On this day in Tudor history, 1st September 1566, Edward Alleyn, a major figure in the Elizabethan theatre, was born in the parish of St Botolph without Bishopsgate, London, and baptised the following day.
In this video, I share some facts about Edward Alleyn, including his personal life, the plays he was involved in, his theatre investments, and his desire to be appointed master of the bears, bulls and mastiff dogs!
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On this day in Tudor history, 28th August 1588, an ailing Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, wrote his final letter to his queen and childhood friend, Elizabeth I. He wrote it while on his way to Buxton, in Derbyshire, to take the waters for his health.
The letter is very special because Elizabeth labelled it “His Last Letter” and kept it close by her until her own death in 1603.
In this video, I share a transcript of Robert Dudley’s last letter, and talk about Elizabeth I’s reaction to his subsequent death.
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th August 1581, Sir Maurice Berkeley, former gentleman usher of Henry VIII’s Privy Chamber, died.
You may not have heard of Sir Maurice Berkeley, but he had a wonderful court career, serving Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I, and proving his loyalty to Mary I by arresting rebel leader, Thomas Wyatt the Younger.
Find out more about this lesser-known Tudor man…
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On this day in Tudor history, 9th July 1575, Queen Elizabeth I visited Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, home of her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Her stay would be a long one, 19 days!
Find out a bit more about her stay at Kenilworth Castle in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…
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As we’re coming up to the anniversary of King Edward VI’s death on 6th July 1553, I thought I’d test your knowledge of the two men who led his government: Edward Seymour and John Dudley.
How much do you know about these two Tudor men?
Get those little grey cells working with this fun quiz on Edward Seymour and John Dudley.
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On this day in Tudor history, 1st July 1536, less than two months after the execution of Anne Boleyn, Parliament passed legislation that meant that the king had no legitimate heirs. How strange!
Find out more in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…
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On 24th June 1604, in the reign of King James I, Elizabethan courtier and poet, Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, died.
Find out about this rather colourful Tudor character in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts…
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st June 1509, King Henry VIII travelled from Greenwich to the Tower of London. Why was England’s new king going to the Tower of London?
Find out in this #TudorHistoryShorts video…
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In this latest edition of Teasel’s Tudor Trivia, Tudor experts, historian Claire Ridgway and her researcher, Teasel the rescue dog, introduce their top picks for non-fiction books on the Tudor kings and queens.
The books featured are all excellent reads and are well-referenced – perfect for those just wanting to know more about the monarch or those who are using them for research.
Please do share in the comments if you have a favourite book on the Tudor monarchs.
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15th June 1519 is the traditional birthdate of King Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy.
Find out a bit more about Fitzroy in this latest edition of TudorHistoryShorts…
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Here is the video of the Facebook Live talk I did for Tudor Society members in the private members-only group.
In it, I look at the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, from its very beginnings, with their betrothal in Henry VII’s reign, to 1527, when Henry applied for a dispensation to marry Anne Boleyn.
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On this day in Tudor history, 22nd May 1537, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Queen Jane Seymour’s brother, Edward Seymour, was appointed to the privy council.
It was just one reward of many and you can find out more about Edward Seymour’s rise in this 60-second TudorHistoryShorts video:
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On this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1533, the Great Matter, Henry VIII’s quest for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, neared its conclusion.
Find out what happened on this day in 1533, and what happened next…
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On this day in history, 3rd May 1415, a woman who was the matriarch of the House of York and mother of two kings, was born. Her name was Cecily Neville.
Find out about this Duchess of York, and how she is linked to royalty and the Tudors, in this #TudorHistoryShorts video…
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On this day in Tudor history, 27th April 1536, there was talk about Henry VIII setting aside Anne Boleyn. Who was approached for advice and what did he say?
Find out what was going on at the royal court…
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In part 1 of This Week in Tudor History for the week beginning 5th April, I will be talking about King James VI of Scotland’s journey from Edinburgh to London, following his accession to the throne of England as James I; the life and career of Henry Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire, who managed to avoid the awful fates of his father and brother despite his Plantagenet blood; the death of King Charles VIII of France after hitting his head on a lintel, and the accession of King Louis XII, and finally Magdalen Browne, Viscountess Montagu, patron of Catholics and a woman whose properties were Catholic safe houses in Elizabeth I’s reign.
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A big thank you to historian and historical novelist Toni Mount for joining us here on the Tudor Society today on her blog/book tour for her latest novel, The Colour of Evil.
An interview with Seb Foxley, artist, scrivener and amateur sleuth of Paternoster Row in the City of London; hero of The Colour of … series of medieval murder mysteries.
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Benedictine monk Edward (religious name: Ambrose) Barlow was born at Barlow Hall in Manchester in 1585, the fourth son of Sir Alexander Barlow and his wife, Mary.
