Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

Anne of Denmark: The Forgotten Queen?

On this day in history, 13th May 1619, Westminster Abbey hosted a grand and costly funeral for a queen consort who is often overshadowed in British royal history. But who was Anne of Denmark? What role did she really play at the courts of Scotland and England—and why did her relationship with King James sour so drastically in her final years?
 
In this podcast, I explore the intriguing life, cultural impact, and overlooked legacy of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I of England (James VI of Scotland). From dramatic court disputes and artistic patronage to her mysterious estrangement from the king, Anne’s story is full of surprises.
 
Could she be one of the most underrated queen consorts in British history?
Listen now to uncover the truth behind this fascinating royal figure.
 
#AnneOfDenmark #TudorHistory #StuartHistory #ForgottenQueens #WomenInHistory #RoyalHistory #OnThisDay #JamesI #WestminsterAbbey #HistoricalMysteries #BritishMonarchy #HistoryYouTube #ClaireRidgway #QueenConsort #EarlyModernHistory
 

Why Did Tudor Execution Victims Praise the Monarch? | Tudor Execution Speeches Explained

Why did people like Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn, and Lady Jane Grey use their final words to praise the monarch who condemned them to die? Were they afraid? Following orders? Or was there something deeper at work?
In this podvast, I explore the rituals, beliefs, and expectations behind execution speeches in the Tudor period. From religious symbolism to social pressure and political theatre, the scaffold was more than a place of death—it was a stage for legacy, loyalty, and salvation.
Discover the hidden structure behind these chilling final words—and what they reveal about Tudor society.
#AnneBoleyn #LadyJaneGrey #TudorHistory #ExecutionSpeeches #TudorExecutions #Tudors #GeorgeBoleyn #CatherineHoward #TudorMonarchy #HistoricalMysteries #OnThisDay #HistoryYouTube #ClaireRidgway #GoodDeath #MedievalHistory #RoyalExecution #SixWivesOfHenryVIII

The Mystery of Sir James Tyrell & The Princes in the Tower

On this day in Tudor history, 6th May 1502, Sir James Tyrell met his end on Tower Hill—remembered not just as a royal servant, but as the man accused of murdering the Princes in the Tower.But did he really confess to killing Edward V and his brother? Or was his name dragged into a Tudor-era cover-up?
In this podcast, we unravel the life, rise, and sudden fall of Sir James Tyrell—and examine the evidence (or lack of it) behind his alleged role in one of history’s most chilling unsolved mysteries.Plus, we explore a recent theory involving a gold chain and a will from 1516… Could it link Tyrell to the lost princes? Or is it just another red herring?
Watch now to uncover what we do know—and decide for yourself whether Tyrell was a murderer, or just another convenient scapegoat.
Read more here: https://medievalmatt.substack.com/p/a-damning-discovery
What’s your verdict? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
#PrincesInTheTower #JamesTyrell #TudorHistory #UnsolvedMysteries #TowerOfLondon #EdwardV #RichardIII #Yorkist #TudorCrime #HistoryMystery #TudorConspiracies #BritishHistory #OnThisDay #HistoricalWhodunnit

Witchcraft, Storms, and a Marriage

The Marriage of James VI and Anne of Denmark
 
A royal wedding… a stormy sea… and a witch hunt that would echo through history.
 
When Anne of Denmark tried to sail to Scotland to join her new husband, King James VI, disaster struck. Fierce storms battered her fleet, whispers of witchcraft spread like wildfire, and before long, women were being accused, tortured, and executed.
 
Was it just bad weather? Or was something more sinister at play?
 
In this podcast, we explore the strange and stormy beginnings of James and Anne’s marriage, the Copenhagen Witch Trials, and how this fateful voyage may have sparked one of the most notorious witch-hunting obsessions in royal history.
 
Join me as we untangle the myths, the accusations, and the real history behind it all.
 
Let me know your thoughts in the comments—were the storms just a twist of fate, or did they set the stage for a darker chapter in James VI’s reign?
 
