The Tudor Society

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  • This week in history 14 – 20 November

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    14 November

    1501 – Catherine of Aragon married Arthur, Prince of Wales at St Paul’s Cathedral.
    1531 – Birth of Richard Topcliffe, member of Parliament, priest-hunter, interrogator and torturer, in Lincolnshire. During the reign of Elizabeth I, Topcliffe was issued with warrants allowing him to use torture when examining imprisoned Catholic recusants and priests. His famous victims included Robert Southwell, John Gerard and Henry Garnet.
    1532 – On this day in 1532, according to the chronicler Edward Hall, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn secretly married:

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  • The Beginning of a Dynasty: The Coronation of Henry VII

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Thank you to our regular contributor, Heather R.Darsie, for writing this article on the coronation of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty.

    On 30 October 1485, Henry VII’s coronation was held, and he became the first Tudor monarch. The date of 30 October was chosen in part because he wished to be crowned king before the next sitting of Parliament, which took place on 7 November. By having his coronation before the next sitting of Parliament, which was the first to take place after the Battle of Bosworth, Henry would not need Parliament to declare him the rightful king. There are not any contemporary descriptions of the coronation, but there are several items that show the careful and shrewd character which the 28-year-old Henry employed to make certain his claim to England was sound. All that is really known is that Henry’s coronation took place at Westminster Abbey.

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  • Expert live chats timetable – 28 October Open Day

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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  • This week in history 24 – 30 October

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 24th to 30th October.

    24 October

    1521 – Death of Robert Fayrfax (Fairfax), church musician and composer, in St Albans. He was buried in the abbey there. Fayrfax was a Gentleman of the Chapel of the households of both Henry VII and Henry VIII, and attended the 1521 Field of Cloth of Gold. His works included the Magnificat Regale, Salve regina, six masses and English part-songs.
    1525 – Death of Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre of Gilsland, from a fall from his horse in the English borders. He was buried at Lanercost Priory, in the Dacre family mausoleum. Dacre fought at the Battle of Bosworth on the side of Richard III, but was able to earn Henry VII’s trust and favour afterwards. Henry VII put Dacre in charge of the English west march and he was active in the borders, until he was imprisoned in early 1525 after trouble in the borders. He was fined and released in September 1525.

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  • This week in history 26 September – 2 October

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history events for 26th September to 2nd October.

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  • This week in history 22 – 28 August

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 21-28 August in the Tudor period.

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  • The Tudors’ Journey to Bosworth: Part 5 – Jasper Tudor at Château Josselin, Brittany by Tony Riches

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    In this series, I have followed Jasper Tudor and his nephew Henry’s escape from Tenby in Wales to their long exile in Brittany. Young Henry Tudor found himself deep in the forest at the remote Forteresse de Largoët, outside of the Breton town of Elven. He would have missed the company of his uncle Jasper, who was now in a far grander place, the Château de Josselin.

    Originating from the year 1008, the château overlooking the River Oust has changed many times over the centuries. Olivier de Clisson, Constable of France, became Lord of Josselin in 1370 and rebuilt the fortress with eight high towers and married his daughter Beatrice to Viscount Alain de Rohan. During the religious wars of the seventeenth century, Duke Henri de Rohan commanded the Calvinists and his château was sacked by Cardinal de Richelieu. Only four of the original towers remain today, but the château is still home to the fourteenth Duke Josselin de Rohan.

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  • The Tudors’ Journey to Bosworth: Part 4 – Henry Tudor at Forteresse de Largoët by Tony Riches

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    Earlier in this series, I traced the journey of Jasper Tudor and his young nephew Henry’s escape from West Wales and their arrival in Brittany. The Tudors were welcomed to Vannes as guests of the powerful Duke Francis of Brittany before moving to the more remote Château de Suscinio for their own safety. The increased threat of abduction by York’s agents finally convinced Duke Francis to reduce the risk by moving them to separate locations inland.

