The Tudor Society

3 February – Elizabeth I signs a death warrant

In today's video, I read an excerpt from my book "On This Day in Tudor History" about an event which happened on 3rd February 1587 and which was connected to Mary, Queen of Scots.

Here are links to further resources on Mary, Queen of Scots:

Also on this day in history:

  • 1478 – Birth of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham at Brecon Castle. He was the eldest son of rebel Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and his wife, Katherine Woodville. His father had been executed in 1483 after rebelling against Richard III, but his attainder was posthumously reversed, allowing Edward to become Duke of Buckingham. Unfortunately, Edward was also executed in 1521 after being found guilty of treason.
  • 1537 – Execution of Thomas Fitzgerald, 10th Earl of Kildare (known as Silken Thomas), his five uncles and Sir John Burnell, at Tyburn. Thomas was hanged and beheaded, but his uncles and Burnell were hanged, drawn and quartered. He had renounced his allegiance to King Henry VIII back in June 1534, at St Mary's Abbey, Dublin, after his father's execution in London.
  • 1554 – Thomas Wyatt the Younger and his rebels reached Southwark, London. By this time, however, Mary I had rallied her troops, and Wyatt found the city guarded and barricaded. He had to move on to Kingston, where he managed to enter London on 6th February.
  • 1576 – Henry of Navarre, future Henry IV of France, escaped from Paris after being forced to live at the French court and convert to Catholicism, following the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre of August 1572.

There are 7 comments Go To Comment

  1. M

    I haven’t seen the movie, I can’t speak to it. I don’t know much about Mary, for sure. I think Elizabeth ‘s story is by far more compelling. I think the way she was treated, the suspicion that filtered all around her, the various people that tried to use her or whatever, taught her a hard lesson, and I think she ruled with those lessons very close to her heart. Thanks for the video! Michelle t

  2. R

    Everyone who knows me will by now I have seen this movie and am raving about it and going to see again. Yes, there are a couple of inaccurate things, but get a life people, the things are minor and it’s made perfectly clear on the Film Review that the two didn’t meet. What do you want? Hours of boring letters or entertainment? It’s a movie not a documentary and it’s a lot more accurate than some documentary programmes, with some narration reading a script and getting half of it wrong. The meeting is for dramatic purposes and honestly it was well done, very cinematic and very moving.
    The costumes are not inaccurate and the sets are well done, save Hollyrood which was too plain, but improved when she moved in. Elizabeth has a very very red wig, but is played by a wonderful actress and Mary is dynamic. She is very strong in the film and her relationship with Darnley really was traumatic. She clearly didn’t love him but found him attractive and a good match to enhance her claim to the English throne.

    The scenes in Scotland are breathtakingly haunting and beautiful.

    The film is very close to the history in the book.

    There are a couple of very odd inaccuracies, but I can see why the director used them in a modern film. I don’t want to say too much as you will see what I mean if you go. For me, I was actually pleased as to how accurate it was and really enjoyed it.

    1. C - Post Author

      I’m dying to see it. Thank you for the recommendation. I love both actresses and so am looking forward to their portrayals.

      1. R

        You are welcome.

  3. M

    LOVED the movie. I’m definitely going to see it again soon! ( I may even drag my husband along 😉

    1. R

      I saw it again today. I just love this movie. It’s a pity there were not more people. I really don’t know how cinemas keep going. When I think of how many community cinemas we have lost and how many city centre palaces we have lost. Some very beautiful cinemas like palaces, with marble interiors and fountains and posh seats have been lost. The new Everyman is very much like the old palace cinemas and very flush but the Fact is a modern community picture house in the city. It’s a real experience. Glad you enjoyed the movie, hope you see it soon.

      1. C - Post Author

        It’s so interesting reading people’s reactions to this movie. It seems like a marmite movie (for those of you who don’t know “marmite”, it’s a yeast-extract spread that people either love passionately or completely hate). I really need to see it!

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3 February – Elizabeth I signs a death warrant