On this day in history, 13th November 1537, Queen Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, was laid to rest in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Jane’s remains had been taken by chariot from Hampton Court Palace to Windsor Castle in a special procession the previous day – click here to read more about that. There had then been a special service followed by a solemn watch that night. On 13th November, “there was a solemne masse of requiem sunge by the Archbishopp of Canterburie; and the Bishop of Worcester, called Dr. Latimer, made a notable sermon; and at the offertorie all the estates offered ryche palls of clothe of golde […]”. The mass was followed by a banquet in the castle for all those who had attended the funeral.

This day in history, 9th November 1569, is seen as the start of the 1569 Northern Rebellion or Rising of the North, the only major armed rebellion of Elizabeth I’s reign.

The rebellion was led by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, and Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, and the idea was to depose Queen Elizabeth I, replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots (who would marry the Duke of Norfolk), and restore the Catholic faith as the faith of England. Although the rebels were successful in occupying Durham (where they took mass in the cathedral), Staindrop, Darlington, Richmond, Ripon and also Barnard Castle, they were finally forced to retreat north. Northumberland and Westmorland fled to Scotland. Their rebellion had been a failure.

As you will know, Tudor Life regular contributor Jane Moulder is a member of Piva, a wonderful Renaissance music group. If you are in the UK this December then do see if you can make one of their “A Tudor Christmas” shows, you won’t regret it!

On this day in 1456, Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond and father of King Henry VII, died from the plague at Carmarthen Castle in Wales.

Edmund was the eldest son of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois (widow of Henry V and mother of Henry VI). He was born around 1430 in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, and is sometimes known as Edmund of Hadham. Edmund was made Earl of Richmond by his step-brother, Henry VI, on 23rd November 1452 and his brother, Jasper, was made Earl of Pembroke. The brothers were knighted on 5th January 1453 and in March 1453, at the Reading Parliament, they received recognition as the king’s true and legitimate brothers.

Our lovely friend, Aidan Meller (who many will know as the anchorman at MadeGlobal’s September author event, or from articles in the early days of the Tudor Society) has shared a wonderful video with us about his business in Oxford.