Recent Posts
Mary Boleyn: Fact vs Fiction
Today's post is a guest article by Sarah Bryson from Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History. Sarah is a fellow Australian and Tudor enthusiast with a particular interest in the life of Mary Boleyn. Of late Sarah has found herself more and more drawn to the least famous of the Boleyn siblings and has dedicated much time to reading and researching Mary's life. In this guest article Sarah outlines what we do know about Mary and also looks at some of the great mysteries that surround her … [Read More...]
George Boleyn by Nancy Bilyeau
To celebrate the UK release of the historical thriller 'The Crown' by Nancy Bilyeau, I am delighted to share with you a guest article that Nancy has written about George Boleyn. I am currently reading The Crown and enjoying every moment of it! I was hooked from the very first line, "When a burning is announced, the taverns of Smithfield order extra barrels of ale, but when the person to be executed is a woman and one of noble birth, the ale comes by the cartload." I relish returning … [Read More...]
Valentine’s Day Giveaway
To celebrate Valentine’s Day at On the Tudor Trail, I am giving away a copy of The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn & Other Correspondence & Documents Concerning the King and His Wives. Entry is only open to our newsletter subscribers (if you are not one already, sign up on our homepage) and residents of all countries! To enter, simply leave a comment on any one of our posts or pages between now and February 14. The more comments you leave, the more entries you will … [Read More...]
New Tudor Books
Just a quick post to share with you some upcoming Tudor books. These all look fabulous! The Secret Keeper : A Novel of Kateryn Parr by Sandra Byrd Ladies in Waiting, Book 2 Pieces of her black gown fell to the ground, one by one, like the locks of a condemned woman shorn before execution, though he stayed himself from touching her bright red hair before sheathing his dagger again. Her woeful face betrayed that she knew this would be her utter undoing. The gown was ruined and the black … [Read More...]
Catherine of Aragon’s Funeral
On January 29 1536, Catherine of Aragon was buried at Peterborough Abbey (later cathedral). She had requested to be buried at a monastery belonging to the Franciscan Observant Friars but this request was turned down as the ‘friars’ convents no longer existed’ (Tremlett, p. 426). Catherine’s funeral service was for a dowager princess and not a queen, for this reason Eustace Chapuys chose not to attend. Henry did not attend either, instead remaining at Greenwich and refused to allow Mary to … [Read More...]
Miniature Whistle Pendant and Anne Boleyn
By family tradition, Henry VIII’s first gift to Anne Boleyn was a gold and enamel ‘pendant in the form of a pistol, chased with scrolling foliage’ (Starkey, 1991, p. 115). A snake is entwined around the barrel and it contains ‘a set of tooth and ear picks, with spear, scythe and spatula shaped blades’ (Starkey, 2003, p.11). The whistles were designed like pieces of jewellery and used to summon servants and hounds (Starkey, 2003, p.11). In this portrait of Nicholas Bacon we see him wearing … [Read More...]
Anne Boleyn’s Letter to Stephen Gardiner
This letter was written by Anne Boleyn on 4 April 1529 and is important because not many of Anne’s letters from the period of the divorce survive and, furthermore, it demonstrates the personal interest Anne took in the divorce proceedings. Stephen Gardiner was sent to Pope Clement VII on a number of occasions to try and persuade him to grant Henry VIII’s wish and annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. His missions though proved disappointing, as he was never able to persuade the Pope to … [Read More...]
Boleyn Festival Blickling & Queen Katherine Parr Quincentenary
What a great year for Tudor enthusiasts living in England! The Boleyn Blickling Festival will run from the 17th-20th May 2012 and promises to be 'a feast of all things Anne Boleyn'. Historians, novelists, costumiers and musicians will all come together to celebrate the life of Queen Anne Boleyn, who most of today's historians (the debate about her year of birth has raged for centuries!) believe was born at Blickling. Confirmed speakers include Eric Ives, Alison Weir, Suzannah Dunn, Sarah … [Read More...]
Anne Boleyn’s Final Miscarriage
On the 29 January 1536, Anne Boleyn miscarried. The details appear in Chapuys’ dispatch to Charles V dated February 10: ‘On the day of the interment the Concubine had an abortion which seemed to be a male child which she had not borne 3½ months, at which the King has shown great distress. The said concubine wished to lay the blame on the duke of Norfolk, whom she hates, saying he frightened her by bringing the news of the fall the King had six days before. But it is well known that is not … [Read More...]
The French miniatures of 1526
Today's post is a guest article by Dr Glenn Richardson. It is a work in progress and Dr Richardson would very much appreciate any comments or contributions that may assist with his research. The French miniatures of 1526 and a painter from the French court in England in 1522 – work in progress By Glenn Richardson The 1526 gifts As cordial relations between England and France revived after the war of 1523-25, so did the cultural competition between Francis I and Henry VIII.[i] … [Read More...]
Richard III and the North of England
Today's post is a guest article by Robert Fripp, author of Dark Sovereign. Find out more about Robert and his extraordinary play about Richard III by reading our interview here. Richard III and the North of England By Robert Fripp Through the medieval period and into the early Tudor years it was common practice for a noble family to send a seven- or eight-year-old son away to receive military training in another, kindred household. The boy who would grow up to become Richard III was … [Read More...]
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