On this day in Tudor history, 30th January, administrator Sir William More was born, the rebels of Wyatt's Rebellion besieged Cooling Castle, and four Gunpowder Plotters were executed...
- 1520 – Birth of Sir William More, member of Parliament, Protestant and son of Sir Christopher More, a powerful administrator in Henry VII's reign. More served Elizabeth I as Constable of Farnham Castle, Treasurer of the Lottery, Commissioner for Ecclesiastical Causes, Collector of the Loan, Chamberlain of the Exchequer, Master of Swans and Deputy Custos Rotulorum. He was also a commissioner on various commissions of oyer and terminer during her reign. Click here to read more about him.
- 531 – Death of Sir Robert Brudenell, Judge. He served Henry VII as King's Serjeant and Henry VIII as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. He was buried at Deene church, Northamptonshire.
- 1554 - Rebel Thomas Wyatt the Younger and his men besieged Cooling Castle, owned by George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham. Cobham claimed that he had fought valiantly against the rebels for seven hours before surrendering to them, but his biographer points out that his resistance was most probably a “pretence”. See video below.
- 1593 – Ippolito Aldobrandini was elected as Pope Clement VIII.
- 1606 – Execution of Robert Winter and three of his fellow conspirators, at St Paul's. He was hanged, drawn and quartered for his part in the Gunpowder Plot. His brother, Thomas, was executed the next day. See video below.
Thumbnail image: Miniature of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger by Hans Holbein the younger; photo of Cooling Castle gatehouse by Luke McKeman.