The Tudor Society

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  • 1 September – Anne Boleyn becomes Marquess of Pembroke

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 1st September 1532, in a special ceremony at Windsor Castle, King Henry VIII elevated his sweetheart Anne Boleyn to the peerage by making her Marquess of Pembroke.

    This was a hugely significant act because Henry VIII made Anne a marquess in her own right, granted the title to her and her heirs male (legitimate or not) and gave her a title associated with his father, Henry VII, and uncle, Jasper Tudor. It also made her a rather wealthy woman, and a fitting consort for their trip to Calais to meet with King Francis I of France.

    Find out more about what happened on this day in 1532, who was there, and just what Anne Boleyn was given by King Henry VIII, in today’s talk.

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  • 30 August – Little Mary Seymour, a Tudor mystery

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    6 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 30th August 1548, Catherine Parr, Queen Dowager (sixth wife of King Henry VIII) and wife of Thomas Seymour, Baron Seymour of Sudeley, gave birth to a healthy daughter at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. Thomas and Catherine named the little girl Mary after her godmother, the future Queen Mary I.

    Lady Mary Seymour would soon be orphaned, and by the age of two she had disappeared from the records. What happened to Mary Seymour?

    I talk about the various theories regarding Mary Seymour’s fate. What a Tudor mystery!

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  • 29 August – The sad story of Geoffrey Pole

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    6 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 29th August 1538, Geoffrey Pole, son of Sir Richard Pole and Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was arrested. He was already on thin ice, having been a staunch supporter of Queen Catherine of Aragon and Princess Mary, but he now was suspected, like other members of his family, of being in communication with his brother, Cardinal Reginald Pole, a man who had upset King Henry VIII by writing a treatise against him and his policies.

    Unlike other members of his family, including Margaret Pole, Geoffrey managed to survive this trouble – how? Why? What happened?

    I explain all 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 7 August – Henry Tudor lands at Mill Bay

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 7th August 1485, Henry Tudor, the soon-to-be King Henry VII, returned from exile, landing at Mill Bay in Wales. His intention was, of course, to claim the throne of England and to depose King Richard III.

    I share two accounts of his landing and explains what Henry did next.

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  • 2 August – A Protestant burned in Rome

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 2nd August 1581, an English Protestant named Richard Atkins was burned for heresy in Rome.

    What had led this Englishman to his end in Rome? What had he done? And why was he tortured on his way to his execution?

    I explain all in today’s talk, sharing an account of his actions and his courageous end.

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  • 30 July – Reformers and Catholics executed on the same day!

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    What a confusing day it must have been for the citizens of London on 30th July 1540! For it was on this day in history, in the reign of King Henry VIII, that both Catholics and men of the reformed faith were executed in London. Crazy times indeed!

    Find out more about why Thomas Abell, Edward Powell and Richard Fetherston, and Robert Barnes, William Jerome and Thomas Garrard, were executed in today’s talk.

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  • 29 July – Mary, Queen of Scots gets married

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, Sunday 29th July 1565, twenty-three-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, queen regnant of Scotland, married her second husband, nineteen-year-old Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, at Holyrood Palace.

    In today’s video, I give details of the wedding and how the marriage turned out. It wasn’t happy for long!

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  • 21 July – The Isle of Wight is attacked

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 21st July 1545, in the reign of King Henry VIII, French forces landed on the Isle of Wight in an attempt to invade the English island.

    In today’s “on this day” talk, I share contemporary accounts of what happened – what the French forces did to the island and what the result was.

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  • 18 July – Edmund Dudley, the “false traitor”

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 18th July 1509, just three months into the reign of King Henry VIII, one of King Henry VII’s chief advisors was accused of being a “false traitor” and convicted of treason.

    The new king, the young Henry VIII, used Dudley and his colleague, Richard Empson, as scapegoats for his father’s unpopular regime.

    Find out more about the charges against Edmund Dudley in today’s talk.

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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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  • 9 July – Anne of Cleves, “right entirely beloved sister”

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    2 Comments

    On this day in history, 9th July 1540, Anne of Cleves went from being Henry VIII’s queen consort to being his “right dear and right entirely beloved sister” after their marriage was annulled.

    Why was their marriage annulled? How did Anne of Cleves react to the news? What happened to her and Henry VIII afterwards?

