Elizabeth I

Guest Post: Margaret of Austria by Rozsa Gaston

Sharon Bennett Connolly1 Comment

For Women’s History Month it is my pleasure to welcome Rozsa Gaston to History…the Interesting Bits, with an article on Margaret of Austria. Rozsa is here to share with you why Margaret is important to history as a founding figure of European coalition politics.  

Over to Rozsa….

Margaret knew, or was related to, most of early 16th century Europe’s rulers. 

Her action-packed childhood prepared her for a lifetime of leadership as ruler of the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands, and as one of the most important treaty negotiators of her era. 

Let’s look at the players in Margaret of Austria’s life:  

Maximilian I, archduke of Austria and the future Holy Roman Emperor – was Margaret’s father.  

Charles V –future King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, is her nephew and ward.  Margaret was Charles V’s legal guardian until he was 15 years old. 

Henry VIII of England –Margaret’s trade partner. English sheep provided the wool for Flanders’ cloth industry. Flanders, in the Low Countries, was world renown from the 12th century on for its fine cloth textiles and its tapestries, which were sought after the world over as a display of wealth and power.  

Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s queen – was Margaret’s former sister-in-law.  

Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s 2nd queen  -maid-of-honor at Margaret’s Court of Savoy in Mechelen (Malines) in the Burgundian-Habsburg Low Countries (now Belgium).  

Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy –was Margaret’s brother.  

Juana the Mad – the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain was Philip’s wife and Margaret’s sister-in-law.  

Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain – Margaret’s former in-laws. 

Louise of Savoy – former sister-in-law & the mother of Francis the First, King of France, Louise was the power behind the throne during her son’s reign. 

Margaret of Austria was born in 1480 in Brussels, the only daughter of the heads of two of Europe’s top dynastic houses: the House of Burgundy and the House of Habsburg. Her mother, Mary of Burgundy, was ruler of Burgundy, the only child of Burgundy’s last duke. She was known throughout Europe as Mary the Rich.   

Margaret’s father was Maximilian the First of Austria, head of the House of Habsburg and later to become Holy Roman Emperor. Mary and Maximilian’s dramatic love story is told in the 2017 Starz Mini Series Maximilian. Well worth viewing.  

Margaret lost her mother in a riding accident at age two. One year later her father contracted with the French king, Louis the Eleventh, known as the Spider King, to marry Margaret to Louis’ son and heir, the future Charles VIII of France. Margaret was sent to France at age 3 to be raised at the French court to prepare her to become Queen of France one day. 

Margaret’s statue towers over the main market square of Mechelen  (pronounced “Meh ku luhn”) Belgium, 18 miles, or 29 kilometers, north of Brussels. Erected in 1849, it was made by sculptor Joseph Tuerlinckx. 

Her palace in Mechelen is called the Court of Savoy. It was the first Renaissance palace built in the Low Countries and is a main tourist destination. The Low Countries are now known as the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. 

Margaret held one of Europe’s most important Renaissance courts at her Court of Savoy for the duration of her career from 1507-1530 as ruler of the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands. 

Here is Margaret’s palace, the Court of Savoy, in Mechelen, Belgium. Despite her title, Margaret of Austria hailed from what is now called Belgium, a country that was created in 1830, 300 years after she died.  

In the 16th century the northern part of Belgium was known as Flanders, a Low Countries province within the realm of Burgundy. Everything in orange on this map is Burgundy. Burgundy now no longer exists, but it was the wealthiest realm in Europe in the 14th to late 15th centuries.

Margaret’s native tongue was French. She ruled the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands for 23 years, with the exception of two years, from 1515-1517. During those two years, her nephew and ward, Charles the Fifth, came of age, and typical of a teenage boy, he wanted to take control of his realm for himself.  

But after two years of seeing how difficult it was to manage the Netherlands’ 17 different provinces all with conflicting economic interests, he handed back control to his aunt Margaret, who was a master at negotiating trade agreements and at putting together coalitions for the greater good of the Netherlands’ economic prosperity.  

Margaret was confident, self-possessed, well-organized, and enjoyed being in charge. She did not show her hand. An excellent bluffer at both diplomatic negotiations and the gaming table, she played cards and gambled with heads of state and diplomats to the Low Countries who were sent to her Court of Savoy in Mechelen. 

