The Tudor Minute

Today in 1555 the Pope in Rome handed down a sentence on the Protestant Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, saying that he was stripped of his archbishopric, and all of his ecclesiastical dignities. The pope also gave permission for the secular authorities to decide his fate.

Today in 1536 Henry proclaimed that the rebels in the Pilgrimage of Grace would be offered a pardon if they submitted to Henry’s officers in the region. In this proclamation, Henry also said that he would hold a Parliament at York, which was one of the major demands of the rebels. The rebels did disperse, happy with what seemed like a recognition of their grievances, and believing that they would be heard. Henry also asked one of the leaders, Robert Aske, to come to London to discuss the grievances directly with him.

Sir Philip Sidney died in 1586. Sir Philip was born in 1554 in Kent, and he is remembered for his poetry, but also as a national hero for defending the Protestants in the Low Countries, and dying in battle.

Today we mark the death of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridby in 1555 - they were two of the three famous Oxford Martyrs, along with Archbishop Cranmer, commemorated by John Foxe.

The Oxford Martyrs were tried for heresy in 1555 and burned at the stake in Oxford, for their religious beliefs and teachings, during the Marian persecution of protestants in England.

Today in 1486 the trial of Mary Queen of Scots began. At first she had refused to take part in any trial saying that it didn’t apply to her because she was the Queen of Scotland and the laws of England weren’t applicable. But she was told by Cecil that it would take place with or without her, and so she showed up in a black velvet gown.

Today in 1537 Henry VIII finally got his longed-for son when Edward was born to Jane Seymour. He was born inside his mother’s room in Hampton Court. Throughout the realm, the people greeted the birth of a male heir, "whom we hungered for so long", with joy and relief. Te Deums were sung in churches, bonfires lit, and "their was shott at the Tower that night above two thousand gonnes".

In 1521 Henry VIII received the title Defender of the Faith - Fidei Defensor - from Pope Leo X. This was a new title that would belong to the English monarch the same way that the French had a title called Most Christian.

Today in 1562, 29 year old Elizabeth I got a bad cold. It was actually smallpox. At first she didn’t believe that she could actually get smallpox, which was a highly contagious and very often deadly disease which could cause disfigurement, and still has no cure or treatment.

Today in 1514 Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister, married Louis XII of France. She was 18, and he was 52. Mary was born in 1496, and she was reported to have been the most beautiful princess in Christendom. Erasmus said of her that "Nature never formed anything more beautiful."

Margaret was the daughter of the Scottish queen dowager Margaret Tudor and her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus after Margaret remarried for love, losing her regency in the bargain.

Like this podcast? Leave a rating so others can find it too. Thanks!