Category: anniversaries

Richard’s first resting place

… was the Newarke Church in the 1331 Hospital of the Annunciation, in which he laid from August 22-25 1485, also described here. The Earl of Leicester at the time of the construction was Henry of Lancaster, son of Edmund Crouchback. This is the Hawthorn Building of de Montfort University, on the same site today.… Continue reading Richard’s first resting place

Was William Stanley Misunderstood?

I have enjoyed reading the books of Richard Unwin about Richard III from the point of view of Laurence the Armourer and was intrigued by his theory that William Stanley was not a traitor, or at least not in the way we might think. Think about the battle – William Stanley and his men are… Continue reading Was William Stanley Misunderstood?

The complex alliances at the siege of Roxburgh

Today marks the 555th anniversary of the dramatic conclusion of this siege, being a Bank Holiday in most of Scotland. Tomorrow in 1900, the late Queen Mother was born, in London or Hitchin, but of Scottish parentage. We posted about the siege last year but what about the underlying events? James II’s mother was Joan… Continue reading The complex alliances at the siege of Roxburgh

Right Royal Romantic Reunions (a Valentine story that is complete fiction) ….

St Valentine’s Day in Leicester was all wind, rain and freezing cold temperatures, but the weather had not deterred the many people who had come to the King Richard III Visitor Centre. They were eager to see the exhibition about the man who had died in battle at nearby Bosworth in 1485, was lost for… Continue reading Right Royal Romantic Reunions (a Valentine story that is complete fiction) ….

Quite an unfortunate family

Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, cannot be called unlucky. The story of his revolt against Richard III, ending in Salisbury at the start of November 1483 is so well known that even Shakespeare has the right end of this particular stick. However, his family suffered fates that they didn’t always deserve so obviously: 1)… Continue reading Quite an unfortunate family

520 years ago yesterday

http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/parliamentandireland/overview/poynings-law/ This should be considered along with: Edmund Mortimer’s service in Ireland before the Southampton Plot, Richard Duke of York as Lord Lieutenant in the 1440s/50s, where George of Clarence was born, The coronation of “Lambert Simnel” in Dublin, to be clarified next month.

Today’s anniversaries:

Today is the annniversary of the death in 1416 of Constance of York, Lady Despenser and (for a time) Countess of Gloucester. She was one of many people of various conditions in life who inexplicably preferred the ‘tyranny’ of Richard II to the rule of Henry IV, and put their lives at risk to do… Continue reading Today’s anniversaries:

The Hundred Years’ Grudge?

William Catesby, a Northamptonshire lawyer, was one of only three people executed in the aftermath of Bosworth, the others being a West Country father and son. From this and other circumstantial evidence, we are inexorably drawn to the conclusion that this happened because he was the only surviving layman who knew the details of Edward… Continue reading The Hundred Years’ Grudge?

Edmund, Earl of Suffolk

……….. was beheaded on the last day of April 1513, having left England in 1501 but returned by misadventure the following year. Evidently his departure, in the aftermath of his cousins’ executions was motivated by his desire to remain alive, whilst his demise did not end “Tudor” paranoia over those with a better lineal claim… Continue reading Edmund, Earl of Suffolk