In this week’s Claire Chats I talk about how to go about researching Tudor history. I’m sharing a slideshow and talk I did back in 2013 and I do hope it’s useful to those of you who are new to researching history.
[Read More...]YOUR SEARCH UNCOVERED 363 RESULTS
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Researching Tudor History
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Painting Paradise – Review by Melanie V. Taylor
London is sweltering in unaccustomed heat, so if you are in England you might consider a visit to the Queen’s gallery, Buckingham Palace just to get out of the sun.
The exhibition is full of beautiful paintings, china and exquisite Fabergé flowers and importantly for members of The Tudor Society, this painting by the prolific artist, British School.
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23 June 1509 – Coronation procession of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine of Aragon
On Saturday 23rd June, Henry VIII and his wife Catherine of Aragon left the Tower of London and made their way through the streets of London to Westminster on their coronation procession.
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Elizabeth I’s Challenge to the Masculinity of the Royal Body by Susan Bordo
Lacey Baldwin Smith has written that “Tudor portraits bear about as much resemblance to their subjects as elephants to prunes.” A slight exaggeration, maybe. But it is true that the historical accuracy of the depictions in Tudor portraits, particularly of royalty, was often at war with “symbolic iconizing”—the use of imagery to represent the person’s character, position or role.
The symbolism could include inscriptions, emblems, mottos, relationships with other people, animals, or objects, and it could also be written into the body itself. A famous example is Hans Holbein’s sketch of Henry VIII—the painting itself was destroyed in a fire—with the king posed to emphasize his power, authority, and resoluteness: legs spread and firmly planted, broad shoulders, one hand on his dagger, and a very visible codpiece (larger, art historians have noted, than portraits of other men at the time.) His stance, as Suzanne Lipscomb points out, “mimics the stance of a man standing in full armour…sparking associations with martial glory.” Lipscomb also points out an interesting detail: in the draft sketch, Henry’s face is turned to a ¾ angle. But in the final painting, as we know from 16th century copies done within Henry’s lifetime, Holbein has Henry looking straight ahead, confronting the spectator with an unblinking stare that is still symbolic of masculinity today.
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This week in history 15 – 21 June
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The Field of Cloth of Gold by Sarah Bryson
The Field of Cloth of Gold was a spectacular meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting lasted from the 7th June to 24th June 1520 and was one of the most impressive, lavish meetings to ever be held between the two Kings. The meeting was held between the English stronghold of Guînes and the French town of Ardres, on a piece of land which was referred to as the Field of Cloth of Gold.
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This week in history 11 – 17 May
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The Pilgrimage of Grace by Sarah Bryson
The Pilgrimage of Grace initially formed as a series of revolts which originated in Lincolnshire. The people were unhappy with the dissolution of their Abbey in Louth, upset with many of the government commissions in the area which were being conducted to look at the resources that the smaller monasteries had as well as the conduct of the clergy. There was also widespread rumour that the government would confiscate the jewels, plate and wealth of the monasteries and also impose new taxes upon the people.
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This week in history 27 April – 3 May
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The Road to Bosworth by Sarah Bryson
The Battle of Bosworth has gone down in record as one of the most pivotal battles in English history. The aftermath of the battle changed the course of England and saw a new monarch and dynasty come to the throne.
The 1st of August 1485 was to be the day that Henry Tudor would finally leave France after fourteen years of exile in Brittany and France aiming to lay claim to the English throne. He set sail from Harfleur, France accompanied by approximately 400 Englishmen, 800 Scots and approximately 1500 French troops. The exact number of French troops is hard to estimate as different reports record different numbers.
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This week in history 6 – 12 April
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This week in history 30 March – 5 April
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The Offspring of Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn by Conor Byrne
The birth dates of the children born to Sir Thomas Boleyn and his wife Elizabeth Howard have caused considerable controversy among historians over the centuries. It is a fact that Elizabeth was delivered of two surviving daughters (Mary and Anne) and three sons (Thomas, Henry and George), only one of whom (George) survived to adulthood. Everything else is uncertain. Even the date of Thomas’s marriage to Elizabeth is not known. Only in 1538 were parish registers systematically introduced in which all weddings, baptisms and funerals were recorded.
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Recent and forthcoming books Spring 2015
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This week in history 9 – 15 March
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This week in history 23 February – 1 March
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This week in history 16 – 22 February
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This week in history 9 – 15 February
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Henry VII
Henry VII was born at Pembroke Castle on the 28th January 1457. His parents were the thirteen year-old Lady Margaret Beaufort and her husband Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, who, unfortunately, had died of the plague three months before Henry’s birth.
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This week in history 26 January – 1st February
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What is the Order of the Garter? By Sarah Bryson
The Order of the Garter, officially known as The Most Noble Order of the Garter, is the oldest and highest British order of chivalry. The Order was founded in 1348 by King Edward III and consists of the King (or Queen), their spouse, the Prince of Wales and twenty four Knights. Other members of The Order are known as Royal Knights Companions and Extra or Stranger Knights.
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Christmas Decorations, Twelfth Night and Candlemas
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The Feast of the Epiphany – 6th January
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This week in history 5 – 11 January
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This week in history 22 – 28 December
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This week in history 1 – 7 December
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This week in history 17 – 23 November
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This week in history 10 – 16 November
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November 2014 Magazine
Enjoy the November 2014 Tudor Life Magazine with guest articles from Leanda de Lisle, Sandra Vasoli, Beth von Staats and Roland Hui, PLUS all of our regular columnists and articles.
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September 2014 Magazine
The very first issue of Tudor Life, the Tudor Society’s monthly magazine, is a special on Elizabeth I to commemorate her birthday on 7 September 1533.
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