Joel Ridgway | October 28, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 28th October 1570, Ivan IV of Russia, known commonly as Ivan the Terrible, wrote a rather rude letter to Queen Elizabeth I. Ivan was upset with Elizabeth’s reaction to his idea of a political alliance, an agreement to help each other if their lives were in danger, and wrote […]
Joel Ridgway | October 27, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 27th October 1561, Mary Herbert (née Sidney), Countess of Pembroke, writer and literary patron, was born at Tickenhall, near Bewdley in Worcestershire. She was the sister of the poets Sir Philip Sidney and Robert Sidney, Earl of Leicester, was a writer herself and an extremely talented lady, and she […]
Joel Ridgway | October 25, 2021
Today, 25th October, is a feast day which was celebrated in medieval and Tudor times – the feast of Saints Crispin and Crispinian, martyrs of the Early Church and the patron saints of cobblers. Find out more about these saints, how their feast day became linked to an important English victory over the French, how […]
Joel Ridgway | October 21, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1536, during the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion, Lancaster Herald had an encounter with armed peasants on his way to Pontefract Castle and then met with the rebel leader, Robert Aske, at the castle. The meeting didn’t go well, with Aske putting his foot down and not allowing […]
Claire | August 18, 2021
Episode 1 of BBC Two’s new three-part series on the Boleyn family – The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family – aired on Friday 13th August, and episodes 2 and 3 have already been released on BBC iPlayer. It is a wonderful series and well worth watching because it introduces a very different Boleyn family. Gone are […]
Claire | January 12, 2021
I’m honoured to have been interviewed for this week’s History Channel “HISTORY This Week” podcast on my favourite subject, Anne Boleyn. A big thank you to the History Channel for asking me. The podcast is available now on your favourite podcast platform (in English speaking countries). Here’s the blurb and a few links for you: […]
Claire | May 18, 2019
Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution was scheduled to take place on 18th May 1536 so Anne prepared herself for death. How did Anne prepare herself? Why was her execution postponed? What exactly happened on this day in 1536? I explain everything in today’s Fall of Anne Boleyn video. I’m doing these “Fall of Anne Boleyn” videos […]
Claire | August 29, 2017
You may remember me mentioning in the past that author, student and Anne Boleyn Files follower Mickey Mayhew was doing a PhD on Anne Boleyn, and one that actually involved the Anne Boleyn Files website. I know that many of you helped Mickey by answering questions for him, so as his PhD is now nearing […]
