Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

June 15 - Tudor Court Fools

On this day in Tudor history, 15th June 1559, William Somer (Sommers), court fool to Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I, died in Shoreditch, London. 
 
Somer managed to survive upsetting the king by calling Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth names, although the king apparently was so furious he wanted to kill him, and he died a natural death in Elizabeth I's reign.
 
Somer wasn't the only court fool at the time, Jane the Fool served Anne Boleyn, Catherine Parr and Mary I. Find out about Will Somer and Jane the Fool, the Tudor Court Fools, 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/nyy_ZaBsqps
 
All the King’s Fools project - http://www.allthekingsfools.co.uk/ 
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 15th June 1536, Mary, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was bullied and threatened by members of her father's council. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/YqNSRgJmCZM 

June 14 - Two courtiers in trouble for supporting Mary

On this day in Tudor history, 14th June 1536, not long after the fall of Anne Boleyn, two courtiers, Sir Anthony Browne and Sir Francis Bryan, were interrogated regarding their alleged support of Mary, daughter of King Henry VIII by Catherine of Aragon.
 
Both men had been involved with the Catholic conservatives and Seymours who had worked to bring Anne Boleyn down and who wanted Mary restored to the succession, but now they found themselves in a spot of trouble.
 
What happened and how did Bryan and Browne get out of trouble?
 
Find out more in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
https://youtu.be/iBaK2npqPwY
 
Book recommendation - Sir Francis Bryan: Henry VIII's Most Notorious Ambassador by Sarah-Beth Watkins. Sarah-Beth is also the June 2020 expert speaker for the Tudor Society and her talk is on Bryan.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 14th June 1571, Sir Christopher Danby died. He died a natural death even though he’d been implicated in a rebellion. How did he survived that? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/FrOKqwN5eSE 

June 13 - Pregnant Catherine Parr goes to Sudeley

On this day in Tudor history, 13th June 1548, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, and his wife, Catherine Parr, the dowager queen, set off from Catherine’s manor of Hanworth in London to travel to Seymour’s seat of Sudeley Castle. They were accompanied by Lady Jane Grey and around 100 others.
 
Seymour wanted his wife to enjoy the final months of her pregnancy safe in the Cotswolds away from the Plague in London and for his first-born child to be born at Sudeley.
 
In today's talk, historian Claire Ridgway shares details on who accompanied the couple, what Sudeley was like and what happened next.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/ExDP0nZEdsU
 
You can find out more about Catherine Parr’s death in the 5th September video from last year - https://youtu.be/d4XIrkgjysk 
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 13th June 1587, William Knell, an actor in "The Queen's Men" company of players, got into a fight with a fellow actor in Thame, Oxfordshire. Find out more about him and his sad and violent end in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/R7cFVpbYPks 

June 12 - Thomas Cromwell's quaking hand and most sorrowful heart

On this day in Tudor history, 12th June 1540, a clearly frightened Thomas Cromwell, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his arrest on 10th June for treason, wrote to King Henry VIII regarding his “most miserable state”, asking for mercy, and pleading his innocence.
 
Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society, shares Cromwell's letter in today's talk. It is an eloquent letter but also a very moving one. His fear is palpable.
 
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/rDslohumcwI
 
Find out how he fell from power and more about his arrest in this video - https://youtu.be/5SJb-gDqa5E 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th June 1530, Catherine of Aragon got rather cross with Henry VIII. Find out why in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/bDAdVfUJ1RM 

June 11 - St Barnabas Day and garlands

Happy St Barnabas Day!
 
Yes, 11th June is the Feast of St Barnabas, a feast day that was celebrated by the Tudors by decorating churches with garlands of flowers.
 
Find out more about St Barnabas and how he was commemorated in medieval and Tudor times 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/6xoLWZbf_4c
 
Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon chose St Barnabas Day for their wedding day in 1509 and you can find out more about their wedding in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/-NekooMEEeg 

June 10 - Elizabeth I's Frog

On this day in Tudor history, 10th June 1584, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, died in Paris. It is thought that he died of malaria.
Why is Claire talking about a French duke? Well, for a time, he was a suitor of Queen Elizabeth I and the queen even affectionately called him her “frog”. It looked like Elizabeth would actually marry him.
 
Find out more about what happened between Elizabeth and her dear "frog" in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
“On Monsieur’s Departure”
I grieve and dare not show my discontent,I love and yet am forced to seem to hate,I do, yet dare not say I ever meant,I seem stark mute but inwardly to prate.I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned.Since from myself another self I turned.My care is like my shadow in the sun,Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it,Stands and lies by me, doth what I have done.His too familiar care doth make me rue it.No means I find to rid him from my breast,Till by the end of things it be supprest.Some gentler passion slide into my mind,For I am soft and made of melting snow;Or be more cruel, love, and so be kind.Let me or float or sink, be high or low.Or let me live with some more sweet content,Or die and so forget what love ere meant.(Elizabeth I)
 
Book recommendation: Anna Whitelock’s “Elizabeth’s Bedfellows: An Intimate History of the Queen’s Court”.
 
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/FOzhpWWrfTM
Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th June 1540, King Henry VIII's right-hand man and 'fixer', Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, was arrested. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/5SJb-gDqa5E 

June 9 - William Paget, a man who served 4 monarchs

 
On this day in Tudor history, 9th or 10th June 1563, William Paget, 1st Baron Paget, diplomat and administrator, died, probably at his estate of West Drayton in Middlesex. 
 
By his death, he'd served four Tudor monarchs and even though he'd fallen from favour and been imprisoned, he kept his head and climbed back in favour.
But who was Baron Paget? Well, let historian Claire Ridgway give you a few facts about this Tudor man.
You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/Z-slMmmXFec
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 9th June 1549, at Whitsun services all over England, the Book of Common Prayer was used for the first time. A service in English, not Latin! Find out more in last year's video - https://youtu.be/7dL81C4DfTI

June 8 - Elizabeth Woodville

On this day in Tudor history, 8th June 1492, in the reign of King Henry VII, Elizabeth Woodville, died at Bermondsey Abbey.
 
Elizabeth Woodville was the wife of King Edward IV and mother of Elizabeth of York and the Princes in the Tower, King Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, but there's far more to her than that.
 
Enjoy this overview of Elizabeth Woodville's life from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/2sX9SZel5s4
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 8th June 1536, Parliament passed the Second Act of Succession, which removed Mary and Elizabeth from the succession and declared them illegitimate. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/JppJNwsmW0s
Article on Elizabeth Woodville and the idea that she died of the plague - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/25/white-queen-died-of-plague-claims-letter-found-in-national-archives