Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

September 15 - Elizabeth I saves the day!

On this day in Tudor history, 15th September 1589, the Battle of Arques began. 
This battle was part of the final war of the French Wars of Religion, a series of conflicts in France from 1562-1598 between Catholics and Huguenots. It was fought between the new French king, Henry IV, and the Catholic League led by Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne, and looked bad for Henry until troops sent by Elizabeth I arrived - phew!
 
You can find out more about what led to this battle, what happened at the battle, and what happened next, in this talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/Ytj-i6iEaHs
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 15th September 1500, John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury, cardinal and Henry VII’s Lord Chancellor, died at Knole in Kent. He was not a very popular man with the English people due to his role in Henry VII's financial policies, and one tax rationale he's associated with is Morton's Fork, but was it really down to him? Find out the answer and find out more about this Tudor taxman in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/A6s_7o5jMj4 

September 14 - Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London

On this day in Tudor history, 14th September 1540, Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London, Knight of the Garter and comptroller of the King's household, died at his home in Painswick in Gloucestershire. 
 
Sir William Kingston was Constable of the Tower of London while Queen Anne Boleyn was imprisoned there in May 1536, and his letters to Thomas Cromwell are an excellent primary source for historians, but there's much more to this royal servant than that. He had a wonderful career in service to the king and benefited as a result.
 
Find out more about Kingston in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of "The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown".
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 14th September 1538, the Shrine of Our Lady of Caversham, which had stood since the early 12th century, was destroyed on the orders of King Henry VIII. Hear contemporary accounts of the shrine's destruction, which include details of what was seized and sent to London, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/kIMSN1kR0t0 

September 13 - Tudor poet John Leland

On this day in Tudor history, 13th September 1503, poet and antiquary John Leland was born.Leland is known for his Latin poems and his antiquarian writings which included a defence of the history of King Arthur, which he presented to Henry VIII and his notes on his travels around England and Wales.
 
Leland also wrote verses for Queen Anne Boleyn's coronation procession and was a royal chaplain. He had a very sad end, though, suffering some kind of mental breakdown and going mad.
 
Find out more about John Leland, his life and works, 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/EpGiqFkJZvs
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 13th September 1520, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Queen Elizabeth I's chief advisor, was born in Bourne in Lincolnshire. Find out more about the man Elizabeth I called her “spirit”, his court career, personal life, and his words of wisdom, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/q6YJKcWlPcQ 

September 12 - The newly married Earl of Argyll dies suddenly

On this day in Tudor history, 12th September 1573, Protestant reformer, and leading politician in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, died suddenly at Barbreck. He had got married six weeks earlier and had shown no signs of illness before retiring to bed.
 
Argyll was the third most important noble in Scotland, the most important highland chief, and a founder of the Lords of the Congregation. He went from opposing Mary, Queen of Scots, to leading her troops in battle.
 
Why?
 
Find out all about this interesting Scot's life and career 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/4l7Q4_2W4e4
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 12th September 1555, in the reign of Catholic Queen Mary, the trial of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, began in Oxford. Find out what happened at his trial, and what happened next, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/GaDQduKl0nA 

September 11 - Barnaby Fitzpatrick, friend of Edward VI

On this day in Tudor history, 11th September 1581, Barnaby Fitzpatrick, 2nd Baron of Upper Ossory, died in Dublin, at the home of surgeon, William Kelly.  
In his youth, Fitzpatrick had been friends with Prince Edward (the future Edward VI) and had been educated with him. Historians once believed him to have been the young king's "whipping boy". He went on to serve Edward as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber when Edward became kin, but ended his days as a prisoner.
 
Find out more about Barnaby Fitzpatrick, his life and career, and how he came to such a 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/QnunusH92-E
 
You can read letters from Barnaby to King Edward VI at https://archive.org/details/literaryremains00clubgoog/page/n463/mode/2up 
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 11th September 1561, eighteen-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, began her first royal progress in Scotland. Mary had been in Scotland for less than a month, having returned from France, and so wanted to see her homeland and her people, as well as showing her people their queen. But this royal progress was to be an eventful one for Mary, Queen of Scots - a brush with death and a violent altercation were included! Find out more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/IW98y2cX2e4 

September 10 - The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh

On this day in Tudor history, Saturday 10th September 1547, in the reign of King Edward VI, the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, also known as the Battle of Pinkie, took place near Musselburgh, in Scotland, on the banks of the River Esk. The English forces, led by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, defeated the Scots, killing thousands.
 
It was a bloody battle, but started off well for the Scots. In today's talk, historian Claire Ridgway shares an eye-witness account of how the battle changed so dramatically, leading to the loss of between 6,000 and 15,000 Scots.
 
Roger Knox's video on the battle  - https://youtu.be/C9M_dbLCuPg 
 
William Patten's detailed account - https://archive.org/details/tudortracts00polliala/page/106/mode/2up
Also on this day in Tudor history, 10 September 1533, King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth I), was christened at the Church of Observant Friars in Greenwich. Elizabeth I's christening service was a lavish ceremony presided over by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who also stood as the little girl's godfather. Find out more about Elizabeth’s christening and the celebrations that followed, in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/gBTYJ6_BxTg

September 9 - The coronation of Mary, Queen of Scots

On this day in Tudor history, 9th September 1543, the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned queen at the Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle. Mary was just nine months old.
 
Find out more about how Mary came to the throne, her coronation ceremony, in which Mary howled, and how she was already promised in marriage to Henry VIII's son, the future Edward VI, 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/LRVro8KO3R8
 
You can find out more about Mary, Queen of Scots’ very eventful life in my Mary, Queen of Scots playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrIIC1eB75JBP8xYcqnqTHt6
Also on this day in Tudor history, 9th September 1513, while Catherine of Aragon was acting as regent for Henry VIII, who was campaigning in France, English and Scottish forces clashed at the bloody Battle of Flodden. The Scots were defeated and King James IV was killed, but what happened to his body? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/scoxeEPvLk4 

September 8 - John Shakespeare, father of William Shakespeare

On this day in Tudor history, 8th September 1601, John Shakespeare, father of playwright William Shakespeare, was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.
 
John was a glover and whittawer, and also an important man in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, serving as high bailiff, chief alderman and deputy bailiff, and being given the right to educate his children at the local grammar school for free. However, he also ran into trouble at times.
 
Find out more about the life of William Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, in today's talk from historian Claire Ridgway. You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:
https://youtu.be/7T5hcKhecYI
 
Also on this day in Tudor history, 8th September 1560, the body of Amy Robsart, wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was found at the bottom of some stairs in her rented home, Cumnor Place in Oxfordshire. What had happened to Amy? Was her death a result of "misfortune", as decided by the coroner, or was it suicide or murder? Did Robert Dudley kill his wife? Did William Cecil kill Amy? Find out a bit more in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/Dmsqlfm09ZM