May 19 - A dispensation for Henry VIII to marry wife number three

On this day in Tudor history, 19th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was executed within the confines of the Tower of London.
 
It must have been an incredibly hard day for the queen's friend, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Not only did he have a visit from a friend regarding a terrifying vision, in the early hours... Not only did he have to cope with the idea of his friend and patron being beheaded, but he had to issue a dispensation for the king to marry again!
 
Find out more in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
https://youtu.be/L2fUU8Rc0dE
 
Also on this day in history, 19th May 1554, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Anne Boleyn’s daughter, Elizabeth, was released from the Tower of London after two months of imprisonment. Elizabeth wasn't free, though, she was released into house arrest. Why? Why had she been imprisoned in the Tower and what happened next? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/QFJx0u3nx_s 
Here's the link for Claire's video on Anne Boleyn’s execution - https://youtu.be/Gpum3gzc3CU 

May 18 - Rebel William Thomas comes to a bad end

On this day in Tudor history, 18th May 1554, in the reign of Queen Mary I, scholar and administrator, William Thomas, was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn for his alleged involvement in Wyatt's Rebellion. It was said that he even wanted the queen assassinated.
 
But William Thomas was far more than a rebel, he was also the author of the first he first Italian dictionary and book of grammar to be published in English.
 
Find out more about him and his rather bad end in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books.
 
Also on this day in history, 18th May 1497, noblewoman Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham and Bedford, died. Who was she and how was she linked to the famous Woodvilles that rose in the reign of King Edward IV? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/Ozx9IBXDVFU And this day in 1536 was the day chosen for the execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, so Anne prepared to die. How did she prepare herself? Why was her execution postponed? What exactly happened on this day in 1536? Find out in the 18th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/lct_iJylGhk 

May 17 - Anthony Bacon, a Tudor spy

On this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1601, Anthony Bacon was buried in St Olave's, London.
 
You might have heard of Francis Bacon, but his brother, Anthony Bacon, was rather interesting too! 
 
Who was Anthony Bacon? 
 
Well, he was a spy, providing intelligence for the likes of William Cecil, Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Find out more in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1521, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was executed for treason on Tower Hill. He'd served King Henry VII and King Henry VIII loyally for many years, so what led to this nobleman being condemned for high treason? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/U9vqMXGaK_0 
And on this day in 1536, George Boleyn, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were executed on Tower Hill for high treason after being found guilty of adultery with Queen Anne Boleyn and conspiring with her to kill King Henry VIII. 
 
Find out more about their tragic ends in the video for 17 May 1536 - https://youtu.be/X7b1BLEpu9w

May 16 - The real "John Blackthorne" of Shōgun

On this day in history, 16th May 1620, navigator William Adams died in Hirado, Japan. Adams is thought to be the first Englishman to have reached Japan (arriving there in 1600) and was the inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne in the famous novel Shōgun.
 
How did William Adams end up in Japan and why did he stay there when he had a family in England?
 
Find out more about this interesting Tudor navigator in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
https://youtu.be/UW9uPMc0YLE
 
Book recommendation: “Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan” by Giles Milton.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 16th May 1568, following her escape from prison in Scotland, Mary, Queen of Scots, landed on English soil and was taken prisoner once more, but this time by England. Why was Mary taken prisoner? What happened? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/4yTyXPTu72s 
And on this day in 1536, the condemned Queen Anne Boleyn's spirits seemed to have lifted and she was hoping for mercy. Why? What could have made her so hopeful? - https://youtu.be/qH_3w-MPZjo 
 
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/

May 15 - Two noblemen tried for treason

On this day in Tudor history, 15th May 1537, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy, and his cousin, John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, were tried for treason at Westminster after being implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion. 
Both men may have been sympathetic to the rebel cause, but there was no actual evidence that they conspired against the king. Poor men!
Find out more about them and how they ended up being branded rebels, and what happened next, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
Also on this day in Tudor history, 15th May 1567, the recently widowed Mary, Queen of Scots, married for the third time, taking James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell and Duke of Orkney, as her husband. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/7keV_p9U7JM And on this day in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, were tried by a jury of their peers presided over by their own uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. Did they have any hope of justice? What happened? What do the contemporary sources tell us? And what happened when George disobeyed an order? Find out in the 15 May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/OvB7YhP0VJg October 4 - The Pilgrimage of Grace Rebellion is underway! - https://youtu.be/9WBhp2N3hKMOctober 20 - Pontefract Castle surrenders to rebels, but all is not as it seems...https://youtu.be/cQH-uosxMZ0 April 7 - Robert Aske, the rebel leader - https://youtu.be/h6qe-bftBWA 

May 12 - A very obstinate friar

On this day in Tudor history, 12th May 1538, a Franciscan friar obstinately refused to make a public recantation of his allegiance to Rome. 
 
Friar John Forest ahd been condemned for heresy and was meant to abjure his faith at St Paul's Cross, but he decided not to. Find out more about what happened from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
Claire's other video on Forest: May 22 - Blessed John Forest and a prophecy fulfilled - https://youtu.be/om41xAXnxcQ
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th May 1521, reformer Martin Luther was proclaimed a heretic by Bishop John Fisher and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey at St Paul's in London, and his works were burned. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/bI9d8GhvZMo 
And on this day in 1536, in the lead-up to Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were tried for high treason at Westminster Hall. Find out what happened in the 12th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/Usark3PL5RY 

May 10 - A search for the Northeast Passage finds Ivan the Terrible instead

On this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1553, near the end of King Edward VI’s reign, the first expedition of the Company of Merchant Adventurers, left London in search of a Northeast passage for Asia.
 
The voyage, with its fleet of three ships, was led by Richard Chancellor, Sebastian Cabot and Sir Hugh Willoughby. It failed in its aim, and Willoughby and his crew died, but Richard Chancellor was able to come to a very beneficial agreement with Ivan the Terrible.
 
Find out more about the company, the voyage and the resulting trade agreement, and Muscovy Company, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
 
“The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques & discoveries of the English nation” - https://archive.org/details/principalnaviga23haklgoog/page/n242/mode/2up 
  Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1552, author John Clerk, who had served Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, as his secretary, avoided public shame with a very final act in the Tower of London. What happened? What led Clerk to this end? How had he ended up in the Tower of London? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ZzKJTcRUkrM 
Also on this day in 1536, during the fall of Anne Boleyn, the Grand Jury of Middlesex met to decide on whether Queen Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn, Sir Henry Morris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton should be sent to trial. But what were the charges? Find out in 10th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/N5RDVpO7cwI 

May 9 - Colonist William Bradford

On this day in history, in the Stuart period, 9th May 1657, William Bradford died. He is known as the founder of the Plymouth Colony in America and the writer of a chronicle of its early years: “Of Plimmoth Plantation”.
 
But how did a Yorkshire man of farming stock become a Puritan and a governor of a colony in North America? What led to him becoming a "pilgrim" and boarding The Mayflower?
 
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/5Q9XcxptpCg
 
Bradford’s history of the Plymouth Plantation can be read online at - https://archive.org/details/historyplymouth00bradgoog/page/n11/mode/2up 
Also on this day in history, 9th May 1509, the remains of King Henry VII were taken to St Paul’s to prepare for his burial at Westminster Abbey. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/sWeSiAkW7Bc
And on this day in 1536, King Henry VIII wanted an update on the investigation into his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn. Find out more in the video for 9th May 1536 - https://youtu.be/ectaTReDez0