Margaret’s travels by the age of twenty-seven made her one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan princesses. 

Jan. 10, 1480 – Margaret of Austria is born in Brussels. 
 
Age 3 – She’s sent to France to be raised under Anne of France or Anne de Beaujeu to become its queen one day. 
 
Age 11 –Margaret is jilted by Charles VIII of France, who marries Anne of Brittany instead. 

Age 13- Margaret returns to Flanders in the Low Countries and waits for her father to make another match for her. 
 
Age 17 – Margaret goes to Spain to marry Isabella and Ferdinand’s son Juan, heir to the Spanish throne.  But – he dies six months after they marry.    

Ages 19-21 – Back in Flanders in the Low Countries, Margaret awaits her father’s next marriage choice for her. 

Age 21 – Margaret moves to Savoy when luck arrives with her marriage to Philibert, Duke of Savoy, a childhood friend who becomes the love of her life.  

Age 24 – Luck departs when Philibert dies. 
 
Age 26 – Margaret’s life changes completely when her brother, Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, dies in Spain, possibly of poisoning, and Margaret takes over rulership of the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands. She also takes over guardianship of Philip’s children, the future Charles the Fifth and his three sisters, all Habsburg royals who live in Brussels, and are now functionally orphaned, as their father has died and their mother, Juana of Castile, has gone insane and remains in Spain. 

Ages 27-50 – Margaret lives in Mechelen where she rules the Netherlands and conducts her government from her palace, the Court of Savoy. 

Age 50 – Margaret dies. Two years later her body is transported to Brou, France, where she is buried next to her beloved 2nd husband Philibert of Savoy. Savoy was a region between France, Switzerland and the duchy of Milan, which was very strategic in the 16th century because it controlled the pass through the Alps for French soldiers to march to Milan. At that time in history all the great European powers were interested in gaining a piece of Italy. 

Margaret lived just at the moment that the feudal age gave way to the Renaissance.  

Stuck at the French court for two years after being jilted by the French king, an unexpected friendship formed between Margaret and Anne of Brittany, who was three years older and who took her place as Queen of France.  

Instead of hating each other, Margaret and Anne were both politically astute enough to recognize that they were pawns in the hands of the French. They became lifelong friends and wrote to each other until Anne of Brittany’s death. They sent scholars to serve at each other’s courts and were both instrumental in bringing Renaissance art and humanist learning to their respective courts of Burgundy and France. 

After returning to the Low Countries from France at age 13, Margaret’s father Maximilian arranges a match for her with Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain’s son and heir, Juan. Maximilian also arranges for Margaret’s older brother Philip, Duke of Burgundy, to marry Juan’s sister, Juana, known to history as Juana the Mad. At age 17 Margaret is on track to become Queen of Spain. But after only 6 months of marriage her 19-year-old husband dies. 6 months later Margaret gives birth to their child, a stillborn daughter. She never has another child.  

Margaret spends the year after Juan’s death at Isabella and Ferdinand’s Alhambra Palace in Granada, teaching French to their youngest daughter Catherine of Aragon, future  Queen of England. 

Queen Isabella of Spain is a huge influence on Margaret, who spends two years observing her ruling her kingdom as well as managing her husband Ferdinand, whose kingdom of Aragon is much smaller than Isabella’s kingdom of Castile. 

Margaret and Catherine of Aragon remained lifelong friends. 

At age 19 Margaret leaves Spain and returns to the Low Countries to await her father’s next marriage choice for her. Margaret’s 2nd husband, Philibert, Duke of Savoy, was a childhood friend from Amboise, where he also grew up at the French court with his sister Louise of Savoy. The same age as Margaret, he and she fell madly in love.  

But Philibert was not interested in ruling Savoy and had left it to his illegitimate half brother to manage. Soon after Margaret arrived, she ousted his half brother and took over ruling Savoy herself. Philibert was not a natural-born leader, but an excellent athlete and hunter, very good-looking with a faithful heart. He was happy for Margaret to take the reins and he supported her leadership.  

