On this day in Tudor history, 20th September 1486, King Henry VII's wife, Elizabeth of York, gave birth to the couple's first child at Winchester.
The baby was a boy and was baptised Arthur, named after the legendary King Arthur. There were high hopes for this boy and King Henry VII believed that his firstborn would be a powerful king who would bring a golden age to the country. Of course, things wouldn't go according to plan.
Find out more about Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, who was, of course, Catherine of Aragon's first husband, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
A few years ago, I did a Claire Chats video talk here on the Tudor Society on the processions and pageants for Arthurs wedding to Catherine of Aragon - click here to view that now.
Also on this day in history:
- 1554 – Death of Sir William Paston, courtier and landowner, at Paston. He was buried there. Paston served Henry VIII as a Sheriff and Commissioner, and was also chosen to welcome Anne of Cleves to court in January 1540.
- 1586 – Executions of Anthony Babington, John Ballard, John Savage, Chidiock Tichborne and three other conspirators near St Giles-in-the-Fields in London. They were hanged, drawn and quartered for plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I in the famous Babington Plot in support of Mary, Queen of Scots. A further seven were executed the following day.
- 1596 – Death of William Day, Bishop of Winchester.