The Tudor Minute

Today in 1553 John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, was arrested. Dudley is often seen as a Tudor Villain, because he led the plot to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne when the teenaged Edward VI died, and the throne would have gone to Edward’s Catholic sister, Mary, who became Mary I.

On July 20 1554 Prince Philip arrived in England to marry Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII. Mary’s love life, like much in the rest of her life, was sad, and didn’t end well.

Today in 1555 Richard Carew was born in Cornwall. He would become an antiquarian, translator, and poet.

Today Anne Askew was burned at the stake. Anne was a pawn in a plot to implicate suspected Protestant-leaning women at court, including Katherine Parr herself.

Today we mark the birthday, in 1573, of architect Inigo Jones. Inigo Jones was the first British architect of the early modern period, and despite his Spanish sounding name, he was thoroughly English, born in Smithfield in London and the son of a Welsh clothmaker.

In 1575 Elizabeth I spent 2 lovely summer weeks at Kenilworth Castle being wooed by Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. The holiday would have been in full swing today, July 14.

Today in 1527 John Dee was born. John Dee was at once a mathematician, expert navigator, dabbler in occult philosophy, practicing alchemist, and conjurer of angels. A powerful man who was the official philosopher to Elizabeth I, he had England's largest library with over 4000 books, and he also had a conjuring table.

Today in 1538 John Forrest, a Franciscan friar, was executed for daring to denounce moves to make the king head of the Church.

Today is the birthday of Philip II of Spain, in 1527, to Charles V - the Holy Roman Emperor - and Isabella of Portugal - in Valladolid, in Spain

Today we read about fallout from the execution of Anne Boleyn, which happened yesterday. The Imperial Ambassador Eustace Chapuys wrote this report:

“Although the generality of people here are glad of the execution of the said concubine, still a few find fault and grumble at the manner in which the proceedings against her have been conducted, and the condemnation of her and the rest, which is generally thought strange enough. People speak variously about the King, and certainly the slander will not cease when they hear of what passed and is passing between him and his new mistress, Jane Seymour."