Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for November 20.
Today in 1591 Sir Christopher Hatton died. He is remembered for being the Lord Chancellor of England, and he was a favorite of Elizabeth. He first caught Elizabeth’s attention in the early 1560’s – he was an excellent dancer, was personable, charming, and intelligent. He became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in 1564, and by 1572 he was appointed captain of the Yeoman of the Guard. He is said to have been a Roman Catholic in all but name, yet he treated religious questions in a moderate and tolerant way.
Mary Queen of Scots encouraged the rumors that he was Elizabeth’s lover, and Elizabeth did refer to him as her sheep on more than one occasion. Hatton was a member of the court which tried Anthony Babington in 1586, and was one of the commissioners who found Mary, Queen of Scots, guilty of treason in the following year. He vigorously denounced the Queen of Scots in Parliament.
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.
Episode Link: Catholics in Elizabethan England
https://www.englandcast.com/2017/06/throwback-episode-catholics-elizabethan-england/