Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

by Claire Ridgway
HistoryDocumentary

The Bonfire That Helped Spread the English Bible

Imagine trying to stop a book so hard… you end up funding its next edition. On this day, 27 October 1526, Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall ordered copies of William Tyndale’s English New Testament to be burned at St Paul’s Cathedral. The goal: to stop heresy and control what the people could read. But Tunstall’s crackdown had an unexpected twist. To destroy the books, he had to buy them first, money that reportedly paid for Tyndale’s next, improved edition. I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s On This Day in Tudor History, we’ll explore how one bishop’s bonfire turned into the best publicity Tyndale could have asked for, and how, just a decade later, English Bibles would appear in every church by royal order. Was Tunstall defending the faith, or did he help spread the very thing he feared? #TudorHistory #Tyndale #Reformation #OnThisDay #PrintingPress #HenryVIII #History #EnglishBible
E1087
Oct 27, 2025
6:19

Did Henry VIII Cover Up a Violent Crime for Thomas Culpeper?

He was handsome, charming, and one of Henry VIII’s most trusted courtiers, until he fell from grace with Queen Catherine Howard. But whispers survive of a darker story: an accusation of violence, a royal pardon, and a crime that seemed to vanish from the record. Was Thomas Culpeper guilty of a shocking offence, and did Henry VIII himself protect him from justice? Or was this just dangerous Tudor gossip, muddled by the existence of two Thomas Culpepers at court? Join me as I investigate one of Tudor England’s most disturbing mysteries — where power, privilege, and silence could decide a man’s fate. Sources: - Letter from Richard Hilles to Heinrich Bullinger, Original letters relative to the English Reformation: written during the reigns of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI and Queen Mary, chiefly from the archives of Zurich, ed. Rev. Hastings Robinson, https://archive.org/details/originallettersr01robiuoft/page/226/mode/2up? - New Insight on the Accusation Against Thomas Culpeper, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, Jonathan McGovern, Notes and Queries, gjaf112, https://doi.org/10.1093/notesj/gjaf112Published: 17 October 2025. - "Katherine Howard: The Tragic Story of Henry VIII's Fifth Queen" by Josephine Wilkinson - "Young and Damned and Fair" by Gareth Russell - “Catherine Howard: The Queen whose adulteries made a fool of Henry VIII” by Lacey Baldwin Smith
E1086
Oct 26, 2025
14:02

Jane Seymour’s Death - A Deep Dive into the causes

When Jane Seymour gave birth to Henry VIII’s long-awaited son, England rejoiced. Bells rang, bonfires blazed, and Henry finally had his male heir. But just twelve days later, the joy turned to sorrow, Queen Jane Seymour was dead. For centuries, her death has been shrouded in confusion and myth. Some say she died after a Caesarean section. Others, childbed fever. Alison Weir believes food poisoning and an embolism were to blame. In this episode, I take a closer look at the evidence, exploring eyewitness reports, Tudor medicine, and modern medical insight, to uncover what really killed Henry VIII’s third wife. Discover: Why the “food poisoning” theory doesn’t fit the timeline How a thirty-hour labour made infection likely Why the phrase “taking cold” may describe septic shock And how the choice of a royal physician over a midwife may have cost Jane her life This is the tragic and very human story behind the death of Henry VIII’s so-called “perfect queen.” Sources & Further Reading: https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/evidence https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/more-than-one-pregnancy https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/why-did-jane-seymour-die-in-childbed/final-stages https://elizabethnortonhistorian.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-death-of-queen-jane.html The Seymour Family, history and romance by Amy Audrey Locke - https://archive.org/details/seymourfamilyhis00lockuoft/page/18/mode/2up?q=cold 'Henry VIII: October 1537, 21-25', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 2, June-December 1537, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1891), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol12/no2/pp335-345 Hall’s Chronicle - https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00hall/page/824/mode/2up Wriothesley’s Chronicle - https://archive.org/details/chronicleofengla01wriouoft/page/68/mode/2up 24 October 1537 – The Death of Queen Jane Seymour - https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/24-october-1537-death-queen-jane-seymour/ How to spot maternal sepsis, NCT - https://www.nct.org.uk/information/pregnancy/body-pregnancy/how-spot-maternal-sepsis Signs of Infection After Birth: Postpartum Infection & Sepsis - https://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/pregnancy-and-birth/labour/signs-of-infection-after-birth #JaneSeymour #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #OnThisDay #TudorWomen #ClaireRidgway #AnneBoleynFiles #MedicalHistory #TudorTragedy #HistoryMystery #TudorEngland #ChildbedFever #Sepsis #TudorMedicine
E1085
Oct 24, 2025
13:30

