Today is Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday and the day that commemorates the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ had with his disciples before his arrest – the origin of the Eucharist – and Jesus’ act of washing the feet of his disciples.
It was a special day in medieval and Tudor times…
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 18th April 1587, the famous martyrologist John Foxe died at the age of around seventy.
In today’s video, I talk about this famous Tudor man and just how useful his work on Protestant martyrs is.
[Read More...]
What happens when a jury doesn’t find an alleged traitor guilty and, instead, acquits him? Well, the jurors get arrested and thrown into prison, of course!
I explain exactly what happened on this day in Tudor history, 17th April 1554, in the case of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. I also give details on how the jurors finally got released and what happened to Throckmorton. Don’t you just love Tudor justice?!
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 16th April 1570, Gunpowder Plot conspirator Guy Fawkes was baptised in York.
In today’s video, I talk about how the Gunpowder Plot has its origins in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and why these men were driven to try and blow up Westminster.
[Read More...]
You’d think that the appointment of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland might be something to be pleased about, but Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, who was sworn in as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on this day in 1599, was not at all happy. He didn’t want to be in Ireland!
The earl’s time in Ireland was to be his undoing, as the arrogant earl decided to ignore the queen’s orders and do his own thing. Oh dear! Find out what happened in today’s video.
[Read More...]
On Friday, I talked about Palm Sunday in my Claire Chats video and I promised that I would share with you photos of the Palm Sunday processions here. Well, I’ve gone one better, and actually recorded some video of the Palm Sunday procession in our nearest town, Tíjola, this morning. I do hope you enjoy it.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 14th April 1578, Mary, Queen of Scots’ third husband, James Hepburn, Duke of Orkney and 4th Earl of Bothwell, died at Dragsholm Castle in Denmark. He’d been held at the castle in appalling conditions and it was said that he’d gone insane.
Find out more about the life of this earl who’d risen to be the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, but who’d died in prison, far away from home, in today’s “on this day in Tudor history” video.
[Read More...]
As we’re starting Holy Week today, I thought it was fitting to celebrate with a bit of Easter fun – a Holy Week Wordsearch. It’s not very hard, so shouldn’t take you long. Have fun!
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 13th April 1534, Sir Thomas More got into a spot of bother, or rather a lot of bother, when he refused to swear his allegiance to the Act of Succession. This act of defiance, or rather of his conscience, would, of course, lead to More’s execution in 1535.
[Read More...]
Just a reminder about tomorrow’s informal live chat on the merry subject of death and burial in Tudor times! Sorry about the topic! Still, it will be interesting to talk about the rituals associated with death and to share resources and book recommendations. Please do come, if you are able to.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 12th April 1533, Anne Boleyn made her very first public appearance as King Henry VIII’s official queen consort.
Anne made quite an entrance! Accompanied by sixty ladies and “loaded with jewels”, she processed to Easter Eve mass at Greenwich Palace, setting tongues wagging.
Hear an account of this event in today’s video.
[Read More...]
In this week’s Claire Chats, I talk about how Palm Sunday was commemorated in the medieval and Tudor periods, and how it is celebrated today where I live. I would love to hear how your community, church, or family mark this day, if they do.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 11th April 1554, in the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary I, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, son of poet and diplomat Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder, was beheaded on Tower Hill after being found guilty of high treason.
Wyatt had led a rebellion which sought to depose the queen and to replace her with her half-sister Elizabeth, but he refused to implicate Elizabeth in the plot. He went to his death asserting her innocence.
Find out more about what happened and hear his final speech in today’s video.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 10th April 1512, Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots, eldest daughter of the late King Henry VII, and sister of King Henry VIII, gave birth to a boy who would become King James V of Scotland.
Find out more about James V, his life and reign, and his relationship with his uncle, King Henry VIII, in today’s video
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 9th April 1533, Catherine of Aragon, who’d been banished from the royal court, received a visit from a delegation of the king’s councillors. They were there to inform her that she was no longer queen.
Catherine was a tough cookie, though. Even when she was threatened by the king, she did not submit, she carried on calling herself queen right until the end – good for her!
Find out all about this visit, and their subsequent visit in July 1533, in today’s video.
