Recent Posts

Tudor Ghost Story Competition

By Wendy J. Dunn Once upon a time – shaking my head in disbelief, it was over eighteen-years ago – I wrote a regular Tudor column for Suite101, once a very popular site for writers and readers worldwide. Tudor England Suite101 not only gave me the opportunity to write about my Tudor passion, but also to launch a Tudor Ghost Story Competition as an annual Christmas treat for my readers. This contest still holds a very special place in my heart (I love finding ways of helping other writers get … [Read More...]

The Musical Lives of Henry VIII’s Wives – Katherine Howard

Katherine Howard- “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” By Brooke C. Little   The sixteenth-century portrait Mary Magdalene Playing A Lute shows a finely dressed Renaissance woman playing the lute and reading the musical notation portrayed with her in the painting. The song, in French, is Jouissance Vous Donneray and was composed by Claudin de Sermisy (1490-1562). The basse danse, Jouissance Vous Donneray, was a popular dance at many of the Burgundian courts of northern Europe, and in England as … [Read More...]

A Review of La Reine Blanche by Sarah Bryson

La Reine Blanche   Mary Tudor A Life in Letters by Sarah Bryson In La Reine Blanche the life of Mary Tudor, Sarah Bryson chronicles the life of the youngest surviving daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The life of Mary Tudor is often overlooked in favour of her infamous brother, Henry Tudor.  Destined, as a female member of the royal family, to be utilised in the international marriage market to form diplomatic alliances, Sarah Bryson shows the reader, through Mary Tudor’s own … [Read More...]

The Lazy Historian’s Guide to the Wives of Henry VIII

I'm delighted to share with you my Q & A with Jillianne Hamilton. Jillianne is the author of The Lazy Historian’s Guide to the Wives of Henry VIII (nonfiction) and the Molly Miranda action/comedy trilogy. She lives in Charlottetown on Canada’s beautiful east coast and runs the popular blog, The Lazy Historian. Thanks to Jillianne's generosity, I have a paperback edition and 3 ebooks to give away! To go into the draw, simply read the Conditions of Entry below and leave a comment after this … [Read More...]

Tudor Trilogy Blog Tour

I am delighted to be taking part in Tony Riches' The Tudor Trilogy Blog Tour! Tony has written a fascinating guest article about researching the early Tudors, which I'm sure you're going to enjoy. To go into the running to win an eBook and a signed paperback copy of each of Tony's books, click here. Happy reading and good luck! Researching the early Tudors – Tony Riches The original idea for writing the Tudor Trilogy came to me when I began looking into the life of Owen Tudor, the Welsh … [Read More...]

The Sons of Charles Brandon

Guest post by Sarah Bryson Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk had four sons, two with his third wife Mary Tudor and two with his fourth wife Katherine Willoughby. He also had four daughters. Tragically two of his sons died before himself and the youngest two would only outlive their father by six years. It would be Brandon’s daughters and not his sons that would carry on his legacy. This is the tragic story of Charles Brandon’s four sons. Charles Brandon’s first child with Mary, a son, was … [Read More...]

The Musical Lives of Henry’s Six Wives – Anne of Cleves

ANNE OF CLEVES-MUSICAL INGENUE; TRUMPETING QUEENSHIP By Brooke C. Little Anne of Cleves, like Katherine of Aragon, was a princess of a foreign royal court. Very little has been written about Anne’s early life and education. Like Jane, Anne was raised in an extremely religious household that later influenced her character and behavior at the English court. She was raised in the Julier-Cleves court in Düsseldorf, the daughter of John III, called the Simple (1490-1539), and Maria (1491-1543), … [Read More...]

A Review of ‘Anne Boleyn – Adultery, Heresy, Desire ‘ by Amy Licence

Anne Boleyn’s unconventional beauty inspired poets - and she so entranced Henry VIII with her wit, allure and style that he was prepared to set aside his wife of over twenty years and risk his immortal soul. Her sister had already been the king’s mistress, but the other Boleyn girl followed a different path. For years the lovers waited; did they really remain chaste? Did Anne love Henry, or was she a calculating femme fatale? Eventually replacing the long-suffering Catherine of Aragon, Anne … [Read More...]

‘On the Trail of Mary, Queen of Scots’ by Roy Calley

Few historical figures have been both so romanticised and so ridiculed as Mary, Queen of Scots, in her lifetime and since. Was she the hapless, love-struck girl who was led astray by passion? Or the Catholic outsider, refusing to adapt to Protestant Scotland’s ways? Or the incompetent stateswoman, abysmally inept when compared to her contemporaries, Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici? Historians differ vastly in their interpretations but one thing is for certain: Mary holds a sway over the … [Read More...]

The Musical Lives of Henry’s Six Wives – Jane Seymour

JANE SEYMOUR- CATHOLIC MUSE OF ENGLISH FOLK SONG By Brooke C. Little  Of all of Henry’s wives, Jane Seymour is the queen about whom is known the least, especially in terms of her education and childhood. She was one of ten children raised in a country estate southwest of London in Wiltshire, called Wulfhall. Her father, Sir John Seymour, was a member of the English nobility and fought alongside Henry in the Battle of the Spurs. Jane was Sir John and Lady Margery Seymour’s eldest daughter … [Read More...]

La Reine Blanche: Mary Tudor, A Life in Letters

I'm delighted to be hosting Day 2 of Sarah Bryson's book tour for her new biography, 'La Reine Blanche: Mary Tudor, A Life in Letters'. I'm sure you will enjoy this fascinating extract from Sarah's book. Thank you so much to Natalie for hosting me at her website today! I wanted to share an extract from my book ‘La Reine Blanche: Mary Tudor a Life in Letters’, focusing on Mary Tudor’s coronation and her extravagant entrance into Paris. The city went all out to welcome their new … [Read More...]

Discovering Tudor York: A Journey into the Past

I am thrilled to share that I recently signed a publishing contract for a new Tudor book! Discovering Tudor York: A Journey into the Past will be published by Pen and Sword Books in the UK in 2019. Book Blurb Discover the stories of York’s Tudor past in this engaging and practical travel guide that takes you on an illuminating journey through the best of Tudor York. Accompany the author as she wanders down ancient cobbled streets and through atmospheric ruins, exploring a variety of … [Read More...]