
At dawn on 18 May 1565, exactly 450 years ago, watchmen manning Malta’s coastal defences saw an awesome and terrifying sight. Between them and the orb of the rising sun the sea was black with a mighty battle fleet.
[Read More...]At dawn on 18 May 1565, exactly 450 years ago, watchmen manning Malta’s coastal defences saw an awesome and terrifying sight. Between them and the orb of the rising sun the sea was black with a mighty battle fleet.
[Read More...]Thank you to Tudor Life magazine contributor Kyra Kramer for this excellent article on Sir Henry Norris, Henry VIII’s Groom of the Stool, and the fall of Anne Boleyn. Over to Kyra…
Of all the men who were falsely accused of being Anne Boleyn’s companions in adultery, to point a finger at Henry Norris makes the most sense in terms of proximity and politics but the least sense in terms of his close relationship with Henry VIII.
If historian Greg Walker is correct in his 2002 proposal that Anne’s downfall was not due to her miscarriage of a male foetus in January of 1536 but instead to some hasty words she said in spring, then Norris was a ready-made target. One day in late April, the queen asked Henry Norris, who was the king’s groom of the stool and engaged to her cousin Madge Shelton, when he planned to wed. Norris hedged that he would wait just a bit longer, which vexed Anne. In her anger she told him he was looking for “dead men’s shoes, for if ought came to the king but good, you would look to have me”. This was a major blunder. It was treason to even think about the death of the king, let alone to talk about whom his queen might marry after his demise. Norris was appalled and Anne knew almost immediately that she had said something dangerous. She sent Norris to her chaplain, John Skyp, to swear that she was a good woman and faithful to the king.
[Read More...]In today’s Claire Chats video I talk about that essential accessory of the Elizabethan era, the ruff, and how it developed over time and how fashions changed.
[Read More...]Historian Derek Wilson is speaking at the Telegraph Ways With Words Festival of Words and Ideas at Dartington Hall, in Devon, on 10th July.
[Read More...]In today’s Claire Chats video I talk about what the children of wealthy families wore in Henry VIII’s reign.
[Read More...]Tudor Society member and contributor Conor Byrne is at this very moment sitting his finals at university and our book reviewer Charlie Fenton also has exams coming up, so we would just like to wish them the best of luck with their exams.
[Read More...]Jessie Childs shares with us a talk she did at the Jaipur Literature festival on what life was like for Catholics living in Elizabethan England.
[Read More...]Situated in the beautiful countryside of Kent, UK, Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, one of the most famous women in English history.
[Read More...]Following on from last week’s Claire Chat’s video on Tudor women’s costume, today I’m looking at what men wore at Henry VIII’s court.
[Read More...]The Pilgrimage of Grace initially formed as a series of revolts which originated in Lincolnshire. The people were unhappy with the dissolution of their Abbey in Louth, upset with many of the government commissions in the area which were being conducted to look at the resources that the smaller monasteries had as well as the conduct of the clergy. There was also widespread rumour that the government would confiscate the jewels, plate and wealth of the monasteries and also impose new taxes upon the people.
[Read More...]Historian Derek Wilson has just informed me that he’s doing a series of articles on the six Thomases of Henry VIII’s reign over on his blog. Here are some clickable links for you:
[Read More...]Here’s the May Tudor Life magazine with a huge 57 page special on Anne Boleyn plus all our regular items and contributors!
[Read More...]In this week’s Claire Chats, I look at what women at Henry VIII’s court wore and what layers their outfits were made up of. I do hope you enjoy the talk and slides.
[Read More...]Tudor Life magazine contributor Beth von Staats has just released her first book Thomas Cranmer: In a Nutshell, a 90 page book which is exactly what the title suggests: a concise biography of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury and Protestant martyr. Congratulations to Beth!
[Read More...]At around 11 o’clock on the night of 21st April 1509, King Henry VII died at Richmond Palace. It was not a sudden death, the king had been ill for some time and had shut himself away at Richmond since January.
John Fisher, the future Bishop of Rochester, recorded details of Henry VII’s last days for a sermon. The king died a good Christian death but his last days were far from peaceful, they involved confession, prayer, weeping and a dying man trying to bargain with God, pleading with God that he would be a changed man if God sent him life.
[Read More...]Here is the transcript from the live chatroom session with Derek Wilson last night. Thanks for all those who attended the chat and I hope that Derek was able to answer your questions.
[Read More...]I’m delighted to be the final stop on Sarah Bryson’s book tour for Mary Boleyn: In a Nutshell, a wonderful book which is exactly what it says it is.
Many of you will know Sarah from her blog Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History and also the articles she shares here on the Tudor Society website. Sarah joins us today to answer some questions I fired at her.
[Read More...]In this week’s Claire Chats I talk about my visit to the necropolis at the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris.
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