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  • 10 October – The burial of Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I catches smallpox

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1588, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, according to his instructions.

    His funeral was well-attended and his widow, Lettice, a woman known by Elizabeth I as “the she-wolf”, erected a monument to “her best and dearest husband” in the chapel, which was also the resting place of the couple’s young son, Robert, “the noble impe”.

    Find out more about Leicester’s funeral and resting place, and see some photos of his tomb…

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  • 8 October – Henry VIII puts pressure on his daughter and the birth of Lady Margaret Douglas

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 8th October 1536, while the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion was getting underway in Lincolnshire and spreading to Yorkshire, Henry VIII wasn’t only issuing orders regarding the rebels, he was also issuing orders regarding his eldest daughter.

    Henry and Mary had recently reconciled after Mary had finally submitted to him and recognised his supremacy and her illegitimate status. It was something that cost Mary dearly, but it did mend her relationship with her father and allow her back at court.

    But then Henry VIII put more pressure on his daughter by forcing her to write to the pope and to Mary of Hungary, the emperor’s sister.

    What did Mary have to write? What did the king want of his daughter? And why had Mary submitted to her father?

    Find out all about this…

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  • 29 September – A papal legate arrives and Robert Dudley receives an earldom

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 29th September 1528, the papal legate, Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio, landed at Dover on the Kent coast.

    Campeggio and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who had been appointed the pope’s vice-regent, were given the task of hearing Henry VIII’s case for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

    Find out more about what happened when next, what happened at the special legatine court, and how Henry ended up waiting for his annulment for a few more years…

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  • October 2021 – Tudor Noblewomen

    2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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    This month’s bumper-sized Tudor Life magazine is packed with articles about some of the interesting Tudor noblewomen.

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  • 22 September – Amy Robsart and Anne of Cleves

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 22nd September 1560, Amy Dudley (née Robsart), wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was buried in the chancel of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.

    Amy had been found dead at the foot of the stairs of her home and the subsequent inquest had ruled her death as caused by “misfortune”. She was buried in a lavish ceremony which cost her widower over £2,000.

    Find out more about her burial, and who attended…

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  • 20 September – The Babington Plot and the birth of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 20th September 1586, Anthony Babington, John Ballard, John Savage, Chidiock Tichborne and three other conspirators were executed near St Giles-in-the-Fields in London.

    They suffered full traitors’ deaths, being hanged, drawn and quartered, after being found guilty of treason for plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I in the famous Babington Plot, which sought to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots.

    Find out more about Anthony Babington, the Babington Plot, the men involved, how it was discovered, and how it led to Mary, Queen of Scots’ execution…

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  • Expert answer – What does “round machine” refer to in this quote?

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    Thank you to Tudor Society member Stephanie for asking this question about something written by Estienne Perlin with regards to Mary, Queen of Scot, France and Scotland. Stephanie asks:

    “In the following quote do you know what the ’round machine” refers to:

    “How happy oughtest thou to esteem thyself, O kingdom of Scotland, to be favoured, fed and maintained like an infant, on the breast of the host magnanimous King of France, the greatest lord in the whole world, and the future monarch of the round machine, for without him thou wouldn’st have been laid in ashes, they country wasted and ruined by the English, utterly accursed by God.”

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  • 14 September – A Constable of the Tower and a destroyed shrine

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 14th September 1540, Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London, Knight of the Garter and comptroller of the King's household, died at his home in Painswick in Gloucestershire.

    Sir William Kingston was Constable of the Tower of London while Queen Anne Boleyn was imprisoned there in May 1536, and his letters to Thomas Cromwell are an excellent primary source for historians, but there's much more to this royal servant than that. He had a wonderful career in service to the king and benefited as a result.

    Find out more about Kingston...

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  • 12 September – A bridegroom dies suddenly and the trial of Archbishop Cranmer

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 12th September 1573, Protestant reformer, and leading politician in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, died suddenly at Barbreck. He had got married six weeks earlier and had shown no signs of illness before retiring to bed.

    Argyll was the third most important noble in Scotland, the most important highland chief, and a founder of the Lords of the Congregation. He went from opposing Mary, Queen of Scots, to leading her troops in battle.

    Why?

    Find out all about this interesting Scot's life and career...

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  • 7 September – Charles Brandon marries his young ward, and Elizabeth I is born

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 7th September 1533, just over two months after the death of his previous wife, Mary Tudor. Queen of France, forty-nine-year-old Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, married his ward, fourteen-year-old Catherine Willoughby.

    Find out more about this Tudor couple, how they came to be married, what their marriage was like, and what happened to them…

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  • 6 September – Martin Luther and Timothy Bright

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 6th September 1520, the famous reformer Martin Luther sent his pamphlet “On the Freedom of a Christian” (also known as “A Treatise on Christian Liberty”) to Pope Leo X. In the pamphlet, he emphasised the “two-fold nature” of Christians as saints and sinners, flesh and spirit.

    Luther is, of course, seen as the catalyst of the European Reformation, and in this video, I explain why, what he believed, how he ended up being excommunicated and made an outlaw, and what happened to him.

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  • 5 September – The deaths of Bloody Bonner and Catherine Parr

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 5th September 1569, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London and a man nicknamed “Bloody Bonner”, died in Marshalsea Prison. He had started his career in Henry VIII’s reign and was not just a churchman, he was also a diplomat.

    In this video, I flesh out this Tudor bishop who got his nickname from being in charge of burning reformers in London. Find out about his life, career and how he ended up dying in prison…

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  • 29 August – St John the Baptist and Geoffrey Pole

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today, 29th August, is the Feast of the beheading of St John the Baptist. Lovely!

