On this day in Tudor history, 10th July 1584, Catholic conspirator, Francis Throckmorton, was executed at Tyburn for high treason after the Throckmorton Plot had been discovered.
The Throckmorton Plot was a plot to depose Elizabeth I and to replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, but why did Francis Throckmorton plot against his queen? Who did he plot with and how was the plot discovered?
Find out more about Francis Throckmorton and his plot in today’s talk.
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Falconry was a popular sport among the upper classes in the medieval and Tudor periods, and was also quite a status symbol. Find out more about the sport in this week’s Claire Chats talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 9th July 1553, three days after the death of her half-brother, King Edward VI, and the day after she’d proclaimed herself queen at her estate at Kenninghall, Mary (future Mary I), daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, wrote to the late king’s privy council regarding “some evil” that she’d heard.
But what was going on? What had Mary heard and what was she going to do about it?
Find out more about the situation and Mary’s letter in today’s talk.
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2020 has been a bit of a year so far, hasn’t it? So I’m very much looking forward to 2021 as I get to co-lead no less than five luxury history tours featuring my two very favourite Tudor women, Queen Anne Boleyn and her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I.
Three of the five tours are already sold out, but my co-leader and organisational whizz, Philippa Lacey Brewell of British History Tours, has just launched two new ones: The Elizabeth I Experience July 2021 tour and the Anne Boleyn Experience September 2021 tour.
If past years are anything to go on, places will sell out quickly, so do act quickly.
You can find out all about these fabulous tours, the places we visit, the luxury accommodation, and the excellent speakers, by visiting the following links:
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On this day in Tudor history, on 8th July 1503, during the reign of King Henry VII, Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne Boleyn, left Collyweston in Northamptonshire to undertake an important job for the king.
He was to be part of a retinue escorting King Henry VII’s eldest daughter, Margaret Tudor, to Scotland, for her marriage to King James IV.
Find out more about the retinue and journey in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 7th July 1568, naturalist, herbalist, ornithologist, reformer and physician, William Turner, died. Turner is known as “the father of English botany and of ornithology”, but why and who exactly was he?
In today’s talk, I give an overview of Turner’s life and career, including his attacks on Bishop Gardiner and his time in exile, plus a bit of trivia about the training of his little dog.
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On this day in Tudor history, Tuesday 6th July 1535, Henry VIII’s former friend and Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas More, was beheaded on Tower Hill as a traitor.
In today’s talk, I share accounts of his execution, including one that gives real insight into More’s personality, with his black humour on the scaffold.
I also give details on the fate of Sir Thomas More’s head and what his daughter, Margaret Roper, did with it.
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On this day in Tudor history, 5th July 1535, Henry VIII’s former Lord Chancellor and good friend, Sir Thomas More, wrote his final letter.
More’s last letter was addressed to his beloved daughter Margaret (Meg) Roper and it was written in coal. It is a touching letter and includes instructions and messages for other members of the family.
In today’s talk, I share Sir Thomas More’s letter and give details on the people mentioned, along with explaining the meaning of the algorism stone.
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July is a busy month for Tudor feast days and martyrdoms, but how much can you remember about them?
Test yourself with this fun crossword puzzle. Simply click on the link or image below to open and print out…
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On this day in Tudor history, 4th July 1551, Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, died of sweating sickness at Launde Abbey in Leicestershire. He was laid to rest at the abbey’s chapel on 7th July.
Gregory Cromwell was the son of the more famous Thomas Cromwell, but what do we know about him and what happened to him after his father’s fall in 1540?
Find out about the life and career of Gregory Cromwell in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 3rd July 1495, the pretender Perkin Warbeck landed at Deal in Kent with men and ships. In the ensuing battle, the Battle of Deal, with Kentish men who supported King Henry VII, around 150 of Warbeck’s men were killed and over 160 captured. Warbeck managed to escape, fleeing to Ireland.
Who was Warbeck claiming to be? Whose support did her have? And what happened next?
Find out more about claimant Perkin Warbeck in today’s talk.
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I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but I’m being harassed by various pests (not Tim, I should add!) at the moment. Just last weekend, I was bitten by some very pesky critters, and it inspired me to research medieval and Tudor pest control.
In this week’s Claire Chats talk, I delve into how medieval and Tudor people dealt with fleas, flies, mosquitoes, moths, rats, mice and more…
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On this day in Tudor history, 2nd July 1536, Thomas Cromwell, the king’s right-hand man, was formally appointed Lord Privy Seal. The previous holder of the office had been Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, who’d been stripped of the office following the falls of his children, Queen Anne Boleyn and George Boleyn, Lord Rochford.
But what is a privy seal and what does the Lord of the Privy Seal do?
Find out more in today’s talk.
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Thank you to all those who joined in with last week’s expert Q&A session with Sarah-Beth Watkins on Sir Francis Bryan, who has gone down in history as the Vicar of Hell and a rather colourful character.
If you missed it, you can catch up with it with this transcript:
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On this day in Tudor history, 1st July 1535, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Sir Thomas More, Henry VIII’s former Lord Chancellor, was tried for high treason by a special commission of oyer and terminer. The commission found him guilty and he was executed on 6th July 1535.
But how did More, a faithful and loyal servant of the king, end up in this mess? Who was on the commission and what exactly happened?
Find out all about the fall of Sir Thomas More in today’s talk.
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This month we have Gayle Huylme taking us through the life of Arbella Stuart, from childhood to her very sad death in the Tower of London. You’ll really enjoy this detailed talk…
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