Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

Anne Boleyn Crowned Queen - A Day of Splendour and Symbolism

On this day in history, Anne Boleyn reached the pinnacle of her triumph.After six years of struggle, scandal, and seismic political and religious change, Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England in a glittering ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Dressed in purple velvet, barefoot and crowned with the Crown of St Edward—a crown usually reserved for monarchs—Anne processed through a sea of blue cloth, surrounded by nobles, clergy, and the hopes of a dynasty.This wasn’t just a coronation. It was a carefully orchestrated show of legitimacy, power, and divine approval.Join me as I take you through every detail of this extraordinary day—from the riverside arrivals and the grand abbey ceremony to the 80-dish banquet and Anne’s moment of glory beneath a cloth of estate… all while the king watched from the shadows.This was Anne Boleyn at her height. Her triumph. Her crowning moment.Listen now to relive the grandeur of 1st June 1533.#AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #AnneBoleynCoronation #HenryVIII #TudorDynasty #WestminsterAbbey #CrownOfStEdward #HistoryLovers #BritishMonarchy #HistoricalReenactment #WomenInHistory #RoyalCoronation

Tudor Timekeeping: Bells, Clocks, and a Bit of Bling

Ever wondered how people in the Tudor period told the time—long before smartphones or wristwatches? In this video, I explore the fascinating ways our medieval and Tudor ancestors kept track of their day.From monastery bells marking the canonical hours to the rise of mechanical town clocks in the 14th century, Tudor timekeeping was far more advanced than you might expect. We’ll look at sundials, water clocks, astrolabes, and even the incredible astronomical clock at Hampton Court Palace. And yes—there were watches in Tudor England! Anne Boleyn owned one, and Elizabeth I had several, including a gift from Robert Dudley.Plus, I’ll share why you sometimes hear the chimes of my village clock tower in the background of my videos—and how that links us back to the soundscape of the past.Step back in time with me to discover how the Tudors measured their hours—and why timekeeping was as much about bells, beauty, and status as practicality.#TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #TudorTechnology #Timekeeping #MedievalHistory #TudorLife #OnThisDay #TudorEngland #HamptonCourt #HistoricalClocks #HistoryNerd
 
Links:
Henry VIII portrait - https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw03080/King-Henry-VIII-King-Henry-VIIAnne Boleyn clock - https://www.rct.uk/collection/30018/anne-boleyn-clock  and  https://strawberryhillhouseblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/362/Hampton Court - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Court_astronomical_clockEarly Mechanical Clocks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock#Early_mechanical_clocks
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Claire Ridgway
Best-selling author, historian, speaker, YouTuber and founder of the Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society websites.
https://linktr.ee/claireridgway
claireridgway.com
www.tudorsociety.com
www.theanneboleynfiles.com

The Pygmy and Beagle: Robert Cecil, the Power behind Two Thrones

On 24th May 1612, one of the most powerful men of the Elizabethan and early Stuart courts—Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury—died on his way home from taking the waters at Bath. He was just 48, but his political career was nothing short of extraordinary.The son of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Robert Cecil overcame physical disability, courtly mockery, and fierce political rivalries to become Secretary of State, Lord High Treasurer, and a trusted advisor to both Elizabeth I and James I. From helping bring down the Earl of Essex to secretly securing James VI’s smooth succession, Cecil shaped the very future of the English monarchy.In this podcast, we explore his remarkable life, his rise to power, his role in uncovering the Gunpowder Plot, and his legacy—one that helped bridge the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.Listen now to discover the story of the man who proved brains could beat brawn at the heart of royal power.#RobertCecil #TudorHistory #StuartHistory #ElizabethanEra #JamesI #GunpowderPlot #TudorToStuart #OnThisDay #BritishHistory #HatfieldHouse #CecilFamily #SecretaryOfState #TudorPolitics

19 May 1536: The Execution of Anne Boleyn - A Queen's Last Moments

In the early hours of 19th May 1536, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was woken with chilling news—his friend Alexander Alesius had dreamt of Anne Boleyn’s severed neck. He had no idea that Anne was due to be executed that very morning…In this moving video, we trace Anne Boleyn’s final hours: from her quiet early morning Mass and her careful choice of crimson and ermine attire, to her composed speech on the scaffold and the swift stroke of the Calais executioner's sword. We explore eyewitness accounts, the reactions of those present, and the shocking speed with which Henry VIII moved on—issuing a marriage dispensation for Jane Seymour on the very day Anne was buried.Anne Boleyn’s fall was fast and brutal, yet her legacy lived on in her daughter, Elizabeth I—England’s Gloriana.Watch now to witness the last moments of one of history’s most compelling queens.#AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #HenryVIII #ElizabethI #TudorQueens #AnneBoleynExecution #TudorDynasty #BritishHistory #RoyalHistory
 

What Really Made a Tudor Marriage?

Did you need a priest to be married in Tudor England? A church? Witnesses? The truth might surprise you. In the 16th century, a simple exchange of vows—followed by consummation—could be enough to make a marriage fully legal.
 
In this video, we explore the fascinating (and often confusing) rules around marriage in Tudor times. From secret unions to royal annulments, handfasting to public ceremonies, find out how couples—rich and poor—sealed their unions, and how these customs led to scandal, bigamy, and disputed inheritances.
 
Discover what counted, what didn’t, and how Henry VIII used these rules to his advantage.
 
#TudorMarriage #TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #AnneOfCleves #CatherineHoward #LadyKatherineGrey #16thCentury #HistoryYouTube #MarriageCustoms #Handfasting #TudorScandals #ClaireRidgway #HistoricalMarriage #MedievalMarriage #RoyalHistory #WomenInHistory

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