The Tudor Society

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  • 13 September – William Cecil, Elizabeth I’s “spirit”

    5 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 13th September 1520, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Queen Elizabeth I’s chief advisor, was born in Bourne in Lincolnshire.

    In today’s talk, Claire Ridgway, author of “On This Day in Tudor History, fleshes out William Cecil, the man Elizabeth I called her “spirit”. He’s a fascinating Tudor man, not only for his amazing court career, which took him from Edward VI’s reign to Elizabeth I’s reign, but also for his words of wisdom and the happy marriage that he had with his wife, Mildred.

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  • 8 September – The mysterious death of Amy Robsart, wife of Robert Dudley

    5 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 8th September 1560, the body of Amy Dudley (née Robsart), wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was found at the bottom of some stairs in her rented home, Cumnor Place in Oxfordshire.

    What had happened to Amy? Was her death a result of “misfortune”, as decided by the coroner, or was it suicide or murder? Did Robert Dudley kill his wife? Did William Cecil kill Amy?

    In today’s talk, Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society, examines what happened that day and the theories regarding Amy Robsart’s mysterious death, an event that definitely put an end to the idea that Elizabeth I could ever marry Robert Dudley.

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  • 6 September – Timothy Bright and shorthand

    5 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in history, 6th September 1615, in the reign of King James I, Tudor physician, clergyman and inventor of modern shorthand, Timothy Bright, was buried at St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury.

    Bright is known for works published in Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, including his 1588 “Characterie: an Arte of Shorte, Swifte, and Secrete Writing by Character” in which he explains his invention, a system of straight lines, circles and half circles as shorthand. Bright’s work has, of course, helped people the world over.

    In today’s talk, I share some facts about Timothy Bright, an interesting Tudor man.

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  • 4 September – The death of Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I’s reaction

    5 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 4th September 1588, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, died at Cornbury while on his way to Buxton to take the waters for his health.

    The death of her favourite, and the man that is considered to be her ‘true love’, was a devastating blow to Elizabeth I and her reaction to the news shows just how much she loved her “sweet Robin”.

    Leicester wrote to his queen just days before his death and “His Last Letter” was something that Elizabeth I treasured for the rest of her life.

    Find out more about Leicester’s death, his last letter and Elizabeth’s grief in today’s video.

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  • 28 August – Mary defies Edward VI

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    6 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 28th August 1551, the thirty-five-year-old Mary, future Mary I, received a visit from a delegation of men sent by her half-brother, thirteen-year-old King Edward VI.

    Mary was being defiant and disobedient. She was ignoring her half-brother’s orders and was breaking the laws of the land. What was she doing? She was continuing to celebrate the Catholic Mass in her household.

    In today’s talk, I explain exactly what happened on this day in 1551, drawing on the report that the delegation gave to the king and his council. It gives us a wonderful insight into the pre-accession Mary I and her character.

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  • September 2019 – Tudor Life – Tudor Childhood

    6 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
    2 Comments

  • 25 August – Kett’s Rebellion causes trouble

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 25th August 1549, Robert Kett and his rebels launched an attack on the south side of Norwich and burned a number of buildings.

    Kett’s Rebellion lasted from July 1549 until the Battle of Dussindale on 27th August 1549, but what was it all about? What were the rebels’ grievances?

    Find out more about this rebellion in the reign of King Edward VI in today’s talk.

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  • 24 August – The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 24th August 1572, on the Feast of St Bartholomew, an awful massacre too place in Paris, and it was followed by further atrocities in other towns and cities.

    Those who suffered were Huguenot men, women and children, French Protestants. But what happened and why?

    I explain all in today’s video…

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  • Courtiers and royal progresses – Claire Chats video

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    The summer months were the traditional time for the monarch and his/her consort to get out of smelly and disease-ridden London and to go on royal progress.

