Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

On this day in Tudor history, 23rd August 1548, Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, arrived at the Siege of Haddington, in East Lothian, Scotland, with a large army. This siege was part of the Anglo-Scottish war known as the War of the Rough Wooing between England and Scotland., regarding Henry VIII's desire to marry his son, Edward, off to Mary, Queen of Scots.   What happened at this siege and to Haddington after it?   Find out in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History". You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/WWifTM78x2c   Also on this day in Tudor history, 23rd August 1535, royal favourite and keen reformer Sir Nicholas Poyntz welcomed King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, to his home Acton Court in Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire, as part of the couple’s royal progress. It was important for courtiers to impress the king and his consort, and Poyntz built a new wing on his property just for the royal couple! Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/M_3i_9ARR9c

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 from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/pahguELnWpE   Also on this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1485, the Battle of Bosworth took place. King Richard III was killed and Henry Tudor became King Henry VII, starting the Tudor dynasty on the throne of England. Find out what happened on that day in rural Leicestershire, and how Henry was victorious even though Richard came into battle with a huge advantage, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/PhFpPpt23Fg 

On this day in Tudor history, 21st August 1536, two months after he was forced to resign his bishopric, Robert Sherborne (Sherborn), former Bishop of Chichester, died at Chichester. He was buried in the cathedral there.    He was around 82 years of age and it seems a sad end to a man who had done his best to keep his bishopric in order and to serve his king and country.   Find out more about Robert Sherborne, Bishop of Chichester, and what led to his forced resignation, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books.   Also 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? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/gmS6hr2dgWE 

On this day in Tudor history, 20th August 1589, twenty-three-year-old King James VI of Scotland married fourteen-year-old Anne of Denmark by proxy at Kronborg Castle, Helsingør, Denmark.   James had chosen Anne of Denmark as his bride after praying and meditating over portraits of her and Catherine of Navarre, and Anne was very excited about marrying him. Unfortunately, married bliss didn't last long.   Find out more about the proxy wedding, Anne's eventful voyage, their real wedding and their married life, 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/EwyDv-9mtDY   Also on this day in Tudor history, 20th August 1588, there was a thanksgiving service at St Paul's to thank God for his divine intervention when England defeated the Spanish Armada. It was thought that God had sent his Protestant Wind to save England from Catholic Spain. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/wwCKaBRmA_4 

On this day in Tudor history, 19th August 1551, Princess Mary, the future Mary I, wrote to her half-brother King Edward VI regarding orders that he had sent, orders that she was not going to obey.   As historian Henry Ellis noted, this letter is evidence of Mary's talent at writing and her intellect, and it also shows just how stubborn she could be. But then Edward was stubborn too! He wasn't going to let his sister defy him but she wasn't going to obey him and compromise her faith - oh dear!   Find out more about the situation, and hear Mary's words to Edward, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/q0HNva_JJHU   Also on this day in Tudor history, 19th August 1561, Mary, Queen of Scots returned to her homeland, Scotland, from France following the death of her first husband, King Francis II of France. Find out more about her return to Scotland, which was the start of her troubles, in last year’s talk - https://youtu.be/pcZjTw1_mp4 

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 from author Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/RU5aZO3uFA0   Northumberland’s arrest - https://youtu.be/iR5B6U8_raI Also 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. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/lZDaYgPfxoQ 

  On this day in Tudor history, 17th August 1517, Italian humanist scholar, cleric and poet, Andreas Ammonius died in London from sweating sickness. He was laid to rest at St Stephen's, Westminster.    Ammonius had also served Henry VIII as his Latin secretary and was a great friend of the famous humanist scholar, Erasmus. Find out more about Ammonius and the sweating sickness epidemic which caused his death in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".   What was sweating sickness? - https://youtu.be/qwSjvIixzP8 You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/l4tC71oohqw   Also 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? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/2Up3Dpp2mIk     

On this day in Tudor history, 16th August 1599, soldier and Lord President of Munster in Ireland, Sir Thomas Norris, died at his home, Mallow Castle, in Cork, as a result of an injury he’d sustained in a skirmish with Irish troops on 30th May 1599. His brother, Henry, died just five days later. Thomas's brothers, John, William and Maximilian, who were also soldiers, died in 1597, 1579 and 1593 respectively.   Queen Elizabeth I recognised the sacrifice of this family and wrote a letter of condolence to her friends, Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norris, and his wife, Margery Williams. Find out what she wrote to the grieving couple in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/cLN7c9Dm0-k   Also on this day in Tudor history, 16th August 1513, the Battle of Spurs took place at Guinegate, or Enguinegatte, in France. It actually wasn't a pitched battle at all, as the French knights fled the scene, but that didn't stop Henry VIII claiming victory and doing a bit of exaggerating. Find out more about it in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/VGmHZ8dKKLM 

