On this day in history, 16th May 1620, navigator William Adams died in Hirado, Japan. Adams is thought to be the first Englishman to have reached Japan (arriving there in 1600) and was the inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne in the famous novel Shōgun.
How did William Adams end up in Japan and why did he stay there when he had a family in England?
Find out more about this interesting Tudor navigator in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 15th May 1537, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy, and his cousin, John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, were tried for treason at Westminster after being implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion.
Both men may have been sympathetic to the rebel cause, but there was no actual evidence that they conspired against the king. Poor men!
Find out more about them and how they ended up being branded rebels, and what happened next, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
I’m sure that, like me, you’re missing Philippa’s wonderful roving reporter virtual tours of Tudor-related places – sob! Obviously, Philippa isn’t able to get out and visit anywhere at the moment, so I thought I’d dig out some of the photos that I took when I visited Shakespeare’s Globe back in 2018, actually with Philippa on the Discover the Tudors tour. Enjoy!
[Read More...]On this day in Tudor history, 14th May 1538, the French ambassador, Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon, wrote a dispatch regarding King Henry VIII having been dangerously ill due to a problem with one of his legs.
Henry VIII was plagued with problems from his legs, leg ulcers, from at least 1528 right up until his death. But what do we know about his problems and what are the theories regarding the cause?
Find out in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
John Cabot was born in 1451 and was the son of Julio Caboto and his wife Mattea, both of whom were Italian. Little is known of his early life; however, we know that John was granted Venetian citizenship on 28th March 1476, which granted him the right to trade and engage in maritime activities. His business activities have been traced in Venetian archives between the years 1482 and 1485; however, we do not know where he acquired his merchant or navigational training. In April 1493, while Cabot was in Valencia, Columbus passed through the city on his way to Barcelona, leaving historians with the belief that the two men met and that it was Columbus who inspired Cabot to become a transatlantic voyager. Indeed, a Spanish diplomat described Cabot as another Columbus, seeking people to aid him in his journey of discovery. At this time, Bristol was renowned for having an interest in transatlantic voyages, and it was said that the city was involved in Atlantic exploration from 1480. With this in mind, in or around 1495, John Cabot moved to Bristol.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 13th May 1568, the forces of Mary, Queen of Scots, met those of her brother, the Regent Moray, at the Battle of Langside in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots was defeated soundly, but what happened and why was she fighting against the regent acting on behalf of her son, King James VI? What had led to this moment.
I explain all in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 12th May 1538, a Franciscan friar obstinately refused to make a public recantation of his allegiance to Rome.
Friar John Forest had been condemned for heresy and was meant to abjure his faith at St Paul’s Cross, but he decided not to. Find out more about what happened:
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 11th May 1560, royal physician Dr Thomas Wendy, died at his home, the manor of Haslingfield, in Cambridgeshire.
He attended three Tudor monarchs at their death and had a long and loyal service as a royal physician, but what interests Claire, in particular, is his role in saving Queen Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth wife, from a plot by Catholic conservatives in 1546.
Find out more Dr Thomas Wendy, his life, career, and the plot in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
Today’s Sunday puzzle is a crossword puzzle testing your knowledge of the 1553 voyage to discover a trade route via a Northeast passage.
Don’t know anything about this? Well, you can view today’s “on this day in Tudor history” video or my Claire Chats talk on this
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1553, near the end of King Edward VI’s reign, the first expedition of the Company of Merchant Adventurers, left London in search of a Northeast passage for Asia.
The voyage, with its fleet of three ships, was led by Richard Chancellor, Sebastian Cabot and Sir Hugh Willoughby. It failed in its aim, and Willoughby and his crew died, but Richard Chancellor was able to come to a very beneficial agreement with Ivan the Terrible.
Find out more about the company, the voyage and the resulting trade agreement, and Muscovy Company, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in history, in the Stuart period, 9th May 1657, William Bradford died. He is known as the founder of the Plymouth Colony in America and the writer of a chronicle of its early years: ““Of Plimmoth Plantation”.
But how did a Yorkshire man of farming stock become a Puritan and a governor of a colony in North America? What led to him becoming a “pilgrim” and boarding The Mayflower?
Find out in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
I went to see the play, Fallen in Love, when it was performed on 19th May at the Tower of London a few years ago. It was brilliant. The story of Anne Boleyn’s fall is told by just two characters, Anne and George Boleyn, and it’s incredibly moving.
This year, the Red Rose Chain are commemorating the anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s executuion with a live reading of the play. Here is the information they sent me…
The year is 1536. The woman who changed the world forever by capturing the heart of a king faces trial with her brother for adultery, incest and treason.
We are very excited to launch our new digital series for FALLEN IN LOVE, the critically acclaimed play by Joanna Carrick telling the story of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 8th May 1508, herald and chronicler Charles Wriothesley was born in London.
Wriothesley’s chronicle is one of the major primary sources for King Henry VIII’s reign, so let me tell you more about its writer, Charles Wriothesley, Windsor Herald, and what heralds actually are.
[Read More...]
In this week’s Claire Chats video, I talk about Tudor letters and share two of Elizabeth I’s letters, one from her youth and another from the last weeks of her life. Below my talk, you can find links to books of letters and archives where you can read Tudor letters. Enjoy!
