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Claire | June 7, 2013
7th June 1520 was the first day of a meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I of France, between the English stronghold of Guînes and the French town of Ardres, to solidify the Treaty of London. It lasted until 24th June. Although the meeting was supposed to be about politics and diplomacy, these two famous
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Claire | May 23, 2013
We’ve spent the last few weeks in 1536, counting down to Anne Boleyn’s execution, but now we swing from 1536 to counting down to Anne’s coronation in 1533. On 23rd May 1533, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer announced the sentence of the special court that had met had Dunstable Priory, Bedfordshire, to examine Henry VIII’s case for
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Claire | May 20, 2013
At 9am on 20th May 1536, just one day after the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII became betrothed to Jane Seymour, daughter of Sir John Seymour, soldier and courtier, and of Margery Wentworth. Jane had served both of the King’s previous wives as a lady-in-waiting, having come to court in around
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Claire | May 17, 2013
On 17th May 1536, at Lambeth, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, in the presence of Sir Thomas Audley, the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Oxford and others, declared that the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn was null and void.1 This sentence of “nullity” meant that it was as if the marriage had never happened
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Claire | March 31, 2013
On Easter Sunday 1532, 31st March, Princess Mary’s confessor, Friar William Peto, preached a rather controversial sermon in the King’s presence at Greenwich’s Franciscan chapel. Instead of focusing on the Easter story and Christ’s resurrection, Peto, who supported Catherine of Aragon, spoke on 1 Kings 22, in which Micaiah shares his prophecies with King Ahab,
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Claire | March 1, 2013
Today is the feast day of St David (Dewi Sant), patron saint of Wales. According to Rhigyfarch’s “Life of Saint David”, David lived in the 6th century and founded religious centres including Glastonbury and Croyland. He then travelled to the Holy Land and was made archbishop at Jerusalem before travelling back to Wales and settling
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Claire | January 28, 2013
At Whitehall Palace, on 28th January 1547, in the early hours of the morning, a dying Henry VIII squeezed his Archbishop’s hand, giving him the only sign that he could that he trusted in God. He then lapsed into unconsciousness and died. He had reigned for over 37 years and was succeeded by his nine
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Claire | January 24, 2013
On this day in history, 24th January 1536, the forty-four year-old Henry VIII suffered a serious jousting accident at Greenwich Palace. The Imperial ambassador, Eustace Chapuys, reported: “On the eve of the Conversion of St. Paul, the King being mounted on a great horse to run at the lists, both fell so heavily that every
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