On this day in Tudor history, 26th April 1540, Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and niece of the late Queen Anne Boleyn, married Francis Knollys.
It is not known whether the marriage was a love match, but it appears to have been a very happy and successful marriage, and resulted in 14 children.
Find out more about this Tudor couple in today’s video.
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On this day in Tudor history, 24th April 1558, fifteen-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, got married for the first time. The groom was fourteen-year-old Francis, the Dauphin of France.
Find out more about the bride and groom, their wedding and what happened to them in today’s video.
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Not only is today the anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare in 1564, but it is also the anniversary of his death in 1616!
In today’s “on this day in Tudor history” video, I share some facts about the Bard, along with a few phrases from his works that have become part of common parlance.
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On this day in Tudor history, 22 April 1598, Justice Francis Beaumont died after contracting gaol fever at the Black Assizes of the Northern Circuit.
But what exactly was gaol fever?
Let me explain…
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On this day in Tudor history, 20th April 1534, Elizabeth Barton, a Benedictine nun who became known as “the Nun of Kent” or “the Holy Maid of Kent”, was hanged for treason at Tyburn along with a few of her supporters.
This young woman had experienced religious visions and people had even flocked to her on pilgrimages. All was well until her visions concerned Henry VIII, his quest for an annulment and his marriage to Anne Boleyn.
Also on this day in history:
On this day in Tudor history, 18th April 1587, the famous martyrologist John Foxe died at the age of around seventy.
In today’s video, I talk about this famous Tudor man and just how useful his work on Protestant martyrs is.
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What happens when a jury doesn’t find an alleged traitor guilty and, instead, acquits him? Well, the jurors get arrested and thrown into prison, of course!
I explain exactly what happened on this day in Tudor history, 17th April 1554, in the case of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. I also give details on how the jurors finally got released and what happened to Throckmorton. Don’t you just love Tudor justice?!
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th April 1554, in the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary I, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, son of poet and diplomat Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder, was beheaded on Tower Hill after being found guilty of high treason.
Wyatt had led a rebellion which sought to depose the queen and to replace her with her half-sister Elizabeth, but he refused to implicate Elizabeth in the plot. He went to his death asserting her innocence.
Find out more about what happened and hear his final speech in today’s video.
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Today is the anniversary of the death of Sir Francis Walsingham on 6th April 1590. Walsingham had an amazing career, serving Elizabeth I as a diplomat, secretary, adviser and spymaster.
Find out more about the man Elizabeth I called her “Moor” in today’s video.
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Thank you to Ella Baker for sending me this information on Easter events at the Mary Rose Museum...
Befriend the Tudor crew and Royalty at the Mary Rose
Dates: 6 – 22nd April 2019
Place: The Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Following the revelations about the racial and cultural diversity of the crew of the Mary Rose seen on Channel Four’s documentary Skeletons of the Mary Rose: The New Evidence, the Mary Rose Museum has planned an Easter jam-packed with events to celebrate.
King Henry VIII himself will be gracing his favourite warship with his presence at various points in the holidays, bestowing guests with royal blessings or condemning them to death, depending on his will and whim. Visitors can join Henry VIII for a Royal Audience and listen to his first-hand account of the dramatic sinking of the Mary Rose.
There has also been rumour that the King’s sixth and last long-suffering wife, Katherine Parr, will pay a visit (perhaps for some respite from caring for her ailing and gouty husband). Sir Charles Brandon will also be stopping by to admire his brother-in-law’s ship.
The royals and visitors will also have a chance to admire The Many Faces of Tudor Britain, an exhibition that explores the latest scientific and genealogical findings into the crew of the Mary Rose, open until 31 December 2019.
Children can pick up one of the museum’s complimentary activity sheets and find out who the men of the Mary Rose were and what they did on-board the ship.
