Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

On this day in Tudor history, 22nd October 1537, an examination, or rather interrogation, was carried out regarding an accusation of treasonous words spoken against King Henry VIII.    Further investigations into the matter found that there was no evidence that these words were spoken, and that someone was trying to get another person into trouble.   What was going on? In a time when the punishment for high treason was death, this was very serious.   Find out more about what happened in this talk from historian Claire Ridgway.   Claire is the founder of the Tudor Society, an online membership site for those who love Tudor history. There, you can learn from Claire and many other expert historians and authors, enjoy Tudor-focused magazines and live Q&A sessions with experts, and have access to all kinds of talks, articles, quizzes, virtual tours and more. Try it with a 14-day free trial - https://www.tudorsociety.com/signup/   Claire has written some bestselling Tudor history books: On This Day in Tudor History - https://amzn.to/3oceahH The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown - https://amzn.to/3m8KaSi George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat - https://amzn.to/2TdwyZr The Anne Boleyn Collection - https://amzn.to/3kiQc1T The Anne Boleyn Collection II - https://amzn.to/3o9LUwi The Anne Boleyn Collection III - https://amzn.to/3kiQc1T The Life of Anne Boleyn Colouring Books - https://amzn.to/3jkJ5Vz   Claire has also done an online history course, The Life of Anne Boleyn, for MedievalCourses.com - https://medievalcourses.com/overview/life-anne-boleyn-mc06/   You can find Claire at: https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com  https://www.tudorsociety.com https://www.facebook.com/theanneboleynfiles/ https://www.facebook.com/tudorsociety/ https://twitter.com/AnneBoleynFiles  https://twitter.com/thetudorsociety  https://www.instagram.com/tudor.society/  https://www.instagram.com/anneboleynfiles/   Also on this day in Tudor history, 22nd October 1577, Henry Parker, 11th Baron Morley and Roman Catholic exile, died in Paris. Morley had fled abroad in 1570 after refusing to subscribe to Elizabeth I's “Act of Uniformity” and after being implicated in the 1569 Rising of the North. Find out more about this Tudor man, who was the nephew of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, and his rather interesting family, with their connections to the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots and the Gunpowder Plot, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/7-AO5B-eZSQ

On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1536, during the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion, Lancaster Herald had an encounter with armed peasants on his way to Pontefract Castle and then met with rebel leader, Robert Aske, at the castle. The meeting didn't go well, with Aske putting his foot down and not allowing the herald to complete his mission.   What was going on? Who was Lancaster Herald? What was his mission?   Find out more about the situation at Pontefract in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books.    You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/tCAkuaLV4Rw   Also on this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1532, King Henry VIII left his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, behind in Calais while he travelled to Boulogne to spend a few days at the French court with Francis I. They had a bit of a bromance really, with Henry calling Francis his "beloved brother" and Francis instructing his sons to be "loving always" to Henry. However, Anne Boleyn was disappointed with the situation and you can find out more about what was going on in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ZB8WUZlqYFY 

On this day in Tudor history, 20th October 1557, or possibly 21st, courtier Mary Arundell died at Bath Place in London. Mary is an interesting Tudor lady. Not only did she serve at least two of Henry VIII’s wives, but she was a countess twice over, having been married to both the Earls of Sussex and Arundel. She has also been confused with two other Tudor ladies, and we don't know whether the portrait you see in the thumbnail is really her.   Find out more about Mary Arundell's life, court career and those of her husbands, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/OdTkEmd1zhA   Also on this day in Tudor history, 20th October 1536, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy, yielded Pontefract Castle to the rebels of the Pilgrimage of Grace. However, all was not as it seemed, as Darcy and others on the castle were actually sympathetic to the rebel cause. Find out more about the situation at Pontefract Castle, the letters Darcy wrote to King Henry VIII, what happened on the night of 19th October and morning of 20th October, and why Darcy came to a sticky end, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/cQH-uosxMZ0 

