Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

Step back into a world of intrigue, passion, and ruthless ambition — welcome to Tudor England. Join historian and bestselling author Claire Ridgway as she uncovers the riveting stories of the Tudor dynasty. From the scandalous love affairs of King Henry VIII to the tragic fall of Anne Boleyn, the fierce reign of Elizabeth I, and the lesser-known secrets of Tudor court life, this podcast brings history to life in vivid detail. Hear dramatic tales of betrayal, execution, forbidden love, and political manoeuvring that shaped England forever. Discover daily Tudor history with fascinating “On This Day” episodes — unique insights you won’t find in typical history books. Get behind-the-scenes stories from Claire’s own research trips to historic sites like the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Hever Castle, and more. Enjoy interviews with top historians and experts in Tudor studies, plus lively Q&A sessions tackling listeners’ burning Tudor questions. 🖋 Who is Claire Ridgway? Claire is the author of the bestselling On This Day in Tudor History series and numerous other Tudor books loved by readers around the world. She founded The Tudor Society, connecting enthusiasts with experts through live online events, and runs the hugely popular history websites The Anne Boleyn Files and www.ClaireRidgway.com. Her mission: to uncover the human stories behind the crown — the hopes, fears, and triumphs of not only kings and queens but also the courtiers, rebels, and ordinary people who lived under the Tudor rose. What can you expect? - Gripping accounts of famous events like the Field of Cloth of Gold, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, or the Babington Plot. - Intimate portraits of Tudor figures: Anne Boleyn’s charm and downfall, Thomas Cromwell’s rise and brutal fall, Elizabeth I’s cunning survival. - Dark mysteries and unsolved deaths — who really killed Amy Robsart? Was Katherine Howard truly guilty? - Special episodes on Tudor fashion, food, medicine, and the day-to-day lives of Tudor men and women. Join thousands of Tudor fans worldwide Never miss an episode — subscribe now and become part of a global community that can’t get enough of Tudor drama. Explore more with Claire’s books, free resources, and live historical events at www.ClaireRidgway.com. Ready to travel back 500 years? Press play and let the adventure begin.
Episodes
Episodes



Friday Feb 05, 2021
Which colours did Anne Boleyn like?
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Friday Feb 05, 2021
In this edition of her series on "Questions about Anne Boleyn", Claire Ridgway, author of "The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown" considers which colours Anne Boleyn liked.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:https://youtu.be/AhfdKtqKxBQ
It's impossible to say what Anne Boleyn's favourite colour was, but we do know the colours Anne chose to wear and the colours she chose for fabrics for Elizabeth's nursery and clothes.
Find out which colour fabrics were ordered for and by Anne Boleyn in this talk.



Thursday Feb 04, 2021
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
In this second part of "This week in Tudor history" for the week beginning 1st February, historian and author Claire Ridgway talks about Tudor events and people associated with 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th February.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/AoTzXI0v7y8
4th February 1495, in the reign of King Henry VII - Anne of York, daughter of the late King Edward IV, marries Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, at Westminster Abbey in London.
5th February 1605, diplomat, Member of Parliament and spy, Sir Edward Stafford dies. Even though he appears to have spied for Spain during the Spanish Armada, he managed to avoid serious trouble. Why and how?
6th February 1585, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, lawyer, legal scholar and law reporter, Edmund Plowden, died in London.
7th February 1587, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the warrant for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, arrived at Fotheringhay Castle and Mary was informed that she would be executed the following day. Who told her? How did she react? And how did she prepare for death?
Thomas Howard - https://youtu.be/gkA0xdCzT6Q William Stafford and the Stafford Plot - https://youtu.be/-C4qyueA30o
Mary, Queen of Scots' execution - https://youtu.be/sd3hP9Qb8Yk



Monday Feb 01, 2021
Monday Feb 01, 2021
In this first part of "This week in Tudor history" for the week beginning 1st February, historian and author Claire Ridgway talks about Tudor events and people associated with 1st, 2nd and 3rd February.
1st February 1552, in the reign of King Edward VI - The birth of Roger Cooke, an alchemist who worked for Dr John Dee, Francis Anthony, the Wizard Earl (Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland) and Sir Walter Ralegh, and a man with whom Dee shared the secret of a special elixir.
2nd February 1508, in the reign of King Henry VII - The death of physician and Provost of King's College Cambridge, John Argentine. Argentine was said to have been the last person to have attended on the Princes in the Tower before their disappearance.
3rd February 1478, in the reign of King Edward IV - The birth of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham was executed for alleged treason in 1521, but it appears that his downfall was more to do with King Henry VIII's fear of Buckingham's wealth, importance and Plantagenet blood.
Other Tudor events for these dates:
February 1 - Mary I's Rousing Speech - https://youtu.be/hwf3CbwYjWM
February 1 - Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots' death warrant - https://youtu.be/Hq9b7nM51GY
February 2 - The Feast of Candlemas - https://youtu.be/sXj14xV4gCE
February 2 - Sir Francis Bryan, the Vicar of Hell - https://youtu.be/5f3QFIIvq2w
February 3 - Mary, Queen of Scots' death warrant - https://youtu.be/cIEZJXK9q8M
February 3 - Silken Thomas - https://youtu.be/JA5hsZk0G3k
The Private Diary of John Dee - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19553/19553-h/19553-h.htm Francis Anthony and his drinkable gold - https://youtu.be/UPf24CDIVTo



Saturday Jan 30, 2021
11 things you might not know about George Boleyn
Saturday Jan 30, 2021
Saturday Jan 30, 2021
OK, so this isn't really a question about Anne Boleyn, but Claire Ridgway, co-author of "George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat", thought she'd share with you 11 facts about George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, brother of Queen Anne Boleyn. George really is as fascinating as his more famous sister.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/enDbCl2xBFU
You can find out even more about George with the George Boleyn playlist - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrLwEtQRpn4lmQpIS52Q8axo



Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
In the second part of "This Week in Tudor History" for 25-31st January, historian and author Claire Ridgway talks about events that happened on 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st January in the reigns of the Tudor monarchs.Find out more about the following Tudor people and events.--Contents of this video--
28th January 1501 - The death of politician and administrator, John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham, who managed to move smoothly from service to the Yorkists to Henry VII's service, and who survived the falls of his brother-in-law and stepson.
29th January 1559 - The death of Sir Thomas Pope, guardian of Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth I), founder of Trinity College, Oxford, MP and privy councillor, and a man who handled correspondence regarding a potential marriage match between Elizabeth and Eric XIV of Sweden.
30th January 1520 - The birth of MP, Protestant, landowner and administrator, Sir William More, whose long list of offices in Elizabeth I's reign included Master of Swans! He was very well respected by Queen Elizabeth I.
31st January 1547 - The official proclamation of the death of King Henry VIII and the accession of his nine-year-old son, Edward, as King Edward VI.
Other Tudor events for these dates:
January 28 - Elizabeth I, friend of the Ottoman Empire - https://youtu.be/jwCL0l-uONM
January 28 - Birth of Henry VII and the death of Henry VIII - https://youtu.be/iRn7Wpy7ouo
January 29 - Queen Anne Boleyn miscarries - https://youtu.be/Lv50KI7VEFY
January 29 - Catherine of Aragon is buried - https://youtu.be/ygTgkZn1t5I
January 30 - Four Gunpowder Plotters come to sticky ends - https://youtu.be/CKKlZTJJ-xE
January 30 - Cooling Castle is besieged - https://youtu.be/Kz6I6l5KP9w
January 31 - Catherine of Aragon loses a baby - https://youtu.be/wFggNqmRtNc
January 31 - The great devil of all - https://youtu.be/iJPrsvrZpZ8
The photo of the tapestry linked to Dynham can be found at - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dynham,_1st_Baron_Dynham#/media/File:DynhamTapestryMMANewYork.JPG



Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
4 Ways to make you talk - Tudor-style - Teasel's Tudor Trivia
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
In this latest edition of Teasel's Tudor Trivia, Teasel the dog supervises while her owner, author and historian Claire Ridgway, introduces us to 'ways of making people talk Tudor-style', in other words, Tudor torture techniques. Don't worry, Claire doesn't go into too much gory detail!
Find out about the rack, the Little Ease at the Tower of London, manacles and the Scavenger’s Daughter (also known as Skevington’s Irons or Skevington’s Daughter).
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link: https://youtu.be/BVseFVimwJE



Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
On 25th January 1540, Jesuit priest and martyr, St Edmund Campion, was born in London. Although he was close to the Earl of Leicester and William Cecil at one point, he ended up being thrown into the Tower of London's Little Ease and being executed as a traitor. Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History", tells his story.
On 26th January 1528, diplomat and courtier Sir Francis Poyntz died of the plague.
On 27th January 1556, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Bartholomew Green, also known as Bartlet Green, was burnt at the stake for heresy with six other Protestants. He could have got away with receiving communion according to Protestant rites, but he did something that brought him to the attention of the queen and her government. Find out what he did, and about his sad end, ifrom Claire.
Book recommendations: "God's Traitors" by Jessie Childs.
Order of Service for Campion Day mass - https://association.stonyhurst.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Campion-Mass-Booklet-2020.pdf
Video on Alexander Briant, who was executed with Campion - https://youtu.be/tXNPGF8JAbQ
Other Tudor history events for 25th, 26th and 27th January:
January 25 - Bonfires, torches, bells ringing... - https://youtu.be/fTxGWw2BqFc
January 25 - The marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - https://youtu.be/uxPoTtmOPOQJanuary 26 - Justice Spelman and Anne Boleyn's trial - https://youtu.be/euwJcKYh8Uk
January 26 - Mary I writes to Elizabeth - https://youtu.be/XqC_xNf30RA
January 27 - The fate of the Gunpowder Plotters - https://youtu.be/GB_mLLmSIBw
January 27 - Sir Francis Drake - https://youtu.be/LCgBJbxsDds



Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Anne Boleyn and Mary Boleyn: Were they close?
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
In this latest edition of Questions about Anne Boleyn, Claire Ridgway, author of several books on the Boleyns, considers the question she's often asked "Were Anne and Mary Boleyn close?"
What do we know about the Boleyn sisters' relationship? Was it close? What do we know about it? Do the historical sources give us any insight into it?
Find out more about Anne and Mary Boleyn in this talk. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/TnemIlRRdUU
See the videos in the Mary Boleyn playlist for more about her - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrKSxTbgPHf6SjqFnqv_-pQ-

I'm historian Claire Ridgway
I'm the best-selling author of 13 history books and the founder of the TheAnneBoleynFiles.com, Elizabethfiles.com and The Tudor Society.
I help Tudor history lovers worldwide to gain access to experts and resources to discover the real stories behind myths and fiction, so that they grow in knowledge while connecting with like-minded people and indulging their passion for history.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. I was a contributor for the BBC docudrama The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, and have been featured in BBC History Extra, USA Today, History of Royals Magazine, the Express, and Refinery 29, as well as on podcasts including Suzannah Lipscomb's Not Just the Tudors, Gareth Russell's Single Malt History, Natalie Grueninger's Talking Tudors, Hever Castle's Inside Hever, James Boulton's Queens of England, and many more.