inquest ruled that the hanging was faked and that Hunne was murdered.
But why was Richard Hunne murdered? And why had this merchant tailor been arrested in the first place? Was it just for heresy, or was there more to it?
Find out all about Hunne, his arrest, the charges against him, his death and what happened next, in this talk…
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3 December – The death of Roger North, a man close to Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I, and Henry VIII pardons rebels
On this day in Tudor history, 3rd December 1600, sixty-nine-year-old peer and politician Roger North, 2nd Baron North, died at his London home.
North was a good friend of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, accompanying him on trips, witnessing his secret marriage and serving with him in the Netherlands. It was even said that he’d converted Leicester to Puritanism! North also served Elizabeth I as Privy Councillor and Treasurer of the Household and was close to the queen.
Find out more about Leicester’s good friend Roger North, his life and career, in this talk…
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A Tudor Christmas – Lil’s Book Reviews
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Facebook Live – Tudor Chitchat – Claire Ridgway
We had a lovely live chat on the members-only Facebook page at the end of November. Here’s the replay of the chat for you to enjoy if you missed it.
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2 December – Elizabeth I finally agreed to sentence Mary, Queen of Scots; to death and Henry Howard was arrested
On this day in Tudor history, 2nd December 1586, following a joint petition from the Houses of Lords and Commons, Elizabeth I finally agreed to a public proclamation of sentence against Mary, Queen of Scots: death.
Mary had been found guilty of high treason back in October 1586, but Elizabeth had not wanted to contemplate regicide. However, Parliament believed that if Mary, Queen of Scots, was not executed, that she’d continue to plot against Elizabeth and would utterly “ruinate and overthrow the happy State and Common Weal of this most Noble Realm”. She was too much of a danger and needed dealing with once and for all.
Find out what Parliament said and what happened next in this talk…
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Lots of Tudor treats to enjoy this month!
I can’t quite believe that it’s already 1st December! Where has this year gone?!
But that means that it’s time for the annual Tudor Society Advent Calendar! Hurrah!
Not only that, you can also enjoy the Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar too!
Let me tell you more…
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Blog: fascinating discoveries and intriguing collections
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1 December – A Catholic priest was tortured then executed and Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham were found guilty of high treason
On this day in Tudor history, 1st December 1581, twenty-five-year-old Roman Catholic priest Alexander Briant was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, along with Ralph Sherwin and Edmund Campion.
Briant had been imprisoned, starved, racked and tortured in other awful ways, but he claimed that he felt no pain due to God’s help. He refused to give his interrogators the information he wanted, and he was tried for treason and suffered a full traitor’s death.
In this talk, I share Alexander Briant’s story, what led to his arrest, his account of what happened when he was tortured and his fellow prisoner’s account of what was done to him.
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Remembering Mary I – Johanna Strong – Expert Talk
This month’s expert is Johanna Strong who is talking about England’s first crowned queen, Mary I.
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30 November – Elizabeth I’s Golden Speech, and Henry VIII gets told off by Catherine of Aragon AND Anne Boleyn
On this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1601, sixty-eight-year-old Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous Golden Speech to the House of Commons.
In this final speech to Parliament, Elizabeth spoke of her position as Queen and her love and respect for her realm, her people, and for her members of Parliament. It was a speech that brought many of those listening to tears. It was obviously a very heartfelt speech by a queen who truly loved her people.
In today’s talk, I share Elizabeth I’s Golden Speech along with some beautiful portraits of the queen.
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29 November – Courtier Anthony Browne dies a natural death whilst having served through 4 reigns and Cardinal Wolsey cheats the executioner
On this day in Tudor history, 29th November 1528, nobleman and courtier, Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, was born.
Montagu began his court career with the help of his father in Henry VIII’s reign. served as a privy councillor in Mary I’s reign, and died a natural death as a wealthy man in Elizabeth I’s reign. He even survived being implicated in a rebellion!
Who was Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, and just how did he manage to not only have an excellent court career, but leave a fortune to his grandson, when he was a Catholic in Elizabeth I’s reign?