But at age 24, Philibert went out hunting on a hot day and developed a lung inflammation after drinking ice cold water from a mountain stream. He died 9 days later. Margaret remained in Savoy as Duchess and ruler for two more years, devoting herself to building a church to honor Philibert, and where she intended to be buried with him.  

Margaret’s church at Brou is a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic architecture. It’s a must-see for visitors to the Geneva-Lyon area. Commissioned by her in 1506 it took 26 years to build. Margaret is buried there with her husband Philibert and his mother, Margaret of Bourbon, who was from the same Bourbon or Bourbon dynasty that rules Spain today with King Felipe of Spain at its head. 

The Church and Royal Monastery at Brou is 69 miles west of Geneva and 50 miles north of Lyon. Author of the foreword to my book on Margaret of Austria, Austrian archduke Géza von Habsburg has visited and says that the restaurant in its town square serves the best coq au vin (or chicken in wine sauce) in all of France.

These are the tomb effigies of Philibert and Margaret. Someone has placed a rose on Philibert’s chest, undoubtedly because he was so handsome. 

Margaret designed the placement of Philibert’s effigy so that he appears to be looking at her. 

The standard Renaissance style of the day was to place the lying-in-state effigy on top and the deathbed effigy on the bottom. Their actual tombs are in the crypt below the church nave. Unusually, they were not desecrated during the French Revolution because Brou was so obscurely located that the revolutionaries couldn’t find it. When Margaret’s tomb was opened in the 19th century, her long dark blonde hair was still intact. 

Margaret of Austria and her father Maximilian I both hated the French. Why?  

They had both been jilted by the French, due to the land grab of Charles the Eighth’s powerful older sister, Anne of France, who ruled France as regent while Charles was still a child. 

In 1490 when Anne of Brittany was 13 and ruling Brittany, she was married by proxy to Margaret’s father Maximilian I. But he failed to come to her rescue when France invaded Brittany the next year. Anne never actually met Maximilian. 

Charles, the 21-year-old king of France, was betrothed to Margaret, who was only 11 at that time. But in Dec. of 1491 Charles wed Anne of Brittany in order to acquire Brittany for France.  

Margaret spent the next two years from ages 11-13 in limbo in France, while Charles VIII of France and Maximilian I argued over the return of her dowry.  

Anne of France was one of Europe’s most politically powerful women of the late 15th century. She escorted Margaret of Austria at age 3 from the Low Countries border to the French court in Amboise where Margaret lived for the next 10 years under her guardianship. 

Plans to marry Margaret to the French king changed when Anne of France decided Brittany was a bigger plum for France to acquire than Margaret’s dowry lands on the French/Low Countries border. After eight years of overseeing Margaret’s education Anne of France cast Margaret aside overnight and replaced her with Anne of Brittany as Charles’ wife.  

Margaret never forgave Anne of France or her younger brother Charles for their betrayal. But — the lessons Margaret learned from Anne of France in self-control and political maneuvering honed Margaret’s political skills as governor of the Netherlands and as an important treaty negotiator years later. 

Game of Queens by well-known British historian and author Sarah Gristwood opens with a chapter on Margaret of Austria. I highly recommend Game of Queens to those interested in women who held political power in 16th century Europe.  

Margaret not only ruled the Netherlands but negotiated pan-European treaties on behalf of her father Maximilian, the Holy Roman Emperor, her father-in-law Ferdinand of Aragon, and her nephew, Charles V, King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor.  

Treaty of Cambrai by Francisco Jover y Casanova, 1871 

Margaret’s most important treaty was the 1529 Treaty of Cambrai that she negotiated with her sister-in-law Louise of Savoy. Louise of Savoy was the power behind the throne of her son Francis, King of France. The 1529 Treaty of Cambrai took 2 and a half weeks to negotiate and ended the war between the Holy Roman Empire and France. It is known to history as The Ladies’ Peace. 

Margaret on the left signs on behalf of her nephew, Charles the Fifth, King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor. 

Louise of Savoy on the right signs on behalf of her son, Francis I, King of France.  

In 1529 Charles V and Francis I were Europe’s two most powerful rulers. A close third was Henry VIII of England, but he was still up-and-coming in those days, and England was still a bit of a backwater compared to continental Europe.  

