The Tudor Society
  • #OTD in Tudor history – 26 February

    Portraits of Christopher Marlowe, Edward Seymour and John Dudley

    On this day in Tudor history, 26th February, George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon and grandson of Mary Boleyn was born, four men were executed after being accused of conspiring with the Duke of Somerset against the Duke of Northumberland, and poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe was baptised…

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  • August 26 – John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, prepares to fight some rebels

    Portrait of John Dudley from the collection at Knole

    On this day in Tudor history, 26th August 1549, in the reign of King Edward VI, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, received 1,000 mercenaries as reinforcements to fight the rebels of Kett’s Rebellion.

    Kett’s Rebellion had begun in East Anglia in early July 1549. The rebels were unhappy with the enclosure of common land.

    They attacked and took Norwich on 22nd July 1549 and William Parr, Marquess of Northampton, was sent with crown forces to win back the city. However, he was defeated. The Earl of Warwick was then sent to the area with a large army, which was bolstered with the arrival of the mercenaries on this day in 1549. The next day, Warwick’s forces met the rebels at the Battle of Dussindale. There were heavy losses on both sides, but Warwick was victorious. The rebellion had been brought to an end.

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  • January 15 – Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland

    On this day in Tudor history, 15th January 1555, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland and wife of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, died in Chelsea, London.

    Forty-six-year-old Jane had outlived her husband, who was executed in 1553 after Mary I had successfully seized the throne from the couple’s daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey.

    Here are some facts about this Duchess of Northumberland…

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  • August 22 – The end of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and the Battle of Bosworth Field

    On this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1553, in the reign of Queen Mary I, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was beheaded on Tower Hill along with his friends and supporters, Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer.

    Northumberland was executed for his part in putting his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne.

    His execution was actually scheduled for the previous day. The executioner was ready and a crowd had turned up to see him die, but the duke was taken to church instead.

    Wny?

    Find out, and also hear a contemporary account of the duke’s execution…

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  • July 21 – John Dudley is arrested

    On this day in Tudor history, 21st July, 1553, two days after Mary I had been proclaimed queen, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland was arrested near Cambridge.

    This was just days after Northumberland had left London with an army to apprehend Mary, on behalf of his daughter-in-law, Queen Jane (Lady Jane Grey).

    But how and why did the man who had ruled England on Edward VI’s behalf, as Lord President of his privy council, come to this?

    I explain his role in the accession of Lady Jane Grey in July 1553 and what happened when Mary overthrew Queen Jane…

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  • 22 August – John Dudley’s execution and the Battle of Bosworth

    On this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1553, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was beheaded on Tower Hill for his part in putting his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Northumberland's friends and supporters, Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer, were also executed.

    Northumberland was actually scheduled to die the previous day and the crowd turned up to see, the scaffold was prepared and even the executioner was ready... but, instead, the duke was taken to church.

    Why?

    Find out why and also hear a contemporary account of the duke's execution...

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  • 18 August – John Dudley and Virginia Dare

    On this day in Tudor history, 18th August 1553, less than a month after his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey or Queen Jane, had been overthrown by Queen Mary I, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was tried for treason at Westminster Hall in London.

    During his trial, Northumberland pointed out that it couldn’t be treason to be acting by royal warrant and that some of those judging him had acted under the same warrant, but it did him no good.

    Find out what happened at his trial, what his reaction was to his sentence, and what happened to William Parr, Marquess of Northampton, and John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, who were tried with him…

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  • Edward Seymour or John Dudley

    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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  • 22 August – The end of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland

    On this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1553, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was beheaded on Tower Hill for his part in putting his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Northumberland’s friends and supporters, Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer, were also executed.

    Northumberland was actually scheduled to die the previous day and the crowd turned up to see, the scaffold was prepared and even the executioner was ready… but, instead, the duke was taken to church.

    Why?

    Find out why and also hear a contemporary account of the duke’s execution in today’s talk.

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  • 18 August – The trial of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland

    On this day in Tudor history, 18th August 1553, less than a month after his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey or Queen Jane, had been overthrown by Queen Mary I, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was tried for treason at Westminster Hall in London.

