Category: Francis I
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October 27 – Anne Boleyn and a spectacular masque

| October 27, 2022

October 27 – Anne Boleyn and a spectacular masque

On this day in Tudor history, Sunday 27th October 1532, a banquet was held in Calais by King Henry VIII in honour of his fellow king, Francis I of France. After the banquet, Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, accompanied by ladies including her sister, Mary Boleyn, made a dramatic entrance “gorgeously apparalled with visers on […]

October 25 – A diamond for Anne Boleyn

| October 25, 2022

October 25 – A diamond for Anne Boleyn

On this day in Tudor history, 25th October 1532, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, was sent “a diamond worth 15,000 or 16,000 crowns” by King Francis I, who, that day, had accompanied King Henry VIII from the French royal court at Boulogne to Henry and Anne’s accommodation at […]

October 21 – Anne Boleyn is left behind in Calais

| October 21, 2022

October 21 – Anne Boleyn is left behind in Calais

On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1532, King Henry VIII left Anne Boleyn behind in Calais while he travelled to Boulogne. Henry VIII and his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, had travelled to Calais to meet with the French king, Francis I, to obtain his support for their union. On this day […]

29 October – Henry VIII’s farewell to Francis I of France and the execution of Sir Walter Ralegh

| October 29, 2021

29 October – Henry VIII’s farewell to Francis I of France and the execution of Sir Walter Ralegh

On this day in Tudor history, 29th October 1532, King Henry VIII bid farewell to his “loving brother”, his French counterpart, King Francis I. The two kings had enjoyed each other’s company at Calais and Boulogne, and Henry VIII was pleased with their meetings. In fact, things had gone so well that Henry VIII decided […]

28 October – Ivan the Terrible writes a rude letter to Elizabeth I and the Feast of St Simon and St Jude

| October 28, 2021

28 October – Ivan the Terrible writes a rude letter to Elizabeth I and the Feast of St Simon and St Jude

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 […]

25 October – Twin saints and Francis I’s gift to Anne Boleyn

| October 25, 2021

25 October – Twin saints and Francis I’s gift to Anne Boleyn

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 […]

Who was Mary Boleyn? – Part 2: Mistress of two kings?

| February 8, 2019

Who was Mary Boleyn? – Part 2: Mistress of two kings?

When I asked for your questions about Anne Boleyn so that I could do a series of videos answering them, I also received quite a few questions on Anne Boleyn’s sister, Mary Boleyn. Fiction such as The Other Boleyn Girl, which was made into a movie and adapted for television, has made many people interested […]

27 October 1532 – A gorgeously apparelled Anne Boleyn makes her entrance

| October 27, 2018

27 October 1532 – A gorgeously apparelled Anne Boleyn makes her entrance

On this day in history, Sunday 27th October 1532, in Calais, which was an English territory at the time, King Henry VIII hosted a lavish “great banquet” for Francis I, King of France. Henry VIII and his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn Marquess of Pembroke, had travelled to Calais to gain Francis’ public recognition and approval of […]

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