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December 9 – Catherine Howard’s step-grandmother is questioned

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 9th December 1541, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Catherine Howard’s stepgrandmother, Agnes Tilney, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk was questioned.

The sixty-four-year-old dowager duchess had been detained at the Lord Chancellor’s home and on 9th December, she was questioned regarding the location of her money and jewels.

Find out about why she was detained and questioned, why she ended up in the Tower, and what happened when the dowager duchess was indicted for misprision of treason…
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December 6 – Sir Hugh Paulet

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 6th December 1573, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Hugh Paulet died at his home in Hinton St George in Somerset.

Paulet distinguished himself as a soldier in Henry VIII’s reign, and in Edward VI’s reign he served as Governor of Jersey. Although he was a Protestant, he served as Vice-President of the Welsh Marches in Mary I’s reign, and went on to have a successful career in Elizabeth I’s reign.

Paulet was an important man and a royal servant, but still managed to die a natural death at his home.

Find out more about Sir Hugh Paulet…
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December 4 – Thomas Cranmer is no longer Archbishop of Canterbury

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 4th December 1555, in the reign of Queen Mary I, papal sentence was passed in Rome on Thomas Cranmer, who had served as Archbishop of Canterbury in the reigns of King Henry VIII and King Edward VI.

The papal sentence deprived Cranmer of his archbishopric and gave permission for his fate to be decided by the secular authorities.

Let me explain what led Cranmer to this day and also what happened next…
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November 29 – Anthony Browne, a man close to the monarchs and who kept his head!

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 29th November 1528, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, was born.

Montagu began his court career with the help of his father in Henry VIII’s reign. He was made a Knight of the Bath when Edward VI became king, served as a privy councillor in Queen Mary I’s reign and died a natural death in Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Montagu 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?
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November 25 – Sir Thomas Legh, a vicious man

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 25th November 1545, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Sir Thomas Legh (Leigh) died.

Sir Thomas Legh was a lawyer, member of Parliament, diplomat, ecclesiastical administrator and a faithful servant to Henry VIII. However, his work for the king during the dissolution of the monasteries led to complaints against him and even rebellion.

Legh was a vicious man known for his harsh treatment of monks, but he helped to protect Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1543 when the archbishop’s enemies tried to bring him down.

Here are some facts about Sir Thomas Legh…
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November 18 – Ralph Baynes, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, ends his days in confinement

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 18th November 1559, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Ralph Baynes (Baines), Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, died.

Baynes had started his career in Henry VIII’s reign and in Mary I’s reign, he had been actively involved in the persecutions of Protestants, examining many well-known martyrs and featuring in John Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs”. He came to a sad end, dying while imprisoned in the home of Edmund Grindal, Bishop of London.

Find out more about Ralph Baynes, his life and career, and how he came to be deprived of his bishopric and die in confinement…
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November 17 – The death of Mary I and the accession of Elizabeth I

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 17th November 1558, Queen Mary I died at St James’s Palace in London.

The forty-two-year-old daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon passed the throne on to her twenty-five-year-old half-sister, Elizabeth, who became Queen Elizabeth I.

Let me tell you about the accession of Queen Elizabeth I and the traditional story of Elizabeth finding out that she was queen at Hatfield…
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November 15 – Katherine of York, Countess of Devon

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 15th November 1527, in the reign of King Henry VIII, a woman who called herself “the excellent Princess Katherine, Countess of Devon, daughter, sister and aunt of kings” died at Tiverton Castle in Devon.

She was Katherine of York, Countess of Devon, and she was the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, and the sister of Queen Elizabeth of York. Katherine was just forty-nine when she died. She had taken a vow of chastity after her husband’s death.

Let me give an overview of King Henry VIII’s aunt’s life and explain why she took her vow of chastity…
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November 14 – An inventory is taken of Thomas Culpeper’s possessions

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 14th November 1541, twelve days after an investigation had been opened into King Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard, an inventory was taken of “the goods and chattels, lands and fees of” a groom of the king’s privy chamber.

This groom was Thomas Culpeper, a man who had been found to have enjoyed secret meetings with Catherine.

An inventory had also been taken of the possessions of one of Catherine’s ladies, Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford. Jane was the widow of George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, and she was alleged to have helped the queen meet with Culpeper.

But what was going on in November 1541 and what was listed in these inventories?

Let me tell you…
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November 13 – Murder by pistol

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 13th November 1536, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Robert Packington (Pakington, Pakyngton) was shot to death by an unknown assailant while he was on his way to mass at St Thomas of Acre Chapel. He was shot with a wheellock pistol.

Robert Packington, who was a mercer and member of Parliament, has gone down in history as the first person in England to be killed by a handgun.

But who was the murderer and why was he killed?

