The Tudor Society

  • November 4 – Members of the Pole family and their associates are arrested for treason

    1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 4th November 1538, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu; his brother-in-law, Sir Edward Neville; Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter; Courtenay’s wife, Gertrude Blount, and the couple’s son, Edward Courtenay, were arrested for treason. They were taken to the Tower of London.

    Montagu, Neville and Exeter, along with Montagu’s brother, Geoffrey Pole, were accused of plotting with Montagu’s brother, Cardinal Reginald Pole, against King Henry VIII. Montagu’s mother, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was also arrested for treason.

    Henry VIII had sought Cardinal Pole’s opinion on his marriage and the papacy, so why were members of his family accused of treason for communicating with the cardinal?

    Find out what Cardinal Pole had done to upset the king, and what happened to his family and friends…

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  • November 3 – A man said to be Henry VIII’s illegitimate son dies in the Tower

    1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 3rd November 1592, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir John Perrot died at the Tower of London.

    Sir John Perrot, who was a privy councillor and former Lord Deputy of Ireland, is a fascinating Tudor character. He survived being a Protestant and protecting ‘heretics’ in Mary I’s reign, and he was saved six times from serious punishment by Queen Elizabeth I’s intercession.

    Was this favour due to him being the queen’s half-brother? Some people think so.

    You can find out more about Perrot and the arguments for and against him being Henry VIII’s son, in this video:

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  • November 2 – The birth of Edward V, one of the Princes in the Tower

    1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 2nd November 1470, the Feast of All Souls, King Edward V, son of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville, was born at Westminster Abbey, London.

    Edward was King of England for just two months before he disappeared in 1483 with his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York-

    He may have lived prior to the Tudor period, but the events of Edward V’s short life and reign are linked to the Tudors because Henry Tudor returned from exile to challenge King Richard III, who had, of course, taken the throne from Edward V.

    Find out more about Edward V’s life and how he came to be one of the famous Princes in the Tower…

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  • November 1 – A powerful baron who escaped charges of treason

    1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 1st November 1527, in the reign of King Henry VIII, courtier and diplomat William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham was born.

    Baron Cobham was close to William Cecil, Baron Burghley. who was Queen Elizabeth’s I’s chief advisor, so Cobham became powerful in Elizabeth’s reign. Cobham served Elziabeth in a number of important offices and was able to escape charges of treason twice thanks to the influence of his friends and patrons.

    Find out more about Baron Cobham’s life, career, and brushes with rebellions and plots…

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