I always assumed it was because he would be performing these plays to the monarch at the time, who was James I. But he was only distantly a Tudor!

So, we all know about Arthur, Henry, and Edmund. My question is about Edward. Did he exist or was this a typo in the Tudor era and they meant Edmund?

We look back with the benefit of hindsight and we think that Anne initially played the game very well, holding Henry back until they could marry rather than conceding to be his mistress. However, when you look at the massive upheaval that was involved in getting to that stage - did she start out with that goal in mind? Or did she initially at least just want to - I don’t know, have a degree of influence as a mistress of sorts? Or maybe just not sleep with him at all, and used his marriage and her honour as a way to try and stay away - only to have Henry upturn the whole country and back her into a bit of a corner? She could hardly then say no after the Great Matter thing, could she?

I was just thinking - we know how it all played out, but was she just sort of stuck in the middle of it all and doing the best she could (and her best was pretty good, with the exception that of course she couldn’t produce the fabled son and heir on command). Did she set out to become Queen from day one, or did it all sort of land on her head without there necessarily being a master plan at work?

Very random but what would you do as either men and which would you choose to be? Let’s say you had to get her to agree to marry and successfully marry her and you could’ve used any strategy political or personal for it. Even put the other down (other suitors) or put her under pressure just like her privy council members did when making her sign Mary of Scot’s execution.

I’ve always been plagued by what Anne Boleyn really looked like, I find myself staring at portraits of Elizabeth and trying to fill in the gaps from what we know about Henry VIII’s appearance.

Which prominent Tudor/courtier do you think looked most like one of their parents?

I think Edward VI looked just like Jane Seymour, and Margaret Tudor looked a lot like Elizabeth of York.

Though Henry Vii claim came from Margaret Beaufort, did his relationship to henry vi still play a part, even if he wasn't related to him in a royal lineage sort of way?

UPDATE: Well this certainly became a lively conversation! Yet my mind remains unchanged – I’ll put my why in less strident terms. Alexa play The Gambler...

At the end of the day, there comes a time when you need to know when to fold'em – you accept a crap situation for what it is and make the proper choices that best preserve yourself physically, emotionally and mentally. CofA would not give a care to her own self-preservation because she was so blinded by this singular goal of being QofE and that’s where I start getting annoyed.

Henry doesn’t want you. Cut. Period. Scene. Fin. -30- Issa wrap! Accept that and start thinking about how you can get the best outcome for yourself and your daughter. SHE WOULD NOT DO THAT. And as a result, she died in discomfort and her daughter went on to live and die in discomfort.

I’m sorry, that’s just not admirable to me. It’s foolish, selfish and unnecessary.

Everyone in the realm was the victim of Henry VIII – including Anne Boleyn who did not solicit that man and is quietly just a louder version of Jane Seymour but that's a conversation for another day – but CofA seemed to be determined to also be a victim of herself.

So yeah, I’m still not a fan.

Oh and, why the focus on QofE anyway? Divine right, calling, etc. – in reality, England had been screwing her over since she arrived to that sickly Arthur; got held hostage by the miserly Henry VII; and got jammed up with this nutcase Henry VIII. That she even wanted to be queen of such a place is baffling.

At a certain point, you gotta take your ball and go home.

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Let me start off by saying, without a doubt, HENRY VIII IS THE WORST PERSON EVER. Like, a straight up villain.

With that said, CofA annoys the living crap out of me. I'm reading the first of the Alison Weir six queens series and immediately remembering why I got annoyed with her so many years ago. I mean for goodness sakes, it's over, SCRAM LADY! Why did she insist on holding on to Henry?? She had options that would have spared her all of her eventual embarrassment AND protected Mary. Instead, she seemed content to martyr herself, and for what?

• Why didn't she encourage him to legitimize his bastard with Bessie Blount? Her troubles would have been over - he has a son and no reason to divorce you. He could even have a spare because he's set a precedent for legitimizing his bastards. He was going to cheat under any circumstance. Why not benefit from it? Move aside, let Fitzroy step up and live out the rest of your days wearing ermine pajamas in your country manor!
• Why didn't she take the convent offer? She spent 23 hours and 55 minutes a day praying already - I mean she was basically an honorary nun! She might as have well gotten some notoriety and alms for it, IJS.