Dates and times of Henry VIII story telling:
(Performances at 1pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm)
Dates of Katherine Parr and Charles Brandon:
Tickets for The Mary Rose can be purchased from https://maryrose.org/, or from The Mary Rose Visitor Centre or museum reception.
Opening Hours:
November – March – 10am-5pm (last entry 4:15pm)
April – October – 10am – 5:30pm (last entry 4:45pm)
24-26th December – Closed
On this day in Tudor history, 2nd April 1552, King Edward VI recorded in his diary “I fell sick of the measles and the smallpox”.
What do we know about his illness and subsequent recovery? What was smallpox like and how was it treated? Did this bout of illness have any bearing on his future health?
Find out, in today’s “on this day” video.
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On this day in Tudor history, Queen Mary I wrote her will. She did it because she believed that she was just about to give birth, and, obviously, childbirth was a risky processes.
Find out more about Mary’s will and what happened with this “pregnancy” in today’s “on this day” video.
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What a wonderful magazine we have for members this month. Packed with stunning photos, top class articles and much more under the topic “Remembering the Dead”.
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The gardens of Acton Court, a lovely Tudor house that had a wing built for Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's visit on their royal progress of 1535, will be open to the public for three National Garden Scheme Days in June, and the house and grounds will be open for three Heritage Open Days in September.
Sunday 2 June
Sunday 9 June
Sunday 16 June
11am - 5pm
Adult: £5 Pay at the Door
Children: Free
Visitors will have the opportunity of seeing a wide variety of early English, wild and traditional roses in Acton Court’s walled South Court.
Light refreshments will be available.
Special events on these days:
2 June - The Tudor Garden - A Rose walk with Historic Gardener Mike Brown - 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3pm, Tickets £12 (Includes £5 NGS Entry to the Garden).
9 June - Nature and Wildlife - The Hawk and Owl Trust will be on site with their birds, the Acton Court Bee Man, Dan Gillians, will have an exhibit of his bees, Organic Blooms will have a stall concentrating on flowers and plants that encourage wildlife, and Broadcaster Chris Sperring MBE will be conducting Nature Walks in the grounds at 12:00 and 2:30pm. All events included in £5 ticket.
16 June - The White Rose and the Red: A Tudor concert, Music from the Age of Richard III and the early Tudors performed by The York Waits with Deborah Catterall, singer. 3pm, tickets £20 (including £5 NGS entry to the garden).
Friday 13 September
Saturday 14 September
Sunday 15 September
Blue Badge Guided Tours of House and Grounds
Light refreshments will be available.
Tour times:
Friday 13 and Saturday 14 September: 11am, 11:30am, 12pm, 2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm
Sunday 15 September: 11am and 12pm
Tickets will be available from June
Admission is free but reserve a place online
Sunday 15 September: The Odhecaton 1501 - A Musical Revolution, concert, 3pm, Tickets £20 | £18 concessions
For more information and for bookings, go to http://www.actoncourt.com/events
On this day in Tudor history, 26th March 1609, John Dee, astrologer, mathematician, alchemist, antiquary, spy, philosopher, geographer and adviser to Elizabeth I, died.
John Dee was a fascinating Tudor man and someone who narrowly missed getting into big trouble for his hobbies. Alchemy, talking with angels, mathematics… what wasn’t he into?
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Today is the anniversary of the death of the iconic Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, and a woman who is known as the Virgin Queen, Gloriana and Good Queen Bess, and whose reign has been called a Golden Age.
In today's video, I talk about Elizabeth's last days and share contemporary accounts of her death on 24th March 1603. I also share some of Queen Elizabeth I's achievements.
There are lots of resources on Elizabeth I on the Tudor Society and you can find others by using the search box.
And if you only have 60 seconds to spare!
Also on this day in history:
On this day in Tudor history, 23rd March 1534, the Pope issued a bull proclaiming Catherine of Aragon to be England’s true queen and Mary the heir to the throne, while the English Parliament declared Anne Boleyn to be England’s rightful queen and her daughter, Elizabeth, the heir. Weird!
