Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

If I Could Ask Henry VIII’s Wives ONE Question...

If you could travel back in time and ask one of Henry VIII’s wives a single question, what would it be?
This week’s Sunday Quick Q&A tackles a fascinating “what if” scenario, and I just couldn’t resist picking questions for ALL six wives… and maybe even Henry himself (with a little truth serum!).
 
Which wife would you choose, and what would you ask?
 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #SixWives #WhatIfHistory #HistoryMysteries #SundayQandA

Elizabeth I's coronation date came from the stars!

Did Elizabeth I’s coronation date come from the stars? 
On 15th January 1559, she was crowned Queen of England—but this wasn’t just a political decision. The famed astrologer John Dee carefully selected the date based on celestial alignments, believing it would shape her reign. 
But why did astrology hold such importance in Tudor times? 
Listen to find out!
 
Read more: Elizabeth I’s Coronation Chart - https://www.elizabethfiles.com/elizabeth-is-coronation-chart/3477/
 
#TudorHistory #ElizabethI #JohnDee #Astrology #HistoryMysteries #OnThisDay #DidYouKnow

The Reformer Who Was Burned… After Death!

On this day, 28th February 1551, Martin Bucer—a theologian and reformer whose influence stretched across Europe—died in Cambridge. But his story didn’t end there…
 
Six years later, under Queen Mary I, his body was exhumed, put on trial, and burned as a heretic. Why? What made him so dangerous that even his bones had to be destroyed?
 
Join me as we uncover the extraordinary life of Martin Bucer, his struggles, his triumphs, and the posthumous trial that sealed his fate. Listen now and decide for yourself! Was Bucer a peacemaker or too willing to compromise?
 
#TudorHistory #Reformation #MartinBucer #OnThisDay #ReligiousHistory #MaryI

Priest Harbourers in Tudor England

The Women Who Risked It All. They defied the law. They risked everything. And they paid with their lives.
 
On 27th February 1601, Anne Line was executed for harbouring a Catholic priest. But she wasn’t the only one to suffer in this way. Margaret Clitherow and Margaret Ward were also condemned for protecting outlawed priests in Elizabethan England.
 
In a time when attending Catholic Mass could land you in prison, and sheltering a priest meant a death sentence, these three women stood firm. Their punishment? Torture, brutal executions, and posthumous sainthood.
 
But what drove them to risk everything? Why was harbouring a priest seen as treason? And how did their defiance shape history?
 
Join me as we uncover the powerful and tragic stories of three women who stood against persecution—and paid the ultimate price.
 
Could you have done what they did for your beliefs? Listen now to discover their incredible story.
 
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #CatholicMartyrs #AnneLine #MargaretClitherow #MargaretWard #40Martyrs #ReligiousPersecution #TudorEngland
 

The Theatrical Patron with Boleyn Blood

He was the grandson of Mary Boleyn, a trusted courtier of Elizabeth I, and a patron of Shakespeare’s acting company—but history has largely overlooked George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon.  
 
Born into Boleyn blood, Carey rose through the ranks of Elizabethan society, earning knighthood, securing key military positions, and even becoming Lord Chamberlain, one of the most powerful roles at court. But one of his greatest legacies? His patronage of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men—the very company that brought Shakespeare’s plays to life! 
 
From Hamlet to Much Ado About Nothing, Carey’s influence helped shape the golden age of English theatre. But how did he rise to power? And why has his name faded into history?  
 
Listen now to uncover the fascinating story of George Carey, the nobleman who helped bring Shakespeare’s works to the world!
 
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #Shakespeare #ElizabethanTheatre #BoleynBlood #GeorgeCarey #RoyalCourt #TheLordChamberlainsMen #HistoryLover

The Forgotten Spencer Woman with Royal Connections

She was the wife of a Boleyn descendant, the patron of some of Elizabeth I’s greatest minds, and a member of the powerful Spencer dynasty—the same family as Princess Diana. Yet history has largely forgotten Elizabeth Carey, Lady Hunsdon.
 
Born at Althorp, she was deeply connected to the Tudor court, married into the family of Mary Boleyn, and earned praise from some of the greatest poets, playwrights, and composers of the Elizabethan era.
 
But how did this remarkable woman fade into obscurity? And why was she a muse to some of the most influential figures of her time?
 
Discover the fascinating story of Lady Hunsdon, a patron of the arts who shaped Elizabethan culture but has been lost to history.
 
Listen now and uncover the life of this forgotten Tudor powerhouse!
 
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #ElizabethCarey #WomenInHistory #SpencerFamily #PrincessDiana #EdmundSpenser #LiteraryHistory

Murder, Betrayal & Power

The Scandalous Life of Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton
 
A suspected traitor, a royal insider, and a man linked to one of the most shocking murder plots of the 17th century—Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, knew how to survive in a world of political intrigue.
 
- He escaped imprisonment five times
- Rose to power under James I
- Played a shadowy role in the Overbury murder scandal
 
But was he a ruthless mastermind orchestrating a deadly conspiracy? Or just a shrewd survivor doing whatever it took to stay in favour?
 
Listern now to uncover the truth behind one of the Tudor-Stuart era’s most scandalous figures! Was he a cunning villain or a political genius?
 
#TudorHistory #HenryHoward #TrueCrimeHistory #RoyalScandal #OverburyMurder #HistoryUncovered #TudorCourt

The Surprisingly Gross History of Tudor Toilets

When nature called in Tudor times, where did people go? The answer might surprise (or horrify) you! From Henry VIII’s velvet-covered 'throne' to communal "houses of easement" and gong scourers wading through filth, Tudor sanitation was far from glamorous.
 
- What did they use to wipe?
- Where did all that waste really go?
- And why were some fireplaces used as emergency toilets?!
 
Join me as we flush out the truth about Tudor toilets! Watch now to uncover the weird, wonderful, and downright disgusting details of historic hygiene.
 
Was Tudor sanitation better or worse than you expected?
 
#TudorHistory #WeirdHistory #TudorToilets #MedievalLife #GrossButFascinating #HistoricalHygiene #TudorTrivia