#OTD in Tudor history – 16 February

On this day in Tudor history, 16th February, Sir William Stanley, was executed for treason, the German humanist reformer and scholar, Philipp Melancthon was born, and Henry VIII was buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor...

• 1495 – Execution of Sir William Stanley by beheading on Tower Hill. He had been found guilty of treason for allegedly supporting the pretender Perkin Warbeck. Stanley is known for his change of sides at the Battle of Bosworth, when he decided to fight with Henry Tudor against Richard III. See video below.
• 1497 – Birth of Philipp Melancthon, German reformer, scholar and friend and colleague of Martin Luther, at Bretten, near Karlsruhe. Click here to read more about him.
• 1547 - Henry VIII’s body was interred in a vault in St George's Chapel Windsor, alongside that of his third wife, Jane Seymour. See video below.

• 1560 – Death of Jean du Bellay, diplomat and Bishop of Paris, in Rome. He was buried in the church of Trinità dei Monti.
• 1587 – Funeral of Sir Philip Sidney, courtier and author, at St Paul's Cathedral.
• 1595 – Probable date of the death of Adam Hill, Church of England clergyman and religious writer. He was buried in Salisbury Cathedral on 19th February. His published works included “The Crie of England” and “The Defence of the Article”.