Claire | November 30, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1529, the Feast of St Andrew, Henry VIII received a dressing down from two women: his wife, Catherine of Aragon, and the woman he wanted to make his wife, Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII’s treatment of his first wife was angering her, and Catherine told him so. And […]
Claire | November 15, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 15th November 1532, an exasperated Pope Clement VII threatened King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, with excommunication. Why would the pope do that when Pope Leo X had granted the king the title of Defender of the Faith in 1521? Well, because Henry VIII had defied […]
Claire | November 14, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 14th November 1501, the Feast of St Erkenwald, Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, married Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The couple got married at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. And on […]
Claire | November 8, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 8th November 1528, King Henry VIII made a rather strange public oration to “the nobility, judges and councillors and divers other persons” at Bridewell Palace. His speech was regarding his troubled conscience over the lawfulness of his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. In his speech, he […]
Claire | October 28, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, Monday 28th October 1532, the Feast of St Simon and St Jude, Henry VIII celebrated his friendship with his French counterpart, Francis I. 28th October also was the last full day of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s time with Francis I in Calais. The trip had been successful, and […]
Claire | October 27, 2022
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 […]
Claire | October 25, 2022
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 […]
Claire | October 21, 2022
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 […]
