Today in 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for the English Crown, making it the first English colony in the Americas.

Today in 1598 William Cecil, the first Baron Burghley, died. He was the chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth for the majority of her reign, he was the Lord High Treasurer and Secretary of State, among other titles.

On August 3 1553 Mary I triumphed over the Protestant revolt started with her half brother Edward VI’s death, with Lady Jane Grey as its figurehead.

Remember you can dive deeper into Tudor history through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com, or wherever you're listening to this!

Today in 1549 the rebellion in Norfolk we call Kett’s Rebellion was starting to turn for the government. Initially the rebellion started over land enclosures, which was the process of closing off previously communally owned land and appropriating it to wealthy landowners leaving poor people with nowhere to graze their animals.

Dive deeper into Tudor England through the Renaissance English History Podcast, available in the same place you're listening to this!

Today in 1541 Henry VIII and Catherine Howard left for their progress to the North. Henry wanted to meet with his nephew, James V of Scotland, and also show just how fully the rebels from the Pilgrimage of Grace a few years earlier had been put down.

Today in 1588 England fought the Spanish Armada in the battle of Gravelines, the decisive battle of the invasion, off the coast of Spanish held Flanders.

Today in 1540 Thomas Cromwell was executed. His story has become more popular lately, thanks to the wonderful historical fiction from Hilary Mantel in the Wolf Hall books, and it’s an example of how people did have social mobility in Tudor England.

Today in 1578 Jane Lumley died at age 41. Born into nobility (she was the daughter of the 19th Earl of Arundel) she was cousins with Lady Jane Grey.

Today in 1567, while imprisoned at Lochleven Castle in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots is forced to abdicate in favor of her one year old son, who became King James VI of Scotland (and even later, King James I of England).

Today in 1584 John Day died. He was an English Protestant printer, and specialised in printing and distributing Protestant literature and pamphlets. Though he produced many smaller books like psalms and ABC books, he is most remembered as the publisher of John Foxe's Actes and Monuments, also known as the Book of Martyrs.