On this day in history, 19th October 1469, an event took place in Spain that was not only important in Spanish history, but which had an impact on Europe and which has links with the Tudors.   The event was the marriage of an eighteen-year-old woman called Isabella and a seventeen-year-old man called Ferdinand. They'd become the famous Reyes Catolicos, the Catholic monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, and would bring together two powerful kingdoms, which comprised most of what is modern-day Spain.   In today's talk, historian Claire Ridgway tells you more about this powerful couple, their reigns and their legacy. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/lcB2amixtQ0   Also on this day in Tudor history, 19th October 1536, the Pilgrimage of Grace Rebellion in the north of England was well underway, and King Henry VIII had come to the decision that tough action was needed to put it down. The action he ordered wasn’t just tough, it was downright brutal, and you can find out more about it in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/JV7qr-uC7MU 

On this day in Tudor history, 18th October 1555, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, finally received permission from her half-sister, Queen Mary I, to leave court and travel to her own estate at Hatfield, rather than return to house arrest in Woodstock. Poor Elizabeth had spent the last 18 months being watched or imprisoned, so this must have been a huge relief. But why had Elizabeth been watched and confined? What had she gone through and why? Find out more about this awful part of Elizabeth I's life in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/g-ithNJKrgQ Also on this day in Tudor history, 18th October 1541, Margaret Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII and eldest daughter of King Henry VII, died of a stroke. Margaret Tudor is a fascinating Tudor lady. She was sent to Scotland at 13 to marry King James IV, she was widowed, divorced and unhappily married, she fled to England at one point, and she was the mother of Lady Margaret Douglas, and grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots AND Lord Darnley, and great-grandmother of King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England). What a life she had! Find out more about her in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/4MyX4SfN5IE 

On this day in history, 17th October 1560, spy and Protestant martyr, Walter Marsh was baptised at St Stephen's Church in London. Marsh came to a sticky end, being burned to death in Rome's Campo dei Fiori after having his tongue cut out, his hand cut off and being tortured with burning torches. He had been accused of being paid by Queen Elizabeth I to spy on Catholics and of showing contempt for the Eucharist. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/fu5tegmkq_I   Find out more about Walter Marsh, how he'd come to be in Rome and what he'd done to upset the authorities, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History". Also on this day in Tudor history, 17th October 1586, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the famous poet, courtier and soldier, Sir Philip Sidney, died as a result of an injury inflicted in a battle with Spanish forces in the Netherlands. Find out more about Sidney, his works and what happened to him, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/fz6sVUKMBsM

On this day in Tudor history, 16th October 1532, while Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, were on their visit to Calais, English nobles met French nobles to arrange a meeting between the King of England and his French counterpart, King Francis I.   In today's talk, Claire Ridgway of the Anne Boleyn Files gives details on this event, who was there, what happened, and why Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn had gone to Calais.You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/FX_JBefelco   Also on this day in Tudor history, 16th October 1555, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Protestants Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake in Oxford for heresy. Along with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, they have become known as the Oxford Martyrs. Find out more about these men and hear an account of their burnings – warning, it’s horrible – in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/tGs6BbntLTc 

On this day in Tudor history, 15th October 1584, schoolteacher and Welsh language poet, Richard Gwyn (Richard White), was hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason at Wrexham in Wales due to his Catholic faith. Find out about Richard Gwyn's life, how an attack by crows and kites made him steadfast in his faith, his arrest and downfall, his works, and the legends associated with his death, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/L9530Uuo4Ro Also on this day in Tudor history, 15th October 1537, Prince Edward ( future King Edward VI), son of King Henry VIII and his third wife, Queen Jane Seymour, was christened in a lavish ceremony in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. He was three days old. Find out more about the ceremony, godparents and gifts in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/mhgbi0UTJWo

On this day in Tudor history, 14th October 1565, diplomat and poet, Sir Thomas Chaloner the Elder, died at his home in Clerkenwell, London. He was just forty-four years old. He’d served four Tudor monarchs as a diplomat, but he also wrote English and Latin works. Find out more about Thomas Chaloner, his life, his career, and how his teeth saved him from death, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/3M70wAe2Tiw J Stephan Edwards’ translation of Chaloner’s work on Lady Jane Grey - http://www.somegreymatter.com/chalonerelegy.htm Also on this day in Tudor history, 14th October 1586, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, began at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Find out all about Mary's trial, what she was charged with and the evidence that Sir Francis Walsingham had gathered, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/XZ8LNew3oTw 