[Read More...]
On 7th May 1567, eight days before James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, married Mary, Queen of Scots, the Catholic court granted him a divorce from his wife, Lady Jean Gordon.
Who was Jean Gordon? Why did Bothwell divorce her? And what happened to Jean afterwards?
Find out more about Bothwell and Jean’s marriage, and about Jean’s life, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
As it’s the anniversary of the “Lady in the Tower” letter today, a letter said to have been written by Queen Anne Boleyn on 6th May 1536, I thought I’d answer this question from member Real Tudor Lady:
“What is your opinion on the authenticity of the last letter of Queen Katherine of Aragon to Henry VIII, and the last letter of Anne Boleyn, ‘The Lady in the Tower ” letter, to Henry VIII? Are they both fake or real?”
The letter said to be from Catherine of Aragon was written in her final days, in January 1536, and reads…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 6th May 1502, in the reign of King Henry VII, Sir James Tyrell, former royal councillor, was executed for treason due to his links to a known traitor.
But it’s not for his time as a trusted councillor, or for his links to a claimant to the throne that he is known, but for his alleged involvement in the murders of the Princes in the Tower.
Find out more in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 5th May 1543, religious radical, Adam Damplip, also known as George Bucker, was hanged, drawn and quartered in Calais, which was an English territory at the time.
Although it was his heretical preaching that had got him into trouble, he couldn’t be executed as a heretic, so he was condemned as a traitor instead – clever, but nasty!
Let me explain more in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 4th May 1535, in the reign of King Henry VIII, three Carthusian monks, a Bridgettine monk and a parish priest were executed at Tyburn.
They were executed for refusing to accept the King as the Supreme Head of the Church and “for writing and giving counsel against the King”, and had to suffer a full traitor’s death, one after the other.
Find out more about them and also London Charterhouse, home to the Carthusian order, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 3rd May 1568, courtier, member of Parliament, and privy councillor, Sir Edward Rogers, died.
Rogers had a long and successful royal career, serving three of the Tudor monarchs, and he managed to keep his head too.
Find out more about him, and how he even survived being implicated in rebellion and opposing Mary I, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
It’s wonderful that Tudor history inspires novelists the way it does, and it’s wonderful to meet our favourite historical characters in novels that bring them and their world to life, but how much do you know about historical novelists and their works?
Test yourself with this week’s fun quiz…
[Read More...]
On this day in history, 2nd May 1550, Anabaptist Joan Bocher, was burnt to death at Smithfield for her belief in Christ’s celestial flesh.
How did a Protestant end up being executed in Edward VI’s reign and what did she mean by Christ having celestial flesh?
Find out more about Joan Bocher, or Joan of Kent, her beliefs and her links to Protestant martyr Anne Askew, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 1st May 1551, in the reign of King Edward VI, Norfolk landowner and Member of Parliament, Sir Edmund Knyvet, died.
Knyvet had an interesting court career, being helped by his Howard connections, but he was known for his rather hot temper, which nearly led to him losing his right hand.
Find out more about hot-tempered Sir Edmun Knyvet in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
This lockdown is definitely easier when you immerse yourself in Tudor history, and so much better for you than raiding the fridge and cupboards!
A few weeks ago, I shared some suggestions for Tudor movies and I thought it would also be good to share some recommendations for documentaries and non-fiction series. Please feel free to add your recommendations in the comments.
[Read More...]
This month’s expert is Julian Humphrys from The Battlefields Trust and Heritage Tours. Julian has an amazing ability to bring battles to life. This talk is about the Siege of Malta, a battle whose effects were felt right across Europe, including Elizabethan England.
[Read More...]
Here’s the full version of your monthly magazine packed with Tudor goodness, you’ll love this magazine which focuses on the role of the Virgin Mary in Tudor times.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 30th April 1544, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Thomas Audley, Baron Audley of Walden and Lord Chancellor, died at his home in London.
Audley was Thomas Cromwell’s right-hand man in 1536, during the fall of Anne Boleyn, and became even more important after Cromwell’s fall.
Find out more about Thomas Audley, an important Tudor statesman, and how he served King Henry VIII, in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 29th April 1567 (some sources suggest 26th), James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, who had recently abducted and allegedly “ravished” Mary, Queen of Scots, had a suit of divorce made against him by his wife, Lady Jean Gordon.
Lady Gordon was persuaded by Bothwell to make this divorce suit as he was planning to marry Mary, Queen of Scots, which he did on 15th May 1567.
In this talk, I explain what led up to this day, what happened next, and also what a truly horrible man Bothwell was.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 28th April 1548 (some sources say 6 May), courtier, diplomat, soldier and Keeper of Oatlands Palace, Sir Anthony Browne, died at Byfleet in Surrey. He had been one of Henry VIII’s most important and richest courtiers and was also involved in the falls of two queens: Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves.
Find out more about this man and how he was involved in the falls of the two Annes in today’s talk.
[Read More...]
Thank you, as always, to the growing number of members who came to our live chat event with Sarah Bryson. We had a fun time talking about the Brandons.
[Read More...]