    Now although the monarch owned many properties and estate dotted around the country, s/he would also ‘honour’ courtiers by choosing to visit them and stay with them while on progress. Can you imagine what a mixed blessing this was? How honoured you’d feel to be on the itinerary, but how worried you’d be at the cost of impressing the king or queen!

    In this week’s Claire Chats video talk, I give some examples of courtiers who welcomed monarchs into their homes, just what was involved, what they did to try and impress, and what happened.

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  • 22 August – The Battle of Bosworth Field and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    Today is the anniversary of the battle which started the Tudor period: the Battle of Bosworth Field. The Tudor dynasty on the throne of England began on this day, when Henry Tudor’s forces beat those of King Richard III, and Richard was killed.

    In today’s talk, I explain what happened on that day in rural Leicestershire, and how Henry Tudor was victorious even though Richard III came into battle with a huge advantage.

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  • 21 August – Humphrey Llwyd, a Welshman who should be remembered

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 21st August 1568, antiquary, translator and cartographer Humphrey Llwyd died from a fever.

    Llwyd is known as the Inventor of Britain and a key figure in the Renaissance in Wales, but what exactly did he do to deserve such recognition?

    In today’s talk, I share some facts about this interesting, but little-known, Tudor Welshman, as well as failing to say his mame properly – sorry!

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  • 18 August – Virginia Dare and the lost colony

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 18th August 1587, the first child born to English settlers in the New World was born in the Roanoke Colony. Her name was Virginia Dare.

    This colony has become known as the lost colony because all 115 colonists disappeared.

    I explain what happened in today’s talk.

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  • 17 August – The end of Empson and Dudley

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 17th August 1510, King Henry VII’s former chief administrators, Sir Edmund Dudley and Sir Richard Empson, were beheaded on Tower Hill as traitors even though they had served the former king loyally.

    What happened? Why were these two advisors executed by their former master’s son?

    I explain what led to Empson and Dudley’s executions.

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  • 15 August – Mary Scudamore and the hot-tempered Elizabeth I

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 15th August 1603, Lady Mary Scudamore (née Shelton), a member of Elizabeth I’s Privy Chamber and one of her favourite sleeping companions, was buried at Holme Lacy in Herefordshire.

    Mary was very close to the queen but suffered the queen’s wrath at one point. I explain all in today’s “on this day” talk.

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  • 6 August – Cruel was the fight

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 6th August 1549, the Crown’s forces met the rebels of the Prayer Book Rebellion in another battle, the Battle of Clyst Heath.

    I share an account of the battle of which Lord Grey said “he never, in all the wars that he had been, knew the like”. I also explain what happened next in the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549.

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  • 4 August – 13 Executions!

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    Yes, you read that correctly! On this day in Tudor history, 4th August 1540, thirteen men were executed in London – 12 by being hanged, drawn and quartered, and one by being hanged. Awful!

    In today’s talk, I explain who these 13 men were and why they were attainted by Parliament and executed.

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  • 19 July – Mary I is proclaimed queen

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 19th July 1553, the reign of Queen Jane (Lady Jane Grey) was brought to an end when Mary, the late King Edward VI’s half-sister, was officially proclaimed queen in London.

    In today’s talk,I share contemporary sources which tell us of how this news was celebrated in London. I also give brief details of another significant “on this day” event.

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  • 14 July – The Brandon boys are no more

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 14th July 1551,fifteen-year-old Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, and his fourteen-year-old brother, Charles, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, both sons of Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, and the late Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, died at Buckden.

    The boys had been taken ill in a sweating sickness epidemic that had hit Cambridge.

    In today’s talk, I explain exactly what happened on that sad day.

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  • 6 July – The king is dead, long live the queen!

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 6th July 1553, fifteen-year-old King Edward VI died at Greenwich Palace leaving the throne to his cousin’s eldest daughter, Lady Jane Grey.

    I share details of Edward’s final illness and last days, his “Devise for the Succession”, and Lady Jane Grey’s reaction at being told that she was Edward’s successor.

