We've got hold of the video of Claire Ridgway and Owen Emmerson talking at Hever Castle in August, and it's a wonderful recording and presentation. Learn all about how the Boleyn family came to own and live at this stunning Kent castle.
Thank you so much to the Festival Theatre, Hever Castle and Inside Hever patreon for permission to share this with our members-
On this day in Tudor history, 9th September 1543, the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned queen at the Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle. Mary was just nine months old.
Find out more about how Mary came to the throne, her coronation ceremony, in which Mary howled, and how she was already promised in marriage to Henry VIII's son, the future Edward VI...
On this day in Tudor history, 8th September 1601, John Shakespeare, father of playwright William Shakespeare, was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.
John was a glover and whittawer, and also an important man in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, serving as high bailiff, chief alderman and deputy bailiff, and being given the right to educate his children at the local grammar school for free. However, he also ran into trouble at times.
Find out more about the life of William Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 7th September 1533, just over two months after the death of his previous wife, Mary Tudor. Queen of France, forty-nine-year-old Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, married his ward, fourteen-year-old Catherine Willoughby.
Find out more about this Tudor couple, how they came to be married, what their marriage was like, and what happened to them…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 6th September 1520, the famous reformer Martin Luther sent his pamphlet “On the Freedom of a Christian” (also known as “A Treatise on Christian Liberty”) to Pope Leo X. In the pamphlet, he emphasised the “two-fold nature” of Christians as saints and sinners, flesh and spirit.
Luther is, of course, seen as the catalyst of the European Reformation, and in this video, I explain why, what he believed, how he ended up being excommunicated and made an outlaw, and what happened to him.
[Read More...]
Claire tells us about the adventure she had before getting on stage to talk to a sold-out audience at Hever Castle. The torrential rainstorms were unbelievable!
[Read More...]
As today is the anniversary of Catherine Parr’s death on 5th September 1548, I thought we’d pay tribute to her by testing your knowledge of places linked to her.
Grab your favourite snack and beverage, make yourself comfortable, and get those little grey cells working with this Word Search!
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 5th September 1569, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London and a man nicknamed “Bloody Bonner”, died in Marshalsea Prison. He had started his career in Henry VIII’s reign and was not just a churchman, he was also a diplomat.
In this video, I flesh out this Tudor bishop who got his nickname from being in charge of burning reformers in London. Find out about his life, career and how he ended up dying in prison…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 4th September 1539, William, Duke of Cleves, signed the marriage treaty promising his sister, Anne of Cleves, in marriage to King Henry VIII.
Anne would of course become Henry VIII’s fourth wife.
Find out all about the marriage agreement and its terms, and what happened next…
[Read More...]
Lil looks back at a wonderful book by Jean Plaidy - Uneasy Lies the Head is set the aftermath of the bloody Wars of the Roses, Henry Tudor has seized the English crown, finally uniting the warring Houses of York and Lancaster through his marriage to Elizabeth of York. But whilst Henry VII rules wisely and justly, he is haunted by Elizabeth's missing brothers; the infamous two Princes, their fate in the Tower forever a shrouded secret. Then tragedy strikes at the heart of Henry's family, and it is against his own son that the widowed king must fight for a bride and his throne... [Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 3rd September 1588, or possibly the 5th September, actor and clown, Richard Tarlton, died in Shoreditch. He was buried in St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch.
Tarlton was a member of the Queen’s Men acting company, but is famed for his post-play jigs as a clown. He was also known for being able to cheer up Queen Elizabeth I – how wonderful.
Find out more about Tudor clown Richard Tarlton, his life and career…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 2nd September 1534, Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare and Lord Deputy of Ireland, died in the Tower of London at around the age of 47. Kildare had been arrested on 29th June 1534, accused of corruption and causing rebellion in Ireland.
Kildare seems to have spent most of his career being accused of crimes, but his son Silken Thomas’s rebellion was his final undoing.
He was already ill when he was arrested and imprisoned, suffering from the after effects of being shot, but at least his wife was able to nurse him.
Find out more about this Earl of Kildare, his life and career…
[Read More...]
Here is the transcript of last week’s live Q&A session with Nathen Amin on Henry VII: The Man for those of you who missed it. It was a wonderful chat.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 1st September 1566, Edward Alleyn, a major figure in the Elizabethan theatre, was born in the parish of St Botolph without Bishopsgate, London, and baptised the following day.
In this video, I share some facts about Edward Alleyn, including his personal life, the plays he was involved in, his theatre investments, and his desire to be appointed master of the bears, bulls and mastiff dogs!
[Read More...]
Catherine takes us back to the start of the Howard dynasty to show how the ancestors of the Howards of the Henrican court built up their standing not just from their military careers and loyalty to the monarch, but by realising marriage could be the quickest way to achieve status. But she also explains how this can backfire with tragic consequences.
[Read More...]