On this day in Tudor history, 13th October 1553, Queen Mary I wrote a very interesting letter to the imperial ambassador, Simon Renard. In it, she asked the ambassador to meet with her secretly, and she'd encouraged him previously to come to her secretly and in disguise.   Why? What was going on? And why did Mary seem to trust the emperor and his ambassadors more than her own council?   Find out more about the situation in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/XKWL6RONk5Y   Also on this day in Tudor history, 13th October 1549, Edward VI’s council abolished his uncle Edward Seymour’s protectorate and membership of the Council. It was the beginning of the end for Seymour and you can find out what he’d done to provoke his downfall, and what happened next, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/3y8vOOYwUFc 

On this day in Tudor history, 12th October 1555, Lewis Owen, member of Parliament and administrator in Wales, was assassinated on Dugoed Mawddwy, a mountain pass.  Owen was murdered by a group of bandits as revenge for his campaign against them, which had led to around 80 hangings. Find out more about Lewis Owen, his life and what happened, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/849IvbHHo1o Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th October 1537, the eve of the Feast of St Edward the Confessor, Queen Jane Seymour, third wife of King Henry VIII, gave birth to a baby who would become King Edward VI. Find out more about Edward VI's birth, the subsequent celebrations, and the myth that Edward VI was born by caesarean (c-section), in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/sfHi1REWh-I

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 from Claire Ridgway, creator of The Anne Boleyn Files blog.   Links to other videos on this trip: October 21 - Henry VIII leaves Anne Boleyn behind in Calais - https://youtu.be/ZB8WUZlqYFY October 25 - Henry VIII, Francis I and a gift for Anne Boleyn - https://youtu.be/m7LbYIKx8_Y October 27 - Anne Boleyn makes an entrance - https://youtu.be/JDGwNNM6G_E November 14 - Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon get married but not to each other - https://youtu.be/WJD7rGXLCUs Also on this day in Tudor history, 11th October 1537, there was a solemn procession and prayers said for Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, who was in labour with her first and only child, Edward. In last year’s video, I share contemporary accounts of the procession and Jane’s labour - https://youtu.be/7ib2N2fvzqc

On this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1588, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, according to his instructions. His funeral was well-attended and his widow, Lettice, a woman known by Elizabeth I as "the she-wolf", erected a monument to "her best and dearest husband" in the chapel, which was also the resting place of the couple's young son, Robert, "the noble impe". Find out more about Leicester's funeral and resting place, and see some photos of his tomb, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/jQQhMB0S1m0 Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1562, twenty-nine-year-old Queen Elizabeth I was taken ill at Hampton Court Palace. It was thought that it was just a bad cold, but it turned out that the queen had smallpox. Elizabeth became seriously ill and it was thought that she would die, causing panic over the succession, but Elizabeth recovered and reigned until 1603. She was nursed by her good friend, Mary Sidney, who also came down with smallpox and was badly disfigured by it. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ohpybHXcxiM

On this day in Tudor history, 9th October 1547, Miguel de Cervantes, author of the famous classic “Don Quixote”, a book known as "the first modern novel", was baptised in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. His actual birthdate is unknown. Now, this event didn’t happen in Tudor England, but it did happen in the Tudor period, and Cervantes is known the world over. Let Claire share with you some facts about this man, his rather interesting life, which including being held to ransom by pirates, and his works. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/n2v7AVmob9U Also on this day in history, 9th October 1514, eighteen-year-old Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and daughter of the late Henry VII, married fifty-two year-old King Louis XII of France at Abbeville in France. Find out about her lavish entry into Abbeville and the wedding, including descriptions of Mary and her apparel, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/wYYJpU893lo

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 from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/eaAfD48aaY0   Also on this day in Tudor history, 8th October 1515, Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox and niece of King Henry VIII, was born at Harbottle Castle in Northumberland. Margaret was the daughter of Margaret Tudor, Queen Dowager of Scotland, and Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. She was born while her mother was travelling to Henry VIII's court in London after feeling Scotland. Margaret was a fascinating lady and you can find out more about her in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/XhLKtBDLO5c