All three of these men were young and ambitious, all ruled by powers behind the throne: Francis by his mother Louise, Henry by his chancellor Cardinal Wolsey, and Charles V by his aunt Margaret.  

Charles V’s title of Holy Roman Emperor was an elected position. He ran against Francis I and Henry VIII for that office and won in 1519, due to Margaret’s gifts, visits, trade incentives, and bribes to the seven German Prince-Electors who voted him into office. 

What was the secret of Margaret’s success? She had strong female mentors. She was mentored by Europe’s most powerful female political leaders of her times, Anne of France, and Isabella of Spain.  

Secondly, Margaret had a devoted support team. She was supported in her political leadership by both her father, Maximilian of Austria, and her 2nd husband, Philibert of Savoy. She brought a team of six counselors with her to the Low Countries in 1507 from Savoy, including her legal counsel and two private secretaries. These men were devoted to her and served at her court for their entire lives. 

The Card Players by Lucas van Leyden, c. 1525, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid 

Another secret to Margaret’s success was that Margaret was a master bluffer both at cards and at the diplomatic negotiating table. She never showed her hand. 

Henry VIII’s chancellor Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is thought to be on the right. You can see how worried he looks, up against master card shark Margaret.  Margaret got a lot of deals done over the gaming table at her evening parties at the Court of Savoy. She was sociable, vivacious, charming, and careful not to let anyone know what she was really thinking. Her evening entertainments functioned in the same way as present-day CEO’s golf outings do where important decisions are made on the golf course.  

This is a painting of Margaret of Austria’s nephew Charles V’s palace in Brussels, to give you an idea of the scope of Burgundian splendor. Coudenberg Palace burned down in 1731. You can tour its ruins today on Coudenberg Hill in the Royal Quarter neighborhood of Brussels in Belgium. 

Without a doubt, I would say that Margaret of Austria was one of the most powerful and influential historical figures of the northern European Renaissance.  

She set the precedent for successful female rule in the Netherlands, a tradition that continues to this day with unbroken female rulership from 1890 to 2013 thru Queens Wilhelmina, Juliana, and Beatrix.  

Discover more of Margaret’s story in my 2023 book on her life, Margaret of Austria, with a foreword by noted historian Susan Abernethy of The Freelance Writer’s blog and European Women in History.  

*

About the author: 

Rozsa Gaston is a historical fiction author who writes books on women who reach for what they want out of life.  

She is the author of Margaret of Austria, 2023 Chaucer Book Awards finalist for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction, the Anne of Brittany Series: Anne and Charles; Anne and Louis, General Fiction Winner of the 2018 Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize; Anne and Louis: Rulers and Lovers; and Anne and Louis Forever Bound, First Place Winner of the 2022 Chaucer Book Award for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction. 

Other works include Sense of Touch, Marguerite and Gaston, and The Least Foolish Woman in France. 

Gaston studied European history at Yale and received her master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia. She worked at Institutional Investor magazine, then as a columnist for The Westchester Guardian.  

She is currently working on a book on Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s court. She lives in Bronxville, New York with her family. 

Gaston can be found online on Facebook, or at her website.

Her motto? History matters. 

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out Now! Women of the Anarchy

Two cousins. On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Coming on 15 June 2024: Heroines of the Tudor World

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. It is is available from King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops or direct from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. 

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS and Rozsa Gaston.

Guest Post: Catherine Carey by Wendy J. Dunn

Sharon Bennett Connolly2 Comments

Today it is an absolute pleasure to welcome author Wendy J. Dunn to History…the Interesting Bits, to talk about her latest book, Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life. Wendy is an award-winning historical novelist but Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life is her first foray into historical non-fiction. It is a fascinating investigation into the life and paternity of Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and … well, that’s the question!

Over to Wendy…

Catherine Carey

There’s a question I am answering a lot since the publication of Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life.

Why did I decide to write a nonfiction book about Catherine Carey?

