Claire | June 13, 2021
In this latest edition of my “Facts about…” series, I share 21 interesting facts about the second Tudor monarch, King Henry VIII. Henry VIII is known for having six wives, and executing two of them, and for the break with Rome, as well as being the father of three Tudor monarchs: Edward VI, Mary I […]
Claire | May 31, 2021
You may remember me mentioning the film “Monarch” back in 2014, a film starring TP McKenna and Jean Marsh. Well, director John Walsh has just let me know that it is available on Amazon Prime in the UK now. I’m not sure about other countries. Blurb: An injured King Henry VIII is forced to take […]
Claire | April 20, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, on 20th April 1534, in the reign of King Henry VIII, prominent Londoners were called to swear a special oath. Just what was the Oath of the Act of Succession? What were people swearing to? Find out the highlights in this edition of my #TudorHistoryShorts video series, and read […]
Claire | April 15, 2021
Thank you to Leah for her excellent question regarding a scene from Showtime’s “The Tudors” series in which Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII challenges Emmanuel Leconte as Francis I to a wrestling match at the Field of Cloth of Gold meeting. Did Henry VIII and Francis I really wrestle? And, if so, what happened? […]
Claire | November 30, 2019
This day in 1529 was not the best of days for King Henry VIII. In fact, it was a very bad day. For on 30th November 1529, he managed to upset his wife and the woman he wanted to marry – oops! So what did happen on 30th November 1529? What did King Henry VIII […]
Claire | October 29, 2019
On this day in history, 29th October 1532, according to Wynkyn de Word, King Henry VIII accompanied his French counterpart, King Francis I, to Morgison, situated seven miles outside of Calais, and bid farewell to him there. Francis I then carried on to Paris. The two kings had spent four days together in English-held Calais […]
Claire | October 25, 2019
On this day in Tudor history, 25th October 1532, King Henry VIII returned to the English territory of Calais following his visit to the French court at Boulogne. It was time for him to play host now to King Francis I of France and the French party who had travelled to Calais with him. But […]
Claire | October 21, 2019
On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1532, King Henry VIII left his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, the newly created Marquess of Pembroke, behind in Calais while he travelled to Boulogne to spend a few days at the French court with King Francis I. Contemporary accounts tell us how beautifully the two kings were attired […]
