Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

May 17 - Anthony Bacon, a Tudor spy

On this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1601, Anthony Bacon was buried in St Olave's, London.
 
You might have heard of Francis Bacon, but his brother, Anthony Bacon, was rather interesting too! 
 
Who was Anthony Bacon? 
 
Well, he was a spy, providing intelligence for the likes of William Cecil, Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Find out more in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 17th May 1521, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was executed for treason on Tower Hill. He'd served King Henry VII and King Henry VIII loyally for many years, so what led to this nobleman being condemned for high treason? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/U9vqMXGaK_0 
And on this day in 1536, George Boleyn, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were executed on Tower Hill for high treason after being found guilty of adultery with Queen Anne Boleyn and conspiring with her to kill King Henry VIII. 
 
Find out more about their tragic ends in the video for 17 May 1536 - https://youtu.be/X7b1BLEpu9w

May 16 - The real "John Blackthorne" of Shōgun

On this day in history, 16th May 1620, navigator William Adams died in Hirado, Japan. Adams is thought to be the first Englishman to have reached Japan (arriving there in 1600) and was the inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne in the famous novel Shōgun.
 
How did William Adams end up in Japan and why did he stay there when he had a family in England?
 
Find out more about this interesting Tudor navigator in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
https://youtu.be/UW9uPMc0YLE
 
Book recommendation: “Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan” by Giles Milton.
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 16th May 1568, following her escape from prison in Scotland, Mary, Queen of Scots, landed on English soil and was taken prisoner once more, but this time by England. Why was Mary taken prisoner? What happened? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/4yTyXPTu72s 
And on this day in 1536, the condemned Queen Anne Boleyn's spirits seemed to have lifted and she was hoping for mercy. Why? What could have made her so hopeful? - https://youtu.be/qH_3w-MPZjo 
 
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May 15 - Two noblemen tried for treason

On this day in Tudor history, 15th May 1537, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy, and his cousin, John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, were tried for treason at Westminster after being implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion. 
Both men may have been sympathetic to the rebel cause, but there was no actual evidence that they conspired against the king. Poor men!
Find out more about them and how they ended up being branded rebels, and what happened next, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
Also on this day in Tudor history, 15th May 1567, the recently widowed Mary, Queen of Scots, married for the third time, taking James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell and Duke of Orkney, as her husband. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/7keV_p9U7JM And on this day in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, were tried by a jury of their peers presided over by their own uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. Did they have any hope of justice? What happened? What do the contemporary sources tell us? And what happened when George disobeyed an order? Find out in the 15 May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/OvB7YhP0VJg October 4 - The Pilgrimage of Grace Rebellion is underway! - https://youtu.be/9WBhp2N3hKMOctober 20 - Pontefract Castle surrenders to rebels, but all is not as it seems...https://youtu.be/cQH-uosxMZ0 April 7 - Robert Aske, the rebel leader - https://youtu.be/h6qe-bftBWA 

May 14 - Henry VIII's leg problems

On this day in Tudor history, 14th May 1538, the French ambassador, Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon, wrote a dispatch regarding King Henry VIII having been dangerously ill due to a problem with one of his legs.
 
Henry VIII was plagued with problems from his legs, leg uclers, from at least 1528 right up until his death. But what do we know about his problems and what are the theories regarding the cause?
 
Find out in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway.
https://youtu.be/toBE-1ppOJ4
 
Also on this day in history, 14th May 1635, Helena Gorges (née Snakenborg), Lady Gorges, was buried in Salisbury Cathedral. But who was this lady and how did a Swedish royal maid-of-honour end up being buried in England? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/BzKXyFiHb6w
And on this day in 1536, while her predecessor and former mistress was in the Tower of London waiting for her trial, Jane Seymour was moved to be closer to the king and was treated like a queen. Hmmm… Find out more in the 14th may 1536 video - https://youtu.be/2efPMyXd14E

May 13 - A battle between Mary, Queen of Scots, and her half-brother

On this day in Tudor history, 13th May 1568, the forces of Mary, Queen of Scots, met those of her brother, the Regent Moray, at the Battle of Langside in Scotland.
 
