The Tudor Society
  • #OTD in Tudor History – 3 February

    Portraits of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and Mary, Queen of Scots

    On this day in Tudor history, 3rd February, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was born, Silken Thomas was executed, and Elizabeth I’s privy council met and agreed to send Mary, Queen of Scot’s death warrant to Fotheringhay without Elizabeth’s knowledge…

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  • August 2 – Thornbury Castle

    A photo of Thornbury Castle and a portrait of its owner and builder, Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham

    On this day in Tudor history, 2nd August 1514, Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, was granted a licence to found a college at Thornbury in Gloucestershire.

    There had been a manor there since the 10th century, but it was Buckingham who built Thornbury Castle. He obtained a licence to crenelate his manor in 1510 and building work began in 1511. Thornbury was built to the medieval quadrangular layout, with a large outer courtyard. The entrance front with its central gatehouse and octagonal corner towers is still standing, as are two of the side ranges. The surrounding curtain wall is intact on three sides.

    Buckingham never saw it completed. He was executed in 1521. The manor was seized by Henry VIII, who stayed there with Anne Boleyn in 1535.

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  • February 3 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham

    On 3rd February 1478, in the reign of King Edward IV, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was born at Brecon Castle.

    His father, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, was executed as a traitor in Richard III’s reign and Edward came to the same end in 1521, in King Henry VIII’s reign.

    Let me tell you a bit more about this Duke of Buckingham…

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  • This week in Tudor history Part 1 – An alchemist, the Princes in the Tower’s doctor, and a duke who suffered a rigged trial

    In this first part of “This week in Tudor history”, I look at Tudor history events for 1st, 2nd and 3rd February.

    1st February 1552, in the reign of King Edward VI – The birth of Roger Cooke, an alchemist who worked for Dr John Dee, Francis Anthony, the Wizard Earl (Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland) and Sir Walter Ralegh, and a man with whom Dee shared the secret of a special elixir…

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  • 17 May – The Duke of Buckingham and his Plantagenet blood

    Portrait of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, aged 42

    On this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1521, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was executed for treason on Tower Hill.

    He’d served King Henry VII and King Henry VIII loyally for many years, so what led to this nobleman being condemned for high treason?

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  • Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1478-1521)

    Portrait of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, aged 42

    Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was one of Henry VII’s and Henry VIII’s main associates in court. He attended the coronation of both kings and played an important part in each of their reigns. But how he ended up in that position of favour is a fascinating story, as is his eventual demise.

    Edward Stafford was born on 3 February 1478 and his parents were Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and Catherine Woodville. Catherine was the sister of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV. Following his father’s execution in Richard III’s reign, Edward’s mother went on to marry Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford and the uncle of King Henry VII.

    Due to his father’s rebellion against Richard III in 1483, young Edward was hidden and moved around to different properties in and around Hertfordshire to keep him safe and out of harm’s way. His father’s rebellion against the king led to him losing his honours and being executed in November 1483. In 1485, Edward was honoured by the new king, Henry VII, by being made a Knight of the Order of the Bath, and he was made a ward of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and the king’s mother. Unfortunately, this meant that Margaret was also granted all of his lands.

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  • Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham

    Portrait of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, aged 42

    Hello, and welcome to my new series “The King’s Men”. Each month I will be writing an article exploring the life of one man that served Henry VIII. Some of these men had prosperous careers, reaching wondrous heights at court and exerting great influence under the King. Other men reached to high and met their end under orders of Henry VIII. However, each man left their imprint on Henry’s court and history, and it is the lives of these men that I will be exploring each month.

    This month I will be looking at the life of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham.

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