The Barlow family had converted to Protestantism, but this conversion had been somewhat reluctant. Ambrose’s grandfather had died in 1584 while imprisoned for his Catholic leanings, and his father had a large portion of his estate confiscated as a result of his initial refusal to conform to the new religion. On 30th November 1585, Ambrose was baptised, and following this, he adhered to the Anglican faith until 1607, after which he converted to Roman Catholicism.
[Read More...]John Neville, 4th Baron Latimer, was born in around 1520 and was the only son of John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer and his first wife, Dorothy de Vere. After his first wife’s death, the 3rd Baron married Elizabeth Musgrave; however, she also sadly died. In 1534, the 3rd Baron Latimer ¡married Katherine Parr, who was at that time Lady Borough, widow of Sir Edward Borough. This made John Neville the Younger the stepson of Katherine Parr.
It is said that Katherine was a kind stepmother to John and his sister, Margaret, evidenced by the latter’s will dated 1545, which thanked Katherine for her education and the kindness and love she had received when younger.
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On this day in Tudor history, 16th (or possibly the 18th) December 1503, George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent, died at Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
Grey served as a soldier under Henry VII, was on the king’s council, and served him as Constable of Northampton Castle and as a judge at the trial of Edward, Earl of Warwick in 1499.
He was also married to a sister of Elizabeth Woodville.
Grey also managed to retain royal favour on Henry VII’s accession even though he’d been rewarded by Richard III.
Find out more about George Grey in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th December 1539, Anne of Cleves and her retinue were received at Gravelines, just a few miles outside of Calais, by Lord Lisle, Deputy of Calais.
Anne of Cleves was on her way to England to marry King Henry VIII, but her journey had been rather slow and she was about to be delayed even more.
The reception was rather lavish, with everyone dressed up to the nines. Enjoy a contemporary description from a Tudor chronicler in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 25th November 1545, lawyer, member of Parliament, diplomat and ecclesiastical administrator, Sir Thomas Legh (Leigh), died.
Legh was a faithful servant to King Henry VIII, but his work during the dissolution of the monasteries led to complaints against him and even rebellion.
He was a vicious man, known for his harsh treatment of monks, but he also played a key role in protecting Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1543 when his enemies tried to bring him down.
Let me give you a few facts about this Tudor man, Sir Thomas Legh…
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On this day in Tudor history, 10th November 1556, English explorer and navigator, Richard Chancellor, was killed. Chancellor is known as being the first foreigner to enter the White Sea and to establish relations with Russia and Tsar Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible.
Chancellor was sadly drowned after saving the Russian ambassador, Osip Napeya, when their ship, The Edward Bonaventure, was wrecked just off the Aberdeenshire coast of Scotland.
Find out about Richard Chancellor’s life, career and sad end in today’s talk.
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On this day in history, 2nd November 1470, the feast of All Souls, King Edward V was born at Westminster Abbey, London. Young Edward was King of England for just 2 months in 1483 before he disappeared.
The events of his short life, his short reign and how it ended, are linked to the Tudors because Henry Tudor returned from exile to challenge King Richard III, who had, of course, taken the throne from Edward V.
Find out about Edward V’s life and how he came to be one of the famous Princes in the Tower, in today’s talk. I even share who I think was responsible for the deaths of the Princes in the Tower.
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Dr Emma Levitt shows us some amazing primary sources to unravel the spectacle of the tournament that Henry VIII would have enjoyed.
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On this day in Tudor history, 29th October 1532, King Henry VIII bid farewell to his “loving brother”, his French counterpart, King Francis I.
The two kings had enjoyed each other’s company at Calais and Boulogne, and Henry VIII was pleased with their meetings. In fact, things had gone so well that Henry VIII decided to marry Anne Boleyn!
Find out more about their farewell, and what had happened during the trip, in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th October 1532, King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, the newly created Marquess of Pembroke, set sail from Dover aboard the king’s ship, The Swallow.
They were off to Calais on a mission involving the Great Matter, Henry VIII’s quest for an annulment. But why? What would they do there? Who would they meet?
Find out more about this trip, what happened and what happened next, in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th October 1536, while the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion was getting underway in Lincolnshire and spreading to Yorkshire, Henry VIII wasn’t only issuing orders regarding the rebels, he was also issuing orders regarding his eldest daughter.
Henry and Mary had recently reconciled after Mary had finally submitted to him and recognised his supremacy and her illegitimate status. It was something that cost Mary dearly, but it did mend her relationship with her father and allow her back at court.
But then Henry VIII put more pressure on his daughter by forcing her to write to the pope and to Mary of Hungary, the emperor’s sister.
What did Mary have to write? What did the king want of his daughter? And why had Mary submitted to her father?
Find out all about this in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 2nd October 1514, eighteen-year-old Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII, set off from Dover to sail to France to marry fifty-two-year-old King Louis XII of France.
Things hadn’t gone to plan with the scheduled sailing, due to bad weather, and Mary encountered rough seas on her journey too.
Find out about the arrangements for the journey, who was at Dover, Mary’s crossing to Boulogne, and what happened next, in today’s talk.
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