Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

August 7 - Mary, Queen of Scotland sets off for a new life in France

On this day in Tudor history, 7th August 1548, five-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots set sail from Dumbarton in Scotland bound for France. 
 
A marriage had been agreed between Mary and Francis, the Dauphin, so Mary was going to be brought up at the French court. Mary travelled with her maids of honour, the Four Marys, or the Queen's Maries: Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton, Mary Seton and Mary Livingston.
 
Find out more 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/R_DiuiK6lf8
 
Mary, Queen of Scots playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrIIC1eB75JBP8xYcqnqTHt6
Also on this day in history, 7th August 1485, Henry Tudor, the soon-to-be King Henry VII, returned from exile, landing at Mill Bay in Wales. His intention was, of course, to claim the throne of England and to depose King Richard III. Find out more about his landing and what he did next, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/MFXjSkJVi8c
 

August 6 - Margaret Tudor's secret marriage

On this day in Tudor history, 6th August 1514, Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and Regent of Scotland, married for a second time.
 
The widow of King James IV of Scotland married Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, the most important Scottish magnate, in a secret ceremony at Kinnoull in Perthshire. When news got out, it led to Margaret losing the Regency of Scotland.
 
Find out what happened next and how things turned out with Margaret and Angus, and how and why Margaret sought refuge at the English court, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/CEE88HDbM4M
 
You can also find out more about Margaret’s life in this video - https://youtu.be/4MyX4SfN5IE 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 6th August 1549, the Crown's forces met the rebels of the Prayer Book Rebellion in the Battle of Clyst Heath. Find out what happened in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/IABiBMQ3ACs 

August 5 - Two brothers killed in suspicious circumstances

On this day in Tudor history, 5th August 1600, John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie, and his brother, Alexander Ruthven, Master of Ruthven, were killed in mysterious circumstances at Gowrie House near Perth in Scotland. 
Why am I talking about a Scottish event? Well, because the brothers were killed as they allegedly tried to kidnap, King James VI of Scotland, who, in 1603, inherited the English throne from Queen Elizabeth I. 
 
But what happened? Did these men really try to kidnap the king or was there more to the story?
 
Find out in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/kvlg4QDczy4
 
On this day in Tudor history, 5th August 1549, during the reign of King Edward VI, son of King Henry VIII, the Battle of Clyst St Mary took place near Exeter, in Devon. It was part of the Prayer Book Rebellion, a rebellion against the religious measures of King Edward's government. Find out what what provoked this rebellion and what happened when the Crown's forces got to Clyst St Mary in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/jK_lEDaLfD4 

August 4 - Rebels fight most valiantly

On this day in Tudor history, 4th August 1549, in the reign of King Edward VI, the Battle of Woodbury Common, part of the Prayer Book Rebellion, took place on Woodbury Common, near the village of Woodbury in East Devon. 
 
The battle was between the rebels and the crown troops commanded by John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford. Although the rebels fought valiantly, they were defeated.
 
Find out more about the battle and what caused the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549 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/6QIawR0O1ME
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 4th August 1540, thirteen men were executed in London - 12 by being hanged, drawn and quartered, and one by being hanged. Find out why these men were attainted and executed in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/KQ3wZVtYgCk 

August 3 - A notorious Tudor rake!

On this day in Tudor history, 3rd August 1562, Essex magnate and notorious rake, John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford, died at his home, Hedingham Castle in Essex.
 
Oxford served four Tudor monarchs and was great chamberlain at the height of his career, but he had a rather colourful reputation. Find out more about the life of this Earl of Oxford and what gave him his reputation 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/G2qJlcragRY
 
Also on this day in history, 3rd August 1553, the newly proclaimed queen, Queen Mary I, processed through the streets of London with her half-sister, the future Elizabeth I, after having been greeted as queen. It must have been a sight to see as the citizen of London celebrated the accession of Mary I, after the rather short reign of Queen Jane. Find out more about it in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/TP-an_ebQ7A

August 2 - Spaniards land in Cornwall and cause trouble

On 2nd August 1595, as part of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604, four galleys containing somewhere between 200 and 400 Spanish soldiers landed at Mount's Bay on the coast of western Cornwall. 
 
The local militia fled and so the Spaniards went on to cause devastation in the area.
 
Find out exactly what the Spaniards did in Cornwall in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway, who shares primary source accounts. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/fI-N7zVgYR8
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 2nd August 1581, an English Protestant named Richard Atkins was burned for heresy in Rome. What had led this Englishman to his end in Rome? What had he done? And why was he tortured on his way to his execution? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/8HhUzVFVuNg

August 1 - A young blind woman is burnt for heresy

On this day in Tudor history, 1st August 1556, a blind woman named Joan Waste was burnt in Derby for heresy after she refused to recant her Protestant faith.
 
Joan was just twenty-two when she died and had learnt the New Testament by having people read it to her. 
 
Find out more about Protestant martyr, Joan Waste, her short life and her sad end, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/BUmhF-nFVUE
 
Also on this day in history, 1st August 1555, Sir Edward Kelley, apothecary, alchemist and medium, was born in Worcester. Kelley was a fascinating man. He worked with Dr John Dee and the men believed that they communicated with angels. Kelley also claimed that he was an alchemist and he wrote a treatise on the Philosopher's Stone. You can find out more about him in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/s6pCLEyHex8 

July 31 - Henry Grey, father of Lady Jane Grey, is released from the Tower

On this day in Tudor history, 31st July 1553, Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, was “discharged out of the Tower by the Earle of Arundell and had the Quenes pardon.”
 
Suffolk had, of course, been imprisoned after Mary I had overthrown his daughter, Queen Jane, or Lady Jane Grey, and his release was down to his wife, Frances, interceding with the queen and begging for mercy.
 
But who was Henry Grey and how did he go from being pardoned to being executed in 1554? 
 
Find out 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/pIwWLcPt6w4
 
Henry Grey's execution and the story regarding his head? - https://youtu.be/xkyb5qTHSBU 
 
Also, on this day in Tudor history, 31st July 1544 and 1548, the future Queen Elizabeth I wrote letters to her stepmother, Catherine Parr. The letters were written at very different times in Elizabeth's life, the first when Catherine was queen and Elizabeth had been separated from her for a while, and the second after Catherine had actually removed Elizabeth from her and Thomas Seymour's household. Find out more about these letters and their context in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/6jSr01gFj0Y