On the 15th May, 1536, Emperor Charles V had just received news of Anne Boleyn’s arrest. Despite the treatment his aunt had received in the …
ANNE’S DOWNFALL: CHARLES V’S REACTION
Tudor
HENRY VII’S REIGN FORETOLD: PROPHECY IN POLYDORE VERGIL’S ANGLICA HISTORIA
Henry VII’s claim to the throne of England was tenuous at best; he was descended from illicit unions on both sides of his family tree. …
MARY I AND THE CORRUPTED HOLY OIL
The most sacred moment of the coronation ceremony is the anointing with holy oil. When the archbishop of Canterbury touches the oil to the hands, …
CORONATIONS: EDWARD THE CONFESSOR TO ELIZABETH I
The coronation the world is going to witness on Saturday is very much a medieval ceremony, even as it has evolved and continues to evolve …
UNREALISED CORONATIONS: JANE, ANNE, CATHERINE, & CATHERINE
This week I will, of course, be writing a lot about historical coronations. To kick the week off, though, I will start by discussing some …
Book Review: ‘Henry VIII: A History of His Most Important Places and Events’ by Andrew Beattie
In ‘Henry VIII: A History of His Most Important Places and Events,’ Andrew Beattie unravels the history behind the castles, palaces, and manors owned by …
PRINCE EDWARD’S LETTER ABOUT MARY’S DANCING
On the 12th May, 1546, a young Prince Edward wrote a letter to his stepmother, Catherine Parr, that sheds an interesting light on Edward’s early …
THE PASSING OF KING HENRY VII
On the 21st April, 1509, Henry VII died. His death was kept a secret for two days whilst arrangements were quietly made; his health had …
HENRY VIII’S TREATMENT OF MARY – FEBRUARY 1536
I have written previously about the plot to help Mary flee England in 1535 and 1536. Following Katherine of Aragon’s death, there was an increased …
MARY AND MUSIC
Amongst Mary’s many passions and accomplishments was a deep love of music. Letters, ambassadorial reports, and household expenses reveal just how devoted Mary was to …
