This 1527 event, which led to a Charles V inspired papacy ultimately refusing Henry VIII‘s annulment, because Catherine of Aragon was his aunt and Clement VII almost his prisoner, was discussed on “In Our Time” this week. In turn, however, this was inspired by Habsburg mercenaries being unpaid after their victory at the seige of… Continue reading The sack of Rome
Tag: Catherine of Aragon
The Granddaughters of Edward III
So here is the latest of Kathryn Warner‘s series about Edward II’s family. As the title suggests, it is focussed on the lives of Edward III’s eleven grandaughters, nine of whom were paternally descended including four by John of Gaunt. The first, Philippa of Clarence, was born in 1355 and the last to die was… Continue reading The Granddaughters of Edward III
Monarchs whose children died first….
Well, here’s British Kings And Queens Who Outlived Their Children (grunge.com), a list of English/ British monarchs who outlived their children. Richard’s there, of course, and reasonably well treated. His is a particularly sad story, losing his only legitimate son, then his wife, then his own life at the hands of traitors when defending… Continue reading Monarchs whose children died first….
The boy who had been King Edward V….
Ladies and gentlemen, please remember that this novella is a fictional account of what might have happened to the boys known as the Princes in the Tower. The theory about Coldridge is not my original thought, nor have I done anything personally to help prove it. To my knowledge there is nowhere called Oakhanger in Kent, let alone that it was held by the Earl of Lincoln. I… Continue reading The boy who had been King Edward V….
Thomas Cromwell’s Book of Hours recognised….!
The news has broken that the Book of Hours belonging to Thomas Cromwell is here which appears in the Holbein portrait above, has been recognised (by Hever Castle curator, Alison Palmer) as the Hardouyn Hours, held today at Trinity College, Cambridge. You can view the Hardouyn Hours page by page at the Wren Digital… Continue reading Thomas Cromwell’s Book of Hours recognised….!
Miniature mediaeval monarchs – and their consorts
A few months ago, I listened to a very interesting talk that was given by a lady who makes porcelain miniature dolls. I was particularly interested to see that she had brought along her miniatures of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York and later discovered that the picture on the back of her business card… Continue reading Miniature mediaeval monarchs – and their consorts
The Royals: A History of Scandals
This is a four-part series on More4, presented by Suzannah Lipscomb and with a focus on the Hanoverian era. It started with financial scandals, such as George IV’s extravagance and his brother‘s mistress who sold army commissions. The second episode was about sexual scandals and rumours, such as Edward VII’s mistresses and the male brothel… Continue reading The Royals: A History of Scandals
Dear Catherine …,
… Here is a little something to thank you for being married to me for so long because you definitely weren’t married to my brother, as the Pope confirmed. Sorry, for not being validly married to me because you were really married to my brother, as I decided, despite you giving birth to my first… Continue reading Dear Catherine …,
Buckden Bishop’s Palace
A few years back I wrote about Buckden Towers in Cambridgeshire, the old palace of the Bishops of Lincoln. Finally, with the pandemic receding, I was able to visit the site in its small village (once a thriving place in coaching times and earlier but much diminished with the advent of the railways.) Here Richard… Continue reading Buckden Bishop’s Palace
Breaking the code – Charles V
The Emperor Charles V was the grandson of Maximilian I (Richard III’s friend and step-nephew-in-law), a nephew of Catherine of Aragon (and thus by marriage to Henry VIII) and father-in-law of Mary I. In February 1547, he feared death at the hands of a Italian mercenary (Pierre Strozzi) and wrote a fiendishly coded letter to… Continue reading Breaking the code – Charles V
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