The Sound of Elizabethan England: In Conversation with Jane Moulder of PIVA – The Renaissance Collective

Step back into the sound world of Elizabethan England. In this exclusive interview, I talk to Jane Moulder, musician, researcher, instrument maker, and founding member of PIVA: The Renaissance Collective, about their stunning new album, The Faerie Round: Music from the Time of Elizabeth I. Together, we explore how Renaissance music was performed, what instruments were used, and how PIVA brings authentic Tudor soundscapes to life for modern audiences. In this conversation: The origins of PIVA and their unique approach to early music The vision and research behind The Faerie Round The challenges (and joys!) of performing on Renaissance instruments Why bagpipes, shawms, and curtals deserve a comeback Jane’s work as a researcher, writer, and editor of Chanter What’s next for PIVA, and who Jane would invite to a Tudor dinner party If you love Tudor history, music, or the vibrant culture of Elizabethan England, this is one conversation you won’t want to miss. Find out more about PIVA and The Faerie Round: Piva website - https://piva.org.uk/ Buy the album - https://pivarenaissance.bandcamp.com/album/the-faerie-round #TudorHistory #ElizabethanEngland #RenaissanceMusic #TheFaerieRound #PIVA #TudorMusic #JaneMoulder #TudorCulture #HistoricalMusic
E1084
Oct 25, 2025
1:32:11

The Human Cost of the Dissolution

On this day in Tudor history, 23 October 1538, a frightened monk put pen to paper as the world he knew collapsed. Thomas Goldwell, prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, wrote a desperate letter to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief adviser and the man overseeing the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Goldwell begged to keep his “poor lodging” for life, adding the heartbreaking words: “I would rather die than live, if it were God’s pleasure.” I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today I’ll take you inside that moment, when monasteries were being dissolved, fortunes seized, and centuries of service, learning, and charity wiped away in a few short years. Goldwell’s letter shows us the human side of the Reformation. Behind every confiscated abbey and looted shrine was a person left wondering how to live in a changed world. If you found this glimpse of Tudor faith, fear, and survival moving, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor stories. Watch next: The Dissolution of the Monasteries - https://youtu.be/aELw2ss-xM8 #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #DissolutionOfTheMonasteries #HenryVIII #ThomasCromwell #ChristChurchCanterbury #ReformationHistory #ClaireRidgway #TudorEngland
E1083
Oct 23, 2025
6:28

The Tudor Fixer Who Changed Ireland Forever

On this day in Tudor history, 22 October 1521, Sir Edward Poynings, soldier, administrator, and diplomat,died at his manor of Westenhanger in Kent. He’s not a household name, but if you’ve ever heard of “Poynings’ Law,” you already know his legacy. I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode we meet the Kentish gentleman who helped Henry VII restore royal control in Ireland, hunted pirates off the Flemish coast, and later steered diplomacy for Henry VIII. From rebellion and exile to power and reform, Poynings’ life shows how Tudor government really worked, through loyal, tireless fixers. His “law” would shape Irish governance until the late 18th century. If you enjoy discovering the forgotten figures behind Tudor power, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor stories.
E1082
Oct 22, 2025
6:18