    I explain the situation in today’s talk.

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  • 3 July – Catherine of Aragon, you’re not queen!

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Oh dear! Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII, had a bit of a bad day on this day in Tudor history, 3rd July 1533. Not only had she trodden on a pin and was suffering with a bad cough, but she was also told that she had to stop calling herself queen – not likely!

    In today’s “on this day” video,I share Thomas Cromwell’s letter to Catherine’s chamberlain on this matter, and also give Catherine’s reaction to it. She was a spirited and strong lady!

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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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  • 15 June – Mary is bullied

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 15th June 1536, Mary, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was bullied and threatened by members of her father’s council.

    It must have been a truly shocking event for the twenty-year-old princess, who was now known as “Lady Mary”.

    In today’s video, I give a contemporary account of what happened on this day and why, and explain how Mary did end up reconciling with her father the king.

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  • 3 June – Sir Thomas More is interrogated

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Sketch of Sir Thomas More by Hans Holbein the Younger

    On this day in Tudor history, 3rd June 1535, Sir Thomas More, King Henry VIII’s former Lord Chancellor and good friend, was interrogated in the Tower of London by members of the king’s council.

    These men were trying to get More to give a definitive answer on whether the statute of supremacy was lawful, seeing as he’d refused to take the oath of supremacy.

    What happened on their visit and what was said afterwards?

    Find out in today’s video.

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  • 19 May – Elizabeth I’s release from the Tower

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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  • 3 May – Thomas Tusser and his advice for May

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 3rd May 1580, poet, farmer and agricultural writer Thomas Tusser died.

    I mark the anniversary of his death by sharing with you his verses for the month of May.

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  • 28 April – The funeral of Queen Elizabeth I

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 28th April 1603, the last Tudor monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, was laid to rest at Westminster Abbey in a lavish funeral.

    In today’s video, I share an excerpt from my book “On This Day in Tudor History” about Elizabeth I’s burial and resting place.

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  • 21 April – The king is dead! Long live the king!

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    On this day in Tudor history, 21st April 1509, King Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty on the English throne, died at Richmond Palace.

    Henry VII was succeeded by his seventeen-year-old son who, apparently, did “not desire gold or gems or precious metals, but virtue, glory, immortality”! Yes, this was Henry VIII.

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  • 7 April – Elizabeth Boleyn, mother of Queen Anne Boleyn, is laid to rest

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    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.

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  • 5 April – A bishop’s cook gets into hot water

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    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

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  • 2 April – Edward VI catches smallpox and measles

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    1 Comment

    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.

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  • 20 March – Forgetting God to love a king – Thomas Seymour’s end

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    3 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 20th March 1549, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron of Sudeley, was executed by beheading on Tower Hill.

    In today’s video, I talk about his execution and share the poem he wrote in his last days. I also give details of how some of Seymour’s contemporaries viewed him.

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  • 16 March – The martyrdom of two Catholic priests

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    4 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 16th March 1589, two Roman Catholic priests, Robert Dalby and John Amias, were executed as traitors at York.

    Let me tell you about these men and what led to their very brutal executions. I also give an eye-witness account of their executions – sorry!

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  • The Many Faces of Tudor England – 18 March to 31 December 2019

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Thank you to Ella Baker for sending me this press release on “The Many Faces of Tudor England” exhibition which starts at the Mary Rose Museum on 18th March. It sounds like a wonderful exhibition and well worth going to.

    The Many Faces of Tudor England
    18th March – 31st December 2019
    The Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK.

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  • 8 March – Sir Nicholas Carew’s sticky end

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    4 Comments

    On this day in Tudor history, 8th March 1539, former royal favourite Sir Nicholas Carew was beheaded for treason at Tower Hill.

    How did a man who was once Henry VIII’s good friend and Master of the Horse end his days on the scaffold? I give an overview of Carew’s life, rise and fall, and his part in Anne Boleyn’s fall, in today’s video.

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  • 3 March – A secret marriage for Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk?

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
    5 Comments
    Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor

    3rd March 1515 is one of the dates given in the French contemporary sources for the secret marriage of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, but did the couple really marry on this date?

    In today’s “on this day in Tudor history”, I examine the English and French sources, such as letters and chronicles, to see which date they support for the couple’s secret marriage.

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