    Fourteen-year-old Henry was relocated to the Forteresse de Largoët, deep in the forest outside of the sleepy town of Elven. His custodian, Marshall of Brittany, Jean IV, Lord of Rieux and Rochefort, had two sons of a similar age to Henry, and it is thought they continued their education together. Henry was however prevented from communicating with his mother in England or his uncle Jasper Tudor, who now resided in a château elsewhere in Brittany.

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  • The Tudors’ Journey to Bosworth: Part 3 – Exiled at Château de Suscinio, Brittany, by Tony Riches

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    In the first two parts of this series, I followed Jasper Tudor and his fourteen-year-old nephew Henry’s escape from Tenby in Wales and their arrival in Brittany. The Tudors are recorded as spending a year in Vannes as guests of Duke Francis of Brittany but, in October 1472, the duke became concerned they might be abducted by York’s agents. They were moved to his remote ‘hunting lodge’ by the sea, south of Vannes, the Château de Suscinio.

    The Tudors’ new home had been fortified in the fourteenth century by Breton knight Bertrand du Guesclin, nicknamed ‘The Eagle of Brittany’, a military commander during the Hundred Years’ War. As well as building the seigniorial residence block and a corner tower known as the Tour Neuve, the moat was deepened and a raising drawbridge added, together with casemates to house artillery. By the time the Tudors arrived, the original thirteenth century château resembled a castle of generous proportions.

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  • The Tudors’ Journey to Bosworth: Part 2 – Exiled at Château de l’Hermine, Brittany, by Tony Riches

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    In the first part of this series, I followed Jasper Tudor and his young nephew Henry’s escape from Tenby in West Wales. There are tales of storms and of them being forced to shelter in the lee of the island of Jersey before they were able to make landfall at the Breton fishing port of Le Conquet in September 1471.

    Jasper and Henry sought sanctuary from Duke Francis of Brittany and became his guests at the ducal palace, the Château de l’Hermine in Vannes. Duke Francis was a skilled politician, so would have appreciated the political value of the exiled Tudors to King Edward IV of England, as well as to his rival King Louis of France, to whom they were related through the Valois family of Jasper’s mother, Henry’s grandmother, Queen Catherine.

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  • The Tudors’ Journey to Bosworth: Part 1 by Tony Riches

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Henry Tudor’s return from exile to victory at Bosworth has to be one of the greatest moments in the history of the Tudor dynasty. So why is the Bosworth story so often told from the perspective of Richard III, with Henry depicted as lucky to have won?

    I was born within sight of Pembroke Castle and have always been intrigued by the small room where the thirteen-year-old Lady Margaret Beaufort gave birth to the future king, Henry Tudor. I’ve also stood on the remote beach at Mill Bay near Milford Haven imagining how Henry would have felt as he approached with his uncle Jasper and his mercenary army.

    All I knew about Jasper’s father, Henry’s grandfather, Owen Tudor, was that he’d been a Welsh servant who somehow married the young widow of King Henry V, Queen Catherine of Valois. Inspired to write a historical fiction trilogy about them, I wanted to research their stories in as much detail as possible and to sort out the many myths from the facts.

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  • David Baldwin

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    I’ve just seen the news on Facebook that historian and author David Baldwin passed away on Monday (4th April). It is such sad news.

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  • This week in history 14 – 20 March

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Drawing of John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, by Hans Holbein the Younger

    On this day in history events for 14-20 March.

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  • March 2016 Tudor Life Magazine

    8 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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    Packed with a wide range of articles about Tudor personalities like the Dudleys, Elizabeth of York, Mary I, Isabella of Spain and Henry Howard. There is part one of an insider’s guide to the Tower of London, a detailed article about Greenwich Palace and Wroxhall Abbey, an article about some bizarre Tudor foods and lots more! It’s our best magazine yet!

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  • Elizabeth of York by Sarah Bryson

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On 11th of February 1466, Elizabeth of York was born at the Palace of Westminster. Exactly thirty seven years later, at the Tower of London, Elizabeth died shortly after giving birth to her last child.