[Read More...]
In today’s video, I talk about an act of rebellion in 1554, an act of defiance by someone opposed to Queen Mary I’s religious changes.
It was on this day in Tudor history, 8th April 1554, that a cat dressed as a Catholic priest and holding a piece of paper to represent the communion wafer, was hanged at the gallows in Cheapside.
Find out more about what happened, the meaning behind it, and Queen Mary I’s reaction to it, in my video.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 7th April 1538, Elizabeth Boleyn, (née Howard), Countess of Wiltshire and Ormond, was laid to rest at St Mary’s Church, Lambeth.
In today’s video, I give details on Elizabeth’s burial and her resting place, which is now a Garden Museum, and her ledger stone. You can also see my photos of the former church.
[Read More...]
The topic of this week’s Sunday fun is not very nice I’m afraid – sorry! It’s a crossword puzzle on horrible deaths and executions that happened in the Tudor period.
Open and print out the crossword puzzle by clicking on the link below, or the image below, grab your favourite snack and drink, make yourself comfortable, and let’s get that brain working!
[Read More...]
Today is the anniversary of the death of Sir Francis Walsingham on 6th April 1590. Walsingham had an amazing career, serving Elizabeth I as a diplomat, secretary, adviser and spymaster.
Find out more about the man Elizabeth I called her “Moor” in today’s video.
[Read More...]
Sorry about the tongue-in-cheek title, but the cook of Bishop Fisher’s household really did get into hot water on this day in 1531 when he was boiled to death for high treason at Smithfield.
He was found guilty of high treason by an act of Parliament, but why? What happened and why did King Henry VIII take a personal interest in this case?
Find out all about Richard Roose and the case of poisoning in today’s video
[Read More...]
“The past is a foreign country”, so says the blurb for Ian Mortimer’s “Time Traveller’s Guide” series of books, and it’s so true. One of the things that people find it hard to understand, when looking at the lives of medieval and Tudor people, is the role of religion in their daily lives, just how central it was to everything.
In this week’s Claire Chats talk, I go into this and attempt to give you a little more insight into the lives of these people.
[Read More...]
Today, I pay tribute to the amazing Mildred Cecil, Lady Burghley, on the anniversary of her death in 1589, by sharing some facts about her.
Mildred was not only the wife of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, she was an accomplished and influential woman in her own right. A truly fascinating Tudor personality.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, was buried in a lavish funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Find out about her tomb, and her incredible lineage and links to royals, in today’s video.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 2nd April 1552, King Edward VI recorded in his diary “I fell sick of the measles and the smallpox”.
What do we know about his illness and subsequent recovery? What was smallpox like and how was it treated? Did this bout of illness have any bearing on his future health?
Find out, in today’s “on this day” video.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 1st April 1536, the imperial ambassador passed on information he’d received from two separate sources to his master, Emperor Charles V. The news was regarding Henry VIII and his behaviour towards one of his wife’s ladies-in-waiting, a certain Jane Seymour.
Find out exactly what happened, what Henry and Jane were up to, and how long this had been going on, in today’s video.
[Read More...]
Thanks to all those who came to our live chat event with Wendy Dunn, we discussed lots to do with writing Tudor historical fiction, and my highlight was the discussion on getting the best balance in historical phrasing for speech. Fascinating. For all Full Members who missed the chat, here is the transcript.
[Read More...]
Back by popular demand, after his wonderful talks on King Henry VII, is Nathen Amin! Nathen is author of Tudor Wales, York Pubs, and the bestseller The House of Beaufort, and is currently working on his fourth book, Henry VII and Pretenders to the Tudor Crown.Nathen’s talk is on the Beaufort family and we do hope you enjoy it. Nathen will be joining is in the Tudor Society chatroom on Sunday 28th April to answer your questions on the Beauforts, his books and research.
[Read More...]
On this day in Tudor history, 31st March 1532, Henry VIII was left fuming after Friar William Peto likened him to King Ahab and preached against his quest for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Friar Peto also made a prophecy that some believe was fulfilled after the king’s death in 1547.
I explain exactly what happened on this day 1532 to make Henry VIII so furious, what Peto said and what happened next.
[Read More...]