April 7 - Robert Aske, the rebel leader

On this day in Tudor history, 7th April 1537, Robert Aske and Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy, were sent to the Tower of London. 
 
Both Aske and Darcy had been involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion of 1536, with Aske being "chief captain" of the rebels. Even though Henry VIII pardoned the rebels after negotiations in 1536, Darcy and Aske were arrested, imprisoned and executed as traitors.
 
Find out more about what happened and more about Robert Aske, the rebel leader, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
 
Video from 4th October on the Pilgrimage of Grace - https://youtu.be/GyWTdjzHrK4 
 
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/h6qe-bftBWA
 
On this day in Tudor history, 7th April 1538, Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire and mother of Anne Boleyn, was laid to rest at St Mary’s Church, Lambeth. Find out more about her burial and resting place, and see photos of the former church, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/GyWTdjzHrK4 

April 6 - The serial secret husband

On this day in history, 6th April 1621, in the Stuart period, Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford, died at Netley in Hampshire. He was aged around 81 at his death.
 
Now, Hertford is known for his secret marriage to Lady Katherine Grey, sister of Lady Jane Grey, and their conjugal visits in the Tower of London, but Hertford had a thing for secret marriage and married twice more, all in secret. And then his son and grandson also had secret marriages!
 
Find out more in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 6th April 1590, Queen Elizabeth I’s diplomat, secretary, adviser and spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, died. Find out more about the man Elizabeth called her “moor” in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/XLP3N2AYuLg 

April 5 - The Pope was wrong...

On this day in Tudor history, 5th April 1533, the English Church's legislative body, Convocation, ruled that the pope was wrong and that Henry VIII was right, i.e. it ruled that the Pope had no power to dispense in the case of a man marrying his brother’s widow, and that it was contrary to God’s law - Catherine of Aragon should not have been able to marry Henry VIII.
 
Henry VIII was finally getting the annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon sorted out, and it was just as well, seeing that he was married to Anne Boleyn now, she was expecting their first child and was due to be crowned queen shortly!
 
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/xK2eAghRhgg
Also on this day in Tudor history, 5th April 1531, Richard Roose, the cook of Bishop Fisher’s household, was boiled to death. Find out why in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/E4i2ZMYWovU
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/

March 31 - John Donne, the bell tolls for thee

On this day in history, 31st March 1631, the Tudor and Stuart metaphysical poet, satirist, lawyer and clergyman John Donne died.
 
Donne had an amazing career, going on voyages, serving as a royal chaplain and diplomat, and writing sermons, songs, satires and poetry, including an erotic poem, "The Flea".
 
Find out more about John Donne and hear some of his work in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".
 
Read more about John Donne and his work on the Poetry Foundation website - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-donne 
 
Mediation 17 can be read at http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/meditation17.php 
 
The Flea can be read at https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2019/dec/09/poem-of-the-week-the-flea-by-john-donne
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 31st March 1532, Henry VIII was left fuming after Friar William Peto likened him to King Ahab and Anne Boleyn to Queen Jezebel, and preached against his quest for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/fm1xJmzIyIA

March 25 - Margaret Clitherow, the Pearl of York, and her awful end

On this day in Tudor history, 25th March 1586, Good Friday and also Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation, Catholic martyr Margaret Clitherow (née Middleton), known as “the Pearl of York”, was pressed to death at the toll-booth on Ouse Bridge in York, under 7 or 8 hundredweight. She was executed for harbouring Catholic priests.
Warning - Claire shares an eye-witness account from Margaret's confessor and it gets quite graphic towards the end.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:https://youtu.be/8RKxaGc4sHE
25th March, Lady Day, was the start of the calendar year in Tudor times. Here's a link to last year’s video - https://youtu.be/73k_gqClpFQ 

March 22 - William Bourne, his life and his submarine

On this day in Tudor history, 22nd March 1582, gunner, mathematician and writer, William Bourne was buried at Gravesend in Kent. 
 
This popular author, who was able to explain technical matters for the common man in his books, was also a gunner, mathematician and inventor, yet he received no university education. He also drew plans for a submarine, although he never built it.
 
Find out more about the fascinating William Bourne and his works 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/m_Q6DgGntbM
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 22nd March 1519, Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk and wife of Charles Brandon, Henry VIII’s best friend, was born. You can find out more about her, and hear a story about her little dog, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/dVz3KEzvYso 
 
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/

March 19 - Elizabeth Seymour, Lady Cromwell

On this day in Tudor history, 19th March 1568, Elizabeth Seymour, Lady Cromwell, died. She was around fifty years old at her death. 
 
Elizabeth was the sister of a queen, and a lord protector, and two of her brothers were executed as traitors, but what else do we know about Elizabeth Seymour and how is she linked to the Cromwell family and a portrait once thought to be of Queen Catherine Howard?
 
Find out more 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/veOGlKep2-k
Also on this day in Tudor history, 19th March 1563, Arthur Brooke, the man who wrote the very first version of the story of Romeo and Juliet in English, died in a shipwreck off the coast of Sussex. Find out more about him and his version of the story in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/JPWurAHjsGw
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/

March 13 - A young horse causes the death of an old earl

On this day in Tudor history, 13th March 1540, sixty-eight year-old Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex, died after suffering a broken neck in a horse-riding accident. Chronicler Charles Wriothesley recorded: "the Earl of Essex, riding a young horse, by misfortune cast him and brake his neck at his place in Essex, which was great pity."
 
Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex, was related to the royal family and served both Henry VII and Henry VIII. Find out more about this Tudor man 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/U8HrJwKWpH0
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 13th March 1601, Henry Cuffe and Sir Gelly Meyrick were hanged at Tyburn for their part in the disastrous Essex's Rebellion of February 1601. You can find out more about them and what happened in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/igmANyHYDTw
 
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/