In today’s video, I explain what was going on and what the 1534 Act of Succession stated.
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st March 1556, Thomas Cranmer, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, was burned at the stake in Oxford.
Cranmer had served Henry VIII and Edward VI as Archbishop of Canterbury and had played a leading role in the Reformation, but he was, of course, seen as a heretic in the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary I.
In today's video, I share John Foxe's account of Thomas Cranmer's end.
You can find out more about Thomas Cranmer here.
Also on this day in history:
On this day in Tudor history, 19th March 1563, Arthur Brooke, the man who wrote the very first version of the story of Romeo and Juliet in English, died in a shipwreck off the coast of Sussex.
Find out more about Arthur Brooke and his version of Romeo and Juliet in today’s video.
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On this day in Tudor history, 17th March 1554, two members of Queen Mary I’s council turned up at Whitehall Palace to escort Elizabeth (future Elizabeth I) to prison at the Tower of London. Elizabeth was able to stall things for one day by writing a letter to her half-sister, the queen.
In today’s video, I share Elizabeth’s famous letter and explain how it prevented the men from taking Elizabeth to the Tower that day.
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On this day in Tudor history, 16th March 1589, two Roman Catholic priests, Robert Dalby and John Amias, were executed as traitors at York.
Let me tell you about these men and what led to their very brutal executions. I also give an eye-witness account of their executions – sorry!
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Thank you to Ella Baker for sending me this press release on “The Many Faces of Tudor England” exhibition which starts at the Mary Rose Museum on 18th March. It sounds like a wonderful exhibition and well worth going to.
The Many Faces of Tudor England
18th March – 31st December 2019
The Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK.
Mary I could be a tough cookie at times. She was courageous and strong-willed, and she showed that side of her personality on 15th March 1551 when she rode through the streets of London with a large company of knights, gentlemen and ladies doing something that was illegal and an act of defiance against her half-brother, King Edward VI.
Find out more in today’s video.
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On this day in Tudor history, 14th March 1540, Sir John Port died at Bewdley. Unfortunately, he’s not remembered for his intelligence, his work or even his legal notes, which were published in the 20th century. No, he’s remembered for mumbling in a case and changing the outcome! Oh dear!
I explain what happened and share more information on this man.
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On this day in history, 9th March 1566, a pregnant Mary, Queen of Scots witnessed the murder of her private secretary, David Rizzio. He was stabbed fifty-six times and one of the gang responsible was her own husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
What happened? Why was Rizzio murdered? How was Darnley involved? What happened next? All of these questions are answered in today’s video.
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In this week’s Claire Chats video talk, I look at what Shrovetide and Lent are, and how they were marked in the medieval and Tudor period, and discuss some of the traditions associated with them.
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What has a Spanish scholar and humanist born on this day in Valencia, Spain, in 1492 got to do with the Tudors? Well, he helped shape the woman who would become Queen Mary I by advising her mother, Catherine of Aragon, on her education.
In today’s “on this day in Tudor history” video, I introduce Vives and his advice for Mary’s education, and also give details on the young Mary, including her intelligence and accomplishments.
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3rd March 1515 is one of the dates given in the French contemporary sources for the secret marriage of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, but did the couple really marry on this date?
In today’s “on this day in Tudor history”, I examine the English and French sources, such as letters and chronicles, to see which date they support for the couple’s secret marriage.
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st February 1595, Jesuit pries, poet and writer Robert Southwell was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn.
Who was he? Why was he executed? And why did Elizabeth I eventually move against Catholics? I explain in today’s video.
[Read More...]Happy Birthday to Queen Mary I! Yes, Mary I, a woman who has unfortunately gone down in history as “Bloody Mary” and whose reign is often seen as a failure, was born on this day in 1516.
In today’s video,I talk about Mary I’s birth and baptism and share some of Mary I’s achievements as queen. She’s so much more than Bloody Mary.
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