December 2 - Elizabeth I relents and agrees to execute Mary, Queen of Scots

On this day in Tudor history, 2nd December 1586, following a joint petition from the Houses of Lords and Commons, Elizabeth I finally agreed to a public proclamation of sentence against Mary, Queen of Scots: death.
 
Mary had been found guilty of high treason back in October 1586, but Elizabeth had not wanted to contemplate regicide. However,  Parliament believed that if Mary, Queen of Scots, was not executed, that she'd continue to plot against Elizabeth and would utterly "ruinate and overthrow the happy State and Common Weal of this most Noble Realm". She was too much of a danger and needed dealing with once and for all.
 
Find out what Parliament said and what happened next in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
September 26 - The man Elizabeth I wanted to murder Mary, Queen of Scots - https://youtu.be/AH956PwobRs 
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 2nd December 1546, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, poet, courtier, soldier and the eldest son of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, was arrested after a former friend gave evidence against him. King Henry VIII had just weeks to live and was increasingly paranoid, so the 'evidence' was just what Surrey's enemies needed to bring the earl down. Find out more about the Earl of Surrey's downfall, and how his father managed to keep his head in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/qgOp-iremGg 

November 30 - Elizabeth I's Golden Speech brings men to tears

On this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1601, sixty-eight-year-old Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous Golden Speech to the House of Commons. 
 
In this final speech to Parliament, Elizabeth spoke of her position as Queen and her love and respect for her realm, her people, and for her members of Parliament. It was a speech that brought many of those listening to tears. It was obviously a very heartfelt speech by a queen who truly loved her people.
 
In today's talk, historian Claire Ridgway shares Elizabeth I's Golden Speech along with some beautiful portraits of the queen. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/d-9YFGnWjG4
 
Harleian Miscellany version  - https://archive.org/stream/harleianmiscella01oldy#page/366/mode/2up
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1529, the feast of St Andrew, Henry VIII was reproached by the two women in his life: his wife, Catherine of Aragon, and the woman he wanted to marry, Anne Boleyn. Catherine of Aragon was not impressed by the way her husband was treating her, and Anne Boleyn didn't like the fact that the king was letting Catherine get the upper hand. They both told the king exactly what they thought. Find out what happened in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/eJGHWFhX_Tg 

November 26 - The first men executed under Elizabeth I's new law

On this day in Tudor history, 26th November 1585, Catholic priest Hugh Taylor and his friend Marmaduke Bowes were hanged at York. 
They were the first men executed under Elizabeth I's 1585 statute which made it treason to be a Jesuit or seminary priest in England or to harbour such a priest. 
 
These two Catholics were beatified in 1987 by Pope John Paul II as two of the 85 Martyrs of England, Scotland and Wales.
Find out more about these men and what this 1585 legislation was all about in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/93IK-VoDABY
 
Book recommendation: "God’s Traitors: Terror & Faith in Elizabethan England” by Jessie Childs.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 26th November 1533, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII, married Mary Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, at Hampton Court Palace. They were both fourteen years old.It appears that the marriage, which was a political match rather than a love match, was the idea of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. You can find out more about the marriage and its context in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/BiUZPBM3wDA 

November 23 - A plot to poison Elizabeth i's saddle and Essex's chair

On this day in Tudor history, 23rd November 1598, scrivener and sailor Edward Squire was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn for treason after being accused of plotting with Jesuits in Seville to poison Elizabeth I's saddle and the Earl of Essex's chair.
 
Squire, who ended up in Seville after being captured by Spaniards while on a voyage with Sir Francis Drake, confessed under torture, but claimed his innocence at his trial and execution.
 
But what exactly happened, and how and why did a Protestant scrivener and sailor end up accused of treason?
 
Find out all about Edward Squire and the alleged plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and her favourite, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/eTmUVXqPlUU
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 23rd November 1499, in the reign of King Henry VII, pretender Perkin Warbeck was hanged at Tyburn after allegedly plotting to help another claimant, Edward, Earl of Warwick, escape from the Tower of London. Warbeck had claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger of the Princes in the Tower, and had even been proclaimed King Richard IV, but his rebellion and claim failed. Find out all about Warbeck in last year’s video -  https://youtu.be/Kdfrn8bj7yA

November 17 - Elizabeth I's accession

On this day in Tudor history, 17th November 1558, twenty-five-year-old Elizabeth, daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, became Queen Elizabeth I following the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I.
 
