The Tudor Fair Blog
Tudor Minute May 10, 1553: The first expedition of the Company of Merchant Adventurers
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 10: Today in 1553 the first expedition of the Company of Merchant Adventurers set sail looking for a NorthEast passage to Asia. Yes, they wanted to sale north and, instead of heading…
Tudor Minute May 9, 1509: Henry VII’s body was moved to St. Paul
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 9. Today in 1509 the body of Henry VII was moved from Richmond Palace to St. Paul’s. He would be buried two days later in Westminster Abbey with his wife, Elizabeth of…
The Musical Life of Henry VIII
While history often remembers Henry VIII as the fat tyrant that he became in later life, it’s not as well known that Henry was a prolific composer. Music was important at court, and it came naturally to Henry. His interest and commitment to a musical life was to be one…
Tudor Minute May 8, 1559: The Act of Uniformity
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 8. Today in 1559 Elizabeth I signed the Act of Uniformity. This was part of the Elizabethan religious settlement and compromise which left no one fully happy – a sign of a…
Tudor Minute May 7: James I arrives in London
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 7. Today in 1603 James I arrived in London, nine days after the funeral of Elizabeth I. From 1601 onwards, as it became clear that James was going to be Elizabeth’s successor,…
Supplemental Episode: Seamus O’Caellaigh at the Tudor Summit
In this Supplementary episode Seamus O’Caellaigh talks about Henry VIII’s health and Tudor Medicine at the Tudor Summit in March 2018. Seamus O’Caellaigh has always been interested in the Tudor dynasty and the many uses of plants. He grew up learning about plants from his grandmother Anne Kelley and mother Diane…
This week in Tudor News: May 4 Edition
The news cycle is fast, and it’s hard to keep up with our favorite interests and topics! That’s why once a week I make up this post with the top stories that have caught my attention. Bloodthirsty Henry VIII letter at Norton Priory reveals the temper of the Tudor king…
Tudor Minute May 4, 1608: Bess of Hardwick was laid to rest
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 4. Today in 1608 Bess of Hardwick was laid to rest. She is one of the most inspirational Tudor women to me – she was born into minor gentry, and rose to…
Watching The Tudors Season 2 Episode 9
Anne’s end is approaching swiftly as Season 2 comes to and end. Listen below as we break down the stories behind the drama. Here are the book recommendations for this episode (these are Amazon affiliate links) Adrienne Dillard’s The Raven’s Widow, which is a fictional representation of Jane and George…
Tudor Minute May 3, 1469: Happy Birthday Niccolo Machivelli
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 3. Today is the birthday of Niccolo Machivelli in 1469, in Florence, Italy. He’s not a Tudor, but he definitely influenced our Tudor monarchs with his famous book, The Prince, which outlined…
Renaissance Madrigals to Celebrate May
Hee that is in a towne in May loseth his spring. ~George Herbert It’s May, and that means it’s a perfect time to queue up some wonderful English madrigals. I’ve put together a special Spotify playlist where you can listen to all of these recommendations, too. So go outside…
Tudor Minute May 2, 1536: Henry Norris was taken to the tower
Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for May 2. Today in 1536 Henry Norris, Henry VIII’s groom of the stool, and one of his best friends, was taken to the tower. Eustace Chapuys wrote to Emperor Charles V that Mark…