Henry VIII: Power, Propaganda and Personality
Who was King Henry VIII, and why does he continue to fascinate and to provoke us today?
Did Henry VIII really ‘break’ the Church?
Emma Wells speaking on Henry VIII and the stripping of the altars in English churches.
Medieval Manuscripts: Henry VIII’s personal calendar
The Hours of Henry VIII reveals interesting details of its composition. The calendar is especially rich in images, embellished not only with the traditional pictures of the labors of the months and the signs of the zodiac, but also with vignettes, in the side and bottom margins, illustrating the main feasts cited with the months.
A Grand Gesture: Henry VIII and the Westminster Tournament
In February, 1511, Henry VIII held a large and lavish tournament at Westminster to honour his wife, Katherine of Aragon, and his newborn son. Natalie Anderson takes a look at this romantic gesture and how it was memorialised.
The Medieval Magazine: (Volume 4: No. 3): Issue 105: Valentine’s Day
The Valentine’s Issue!: Love in the Middle Ages, Teutonic Knights, Tudor medicine, and much, much more!
A Royal Gift Exchange
Natalie Anderson explores the gifts exchanged between two powerful medieval monarchs: King Henry VIII of England and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.
Book Tour: The King’s Pearl by Melita Thomas
We’re pleased to announce another book tour underway, with Melita Thomas unveiling her latest: The King’s Pearl: Henry VIII and His Daughter Mary on Medievalists.net. The book is a re-examination of Henry VIII’s eldest daughter, Mary, and her relationship with her father.
Did Henry VIII Suffer from Head Trauma?
How did the champion of the church become the killer of queens? Researchers from the Yale School of Medicine think it may have been traumatic head injury.
If You Had Married King Henry VIII…….What Would Your Fate Have Been?
Is it off with your head? or do you stand a chance of surviving?
BOOK REVIEW: The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau
Joanna Stafford, our intrepid ex-Dominican super sleuth is at it again. This time, she’s hurled straight into the midst of plotting and deception at Henry VIII’s court.
‘But Where are the Dungeons?’: How to Engage the Public at the Tower of London
A talk about how historical sites, like the Tower of London engage the public. How to handle visitor expectations, what do people come t see and how to tell history in a captivating but accurate manner.
Dynastic Politics: Five Women of the Howard Family During the Reign of Henry VIII, 1509-1547
The Howards were the most important noble dynasty of Henry VIII’s reign. Tudor political history cannot be written without them; they lived their lives at its core, in the shadow of the Crown.
Ruralia Commoda – 14th century gardening manual on display in London
Written in Latin between 1304 and 1309 by Petrus de Crescentiis, a wealthy lawyer from Bologna in Italy, Ruralia Commoda was the only publication of its kind during Henry VIII’s reign.
Review of Wolf Hall, Episode 2: Entirely Beloved
I will try to unravel some of the complexities of the relationships in the court of Henry VIII, which are shown on Wolf Hall without much effort to explain. While such a sophisticated script yields rich rewards, it assumes a certain working knowledge of 16th century power players.
Review of Wolf Hall, Episode 1: Three Card Trick
Tudor mystery author Nancy Bilyeau explains the intricate plot of the premiere episode of Masterpiece Theater’s ‘Wolf Hall,’ about Thomas Cromwell, the chief minister of Henry VIII, whom some decry as an evil genius and others praise as the leader of the English Reformation.
King’s sister, queen of dissent: Marguerite of Navarre (1492-1549) and her evangelical network
This study reconstructs the previously unknown history of the most important dissident group within France before the French Reformed Church formed during the 1550s.
The Identity of the St Bees Lady, Cumbria: An Osteobiographical Approach
USING AN OSTEOBIOGRAPHICAL approach, this contribution considers the identity of the woman found alongside the St Bees Man, one of the best-preserved archaeological bodies ever discovered. Osteological, isotopic and radiocarbon analyses, combined with the archaeo- logical context of the burial and documented social history, provide the basis for the identifica- tion of a late 14th-century heiress whose activities were at the heart of medieval northern English geopolitics.
BOOKS: Canterbury Cathedral
After visiting Canterbury Cathedral, I was inspired to suggest books that relate to Canterbury’s famous Archbishops, history and beauty.
What to See in Westminster Abbey
A review and tour of Westminster Abbey
BOOK REVIEWS: “The Chalice” by Nancy Bilyeau
My book review of Nancy Bilyeau’s, “The Chalice”.
BOOKS:Medieval Celebrities!
They may not have won any Oscars, but they were definitely medieval celebrities! Here are some great reads about some of the most famous faces of the Middle Ages
Book Review: In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn
It is particularly useful in that it brings together much (usually) scattered information into one place and links places, events and context together. It is a useful reference book with extensive links to further information.
Twilight Tours at the Tower of London!
A review of the Twilight Tour at the Tower of London!
Great Medieval Fiction 2013!
For those of you who enjoy some fantasy or a historical novel – this list is for you!
Perkin Warbeck: Whether my hero was or was not an impostor, he was believed to be the true man by his contemporaries
So what about the famous confession? By historians in the Tudor tradition this is usually seen as absolute proof that he was an impostor, arguing that “there is nothing in [his] confession which should make us doubt his truthfulness”. Somehow they cannot have looked at it too closely.