On this day in Tudor history, 2nd August 1581, an English Protestant named Richard Atkins was burned for heresy in Rome.

What had led this Englishman to his end in Rome? What had he done? And why was he tortured on his way to his execution?

I explain all in today’s talk, sharing an account of his actions and his courageous end.

On this day in history, 1st August 1555, Sir Edward Kelley, apothecary, alchemist and medium, was born in Worcester.

Kelley was a fascinating man. He worked with Dr John Dee and the men believed that they communicated with angels. Kelley also claimed that he was an alchemist and he wrote a treatise on the Philosopher’s Stone.

Find out more about Kelley and his work in today’s talk.

On this day in Tudor history, 31st July 1544 and 1548, the future Queen Elizabeth I wrote letters to her stepmother, Catherine Parr.

The letters were written at very different times in Elizabeth’s life, the first when Catherine was queen and Elizabeth had been separated from her for a while, and the second after Catherine had actually removed Elizabeth from her and Thomas Seymour’s household.

I share Elizabeth’s letters and explain the context.

Book recommendations: “Elizabeth” by David Starkey”; “Elizabeth I: Collected Works” ed. Leah S. Marcus, Mary Beth Rose, Janel Mueller.

On this day in Tudor history, 27th July 1588, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, wrote to his queen with an invitation. He was intent on keeping the queen, the woman he loved, out of harm’s way.

I explain all in today’s “on this day in Tudor history” talk.

On this day in Tudor history, 23rd July 1596, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, Privy Councillor and Lord Chamberlain, died at Somerset House in London. Hunsdon was, of course, the son of Mary Boleyn, nephew of the late Queen Anne Boleyn, and cousin and favourite of Queen Elizabeth I.

In today’s talk, I give details of Hunsdon’s background and his rise to prominence at Elizabeth I’s court, as well as details of his burial and tomb.

On this day in Tudor history, 21st July 1545, in the reign of King Henry VIII, French forces landed on the Isle of Wight in an attempt to invade the English island.

In today’s “on this day” talk, I share contemporary accounts of what happened – what the French forces did to the island and what the result was.

On this day in Tudor history, 20th July 1554, John Knox, theologian and a leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, published a pamphlet attacking the Catholic Queen Mary I, her religious measures and her persecution of Protestants.

In today’s “on this day in Tudor history” talk, I share some of what he said about Mary, her council and advisors. The man had a definite way with words!

On this day in Tudor history, 18th July 1509, just three months into the reign of King Henry VIII, one of King Henry VII’s chief advisors was accused of being a “false traitor” and convicted of treason.

The new king, the young Henry VIII, used Dudley and his colleague, Richard Empson, as scapegoats for his father’s unpopular regime.

Find out more about the charges against Edmund Dudley in today’s talk.

On this day in Tudor history, 17th July 1555, Protestant martyrs Christopher Wade (Waid) of Dartford, linen-weaver, and Margaret, or Margery, Polley, a widow from Pepenbury, Tunbridge, were burned at the stake for heresy.

In today’s “on this day” talk, Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books, tells us more about this man and woman, what led them to their awful fates, and what happened on that day in 1555.

On this day in Tudor history, 16th July 1546, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Protestant martyrs Anne Askew, John Lascelles, John Adams and Nicholas Belenian were burned at the stake at Smithfield in London for heresy.

Poor Anne had been illegally racked, so special provision had to be made for her execution.

In today’s talk, I share an account of the ends of these courageous people, along with some trivia about one of them.

On this day in Tudor history, 14th July 1551,fifteen-year-old Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, and his fourteen-year-old brother, Charles, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, both sons of Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, and the late Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, died at Buckden.

The boys had been taken ill in a sweating sickness epidemic that had hit Cambridge.

In today’s talk, I explain exactly what happened on that sad day.