It’s not an exaggeration to say that people died so King Henry VIII could have a male heir, something that was finally realized with his third wife, Jane Seymour. The product of their union was Edward, who became King Edward VI on Henry’s death in 1547. While Edward’s reign was only a short six years, and he died as a teenager, his time as king was still marked by many … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about King Edward VI
Tudor Era History Articles
Ten Interesting Facts about Queen Mary I
Also known as “Bloody Mary”, Queen Mary I is more known for her often violent attempts to reassert Catholic supremacy in the United Kingdom during her reign. The eldest child of King Henry VIII, Mary almost certainly had a chip on her shoulder about being passed over for the throne first by her younger half-brother Edward and then by Lady Jane Grey. Of course, history is … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Queen Mary I
Ross Kemp helps launch immersive Mary Rose dive experience
Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp has spoken of his respect for the restoration team behind Henry VIII’s flagship the Mary Rose as he features in a new interactive experience showcasing the Tudor warship. The new Dive The Mary Rose 4D cinema being launched at The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Hampshire, features footage including the actor best known for … [Read more...] about Ross Kemp helps launch immersive Mary Rose dive experience
Oldest tartan in Scotland to go on public display for first time at V&A Dundee
A tartan thought to be the oldest in Scotland will be displayed in a new exhibition from next month. The plaid textile discovered in a peat bog in Glen Affric, in the Scottish Highlands, around 40 years ago is believed to have been created around the James I and Mary Queen of Scots era, meaning it dates back to the 16th century at the earliest. The Scottish Tartans … [Read more...] about Oldest tartan in Scotland to go on public display for first time at V&A Dundee
Copies of first printed Shakespeare plays go on display in Scotland for 400th anniversary
Three copies of the first printed edition of William Shakespeare’s plays will go on display in Scotland to mark 400 years since it was first published. The booklets will be available for viewing at the University of Glasgow, the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh and Mount Stuart, on the Isle of Bute, at different times this year. The display marks the 400th … [Read more...] about Copies of first printed Shakespeare plays go on display in Scotland for 400th anniversary
Codebreakers crack secrets of Mary Queen of Scots’ lost letters
Secret letters written by Mary Queen of Scots while she was imprisoned in England by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I have been decoded. Experts said the codebreakers’ work is the most significant discovery about Mary for 100 years. For centuries, the contents of the letters were believed to be lost. That was until George Lasry, a computer scientist and cryptographer, … [Read more...] about Codebreakers crack secrets of Mary Queen of Scots’ lost letters
Hundreds of roses scattered to mark anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose
Hundreds of roses have been scattered at the wreck site of Henry VIII’s flagship Mary Rose to mark the 40th anniversary of it being raised from the seabed. The Tudor warship had lain for 437 years on the bed of the Solent outside Portsmouth Harbour after it sank in 1545 while the king watched from Southsea Castle. More than 500 divers, including King Charles III, were … [Read more...] about Hundreds of roses scattered to mark anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose
Ten Interesting Facts about Queen Elizabeth I
One of the best-remembered and arguably most important monarchs in the United Kingdom’s history, Queen Elizabeth I left an undeniable stamp on the country during her reign. From a tumultuous upbringing, she ascended the throne after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I and ended the religious tug-of-war England endured between Catholic and Protestant beliefs. She also … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Queen Elizabeth I
Becoming Elizabeth: How A Queen Survived Her Stepfather
“Becoming Elizabeth” premiered on Starz on the 12th of June and concluded last night. The new eight-part British-American drama series shows the tale of how the daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn, before she became a queen herself, survived being a teenager. A crucial aspect of the future queen’s teenage years was the nature of the scandalous relationship with … [Read more...] about Becoming Elizabeth: How A Queen Survived Her Stepfather
Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio worth up to £2 million to go up for auction
An original copy of William Shakespeare’s First Folio worth up to 2.5 million dollars (£2 million) is set to go under the hammer next month. The book, which was printed almost 400 years ago, is one of under 20 left in private hands, according to auction house Sotheby’s Curated by the world-famous writer’s trusted colleagues John Heminges and Henry Condell, the folio … [Read more...] about Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio worth up to £2 million to go up for auction
Prayer book with poem handwritten by Mary, Queen of Scots to go on show in Scotland
A rare “jewel-like” prayer book featuring a poem handwritten by the young Mary, Queen of Scots, is to go on show at the National Museum of Scotland on loan from Liechtenstein. The Book of Hours, which will be on show from March 31 to August 3 in Edinburgh, originally belonged to Mary’s great aunt, Louise de Bourbon, Abbess of Fontevraud. The manuscript includes a … [Read more...] about Prayer book with poem handwritten by Mary, Queen of Scots to go on show in Scotland
Ten Interesting Facts about Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for a total of nine days. Little more than a teenager when she took over the throne from her cousin, King Edward VI, in 1553. You wouldn’t think that a person who ruled for only nine days would have many interesting facts but sometimes that produces the most interesting stories. We’ve taken a lens to the short and tragic … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Lady Jane Grey
Panel with links to Mary Queen of Scots bought for nation in ‘attic sale’
Armorial panels with links to Mary Queen of Scots which were found hidden in castle attics have been acquired for national collections. The oak panels came from a house in Blythe’s Close, in Edinburgh’s Old Town, where Marie de Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, lived from around 1543 to 1554. One of them carries the combined coats of Marie and her husband James V which … [Read more...] about Panel with links to Mary Queen of Scots bought for nation in ‘attic sale’
