Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

The Medici Pope Who Ignited the Reformation

On March 11, 1513, Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici became Pope Leo X, a ruler who would shape the Renaissance papacy with grandeur, patronage, and controversy. A lover of art and luxury, Leo transformed Rome into a cultural powerhouse, supporting artists like Raphael. But his extravagant spending led him to promote the sale of indulgences—a move that angered a certain monk named Martin Luther and helped ignite the Protestant Reformation.
How did Leo X’s decisions change history? Did he see the Reformation coming, or was he too focused on wealth and power? And what was his ironic connection to Henry VIII?
Join me as we unravel the fascinating legacy of Pope Leo X—one of the most influential and controversial popes in history? What do you think of Leo X?
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#PopeLeoX #Medici #Reformation #MartinLuther #TudorHistory #Renaissance #CatholicChurch #HenryVIII #OnThisDay #HistoryLover #AnneBoleynFiles #ChurchHistory

The Tudor Survivor Who Bent Like Willow

William Paulet and how he served FOUR monarchs & kept his head
In Tudor England, where one wrong move could mean the Tower, how did one man manage to serve four monarchs and die peacefully in his 90s? William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester, had a secret: adapt or die.
From the reign of Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, Paulet mastered the art of political survival. He wasn’t a radical reformer or a man of unshakable principle—he was something far more valuable: flexible. He knew when to bend, when to switch allegiances, and when to make himself indispensable.
Today, I'm exploring how Paulet rose from humble beginnings to become Lord Treasurer under four rulers, outlasting rivals and avoiding the deadly fate of men like Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and John Dudley. Was he a brilliant politician, or just lucky? Let’s find out.
#TudorHistory #Tudors #WilliamPaulet #AnneBoleynFiles #HenryVIII #MaryI #ElizabethI #TudorSurvivors #TudorCourt #BritishHistory #HistoryLover

What If Catherine of Aragon Had Gone to a Nunnery?

What if Catherine of Aragon had stepped aside and entered a nunnery? Could it have saved her daughter Mary’s legitimacy? Would Anne Boleyn have had a son? And most importantly—would England have remained Catholic?
 
In this video, we explore a fascinating Tudor ‘What If’—how history might have changed if Catherine had accepted Henry VIII’s demands. Would the Reformation still have happened? Would Henry have still married six wives? And what about the dissolution of the monasteries?
 
Thank you to Charliebeth for this thought-provoking question! 
 
#TudorHistory #CatherineOfAragon #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #WhatIfHistory #AlternateHistory #EnglishReformation #RoyalHistory #16thCentury #HistoryDebate 

Did Elizabeth I Poison Herself? The Truth About Tudor Makeup!

Did Elizabeth I really poison herself with lead makeup? It’s a Tudor myth! While Venetian ceruse—white lead makeup—did exist, there’s no real evidence the Queen actually used it. So where did this ghostly image of Elizabeth come from? The Victorians!
 
But Tudor beauty wasn’t exactly safe… From toxic rouges made of mercury to fake blue veins and even urine hair dye (yes, really!), Tudor cosmetics were both fascinating and horrifying.
 
In this video, we debunk myths about Elizabeth I’s makeup, explore real Tudor beauty trends, and ask: 500 years from now, will people look back at our beauty routines the same way?
 
#TudorHistory #ElizabethI #HistoricalBeauty #TudorMyths #HistoryDebunked #WeirdHistory #RoyalBeauty #MakeupHistory #16thCentury #FunHistory 

Treason, Faith & Betrayal

Germain Gardiner and the Prebendaries' Plot
 
In the 1540s, England was a nation in religious turmoil, and those who resisted Henry VIII’s supremacy over the church risked everything.
 
I uncover the dramatic downfall of Germain Gardiner, John Larke, and others caught in the deadly Prebendaries' Plot—a conspiracy that sought to halt Protestant reforms and nearly brought down Thomas Cranmer.
 
Why was John Heywood, the famous playwright, almost executed but spared? And who truly masterminded this failed coup against Henry VIII’s Church?
 
Treason, faith, and betrayal—this is the untold story of the Prebendaries’ Plot.
 
Watch to discover:
 
- How a secret Catholic movement tried to remove Cranmer
 
- Why Germain Gardiner became the scapegoat for the conspiracy
 
- The brutal fates of John Larke, John Ireland, and Robert Singleton
 
- How John Heywood narrowly escaped death
 
Were these men martyrs or casualties of Tudor politics? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Henry VIII’s Loyal but Ruthless Servant

On 6th March 1547, Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton and former Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII, suffered a dramatic fall from power, losing the Great Seal of his Lord Chancellorship. But was this really about his overreach, or was it part of a larger power struggle?
 
Wriothesley had been one of Henry VIII’s most trusted advisors. He played a key role in major Tudor events, including Catherine Howard’s downfall, Anne Askew’s trial, and Henry VIII’s final days. Yet, his opposition to Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, sealed his fate.
 
Join me as I explore the life, power, and downfall of this controversial Tudor figure.
 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #ThomasWriothesley #WolfHall #AnneBoleynFiles #OnThisDay #HistoryLovers #Tudors #BritishHistory #RenaissanceHistory #HouseOfTudor

The Man Who Gave Us the × Symbol

Imagine a world without the × symbol for multiplication, sin and cos in trigonometry, or even the slide rule—a tool that shaped centuries of science and engineering. Meet William Oughtred, the Tudor-era mathematician, clergyman, and inventor who changed the way we do maths forever!
 
But Oughtred’s story isn’t just about numbers—his life was full of intellectual rivalries, academic feuds, and groundbreaking discoveries. From tutoring aristocrats to engaging in heated debates with his former students, his legacy goes far beyond symbols and equations.
 
Join me as we explore Oughtred’s fascinating life, his impact on mathematics, and the controversies that surrounded his work. 
 
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Who’s YOUR favorite historical genius?
 
#TudorHistory #WilliamOughtred #Mathematics #HistoryLovers #OnThisDay #MathHistory #Multiplication #Trigonometry #SlideRule #TudorEra #Mathematicians #HistoryUncovered

The Tragic Fate of Christopher Bales

On this day in Tudor history, 4th March 1590, Christopher Bales met a brutal and unjust end on the streets of London. His crime? Simply being a Catholic priest. Under Elizabeth I’s strict anti-Catholic laws, his faith was seen as treason—and his punishment was death.
But who was Christopher Bales? And why was England so determined to silence men like him? In this gripping tale of faith, persecution, and execution, I uncover the tragic story of a man who refused to betray his beliefs, even under the cruel hands of the infamous priest-hunter Richard Topcliffe.
Bales’ execution, alongside those who harboured him, highlights the dangerous reality for Catholics in Elizabethan England.
 Was he truly a threat to the state, or was he a martyr for his faith? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ChristopherBales #ElizabethanEngland #ReligiousPersecution #CatholicMartyrs #HistoryLover #BritishHistory #DarkHistory