Today in 1588 a special service of thanksgiving for the defeat of the Spanish Armada was held at St. Paul’s.

Today in 1572 the marriage of Henry of Navarre with Margaret of Valois took place in France. Designed to unite the French Huguenots with the Catholics, it wound up igniting one of the bloodiest massacres in the European religious wars, the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre.

Today in 1517 Andrea Ammonio died of the sweating sickness. He was a leading humanist scholar, Italian cleric, and became Latin secretary to Henry VII, sent by the Pope. He was good friends with Erasmus, and he spent the last part of his life in London.

Today in 1473 Margaret Pole was born. She was a Yorkist princess, the daughter of Edward IV’s brother George, the Duke of Clarence. Her life was one big roller coaster of rising up and down. First she was a Yorkist princess. Then when the Tudors won, she was on the wrong side and her brother was killed as collateral damage by Henry VII.

Today in 1514 princess Mary Tudor, sister to Henry VIII, married Louis XII by proxy in Greenwich Palace. She was 18 when she married Louis, and he was 52.

Today in 1588 the dramatic several weeks of Spanish invasion came to an end when Commander of the English fleet Lord Howard of Effingham called off the chase of the Spanish Armada off the coast of Scotland.

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Today in 1534 140 Friars Observant were evicted from their religious house in Greenwich by Henry VIII over their support for Katherine of Aragon and their refusal to accept Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church.

On 10 August 1512 Thomas Knyvett engaged a French fleet, and a violent melee known as the Battle of St. Mathieu. He died, along with Sir John Carew.

Today in 1600 Sir Thomas Lucy was buried in Warwickshire. He was a magistrate and Member of Parliament, but he is best known as a Shakespearian Villain.

Today is the birthday, in 1504 of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury. Born in Norwich, he was the son of a weaver, and was ordained in 1527.

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