The Tragic Fall of John Dudley

On this day in Tudor history, 21 October 1554, John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick, died at Penshurst in Kent, just days after being released from the Tower of London. The son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and brother of Robert Dudley and Guildford Dudley, Warwick was born to power and promise. Knight of the Bath, Master of the Horse, and one of Edward VI’s glittering young courtiers, his rise seemed assured. But the failed attempt to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne destroyed the family’s fortunes. Imprisoned, condemned for treason, and stripped of his titles, Warwick’s freedom came too late. He died in quiet disgrace at his brother-in-law Henry Sidney’s home, aged only in his twenties. I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today we remember the overshadowed John Dudley, Earl of Warwick. #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #Dudley #LadyJaneGrey #EdwardVI #MaryI #PenshurstPlace #TudorTragedy #JohnDudley #TowerofLondon
E1081
Oct 21, 2025
3:29

Anne Boleyn’s Forgotten Secretary: John Uvedale, the Man Who Ran Tudor England

Most people know Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and Thomas Cromwell, but not the man who kept their orders moving, their money counted, and their papers straight. John Uvedale (or Woodall) royal service took him from Henry VII to Edward VI, and he even held the title of secretary to Queen Anne Boleyn. He worked the border wars, the Council of the North, and the quiet engine room of Tudor power: the Exchequer. On this day in Tudor history, 20 October 1549, he died after nearly fifty years of service. Discover the world of Tudor clerks, paymasters, and fixers, the men who kept things running smoothly behind the scenes of Tudor government. #OnThisDay #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #EdwardVI #TudorHistory #JohnUvdeale #Cromwell #CouncilOfTheNorth #TudorBureaucracy #HiddenTudors
E1080
Oct 20, 2025
6:31

The Real Face of Elizabeth I

When you picture Elizabeth I, you probably imagine the Armada or Ditchley portraits - alabaster skin, red wig, pearls, and poise. But how close were those famous images to the real Elizabeth? In this episode, I trace the evolution of her image, from the poised princess of the 1540s to the ageless Virgin Queen of legend, using eyewitness accounts, surviving portraits, and the propaganda that shaped her face for history. Who was the woman beneath the heavy makeup and myth? Discover the features that never changed, and meet Elizabeth as her contemporaries saw her: intelligent, complex, and utterly human. Watch until the end to see how artists and ambassadors together shaped one of history’s most iconic faces. And tell me in the comments: which Elizabeth feels most real to you - the young scholar, the new queen, or the ageing monarch behind the mask? #ElizabethI #VirginQueen #TudorHistory #AnneBoleynFiles #ClaireRidgway #TudorPortraits #RenaissanceArt #BritishHistory #TudorMonarchy #HistoryDocumentary #WomenInHistory
E1079
Oct 19, 2025
5:42

The Woman Behind the Cobham Family Portrait

On this day in Tudor history, 17 October 1592, Frances Brooke, Lady Cobham died and was buried at Cobham in Kent. You may already know her face: she appears in the famous Cobham Family Portrait of 1567, that beautiful Elizabethan painting capturing an entire household, from Frances and her husband to six of their children. I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode I’ll introduce you to the woman behind the portrait: a loyal attendant who moved through the very heart of Elizabeth I’s court. Frances served as Mistress of the Robes and Lady of the Bedchamber, rose high, briefly fell after her husband’s involvement in the Ridolfi Plot, and was later restored to favour. Her story is one of quiet endurance, family alliances, and a life spent in the Queen’s shadow, from Cobham Hall to the privy chamber itself. Like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor history, and tell me in the comments: Do you love the Cobham Family Portrait as much as I do? Link to portrait - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/William_Brooke%2C_10th_Baron_Cobham_and_family.jpg #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ElizabethI #FrancesBrooke #LadyCobham #CobhamHall #TudorCourt #BessOfHardwick #TudorWomen #16thCentury #WomensHistory
E1078
Oct 17, 2025
3:17
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