In this second part of “This week in Tudor history” for week beginning 15th February, historian Claire Ridgway tells us how the death of a French duke led to an awful massacre, and how the imprisoned Margaret Douglas heard of her son's murder, as well as introducing us to a countess who served all six of Henry VIII’s wives and who was close to his daughter Mary, and a noblewoman who managed to  give birth twice while imprisoned in the Tower of London.

 

18th February 1563 - Francis, Duke of Guise, was wounded by a Huguenot assassin at the Siege of Orléans. He died a few days later and his death was a factor in the 1572 St Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

 

19th February 1567 - An imprisoned Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, is informed of the murder of her son, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, King Consort of Scotland as the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

 

20th February 1552 - Anne Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and sister of the late Queen Catherine Parr, dies at Baynard's Castle. She was buried at Old St Paul's Cathedral in a lavish funeral.

 

21st February 1568 - Death of Lady Katherine Seymour (née Grey), Countess of Hertford, and sister of the late Lady Jane Grey, or Queen Jane. Katherine was under house arrest at the time for marrying Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, without Queen Elizabeth I's permission.

 

St Bartholomew's Day Massacre - https://youtu.be/1DmTMXr0TcQ 

Edward Seymour, the Serial Secret Husband -  https://youtu.be/lYBsHD2kMw4

Lady Mary Grey - https://youtu.be/amBA9_Ifjno 

 

Other Tudor events for these dates:

 

February 18 - Happy Birthday Queen Mary I - https://youtu.be/67X8uA_k2cM

February 18 - The Ridolfi Plot against Elizabeth I - https://youtu.be/_7WjajdaFRw

February 19 - King Edward VI's Coronation Procession - https://youtu.be/UwabU2pySns

February 19 - The Rose Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse - https://youtu.be/l-Xh1-cUads

February 20 - King Edward VI's Coronation - https://youtu.be/OZubBZP3-B4

February 20 - The hanging of Lady Hungerford - https://youtu.be/EjFZCHtXyfc

February 21 - The Execution of St Robert Southwell - https://youtu.be/i-lJgaY975Q

February 21 - Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick - https://youtu.be/VWSw1uwMvq8