Find out all about him in today’s this talk…
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28 November -An agent carrying gold for Mary, Queen of Scots drowned and Edward Plantagenet was beheaded
On this day in Tudor history, 28th November 1565, member of Parliament and political agent Francis Yaxley set sail for Scotland from Antwerp.
Sadly, Yaxley’s ship was wrecked in a storm and he never reached Scotland, and neither did the gold he was carrying to Mary, Queen of Scots.
But why was he carrying gold and who was it from? What happened to the gold?
Find out all about Yaxley, how he came to be traveling from Antwerp to Scotland, and what happened to him and the gold, in this talk…
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Tudor cosmetics, haircare and skincare word search
As we’ve gone into winter here in Europe, I’ve been bemoaning my dry skin and it inspired me to create this word search puzzle on medieval and Tudor haircare, skincare and cosmetics to test your knowledge.
You’ll find some links to talks I’ve done on the subject to help you out.
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27 November – Former monk burnt at stake for importing books and William Shakespeare gets married
On this day in Tudor history, 27th November 1531, former Benedictine monk and reformist, Richard Bayfield, was burnt at the stake at Smithfield for heresy after Sir Thomas More had caught him importing heretical books into England.
It wasn’t Bayfield’s first brush with the authorities. He’d been in trouble for heresy previously so was now deemed a “relapsed heretic”. This time, penance wasn’t enough, he was condemned to death.
Find out more about Richard Bayfield, how he went from being a monk to a reformer, and how he ended up at the stake as a Protestant martyr in this video…
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Renaissance music – 4 December – Leek, UK
>For those of you in the UK, the wonderful Renaissance music group PIVA are playing at Leek on 4th December. They really are brilliant.
Tudor Life contributor Jane Moulder is a member of the group, so do say hello to her if you go.
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Phil Downing is locking himself in a priest hide and he needs your help!
Harvington Hall’s manager Phil, is locking himself inside an Elizabethan priest hide for 36hrs to raise urgent funds for the Hall.
He’s going to be locked inside in complete darkness with a loaf of bread, an apple, water and a pot! Rather Phil than me!
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26 November – The first men executed under Elizabeth I’s new law and the marriage of Henry Fitzroy
On this day in Tudor history, 26th November 1585, Catholic priest Hugh Taylor and his friend Marmaduke Bowes were hanged at York.
They were the first men executed under Elizabeth I’s 1585 statute which made it treason to be a Jesuit or seminary priest in England or to harbour such a priest.
These two Catholics were beatified in 1987 by Pope John Paul II as two of the 85 Martyrs of England, Scotland and Wales.
Find out more about these men and what this 1585 legislation was all about in this talk…
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Banqueting in Tudor Times
Tudor Banquets – were they like the feasts you see in films and on television? In this week’s Friday video we have Brigitte sharing what a Tudor banquet was really like.
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December 2021 – The Twelve Days of Christmas
Happy Christmas to all our Tudor Society members. We’ve got a festive edition of Tudor Life for you this month with a focus on the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Tudors had a fun time.
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25 November – A vicious man who saved an archbishop and the coronation of Elizabeth of York
On this day in Tudor history, 25th November 1545, lawyer, member of Parliament, diplomat and ecclesiastical administrator, Sir Thomas Legh (Leigh), died.
Legh was a faithful servant to King Henry VIII, but his work during the dissolution of the monasteries led to complaints against him and even rebellion.
He was a vicious man, known for his harsh treatment of monks, but he also played a key role in protecting Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1543 when his enemies tried to bring him down.
Find out more about this Tudor man in this talk…
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24 November – The death of John Knox and the coronation procession of Elizabeth of York
On this day in Tudor history, 24th November 1572, John Knox, the Scottish clergyman, famous Reformer , royal chaplain, and founder of Presbyterianism, died at his home in Edinburgh as his second wife, Margaret, read aloud from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.
John Knox is known for bringing the Protestant reformation to the church in Scotland and his controversial views about women rulers, but he was also chaplain to King Edward VI and had a very eventful life, being taken prisoner by the French and being forced into service on the galleys of their fleet at one point.
Find out more about John Knox’s life and career in this talk…
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