Claire | May 1, 2022
This day in 1536 was the day of the annual May Day joust. All seemed normal and happy, and nobody watching could have known that the leaders of the challengers and defenders would soon be imprisoned. Find out what happened at the joust at Greenwich, and what happened when the king left abruptly with his […]
Claire | May 1, 2020
Events were moving at quite a pace at Henry VIII’s court in April and May 1536. 1st May was May Day and time for celebrating what was seen as the first day of summer. At court, this mean it was the day of the annual May Day joust. King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn […]
Claire | May 1, 2019
This day in 1536 was the day of the annual May Day joust. All seemed normal and happy, and nobody watching could have known that the leaders of the challengers and defenders would soon be imprisoned. Find out what happened at the joust, and what happened when the king left abruptly with his good friend […]
Claire | May 1, 2018
The 1st May was and is May Day, a day to celebrate the beginning of summer. At the royal court, it was celebrated with a special May Day joust and in 1536 this took place at Greenwich Palace. Henry VIII and his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn, attended the joust just as they had in […]
Claire | May 1, 2017
On 1st May 1536, King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn attended the annual May Day joust at Greenwich Palace. Although court musician Mark Smeaton had been apprehended the previous day and the king and queen’s forthcoming trip to Calais had been cancelled, everything seemed normal as the jousting began. The queen’s brother, George Boleyn, […]
Claire | May 1, 2016
On 1st May 1536, King Henry VIII and his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn, attended the traditional May Day joust at Greenwich Palace. The joust started well. George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, the Queen’s brother, led the challengers and Sir Henry Norris, Groom of the Stool, led the defenders. At one point, Norris’s horse refused to […]
Claire | May 1, 2015
Following their argument the day before, King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn attended the traditional May Day joust at Greenwich Palace together. Anne would have been unaware of the apprehension of court musician Mark Smeaton the day before but she must have been aware that something was going on at court – Henry VIII […]
Claire | May 1, 2014
Queen Anne Boleyn attended the traditional May Day joust at Greenwich Palace on 1st May 1536 with her husband Henry VIII. She did not know that court musician Mark Smeaton had been apprehended and interrogated over night, but she may have had an inkling that all was not well following an argument she’d had with […]