#Witchcraft #TudorHistory #JamesVI #AnneOfDenmark #WitchTrials #NorthBerwickWitchTrials #ScottishHistory #HistoricalMysteries #Daemonologie #EarlyModernHistory #HistoryYouTube #OnThisDay #WitchHunt
 

The Brutality Beyond Hanging, Drawing & Quartering

Think hanging, drawing and quartering was as bad as it got? Think again.
 
In this chilling follow-up, we dive into some of the lesser-known but equally gruesome methods of execution used during the Tudor period. From boiling people alive to crushing them slowly under immense weight, the Tudors certainly knew how to make a statement.
 
Join me as I explore these brutal punishments and the stories behind them. Some were designed to instil fear, others to send a clear political or religious message—but all are harrowing reminders of a darker side to Tudor justice.
 
Which of these punishments do you find the most disturbing? Share your thoughts in the comments!
 
#TudorHistory #TudorExecutions #AnneBoleynFiles #DarkHistory #HistoryUncovered #GruesomeHistory #MedievalPunishments #TudorCrimeAndPunishment #HistoryYouDidntKnow #ExecutionMethods

The Full Traitor’s Death – Hanging, Drawing & Quartering

The Tudors were infamous for their brutal punishments, but none were more terrifying than the full traitor’s death—hanging, drawing, and quartering. Reserved for those guilty of high treason, this gruesome execution was designed not just to punish but to serve as a chilling warning to all.
 
But what did it actually involve? Step by horrifying step, I’ll take you through the brutal process—from being dragged through the streets to the unimaginable suffering of disembowelment, and finally, the gruesome fate of the traitor’s body. This is not for the faint-hearted!
 
- Who suffered this terrifying fate?
- Why was it carried out in such a public spectacle?
- And what made this punishment so feared in the Tudor era?
 
Stay tuned until the end—because this is just the beginning. In Part 2, I’ll be covering other brutal execution methods, including beheading, boiling alive, and pressing to death.
 
If you found this podcast fascinating, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more gripping Tudor history!
 
#TudorHistory #HangingDrawingQuartering #BrutalExecutions #DarkHistory #Tudors #HistoryLovers #MedievalPunishments #GruesomeHistory #Treason #AnneBoleynFiles

Burnt for His Beliefs

The Execution of George van Parris under Edward VI
 
The reign of Edward VI is often seen as a time of Protestant reform, but it was also a period of religious persecution. On 24th or 25th April 1551, George van Parris was burned at the stake—not for being Catholic, but for holding radical Protestant beliefs.
 
A Flemish surgeon living in London, van Parris was condemned for Arianism, the belief that Jesus was created by God rather than being divine. His case was debated by some of the most powerful reformers of the time, including Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley. Even King Edward VI recorded his execution in his journal.
 
His story is one of forgotten Tudor executions, showing that even in a Protestant England, straying too far from accepted doctrine could cost you your life. Was this execution justified, or a step too far? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
 
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more Tudor history deep dives!
 
#TudorHistory #EdwardVI #ReligiousPersecution #GeorgeVanParris #Heretic #TudorExecutions #Cranmer #Ridley #TudorEngland #History

Tudor Wicked Women: Villains or Victims?

Tudor history is full of ‘wicked women’—but were they truly wicked, or simply women who refused to conform?
 
From Anne Boleyn, accused of adultery and treason, to Catherine Howard, condemned for her past, and Lettice Knollys, who dared to marry Robert Dudley, history has painted many Tudor women as villains. But was their greatest crime simply being outspoken, ambitious, or politically savvy in a world that feared powerful women?
 
Join me as I uncover the truth behind these so-called wicked women of the Tudor era. Were they villains—or victims of a world that refused to tolerate female power? Let me know what you think in the comments!
 
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more Tudor history deep dives!
 
#TudorHistory #WickedWomen #AnneBoleyn #CatherineHoward #LetticeKnollys #MaryQueenOfScots #HiddenHistories #TudorScandals #WomenInHistory #TudorQueens #TudorEngland