    In this video, I share the story behind this Tudor holy day, a story which is often depicted in illuminations in manuscripts and psalters.

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  • September 2021 – Star Crossed Lovers

    2 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
    2 Comments

    Tragic Tudor romances are always fascinating to learn about, and we’ve dedicated this months magazine to this topic. Romeo and Juliet always come to mind when you mention star crossed lovers but there are so many more real-life couples to learn about.

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  • 23 August – A siege and a courtier goes all out to impress

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 23rd August 1548, Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, arrived at the Siege of Haddington, in East Lothian, Scotland, with a large army. This siege was part of the Anglo-Scottish war known as the War of the Rough Wooing between England and Scotland., regarding Henry VIII’s desire to marry his son, Edward, off to Mary, Queen of Scots.

    What happened at this siege and to Haddington after it?

    Find out…

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  • Battle of Bosworth Quiz

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth. The battle took place on 22nd August 1485 and was between the forces of King Richard III and Henry Tudor. Henry’s forces defeated those of Richard, and Henry became King Henry VII.

    Test your knowledge of the battle with this fun quiz and scroll down for more resources on the battle.

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  • Hans Holbein’s Portrait of Queen Catherine Howard? by Roland Hui

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    6 Comments

    A big thank you to our resident art historian, Roland Hui, for this excellent article on a Tudor miniature by Hans Holbein the Younger which is causing controversy at the moment.

    Over to Roland…

    In an essay on the portraiture of Henry VIII’s six wives, art historian Brett Dolman offered the depressing, but sobering, opinion that pictures of one of them, Catherine Howard, may not even exist:

    “Catherine left no documentary proof that her portrait was ever painted during her lifetime, and perhaps, we are searching for the impossible.”…

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  • 15 August – The Oaten Hill Martyrs and a lady-in-waiting who was attacked by Elizabeth I

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On his day in Tudor history, 15th August 1588, Catholics Robert Wilcox, Edward Campion, Christopher Buxton and Robert Widmerpool were examined while imprisoned in the Marshalsea prison in Southwark, London.

    These men ended up being executed, three of them for being Catholic priests and one for giving aid to priests. All four died with courage and in 1929 were beatified.

    Find out more about these men and how they came to be executed in this video…

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  • Walter Calverley (d. 1605), a murderous man!

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    The history of Walter Calverley is not a happy one, and he is best known today as being a man capable of infanticide.

    Walter Calverley was the eldest son and heir of William Calverley, a writer, and his wife, Katherine. His family were landowners in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which is where he was probably born.

    Whilst he was still a child, Walter’s father died, and under his father’s will, Walter became a ward of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham. Walter also inherited the family lands at Calverley, titles to manors at Pudsey and Burley in Wharfedale, and several other pieces of land in Yorkshire. On 5th May 1579, Walter enrolled at the University of Cambridge as a scholar of Clare College alongside his brother William. They both left Cambridge in the October of that year, and Walter left Cambridge without a degree and entered into a dubious lifestyle.

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  • 7 August – Sir Robert Dudley, Dudley’s illegitimate son

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 7th August 1574, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester’s illegitimate son, Sir Robert Dudley, was born at Sheen.

    Find out more about Sir Robert Dudley, who grew up to be a mariner, cartographer and landowner, in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 5 August – Sir Reginald Bray

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 5th August 1503, in the reign of King Henry VII, administrator Sir Reynold or Reginald Bray died.

    Who was Bray? What offices had he held? And what are his links to Westminster Abbey and St George's Chapel?

    Find out more in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts...

    [Read More...]

  • 30 July – Writer Robert Parry

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 30th July 1563, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, writer and diarist Robert Parry was born.

    Find out a bit more about Parry in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 29 July – The death of Thomas Stanley, Henry VII’s stepfather

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 29th July 1504, in the reign of King Henry VII, the king’s stepfather died.

    Find out a bit more about Thomas Stanley, and his role in helping his stepson take the throne, in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 26 July – The Earl of Shrewsbury dies

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 26th July 1538, in the reign of King Henry VIII, George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, died.

    Shrewsbury was a loyal servant of the Crown and a soldier. Find out more about him in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 24 July – A converted priest loses his life

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 24th July 1594, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Catholic priest John Boste was executed in Durham.

    Find out more about Boste and what led to his brutal end in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 23 July – John Day, a Protestant printer

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 23rd July 1584, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Protestant printer, bookseller and publisher John Day died.

    Find out more about this Protestant printer and the famous works he printed in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 21 July – Explorer Thomas Cavendish

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 21st July 1586, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, explorer Thomas Cavendish set sail from Plymouth. Where was he going and why? And how would he break Sir Francis Drake's record?

    Find out more in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts... [Read More...]

  • 18 July – Kat Ashley, Elizabeth I’s lady

    2 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 18th July 1565, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the queen’s close friend and loyal servant, Kat Ashley, died.

    Find out more about Kat (also known as Katherine Ashley, Katherine Astley and Katherine Champernowne) in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

    [Read More...]

  • 13 July – John Dee

    3 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today is the anniversary of the birth of John Dee, the astrologer, mathematician, alchemist, antiquary, spy, philosopher, geographer and adviser to Elizabeth I and influential statesmen. He was born on 13th July 1527 in the reign of King Henry VIII.

    Hear a few facts about John Dee in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…

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  • 11 July – Here begins the plague…

    3 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 11th July 1564, the plague hit the Warwickshire town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

    Find tout more in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts... [Read More...]