I'm open to hearing arguments in her favor, but as far as I'm concerned, her ego-driven obstinance was unbearable. Those things just make it impossible for me to see her as a sympathetic character. Indeed, both her and Mary are some of my least favorite Tudors.

I don't think Mary's survival is talked about enough. How she managed to stay a practicing Catholic during the Seymour and the Dudley reign, while they were actively making Catholicism difficult is amazing to me. And while she was being specifically targeted. From the time her father divorced her mother, Mary's story seems to have been constantly about survival. And not only did she survive, she tended to clash with whoever was in authority, often at the risk of her life.

I just find it astounding that she survive long enough to become Queen and that she fought as hard as she did. Regardless of what kind of Queen she became, her perseverance and persistence even in times when she was absolutely powerless is so amazing to me.

EDIT: For people acting like she wasn't in danger, I just don't believe that's true. Katherine of Aragon was in danger, and she was a foreign Queen. Mary was very much in danger at different parts of her life, as seen by her drop in status when Henry divorced KoA. Henry had set a standard that Queens and royal women could be executed. I'm sure the help of the Emperor shielded Mary, but there was a point she feared for her life so much that she was willing to leave England to flee to Spain.

That doesn't read as someone who was 'untouchable' while in England. Mary I very much had enemies throughout her lifetime and prior to becoming Queen, and she was aware of the power they had.

Hope this is allowed - it was so warm in Atlanta today I decided to take Sir Earl Purrsevil Grey, Viscount of DeKalb, out in his pram!

Judging from the number of silent screams, His Grace found it...tolerable. Naturally we encountered resistance from the French (bulldog) across the street. There was much barking but thankfully a full skirmish was avoided (he was leashed).

One day soon, I hope to get the Lady Eleanor Catniss von Puddifoot (of the Hanault Puddifoots), Archduchess of Cumberland to go for a stroll! Highly unlikely though!

The Pilgrimage of Grace was not meant to overthrow King Henry VIII. The rebellion was a protest against the king's actions, but the rebels wanted to reform the king's administration, not replace him. It's an interesting idea: had Henry been overthrown—either imprisoned in the Tower of London or fled into exile—who would rule England, Mary, or would they wait until Jane Seymour gives birth to Edward VI? The Reformation in England is over, Cromwell is dead, Cranmer maybe survives, and the crown would keep supreme power over the church, assuming Mary isn't queen.

For Edward VI, him having an english mother, gave him two annoying uncles. Who dont seem to have been very good. Who got themselves killed in the end.

===---===

And with Edward V.

him having an english mother, was probably. one of the reason why he died.

His mother did not have a very impressive background and she had a very large family. Who Edward IV showered with favour. Which angered the nobility, jealousy.

Richard III, not wanting to play ball with the Woodville faction choose to strike first against them. Which ended in two dead princes.

If the mother had been a foreign princess, I wonder if Richard III would have dared to do what he did? I doubt it.

====---====

And before Edward V.

We have Henry IV and Henry V.

The Henrys circumstances was a bit different from Edward V and the Tudors (in having english mothers)

Neither were born to the direct line to the throne.

So foreign a marriage match was not the top priority.

So the two Henrys are the result of (fully legit) arranged marriage made by their fathers.

Edward III arranged a marriage between his son John and the heiress Blanche of Lancaster.(Parents of Henry IV)

And John of gaunt arranged a marriage for his son Henry, to The english heiress Mary de Bohun. (Parents of Henry V)

===----===

So their mothers had the right noble background and they had all the paper work.

No one could question their legitimacy.

It was legit and public affair betwen two noble families.

===---====

And beacuse their mother's families was small. Their was no annoying uncles or relatives trying to interfere at court when they became king.

(as far as I know)

And while it seems like they were close to the the Arundel family. I dont know if the close relationship was beacuse of their family connection, being cousins, great uncles and such?

Or were they only close beacuse they shared mutual political goals, and family played no role?

Or was it a mix of both?

Either way, they were not a faction or anything. And their noble birth, made it more 'natural' for them to be close the the king. So people could not be angry at it.

==---==

So while it was no disaster for Henry IV and Henry V.