In today's talk, Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books, looks at an alternative account of Elizabeth I's words on her accession, one recorded by her godson, Sir John Harington. Hear Elizabeth I's wonderful speech, which she used to motivate her supporters and to reassure those who'd served Mary I. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/5YhqvvWLa3w
 
Claire also looks at Elizabeth's words "This is the Lord's doing...", and notes the importance of the previous line in the Psalm.
 
Last year's video on Accession Day, 17th November 1558, can be viewed at https://youtu.be/93Gtppjj8C4

November 9 - The Northern Rebellion against Elizabeth I

This day in Tudor history, 9th November 1569, is the traditional date given for the start of the only major armed rebellion of Elizabeth I’s reign. It’s known as The Northern Rebellion or Rising of the North or Revolt of the Northern Earls.
 
Northern earls Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland and Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, led this uprising against Elizabeth I, seeking to depose her, replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, and restore Catholicism. 
 
But what happened?
 
Find out about the 1569 Northern Rebellion and the fate of the Northern Earls 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/FG62xg8gLkA
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 9th November 1518, Queen Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s wife of nine years, gave birth prematurely to a stillborn daughter at Greenwich Palace. This was to be Catherine's sixth and final pregnancy. She had tried her very best to give King Henry VIII what he wanted, a surviving son and heir, a Prince of Wales. In last year’s video, I explained what happened on this day in 1518 and what we know about Queen Catherine of Aragon's pregnancies. https://youtu.be/s0DZtp4Mlhg 

October 28 - Ivan the Terrible writes a rude letter to Elizabeth I

On this day in Tudor history, 28th October 1570, Ivan IV of Russia, known commonly as Ivan the Terrible, wrote a rather rude letter to Queen Elizabeth I.
 
Ivan was upset with Elizabeth's reaction to his idea of a political alliance, an agreement to help each other if their lives were in danger, and wrote the letter while he was still angry. They were words that must have made Elizabeth see red for a while, but she managed to write a calm reply to him.
 
Find out exactly what Ivan the Terrible and Elizabeth I wrote to each other, and how they came to be corresponding in the first place, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/KxtYyVqFqZI
 
Here's the video Claire mentioned:May 10 - A search for the Northeast Passage finds Ivan the Terrible instead - https://youtu.be/HBD0eBUfVE4 
 
Also this day in Tudor history, 28th October 1532, the Feast of St Simon and St Jude, was the last full day of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s time with King Francis I of France in Calais, and it was time to celebrate the kings' friendship. New Knights of the Garter were elected, bear-baiting was watched and then there was a wrestling match between French and English men, but who would win? Find out what happened in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/Qka9_Ux6m4Q 
 
Claire is the founder of the Tudor Society, an online membership site for those who love Tudor history. There, you can learn from Claire and many other expert historians and authors, enjoy Tudor-focused magazines and live Q&A sessions with experts, and have access to all kinds of talks, articles, quizzes, virtual tours and more. Try it with a 14-day free trial - https://www.tudorsociety.com/signup/
 
Claire has written some bestselling Tudor history books:
 
On This Day in Tudor History - https://amzn.to/3oceahH
The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown - https://amzn.to/3m8KaSi
George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat - https://amzn.to/2TdwyZr
The Anne Boleyn Collection - https://amzn.to/3kiQc1T
The Anne Boleyn Collection II - https://amzn.to/3o9LUwi
The Anne Boleyn Collection III - https://amzn.to/3kiQc1T
The Life of Anne Boleyn Colouring Books - https://amzn.to/3jkJ5Vz
 
Claire has also done an online history course, The Life of Anne Boleyn, for MedievalCourses.com - https://medievalcourses.com/overview/life-anne-boleyn-mc06/
 
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/

October 10 - The funeral of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Elizabeth I's favourite

On this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1588, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, according to his instructions.
His funeral was well-attended and his widow, Lettice, a woman known by Elizabeth I as "the she-wolf", erected a monument to "her best and dearest husband" in the chapel, which was also the resting place of the couple's young son, Robert, "the noble impe".
Find out more about Leicester's funeral and resting place, and see some photos of his tomb, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/jQQhMB0S1m0
Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1562, twenty-nine-year-old Queen Elizabeth I was taken ill at Hampton Court Palace. It was thought that it was just a bad cold, but it turned out that the queen had smallpox. Elizabeth became seriously ill and it was thought that she would die, causing panic over the succession, but Elizabeth recovered and reigned until 1603. She was nursed by her good friend, Mary Sidney, who also came down with smallpox and was badly disfigured by it. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ohpybHXcxiM