May 31 - Henry VIII's annulment and a special Blackfriars court

On this day in Tudor history, 31st May 1529, a special legatine court opened at Blackfriars in London. The court’s purpose was to hear the case for an annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and it was presided over by papal legate Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

 

Find out about the context of this court, what happened at the court and what happened next in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:

https://youtu.be/2yV0iepaqvI

 

Catherine’s speech - https://youtu.be/mV9DknPWlJA 

 

Also on this day in Tudor history, 31st May 1533, Anne Boleyn’s coronation procession took place. Find out more about this huge procession, which included including lavish pageants, orations, music, and wine flowing in the conduits and in fountains, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ruzJyIMRgXs