    Elizabeth of York was the eldest child of King Edward IV and his wife Queen Elizabeth Woodville. Elizabeth was christened in St Stephen’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Duchess of Bedford, and Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, stood as her godmothers and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, stood as her godfather.

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  • This week in history 25 – 31 January

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 25-31 January.

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  • New online history course

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    I’m excited to share news of this new online medieval history course which is now available at MedievalCourses.com and which is twenty-module course written by historian and author Toni Mount and narrated by Claire Ridgway (me!). What’s great about this course is that it is online and can be done at your own pace, so no worrying about attending classes at a certain time or missing lectures. Simply download the lectures and listen/read when it’s convenient, or listen online with streaming.

    More good news is that MedievalCourses.com is offering Tudor Society members a saving off this course – scroll down to the bottom of this post for more information.

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  • Monarchs’ Bios

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments
    A miniature of Mary, Queen of Scots in captivity by Nicholas Hilliard

    As it’s Mary, Queen of Scots’ birthday today I have added a brief biography of her to our Bios section, which already features brief bios of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

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  • Perkin Warbeck by Sarah Bryson

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    13 Comments

    On 23rd November 1499, Perkin Warbeck faced his death at Tyburn. He was sentenced to be hanged until he was dead. His crime was attempting to escape the Tower of London where he was held a prisoner, but his story goes back several years and involves a tale of deception, treason and rumours of a young Prince come back to life!

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  • This week in history 16 – 22 November

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 16-22 November.

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  • This week in history 2 – 8 November

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 2 – 8 November.

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  • 30 October 1485 – Henry VII is crowned king

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On 30th October 1485, Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond and son of Lady Margaret Beaufort and the late Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, was crowned King Henry VII at Westminster Abbey.

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  • This week in history 26 October – 1 November

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history dates for 26th October to 1st November.

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  • This week in history 28 September – 4 October

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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  • The Princes in the Tower – Philippa Langley aims to crack the case

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    4 Comments

    Philippa Langley, who, of course, spear-headed the Looking for Richard project, has announced that she is going to investigate the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower by teaming up with cold case experts.

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  • Battle of Bosworth Quiz

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    As yesterday was the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth, why not test your knowledge of this historic battle.

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  • This week in history 17 – 23 August

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history events for 17-23 August.

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  • Congratulations to John Ashdown-Hill on his MBE

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On behalf of all the members of the Tudor Society, I would just like to offer our sincere and warm congratulations to historian John Ashdown-Hill who has been awarded an MBE for services to Historical Research and the Exhumation and Identification of Richard III.

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  • Lady Margaret Beaufort

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    15 Comments
    A portrait of Lady Margaret Beaufort

    Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby, and matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, was born at Bletsoe Castle in Bedfordshire on 31st May 1443. She was the daughter of Margaret Beauchamp of Bletsoe and John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, grandson of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress (and eventual wife) Katherine Swynford. Margaret was their only child. Although a 1397 act of Parliament legitimized the children of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, Henry IV declared that they could never inherit the throne.

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  • Henry VII

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Henry VII, or Henry Tudor, was born on 28 January 1457 at Pembroke Castle and was the son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, and Margaret Beaufort. Henry’s paternal grandparents were Owen Tudor (a former page to Henry V) and Catherine of Valois, the widow of Henry V and mother of Henry VI. His maternal grandfather was John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, and his maternal great-grandfather (John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset) was a son of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress (and later wife), Katherine Swynford. It was from this Beaufort side of the family that Henry VII derived his claim to the throne. Lady Margaret Beaufort was only thirteen years old when Henry was born and she was already a widow, his father having died from the plague three months earlier while imprisoned by Yorkists. Margaret had been taken in by her brother-in-law, Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, the man who helped bring Henry up, who took him into exile in Brittany and who helped him win the crown of England.

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