    During his trial, Northumberland pointed out that it couldn’t be treason to be acting by royal warrant and that some of those judging him had acted under the same warrant, but it did him no good.

    Find out what happened at his trial, what his reaction was to his sentence, and what happened to William Parr, Marquess of Northampton, and John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, who were tried with him, in today’s talk.

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  • 21 July – The arrest of John Dudley

    On this day in Tudor history, 21st July, 1553, just days after he’d left London with an army to apprehend Mary, half-sister of the late king, Edward VI, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland was arrested near Cambridge.

    But how and why did the man who had ruled England on Edward VI’s behalf, as Lord President of his privy council, come to this?

    I explain his role in the accession of Lady Jane Grey as Queen Jane in July 1553 and what happened when Mary overthrew Queen Jane.

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  • 26 February – The sad ends of loyal men

    On this day in Tudor history, 26th February 1552, Sir Thomas Arundell, Sir Michael Stanhope, Sir Miles Partridge and Sir Ralph Fane (or Vane) were executed. The men had been condemned as traitors after being accused of conspiring with Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and former Lord Protector, against John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, the new man in control of King Edward VI’s government.

    Find out all about these men and how these loyal royal servants came to these sticky ends in today’s talk.

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  • Edward VI – The good, the bad and the ugly

    In this week’s Claire Chats talk, I am continuing my series on the Tudor monarchs, and examining their reigns for “the good, the bad, the ugly”, i.e. their achievements and the not-so-good stuff, by looking at the reign of the third Tudor monarch, King Edward VI.

    Of course, Edward VI died before he reached his majority, so in examining his reign I have to look at “the good, the bad and the ugly” of the two men who led his government: Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, and John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.

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  • The Dudley Family Quiz

    A portrait of John Dudley from the collection at Knole in Kent.

    This week’s Sunday quiz tests your knowledge of one of my very favourite Tudor families, the Dudleys.

    How much do you know about them?

    Find out in this fun quiz!

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  • 25 May – A triple Tudor wedding

    On this day in Tudor history, 25th May 1553, Lady Jane Grey got married to Lord Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.

    They weren’t the only couple to get married in the ceremony at Durham House, Jane’s sister, Katherine, and Guildford’s sister, Catherine, also got married.

    In today’s video, I give more details and consider who was behind this triple Tudor wedding.

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  • Dudley Castle – Philippa, roving reporter

    Philippa Lacey Brewell, the Tudor Society roving reporter, takes us around the ruins of Dudley Castle, in Dudley, West Midlands. This is a little known castle which is sadly in need of £5 million in restoration work to make it safe and to preserve it for the future. Philippa gets access to some areas which are not open to the public at the moment.

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  • John Dudley Quiz

    A portrait of John Dudley from the collection at Knole in Kent.

    John Dudley is a fascinating Tudor man, but how much do you know about him? Test your knowledge with this fun quiz. Good luck!

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  • 22 August 1553 – The execution of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland

    On 22nd August 1553, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland, was beheaded on Tower Hill for his part in putting his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne in place of Mary I. Northumberland’s friends, Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer, were also executed on this day in 1553 for supporting Northumberland.

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  • Transcript from live chat with Susan Higginbotham

    For those who were not able to get to our live chat with Susan Higginbotham – you really missed a special chat – here is the transcript where we discuss John Dudley.

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  • 27 August 1549 – The Battle of Dussindale

    On 27th August 1549, the Battle of Dussindale took place, ending Kett’s Rebellion in Norfolk.

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  • Susan Higginbotham’s Live Chat – 28 August 2015

    Just a reminder that Susan Higginbotham’s live chat is taking place on the Tudor Society chatroom this Friday (28th August) at 9pm US Eastern time.

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  • John Dudley by Susan Higginbotham

    In our second expert video of the month, we have Susan Higginbotham. Susan discusses John Dudley and analyses whether all that was said about him is true.

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  • Kett’s Rebellion – July 1549

    8th July 1549 was the beginning of Kett’s Rebellion. Robert Kett, a Norfolk farmer, agreed to lead a group of protesters who were angry with the enclosure of common land. The protesters marched on Norwich, and by the time they reached the city walls, it is said that they numbered around 16,000.

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