18 July – Kat Ashley, Elizabeth I’s lady

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...

On this day in Tudor history, 18th July 1553, while her father-in-law and his forces made their way from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds to stand against the forces of Mary, and Jane was busy writing to men requesting them to muster forces to support her, Jane was being betrayed by members of her council.

William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, called a council meeting and Pembroke was even said to have threatened council members with a sword! They then proclaimed for Mary.

Find out more about what happened on 18th and 19th July 1553...

Also on this day in Tudor history, 18th July 1509, just three months into the reign of King Henry VIII, one of King Henry VII's chief advisors was accused of being a "false traitor" and convicted of treason. The new king used Edmund Dudley and his colleague, Richard Empson, as scapegoats for his father's unpopular regime.

Find out more about the charges against Dudley...