Throw Her into the Pond! – A History of Witch Hunts in Britain
When Halloween time is upon us, our thoughts turn to monsters, ghosts, goblins, and—of course—witches. Often misunderstood and the subject of religious persecution, real witches are nothing like their fictional counterparts, though that did not stop fear and superstition from leading to accusations of witchcraft aimed at both real witches and nonwitches from the Middle Ages to … [Read more...] about Throw Her into the Pond! – A History of Witch Hunts in Britain
New Royal Mint coin collection takes inspiration from Henry VIII’s royal beasts
King Henry VIII’s heraldic beasts have inspired a new range of coins from the Royal Mint, with the first unveiled at the monarch’s former palace. Hampton Court Palace – where carvings of the beasts still welcome visitors – was the setting for the launch of the £5 Seymour Panther coin, which features an image of the Queen on one side and the animal on the … [Read more...] about New Royal Mint coin collection takes inspiration from Henry VIII’s royal beasts
New High-tech display shows off rare ‘sea monster’ globe dating back 400 years at Petworth
The quirks and wonders of a rare antique globe dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I will be on full view to the public after the artifact was painstakingly moved to a new display. Adorned with fantastical sea monsters and sailing ships, the item was made by mathematician Emery Molyneux in 1592 using “the newest, secretest, and latest discoveries.” The Molyneux globe has … [Read more...] about New High-tech display shows off rare ‘sea monster’ globe dating back 400 years at Petworth
Exhibition Report: Portsmouth – The Mary Rose Museum – New 1545 Experience And So Much To See
The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth has added a new immersive experience. 1545 - When Their World Ended is available for all to enjoy from Monday 26 July 2021. As I last visited the Mary Rose Museum back in 2013, just before it opened, this was a great reason to return. What Is The Mary Rose? The Mary Rose is the world’s only surviving sixteenth-century warship. She was … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: Portsmouth – The Mary Rose Museum – New 1545 Experience And So Much To See
Remains of Tudor gardens discovered beneath golf course in Essex
The remains of Tudor and Jacobean gardens have been discovered beneath a golf course. Volunteer researchers noticed that aerial photographs of Belhus Park Golf Course in Thurrock, Essex, appeared to mirror a 1619 pictorial survey of the former estate and a late 17th to early 18th-century painting depicting a bird’s eye view of the property. Their evidence suggested that the … [Read more...] about Remains of Tudor gardens discovered beneath golf course in Essex
Dame Judi Dench to help bring to life the final moments of the Mary Rose
Dame Judi Dench is helping bring history to life at a new immersive experience recreating the final moments of Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose. The Oscar-winning actress introduces the new exhibition, named 1545 after the year it sank, which has launched at the home of the Tudor warship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The Mary Rose lay undiscovered on the seabed of the … [Read more...] about Dame Judi Dench to help bring to life the final moments of the Mary Rose
Castle Heist: Mary Queen of Scots’s rosary and other items worth more than £1m stolen from Arundel Castle
A set of “irreplaceable” gold rosary beads carried by Mary Queen of Scots to her execution in 1587 are among historic treasures worth more than £1 million stolen in a raid at Arundel Castle. Other items taken in the burglary of the West Sussex castle include coronation cups given by Mary to the Earl Marshal as well as gold and silver items. The display cabinet showing the … [Read more...] about Castle Heist: Mary Queen of Scots’s rosary and other items worth more than £1m stolen from Arundel Castle
BESS AND HER HALL: The Story Bess of Hardwick and Her Amazing House
Hardwick Hall is unique among National Trust properties. Most are monuments to the men of British history (the good ones and the bad ones). Hardwick Hall is a monument to a woman and a very formidable woman at that. Elizabeth Shrewsbury, colloquially known as Bess of Hardwick, wielded power in an age when women did not have that much. Sure, England was ruled by a woman, but … [Read more...] about BESS AND HER HALL: The Story Bess of Hardwick and Her Amazing House
Brit History: The Downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary Stuart had a life of highs and lows, from ascending to the throne as Queen of Scotland to finding herself on the gallows accused of treason. Mary was born as her father lay dying, and after his death, she ruled through regents until she came of age. She was married off to Prince Francis of France (later King Francis II) and returned to Scotland to rule after his death in … [Read more...] about Brit History: The Downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots
The Monarchs: Mary I – Bloody Mary and Her Short Reign
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #11 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. Mary I began her … [Read more...] about The Monarchs: Mary I – Bloody Mary and Her Short Reign
Ten Interesting Facts about the Battle of Bosworth Field
At Bosworth Field, the War of the Roses came to a final and bloody end. King Richard III, representing the Yorks, met with Henry Tudor, representing the Lancasters, in a battle that ended thirty-two years of conflict that split England down the middle. It also gave birth to one of the monarchy’s most-influential houses as the Tudors would oversee England own’s participation … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about the Battle of Bosworth Field
10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire
Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire is one of the most incredible abbey ruins I've been to in Britain, and I've been to many. The massive cellarium is worth visiting Fountains Abbey alone - it's a massive space that just goes on and on. Despite it being a ruin, there is still much on site that remains. We highly recommend a visit. Here are 10 interesting facts we gathered from our … [Read more...] about 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire
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