Mary, Queen of Scots was defeated soundly, but what happened and why was she fighting against the regent acting on behalf of her son, King James VI? What had led to this moment.
 
Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society, explains all in today's talk.
https://youtu.be/az5F0etpQXA
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 13th May 1515, Henry VIII's beloved sister, Mary Tudor, former Queen of France, married his best friend, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, at Greenwich Palace. Find out more in last year's video - https://youtu.be/-8Anes65T9A
 
And on 13th May 1536, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, got rather cross and exasperated with Thomas Cromwell and refused to be bullied in any way. Poor Cromwell, Percy wouldn't play ball! Find out what Thomas Cromwell was trying to get Percy to do any why, and what it had to do with the fall of Anne Boleyn in the 13th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/iBWLVMZBMKU

May 12 - A very obstinate friar

On this day in Tudor history, 12th May 1538, a Franciscan friar obstinately refused to make a public recantation of his allegiance to Rome. 
 
Friar John Forest ahd been condemned for heresy and was meant to abjure his faith at St Paul's Cross, but he decided not to. Find out more about what happened from historian Claire Ridgway.
 
Claire's other video on Forest: May 22 - Blessed John Forest and a prophecy fulfilled - https://youtu.be/om41xAXnxcQ
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th May 1521, reformer Martin Luther was proclaimed a heretic by Bishop John Fisher and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey at St Paul's in London, and his works were burned. Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/bI9d8GhvZMo 
And on this day in 1536, in the lead-up to Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were tried for high treason at Westminster Hall. Find out what happened in the 12th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/Usark3PL5RY 

May 11 - The doctor who saved a queen

On this day in Tudor history, 11th May 1560, royal physician Dr Thomas Wendy, died at his home, the manor of Haslingfield, in Cambridgeshire. 
 
He attended three Tudor monarchs at their death and had a long and loyal service as a royal physician, but what interests Claire, in particular, is his role in saving Queen Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth wife, from a plot by Catholic conservatives in 1546.
 
Find out more Dr Thomas Wendy, his life, career, and the plot in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "On This Day in Tudor History".
https://youtu.be/HwFFFQPRx8k
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 11th May 1537, Blessed John Rochester and Blessed James Walworth, two Carthusian monks from the London Charterhouse, met their ends in York after being condemned for treason. Find out more about them and the other Carthusian martyrs in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/kFeYN34OA9M 
And on this day in 1536, in the fall of Anne Boleyn, the Grand Jury of Kent met to rule on the alleged offences committed by Queen Anne Boleyn and her alleged lovers in the county. In my video on that day, I considered the dates, places and crimes cited in the indictments, and whether they made any sense at all. https://youtu.be/rTXMuEcuM7w 

May 10 - A search for the Northeast Passage finds Ivan the Terrible instead

On this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1553, near the end of King Edward VI’s reign, the first expedition of the Company of Merchant Adventurers, left London in search of a Northeast passage for Asia.
 
The voyage, with its fleet of three ships, was led by Richard Chancellor, Sebastian Cabot and Sir Hugh Willoughby. It failed in its aim, and Willoughby and his crew died, but Richard Chancellor was able to come to a very beneficial agreement with Ivan the Terrible.
 
Find out more about the company, the voyage and the resulting trade agreement, and Muscovy Company, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.
 
“The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques & discoveries of the English nation” - https://archive.org/details/principalnaviga23haklgoog/page/n242/mode/2up 
  Also on this day in Tudor history, 10th May 1552, author John Clerk, who had served Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, as his secretary, avoided public shame with a very final act in the Tower of London. What happened? What led Clerk to this end? How had he ended up in the Tower of London? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ZzKJTcRUkrM 
Also on this day in 1536, during the fall of Anne Boleyn, the Grand Jury of Middlesex met to decide on whether Queen Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn, Sir Henry Morris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton should be sent to trial. But what were the charges? Find out in 10th May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/N5RDVpO7cwI