Today in 1588 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, died. After being part of the defeat of the Spanish Armada, he had been sick for a while. Elizabeth gave him permission to go to Buxton to enjoy the waters. He had left on the 26th of August, and wrote his final letter to Elizabeth on 28th August.

Today we mark the death, in 1588, of one of the most well known actors of the Elizabethan period, a clown called Richard Tarlton.

Today in 1534 Gerald Fitzgerald the Lord Deputy of Ireland died in the Tower of London. This was the period when England was trying to get a hold of their Irish colony, and Gerald’s father had questionable loyalty to the crown.

Today on 1555 Robert Samuel was executed. He was one of the famous Ipswich Martyrs, and John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs ensures his place in history.

Today in 1551 Edward VI’s Lord Chancellor Richard Rich visited Edward’s Half sister Mary to tell her she needed to stop celebrating the Catholic Mass. This was a constant thorn in the side of Edward. Mary was his half sister - the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and she would remain staunchly Catholic. This was a problem for Edward, who was raised by Protestant tutors, and was trying to rework the country into a Protestant one. It didn’t work for him to have his sister openly flaunting the laws of the country, Princess or not.

Today marks the death, in 1521 of Josquin des Prez, and while this isn’t directly Tudor related, the music of Josquin greatly influenced our Tudor composers. In the 16th century he was the most famous composer of the age, yet after a century his work drifted away, and was only rediscovered in the 20th century.

Today in 1533 there was a great ceremony held for Anne Boleyn as she went into confinement, pregnant with what everyone hoped would be a boy who would justify the last six years of wrangling that Henry had done so that he could marry her.

Today in 1595 Thomas Digges died. He was an astronomer and mathematician, and was raised by the famous scientist/occultist John Dee after his father died.

Today in 1595 Thomas Digges died. He was an astronomer and mathematician, and was raised by the famous scientist/occultist John Dee after his father died.

Today in 1536 Robert Sherbourne, the Bishop of Chichester died.