Tuesday Aug 25, 2020
August 25 - Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and uncle of two queens
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



Monday Aug 24, 2020
August 24 - Cecily of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
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



Sunday Aug 23, 2020
August 23 - The Siege of Haddington
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
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



Saturday Aug 22, 2020
August 22 - The end of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland
Saturday Aug 22, 2020
Saturday Aug 22, 2020
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



Friday Aug 21, 2020
Friday Aug 21, 2020
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



Thursday Aug 20, 2020
August 20 - A proxy wedding for King James VI in Denmark
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
On this day in Tudor history, 20th August 1589, twenty-three-year-old King James VI of Scotland married fourteen-year-old Anne of Denmark by proxy at Kronborg Castle, Helsingør, Denmark.
James had chosen Anne of Denmark as his bride after praying and meditating over portraits of her and Catherine of Navarre, and Anne was very excited about marrying him. Unfortunately, married bliss didn't last long.
Find out more about the proxy wedding, Anne's eventful voyage, their real wedding and their married life, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/EwyDv-9mtDY
Also on this day in Tudor history, 20th August 1588, there was a thanksgiving service at St Paul's to thank God for his divine intervention when England defeated the Spanish Armada. It was thought that God had sent his Protestant Wind to save England from Catholic Spain. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/wwCKaBRmA_4



Wednesday Aug 19, 2020
August 19 - A defiant but polite Mary I
Wednesday Aug 19, 2020
Wednesday Aug 19, 2020
On this day in Tudor history, 19th August 1551, Princess Mary, the future Mary I, wrote to her half-brother King Edward VI regarding orders that he had sent, orders that she was not going to obey.
As historian Henry Ellis noted, this letter is evidence of Mary's talent at writing and her intellect, and it also shows just how stubborn she could be. But then Edward was stubborn too! He wasn't going to let his sister defy him but she wasn't going to obey him and compromise her faith - oh dear!
Find out more about the situation, and hear Mary's words to Edward, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/q0HNva_JJHU
Also on this day in Tudor history, 19th August 1561, Mary, Queen of Scots returned to her homeland, Scotland, from France following the death of her first husband, King Francis II of France. Find out more about her return to Scotland, which was the start of her troubles, in last year’s talk - https://youtu.be/pcZjTw1_mp4



Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
August 18 - The trial of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
On this day in Tudor history, 18th August 1553, less than a month after his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey or Queen Jane, had been overthrown by Queen Mary I, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was tried for treason at Westminster Hall in London.
During his trial, Northumberland pointed out that it couldn't be treason to be acting by royal warrant and that some of those judging him had acted under the same warrant, but it did him no good.
Find out what happened at his trial, what his reaction was to his sentence, and what happened to William Parr, Marquess of Northampton, and John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, who were tried with him, in today's talk from author Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/RU5aZO3uFA0
Northumberland’s arrest - https://youtu.be/iR5B6U8_raI Also on this day in Tudor history, 18th August 1587, the first child born to English settlers in the New World was born in the Roanoke Colony. Her name was Virginia Dare. This colony has become known as the lost colony because all 115 colonists disappeared. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/lZDaYgPfxoQ



Monday Aug 17, 2020
August 17 - Henry VIII's Latin secretary dies of sweating sickness
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
On this day in Tudor history, 17th August 1517, Italian humanist scholar, cleric and poet, Andreas Ammonius died in London from sweating sickness. He was laid to rest at St Stephen's, Westminster.
Ammonius had also served Henry VIII as his Latin secretary and was a great friend of the famous humanist scholar, Erasmus. Find out more about Ammonius and the sweating sickness epidemic which caused his death in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".
What was sweating sickness? - https://youtu.be/qwSjvIixzP8
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/l4tC71oohqw
Also on this day in Tudor history, 17th August 1510, King Henry VII's former chief administrators, Sir Edmund Dudley and Sir Richard Empson, were beheaded on Tower Hill as traitors even though they had served the former king loyally. What happened? Why were these two advisors executed by their former master's son? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/2Up3Dpp2mIk

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.