I still does not have the answer. Were their any benefits of having an english mother as a monarch?

I listen to a lot of audiobooks because I do a lot of walking. I would love people to recommend the best proper history audiobooks about the tudors and the Tudor period.

Edward VI was engaged to Elizabeth Valois. Had he lived to marry her, and assuming Elizabeth gave birth to a son, not two daughters, before she died in 1589, could Edward claim the French throne after the end of the Valois line? His son, the Prince of Wales, Henry, would give him a stronger claim. Would the Bourbons step aside?

I just feel that like Henry VIII was a lot more cruel and violent as opposed to his father, but open to hearing different perspectives on this question! Admittedly I don’t know as much about Henry VII as I would like to.

This always boggles my mind.

I'm looking for straightforward non-fiction books. I say that because a lot of these women have so many books about them and will often have their own spin to be different or due to a bias. I'm not saying those books can't be great or useful but it just isn't what I am looking for at this time.

These are the women I am having difficultly digging through the noise:

Anne Boleyn

Elizabeth I

Mary I

I know this will be a matter of opinion as well but if you've read one that felt I learned something but didn't feel preached to about one theory or another I would appreciate it!

Edit: I understand that all books have bias non fiction or fiction, I'm looking for a well sourced nonfiction from a reliable source. Example, I enjoyed the short but straight forward Anne of Cleves by Mary Saaler for that reason. I was able to easily look into the sources that she referenced very well to do a deep dive.

This may have been posted a few times but I do really wonder what would’ve happened to the Queen and Princess Mary if she agreed to all of his terms?

We know Katherine/Catherine would have been given back her title dowager princess of Wales but would eventually pass of cancer within the years.

But before that what would Henry have done with her given she didn’t put up a fight ?

Would he have kept Mary in line of succession under any son he produced with Anne Boleyn?

And the only reason I mention Anne is because he would have been more patient with producing a living child if not for all the turmoil that came with getting the divorce

one last thing would she have had an Anne Of Cleves relationship with him ?

I recently saw a clip on YouTube from the show Becoming Elizabeth (which I've never seen apart from this clip that I'm referring to) where Mary and Elizabeth are going for a walk and Mary gently yet firmly confronts Elizabeth about rumors she's been hearing. To be honest I can't remember word for word what she said but what I remember her tone, demeanor, etc. and it actually made me sad for the sisters. Despite their upbringings and being pit against each other, I'll always believe that they shared a great love for one another. This clip made me think of that. It showed a protective side of Mary. Like more of a mother than a sister. It was a stern but out of loving concern type of conversation. I'd like to think that they shared a few moments like that in real life.

He was also a devout Catholic on his death bed. How can this be??

What would have happened if Richard III had won the Battle of Bosworth but Henry Tudor had escaped into exile?

My kids (twin boys aged 8) have become obsessed with the Tudor’s and so in half term I’ve been decided to try attempt a road trip and visit different places that relate to that part of history!

I’ve never done anything like this before so I’m a bit overwhelmed with the planning of it and my wife has somewhat washed her hands of it as she wanted to jump on a plane somewhere… so I’m in need of some help!

I’ve been looking at various places such as:

• Shakespeare’s Birthplace
• Tudor World
• Warwick Castle
• Hampton Court Palace
• Hever Castle

We’ll be starting from York (on the 15th February) and would like to get to as many place as possible with the plan to be back home on the 18th.

What I need help with is:

• Has anyone done anything like this before and have a preplanned itinerary that I can steal?
• From experience which are the best kid friendly places that you’ve visited?
• If you’ve been to these places before do you have estimates on how long I should be planning to be there for? This is important if we plan to do multiple things in a day.

I’m pretty set on Hampton Court, but as it’s so far away from York my hope is that we can visit a couple of things toward the south on day 1, visit Hampton Court day 2, visit somewhere else that’s back towards York day 3 and then do something a little more local to York on day 4 to get back home at a reasonable time.

Once I have the “must see places” I’ll plan the driving to balance each days travelling and make sure I find hotels that ensure my kids don’t “die of boredom” in the car 😂.

I’d appreciate any help you can give, unfortunately I’m a fan of Roman history so Tudors are somewhat an enigma to me, but I am looking forward to learning more! Thanks.