Find out about Packington, his murder, and the theories regarding who ordered his murder…
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November 12 – Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 12th November 1555, Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, died.

Queen Mary I’s lord chancellor was laid to rest at Winchester Cathedral in what is now known as the Bishop Gardiner Chantry Chapel.

Let me tell you about the life and career of Stephen Gardiner, “Wily Winchester”. He led quite a life – going from being a valued advisor to Henry VIII to being imprisoned, and then rising in favour once and again, crowning a queen and becoming her lord chancellor. An interesting man!
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November 11 – Queen Catherine Howard is moved from Hampton Court Palace to Syon

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th November 1541, the Feast of Martinmas, King Henry VIII’s council sent Archbishop Thomas Cranmer a letter containing instructions to move Queen Catherine Howard, who had been confined to her apartments in Hampton Court Palace, to Syon House, formerly Syon Abbey.

In the video and transcript below, I share the instructions that Archbishop Cranmer was given and what Catherine was sent for her time at Syon. I also explain what else happened on this day in 1541, along with some trivia about the people in charge of Catherine’s household at Syon.
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November 8 – William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, Catherine of Aragon’s chamberlain and a friend of scholars

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th November 1534, in the reign of King Henry VIII, William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, died at Sutton on the Hill in Derbyshire.

Mountjoy was a courtier, scholar and literary patron, and he had a wonderful court career. He helped organise the young Henry VIII’s education, he served as Master of the Mint and chamberlain to Queen Catherine of Aragon, and he was close friends with the renowned humanist scholar, Erasmus.

In his position as chamberlain to Queen Catherine of Aragon, who had been set aside by Henry VIII, Mountjoy had to break bad news to her.

Find out all about Lord Mountjoy, his career and life…
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Quiz – The Fall of Catherine Howard

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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As today is the anniversary of King Henry VIII abandoning his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, at Hampton Court Palace after allegations had been made against her, I thought I’d share this quiz from our archives.

How much do you know about Catherine Howard’s fall?

Test yourself with this fun quiz.
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November 4 – Members of the Pole family and their associates are arrested for treason

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 4th November 1538, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu; his brother-in-law, Sir Edward Neville; Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter; Courtenay’s wife, Gertrude Blount, and the couple’s son, Edward Courtenay, were arrested for treason. They were taken to the Tower of London.

Montagu, Neville and Exeter, along with Montagu’s brother, Geoffrey Pole, were accused of plotting with Montagu’s brother, Cardinal Reginald Pole, against King Henry VIII. Montagu’s mother, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was also arrested for treason.

Henry VIII had sought Cardinal Pole’s opinion on his marriage and the papacy, so why were members of his family accused of treason for communicating with the cardinal?

Find out what Cardinal Pole had done to upset the king, and what happened to his family and friends…
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November 1 – A powerful baron who escaped charges of treason

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 1st November 1527, in the reign of King Henry VIII, courtier and diplomat William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham was born.

Baron Cobham was close to William Cecil, Baron Burghley. who was Queen Elizabeth’s I’s chief advisor, so Cobham became powerful in Elizabeth’s reign. Cobham served Elziabeth in a number of important offices and was able to escape charges of treason twice thanks to the influence of his friends and patrons.

Find out more about Baron Cobham’s life, career, and brushes with rebellions and plots…
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October 26 – Sir Thomas More takes his oath as Lord Chancellor

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 26th October 1529, Sir Thomas More was sworn in as King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor.

Sir Thomas More replaced Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who had been charged with praemunire.

More, who was described as “an upright and learned man”, could not have known that taking this office would lead to his undoing…
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Sunday fun – The Dissolution of the Monasteries Crossword Puzzle

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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The Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of King Henry VIII wasn’t fun for those who lived in and depended on these religious institutions, but we can have some fun while testing our knowledge on this topic.

Here’s a crossword puzzle from our archives…
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October 21 – Armed peasants accost a herald

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1536, during the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion in the reign of King Henry VIII, a herald was accosted by some armed peasants.

Lancaster Herald was on his way to Pontefract Castle when he met the peasants. When he got to the castle, he met with Robert Aske, leader of the rebels.

The meeting didn’t go well for the herald. Aske would not allow him to complete his mission.

What was going on? Who was Lancaster Herald? What was his mission?
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October 20 – Mary Arundell, Countess of Sussex and Arundel

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 20th October 1557 (or possibly 21st), in the reign of Queen Mary I, courtier Mary Arundell died at Bath Place in London.

Mary is a very interesting Tudor lady. She served at least two of King Henry VIII’s wives, and she was a countess twice over, having been married to both the Earls of Sussex and Arundel.

Mary Arundell has also been confused with two other Tudor ladies, and we don’t know whether the portrait you see in the thumbnail for the video is really her.