On his day in Tudor history, 15th August 1588, Catholics Robert Wilcox, Edward Campion, Christopher Buxton and Robert Widmerpool were examined while imprisoned in the Marshalsea prison in Southwark, London.    These men ended up being executed, three of them for being Catholic priests and one for giving aid to priests, at Oaten Hill, Canterbury. All four died with courage and in 1929 were beatified.   Find out more about these men and how they came to be executed in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History". You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/-7UPcJ5VRaQ   Also 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 last year’s video - https://youtu.be/SFbnuab0u0k 

On this day in Tudor history, 14th August 1513, William Parr, Marquess of Northampton and brother of Queen Catherine Parr, was born.    William Parr is a fascinating man. He had a wonderful court career, his first wife eloped and left him, his divorce was granted and then rescinded, he was imprisoned in the Tower but then released, his marital happiness was rather shortlived... but he died a natural death!   Find out more about William Parr 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/LNqvW3K5JZY   Also on this day in Tudor history, 14th August 1473, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was born. Margaret Pole is an interesting lady - the niece of Edward IV, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, governess to Mary I... and she came to a rather awful and sticky end. You can find out more about her in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/0oIPgbQ68lY 

On this day in Tudor history, 13th August 1579, Roman Catholics Friar Conn, or Connatius, O'Rourke and Patrick O'Healy, Bishop of Mayo, were hanged just outside Kilmallock, co. Limerick.   So desperate was Sir William Drury, Lord President of Munster, to get rid of these two Catholics, that he used martial law to find them guilty of treason, rather than giving them a trial. Find out why, what Drury did to poor Bishop O'Healey, and what happened to their remains afterwards, in today's video from Claire RIdgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History". You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/NsCETn5rW9Q   Also on this day in history, 13th August 1514, Princess Mary Tudor, youngest surviving daughter of the late King Henry VII and sister of King Henry VIII, married King Louis XII of France by proxy. Find out more about the ceremony, what everyone was wearing, and about the symbolic consummation, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/zhbhHbNHF1E

On this day in Tudor history, 12th August 1570, Lady Ursula Stafford died. She was the daughter of the late Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, sister of Cardinal Reginald Pole, and wife of Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford. She had Plantagenet blood being the granddaughter of George, Duke of Clarence.   Find out more about the life of this interesting Tudor lady, and the tragic fall of her family, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/Pa2GszZjRtA   May 27 - Margaret Pole's botched execution - https://youtu.be/6v9LGPqClTY August 14 - Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury - https://youtu.be/0oIPgbQ68lY    Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th August 1560, Thomas Phaer (Fair), translator, lawyer, physician and paediatrician, made his will after suffering an accident. Phaer become known as the “Father of English Paediatrics” for his works, which included “The Book of Children”, and in last year’s video I shared some details about this man and also some of his rather interesting remedies for caring for children. https://youtu.be/iKcEJ9ezXR8 

On this day in Tudor history, 11th August 1581, Sir Maurice Berkeley, former gentleman usher of Henry VIII's Privy Chamber, died.   You may not have heard of Sir Maurice Berkeley, but he had a wonderful court career, serving Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I, and proving his loyalty to Mary I by arresting rebel leader, Thomas Wyatt the Younger.   Find out more about this lesser-known Tudor man 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/cM07C7GcpNY   Also on this day in Tudor history, 11th August 1534, or shortly before, the friars observant were expelled from their religious houses due to their support of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, and their refusal to accept the king as supreme head of the Church in England. These men were treated abominably by Henry VIII and his government and you can find out about their treatment and their fates in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/BbdP7JZKGbo 

On this day in Tudor history, 10th August 1553, the same day that Queen Mary I held requiem mass for the soul of her late half-brother, Edward VI, seven men died at London Bridge. They were drowned.   Find out more about what happened to these men - one of whom was Thomas Brydges, the son of Sir Thomas Brydges, Deputy Lieutenant of the Tower of London - how the Thames was the preferred way of travelling around London, and how and why it could be dangerous around London Bridge, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".   You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/addIkGVNyXA   Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th August 1512, the English fleet's flagship, the Mary Rose, saw battle for the first time in the Battle of Saint-Mathieu, a naval battle in the War of the League of Cambrai. The battle was fought between the English fleet and the Franco-Breton fleet just off the coast of Brest. 1,500 to 1,600 men were lost that day, but how? What happened? And who was victorious? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/2Btr6lCMYko 

On this day in Tudor history, 9th August 1561, while on a visit to Ipswich, in Suffolk, Queen Elizabeth I issued a royal mandate forbidding women to reside in cathedrals and colleges. Although she wasn't going as far as banning clerical marriage, her mandate caused concern, and even horror, among her clergy, particularly her married Archbishop of Canterbury, who was a huge supporter of clerical marriage. Find out more about what Elizabeth I ordered, the reactions of William Cecil, Matthew Parker and Richard Cox, and why the Protestant Elizabeth may have issued this mandate, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/3lNCVq7SOg0 Also on this day in Tudor history, 9th August 1588, Queen Elizabeth I gave her famous Tilbury Speech to the forces gathered at Tilbury Fort. It is a speech that has been immortalised on screen by the likes of Glenda Jackson and Cate Blanchett, and is famous for the line "I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too", but what words did Elizabeth really speak that day? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/0E6-wPzg9ww