Claire | October 29, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 29th October 1532, King Henry VIII of England bid farewell to his “loving brother”, King Francis I of France. Henry and Francis had enjoyed their time together at Boulogne and Calais. The purpose of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s trip has been to gain Francis I’s support for their […]
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 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 […]
Claire | October 16, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 16th October 1532, in the reign of King Henry VIII, English nobles met French nobles to arrange a meeting between the King of England and his French counterpart, King Francis I. Henry VIII and his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, Marquess of Pembroke, had travelled to Calais in order to gain […]
Claire | October 11, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 11th October 1532, King Henry VIII and his sweetheart, Anne Boleyn, set sail for Calais. Henry and Anne, who had just been created Marquess of Pembroke, left Dover aboard the king’s ship, The Swallow. Their trip to Calais involved Henry VIII’s Great Matter, his quest for an annulment of […]
Claire | October 5, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 5th October 1518, at Greenwich Palace, Princess Mary (the future Mary I), daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, became betrothed. The two-year-old princess was betrothed to Francis (François), the Dauphin of France, who was just a few months old. The betrothal between Mary and Francis was part […]
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 | 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 […]