Find out more about Mary Arundell’s life, court career and those of her husbands…
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October 19 – Isabella I of Castile marries Ferdinand II of Aragon

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in history, 19th October 1469, eighteen-year-old Isabella I of Castile married seventeen-year-old Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Their marriage may have happened outside of the Tudor period, and in Spain, but it had an impact on Europe and has links with the Tudors.

The couple became the famous “Reyes Catolicos”, the Catholic monarchs, and brough together two powerful kingdoms, which comprised most of what is modern-day Spain. They were also the parents of Catherine of Aragon, who married Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, and, after his death, King Henry VIII.

Let me tell you more about this powerful couple, their reigns and their legacy…
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October 18 – The death of Margaret Tudor

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 18th October 1541, Margaret Tudor died of a stroke at Methven Castle, Perthshire, Scotland. She was laid to rest at the Carthusian Priory of St John in Perth, which was later destroyed.

Margaret Tudor was the sister of King Henry VIII and eldest daughter of King Henry VII. At the age of 13, she was sent to Scotland to marry the Scottish king, James IV.

Margaret Tudor had an interesting life. She was widowed, divorced and unhappily married, and she fled to England at one point.

Margaret was the mother of Lady Margaret Douglas, she was the grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots AND Lord Darnley, and she was the great-grandmother of King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England).
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October 11 – Prayers for Queen Jane Seymour for her difficult labour

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th October 1537, in the reign of King Henry VIII, London was praying for the king’s third wife, Queen Jane Seymour.

Jane was in labour with her first and only child, and the labour was long and difficult. On 11th October 1537, there was a solemn procession in the city of London to pray for her. After about thirty hours, Jane gave birth to a healthy baby boy, who would become King Edward VI.

Let me share some contemporary sources about the procession and Jane’s labour…
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October 8 – The birth of Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of Margaret Tudor

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th October 1515, Margaret Tudor, Queen Dowager of Scotland and sister of King Henry VIII, gave birth at Harbottle Castle in Northumberland.

The baby was a little girl, Margaret, and her father was Margaret Tudor’s second husband, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. Little Margaret was born while her mother was travelling to Henry VIII’s court in London after fleeing Scotland.

Lady Margaret Douglas is a fascinating Tudor lady…
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October 6 – Reformer and Bible translator William Tyndale is executed

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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This day in Tudor history, 6th October 1536, is the traditional date given for the execution of reformer, scholar and Bible translator William Tyndale.

One of Tyndale’s works had helped King Henry VIII while another incurred the king’s wrath and led to Tyndale’s execution.

Why? What happened?

Let me tell you…
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October 3 – Cardinal Wolsey celebrates a treaty

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 3rd October 1518, King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, sang a mass to the king and the French ambassadors at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Wolsey was celebrating a treaty that had been made between England and France.

The celebrations also included a banquet and a lavish masque of lords and ladies dressed beautifully and disguised with masking hoods. Among those disguised were some well-known courtiers, people like Sir Francis Bryan and Bessie Blount, Henry VIII’s mistress.
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September 25 – Stephen Borough, Tudor explorer

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 25th September 1525, in the reign of King Henry VIII, explorer, navigator and naval administrator Stephen Borough (Burrough) was born at Borough House, Northam Burrows, Northam, in Devon.

Borough was an Arctic explorer who learnt his navigational skills from first his uncle and then Spanish pilots in Seville.

Borough discovered Novaya Zemlya and the Viagatz Strait (Kara Strait), which was named the Burrough Strait until the late 1800s.
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September 23 – Bishop John Jewel dies

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 23rd September 1571, John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, died at Monkton Farleigh Manor. He was laid to rest in Salisbury Cathedral.

Forty-nine-year-old Jewel had been taken ill while preaching a sermon in Lacock, Wiltshire.

Jewel’s life and career spanned the reigns of King Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I and Elizabeth I – a time of huge religious change. He was a clergyman, a Protestant exile, a theologian and bishop, and someone who spoke up for what he believed.
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September 18 – The would-be king consort Edward Courtenay

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 18th September 1556, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon, died at Padua in Italy.

Courtenay, who died from a fever, had been sent to the Continent after being implicated in Wyatt’s Rebellion. The 1554 rebellion sought to replace Queen Mary I with her half-sister, Elizabeth, who would marry Courtenay.

Let me tell you more about Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon, and how he was a prospective bridegroom for both of Henry VIII’s daughters…
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September 17 – The Earl of Rutland dies of plague

1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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On this day in Tudor history, 17th September 1563, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland, died.

The courtier and soldier died during an outbreak of the plague, which was rife in London that year and killed about 24% of London’s citizens.

Manners had served King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I, so had a long and interesting career, which also saw him imprisoned at one point.
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