Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

August 28 - Robert Dudley's last letter to Elizabeth I

On this day in Tudor history, 28th August 1588, an ailing Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, wrote his final letter to his queen and childhood friend, Elizabeth I. He wrote it while on his way to Buxton, in Derbyshire, to take the waters for his health.
 
The letter is very special because Elizabeth labelled it "His Last Letter" and kept it close by her until her own death in 1603.
 
In today's talk, historian Claire Ridgway shares a transcript of Robert Dudley's last letter and talks about Elizabeth I's reaction to his subsequent death. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/ApSPxK1d_0o
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 28th August 1551, thirty-five-year-old Mary, future Mary I, received a visit from a delegation of men sent by her half-brother, thirteen-year-old King Edward VI.
Mary was being defiant and disobedient. She was ignoring her half-brother's orders and was breaking the laws of the land. What was she doing? She was continuing to celebrate the Catholic Mass in her household. Find out more about what happened on this day in 1551 and how Mary handled it, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/aQgA90q7HHw 

August 27 - The Battle of St Quentin

On this day in Tudor history, 27th August 1557, St Quentin was stormed by English and Imperial forces. Admiral de Coligny and his French troops, numbering only a thousand, were overcome by around 60,000 soldiers, and St Quentin fell. Henry Dudley, the youngest son of the late John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was killed by a cannonball during the storming. 
 
Find out about the siege and battle, and what happened next, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/W1U1ZqajrUs
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 27th August 1549, the Battle of Dussindale took place near Norwich, in East Anglia. It ended Kett’s Rebellion once and for all. Find out what happened on that day in 1549 and what happened to the rebels who survived the battle, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/9mUmt9J6_FE 

August 26 - A devastated Mary I prepares to be abandoned

On this day in Tudor history, 26th August 1555, Queen Mary I and her husband, Philip of Spain, departed from Whitehall in preparation for Philip's return to the Low Countries.
 
This was an awful time for Mary I. She had just come out of confinement after months of believing she was pregnant, and now her husband was leaving her. He'd be gone for over 18 months.
 
Find out more about Mary's state of health and mind, the arrangements for Philip's departure, and Mary's reaction, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/RdzLpuGHaSU
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 26th August 1533, Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, prepared for the birth of her first child by "taking her chamber" at Greenwich Palace. This child was of course the future Queen Elizabeth I. “Taking her chamber” was common practice in Tudor England, and I explain all of the rituals and traditions involved in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/xsfsQEhlVD4 

August 25 - Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and uncle of two queens

On this day in history, 25th August 1554, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, magnate, soldier and uncle of Queens Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, died of natural causes at his home of Kenninghall in Norfolk. He was laid to rest in St Michael’s Church, Framlingham, Suffolk.
 
Find out more about this important Tudor man, and how he escaped the axe-man and died at a good age in his bed, in this talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown". You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/gkA0xdCzT6Q
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 25th August 1549, Robert Kett and his rebels launched an attack on the south side of Norwich and burned a number of buildings. Kett's Rebellion lasted from July 1549 until the Battle of Dussindale on 27th August 1549, but what was it all about? What were the rebels' grievances? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/FKq4MyLj-KM 

August 24 - Cecily of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville

On this day in Tudor history, 24th August 1507, Cecily of York, Viscountess Welles, died at Hatfield in Hertfordshire. She was buried at “the friars”.
 
Cecil was, of course, the daughter of King Edward IV and his queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville, and the sister of Elizabeth of York and the Princes in the Tower, but there's far more to her than that.
 
Did you know that she married without permission and had to be sheltered by Lady Margaret Beaufort?
 
Find out all about Cecil of York's life in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/jShU_-xcJpA
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 24th August 1572, on the Feast of St Bartholomew, an awful massacre took place in Paris, and it was followed by further atrocities in other towns and cities.Those who suffered were Huguenot men, women and children, French Protestants. But what happened and why? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/1DmTMXr0TcQ 

August 23 - The Siege of Haddington

On this day in Tudor history, 23rd August 1548, Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, arrived at the Siege of Haddington, in East Lothian, Scotland, with a large army. This siege was part of the Anglo-Scottish war known as the War of the Rough Wooing between England and Scotland., regarding Henry VIII's desire to marry his son, Edward, off to Mary, Queen of Scots.
 
What happened at this siege and to Haddington after it?
 
Find out 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/WWifTM78x2c
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 23rd August 1535, royal favourite and keen reformer Sir Nicholas Poyntz welcomed King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, to his home Acton Court in Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire, as part of the couple’s royal progress. It was important for courtiers to impress the king and his consort, and Poyntz built a new wing on his property just for the royal couple! Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/M_3i_9ARR9c

August 22 - The end of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland

On this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1553, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was beheaded on Tower Hill for his part in putting his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Northumberland's friends and supporters, Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer, were also executed.
 
Northumberland was actually scheduled to die the previous day and the crowd turned up to see, the scaffold was prepared and even the executioner was ready... but, instead, the duke was taken to church.
 
Why? 
 
Find out why and also hear a contemporary account of the duke's execution in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/pahguELnWpE
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 22nd August 1485, the Battle of Bosworth took place. King Richard III was killed and Henry Tudor became King Henry VII, starting the Tudor dynasty on the throne of England. Find out what happened on that day in rural Leicestershire, and how Henry was victorious even though Richard came into battle with a huge advantage, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/PhFpPpt23Fg 

August 21 - A sad end to a bishop whose career spanned the reigns of three kings

On this day in Tudor history, 21st August 1536, two months after he was forced to resign his bishopric, Robert Sherborne (Sherborn), former Bishop of Chichester, died at Chichester. He was buried in the cathedral there. 
 
He was around 82 years of age and it seems a sad end to a man who had done his best to keep his bishopric in order and to serve his king and country.
 
Find out more about Robert Sherborne, Bishop of Chichester, and what led to his forced resignation, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 21st August 1568, antiquary, translator and cartographer Humphrey Llwyd died from a fever. Llwyd is known as the Inventor of Britain and a key figure in the Renaissance in Wales, but what exactly did he do to deserve such recognition? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/gmS6hr2dgWE