Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for July 2.
Today is the birthday of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Born in Nottinghamshire in 1489, he was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, and became a Doctor of Divinity in 1526. He became known for coming up with a creative way for Henry VIII to leave his wife, Catherine of Aragon, in the late 1520’s, and came up with the idea of polling university theologians throughout Europe for their opinion on the marriage, in 1529. In 1532 Henry appointed him Ambassador to the court of the Holy Roman Empire, and that same year he became the Archbishop of Canterbury when William Wareham, the previous one, had died.
He stayed in Henry’s good graces throughout Henry’s reign - one of the few churchmen who managed to stay on his good side throughout the religious changes - and he thrived under the reign of Henry’s son Edward, but things turned sour for him under Mary. Cranmer chose not to flee England, and was executed in 1556 for heresy.
That’s your Tudor Minute for today. Remember you can dive deeper into life in 16th century England through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com where there is a series on the Reformation in England.
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Reformation Month
October is Reformation Month!