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  • 4 July – The awful ends of John Frith and Andrew Hewet

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 4th July 1533, two men were burnt at the stake at Smithfield for heresy: reformer and theologian John Frith, for his belief that Purgatory didn’t exist and that his views on the sacrament, and tailor’s apprentice Andrew Hewt for his belief regarding the sacrament.

    In today’s talk, Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society, explains just what was ‘wrong’ with these men’s beliefs and how these men were betrayed, as well as sharing contemporary sources about these men’s courageous ends.

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  • July 2019 – Tudor Life – Medicine & Health

    6 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
    4 Comments

    July’s 66 Page FULL-COLOUR Tudor Life magazine is focused on Medicine and Health during the Tudor period but as always, our contributors have gone far wider than that with their articles. Enjoy!

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  • 22 June – Mary Boleyn is widowed

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 22nd June 1528, Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, was widowed when her first husband, William Carey, died during the Sweating Sickness epidemic of 1528.

    His death had a major impact on Mary’s situation, and I explain more in today’s video.

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  • 20 June – The Casket Letters and Mary, Queen of Scots

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 20th June 1567, a silver casket of eight letters, which have become known as the Casket Letters, were allegedly found in the possession of James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

    These letters were instrumental in bringing down Mary, Queen of Scots, so in today’s video, I tell you a bit more about these letters and why they were “dynamite” for Elizabeth I’s advisors.

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  • 17 June – The Battle of Blackheath

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 17th June 1497, the forces of King Henry VII were triumphant against those of the Cornish rebels at the Battle of Blackheath, or the Battle of Deptford Bridge.

    Why were the Cornishmen so unhappy with the king? How did they end up in battle at Blackheath? What happened at the battle and what happened to these Cornish rebels afterwards?

    Find out in today’s video…

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  • 14 June – Sir Christopher Danby, a lucky man

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Not many men who are implicated in rebellions manage to keep their head, but Sir Christopher Danby died a natural death on this day in Tudor history, 14th June 1571.

    Who was Danby? What was he involved in? And how did he survive?

    Let me tell you a bit more about this Tudor man in today’s video.

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  • 9 June – The Book of Common Prayer

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

  • 5 June – Thomas Moffet, silkworms and Little Miss Muffet

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    No comment yet

    On this day in Tudor history, 5th June 1604, Tudor physician and naturalist Thomas Moffet, or Muffet, physician and naturalist, died at Wilton in Wiltshire.

    The fact that he is known for a poem on silkworms and his daughter is linked to the famous nursery rhyme piqued my interest and I talk more about him and his poem in today’s video.

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  • 4 June – Robert Dudley and Amy Robsart get married

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 4th June 1550, sweethearts Robert Dudley and Amy Robsart tied the knot at the royal palace of Sheen at Richmond in a service attended by King Edward VI.

    This marriage was a love-match, but it lasted just ten years, ending with Amy’s death in 1560, a death which is surrounded by controversy.

    I share an excerpt from my book “On This Day in Tudor History” in today’s video.

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  • June 2019 – Tudor Life – Queenship

    6 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
    6 Comments

    June’s 76 Page FULL COLOUR Tudor Life magazine is focused on queenship during the Tudor period. It’s packed with interesting facts and articles about all of the Tudor queens and as always it’s a really great quality publication in full colour too! We know you’ll enjoy it.

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  • 28 May – The Rome and Reims Plot and the end of 3 priests

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 28th May 1582, Roman Catholic priests Thomas Forde, John Shert and Robert Johnson suffered full traitors’ deaths at Tyburn.

    The three men had been condemned for their alleged implication in the Rome and Reims Plot of 1580, but many believe that this plot wasn’t actually real.

    In today’s video, I explain exactly what led to these men’s executions in 1582, why Roman Catholic priests were persecuted in this manner, and what the plot was all about.

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