Recent Posts

Anne Boleyn at the Chateau Vert pageant

Today's post is a guest article by Lauren Elflein author of The Falcon Chronicles, a novel about Anne Boleyn. Here is a short synopsis: "About the throne, thunder rolls... Before her is a sea of faces. These faces of men who are accusing her of crimes that she did not commit: adultery, incest, and compassing the King's death. These expounded rumors, these wisps of conversation, these fractions of truths have blossomed into a plot so thick with lies and deceit that she knows she shall … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn returns to Blickling Hall for some Tudor fun

The Return of the Queen is a Tudor pageant taking place on the 18th and 19th of June at The National Trust's Blickling Hall. Anne Boleyn returns to Norfolk and is reunited with Henry VIII and his other five wives! Sounds like a lot of fun to me. Here is some more information about the event from The National Trust: '16th Century fun including Tudor crime and punishment, medicine and surgery, food and feasting, archery, falconry and Henry VIII with all six wives. All at the childhood … [Read More...]

Interview with Professor David Loades

I am delighted to share with you my interview with eminent Tudor historian, Professor David Loades. David Loades has written extensively on the Tudors including biographies on Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Mary Tudor. Professor Loades has been commissioned by The Amberley Books to write a history of the Boleyn family to be published in September 2011. I cannot wait to read this! Click here for a full list of publications. Alison Weir calls him 'one of the best Tudor historians writing … [Read More...]

Catherine of Aragon’s marriage to Henry VIII

On the 11 June 1509 Catherine of Aragon married King Henry VIII in a private ceremony at his waterside palace in Greenwich. This was Catherine's second marriage, as her first to Henry's brother Arthur ended tragically with his death in 1502. Catherine was now 23 years of age and Henry only 17. The ceremony took place in one of the Queen’s Closets and was witnessed by only a few selected guests. One can imagine the immense relief that Catherine must have felt at finally being wed and no … [Read More...]

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge in the historic woodland of Epping Forest is a hidden Tudor gem. It was built for Henry VIII in 1543 and was originally known as the Great Standing. It was constructed essentially as an open sided viewing platform from which guests could view the hunt and shoot deer from the upper floors. Windows were only installed after the reign of Charles I. Today the hunting lodge is opened as a museum. Entry is free although donations are most welcome. On the ground … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn, ‘the late Quene’, from The Inventory of King Henry VIII

Six months after the death of King Henry VIII in 1547, a formal inventory of his moveable property was drawn up. The inventory took eighteen months to complete and according to David Starkey is more than simply ‘big and fat’ (which it is!), ‘it is also a key document for a reappraisal of the reign’ (Pg. x). The commissioners task was to survey ‘all suche readie money plate Juelles apparel Silkes household stuff Stable stuff Muniction artillerye Tentes Revelles and other ymplementes goodes or … [Read More...]

Interview with Raven A. Nuckols, author of Had the Queen Lived: An Alternate History of Anne Boleyn

I have just published my interview with Raven A. Nuckols, author of 'Had the Queen Lived: An Alternate History of Anne Boleyn'. This is very different to other books that have been published about Anne because it poses the question what if Anne Boleyn had lived beyond 1536? How might English history have unfolded if Anne had remained Henry's wife and queen consort? I think that all Anne Boleyn admirers have at one time or another asked themselves these questions. Raven has taken it one … [Read More...]

Field of Cloth of Gold

The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place between Guines and Ardres in France, near Calais. This was the site of the historic meeting between King Henry VIII and Francis I that commenced on this day in 1520. A short video about the magnificent palace that Henry VIII had constructed at the Field of Cloth of Gold. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bzulxjxXc4] A very detailed look at Henry VIII's foot combat armour for the Field of Cloth of Gold tournament in … [Read More...]

Anonymous- Did Shakespeare or didn’t he?

If you haven't seen the trailer for 'Anonymous' yet then it's worth the few minutes! Set in Elizabethan England, the movie explores the question that has baffled academics for hundreds of years - was Shakespeare the author of the works attributed to him? Directed by Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day), written by John Orloff and starring Joely Richardson as the Princess Elizabeth and Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Elizabeth I, this movie looks unmissable! The amazing … [Read More...]

The First Marie and the Queen of Scots

One of On the Tudor Trail's readers emailed me to recommend this book by Linda Root. I had not previously heard of this novel or the author but think it sounds very interesting. The First Marie is the initial offering in a trilogy revolving around the life and times of Marie Stuart, Queen of Scots. Here is part of the synopsis: "The astonishingly beautiful queen who reigned at the Twelfth Night festivities at Holyrood was not the Queen of Scots, but her petite blond cousin Marie … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn greeting cards now available!

Just a quick note to let you know that you can now purchase the Anne Boleyn inspired greeting cards! They are truly beautiful and I think would delight any Tudor enthusiast. Select your designs and make your purchase here: … [Read More...]

Henry VIII’s Marriage to Jane Seymour

On this day in history, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour were married by Archbishop Cranmer in a private ceremony in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall Palace. Henry’s third wedding came only eleven days after the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn. As part of the preparations for the royal wedding, Anne’s falcon badges were hurriedly replaced with Jane’s personal emblem, ‘a phoenix rising from a castle amid flames and Tudor roses painted in red and white’ (Weir, Pg. 343) and her initials … [Read More...]