Well, the answer is a story in itself, and it all began when a commissioning editor for Pen & Sword Books approached me on twitter and asked me if I would be interested in writing a book for them. After spending some time googling her and establishing she was, in fact, who she claimed to be, I asked her to tell me more, and she offered me three projects to select from. One project was about the life and times of Catherine Carey. The teenage Catherine was my point of view character in The Light in the Labyrinth, my second Anne Boleyn novel —so I was well and truly already fascinated by Catherine’s story that pointed to her being the unrecognised daughter of Henry VIII. The opportunity to discover more about her and life was too tempting and too good an opportunity to pass up.

What makes her fascinating?

For me, it is because she is yet another important Tudor woman whose life story should be better known. The fact we know so little about her – even the year of her birth is a mystery —intrigued me.

 Catherine was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second queen. She was born during Mary Boleyn’s marriage to William Carey — a man of good birth but not high in the Tudor hierarchy who closely served Henry VIII in his private chambers. The years put forward for Catherine’s birth are also years when Mary was sexually involved with Henry VIII. 

Henry Carey, Catherine’s brother

We don’t know when or where Catherine was born. A strong possibility is for her birthplace is Chilton Folist, Wiltshire, the place where William Carey was born. Hever Castle is also a possibility, when you consider it was usual for Tudor women to give birth to their children supported by their close women kin, and Mary’s mother and grandmother lived at Hever Castle. As for her birthyear, what little information history provides for us seems to point to early 1524.

William Carey died early in Catherine’s life. Mary Boleyn returned to Hever Castle at this time — and I believe she returned with both her children. Henry, her son, soon left her care as six-year-old and her sister Anne Boleyn took over as his guardian.

As a well born Tudor girl, Catherine would have received her first training from the adult women in her family. Catherine belonged to the Boleyn family — a family that believed in educating their daughters – and that points to Catherine receiving a good education. We also have Elizabeth’s heartfelt ‘Cor Rotto’ letter to her cousin Catherine (and, I believe, also her half-sister) in 1553 that supports this. Elizabeth is writing to someone with intelligence, someone who understood Latin and also mythology.

When Catherine was eight or perhaps ten, Mary married William Stafford for love and ended up in her family’s bad books and cut off financially. A big question lingers over where Mary and William lived after their marriage, but Catherine had reached the age to be ‘put out’ to another household by this stage. I suspect the Boleyn family placed her either in the household of Anne Boleyn, or her Uncle George Boleyn. Anne was already looking after Mary’s son, Henry, so why not her daughter too? That there are many gaps in the household records of this time could explain the non-mention of Catherine’s name as part of either her aunt or uncle’s household.

 There’s no doubt in my mind that Henry VIII sired Catherine. Writing True Daughter has now made me believe the king also was the father of Henry Carey. What evidence do I have to support this? I will share some of what other historians have put forward — as for the evidence I have put forward in True Daughter— well, I am hoping people will buy my book to find out.

First and most powerful bit of evidence is that Mary Boleyn was in a sexual relationship with Henry VIII – something that Henry admitted and also used to annul his marriage with Anne Boleyn just days before her execution. Henry VIII’s involvement with Mary lasted for years – and throughout the years put forward as possible birth years for Catherine Carey.

Even before Catherine’s birth, we are provided with smoke about the possibility of Mary’s pregnancy when the king named one of his ships in Mary’s honour. After Catherine’s birth, William Carey received several grants from Henry VIII – and the money provided from at least one of these grants continued to go to Mary Boleyn after his death.

While Henry VIII lived, it appears he was more than simply an interested bystander in Catherine’s life. Before her marriage, Catherine gained a very sought for position as one of Anne of Cleves’ ‘Maid of honours, despite the fact she was the niece of Anne Boleyn. The Boleyns, by this time, were a family no longer favoured by Henry VIII. When Catherine Carey married Francis Knollys, the king granted them ownership of property in both their names.

What to know more about Catherine’s story?

For that, you need to read ‘Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life’.

About the author:

Wendy J. Dunn is an award-winning Australian writer fascinated by Tudor history – so much so she was not surprised to discover a family connection to the Tudors, not long after the publication of her first Anne Boleyn novel, which narrated the Anne Boleyn story through the eyes of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder. Her family tree reveals the intriguing fact that one of her ancestral families – possibly over three generations – had purchased land from both the Boleyn and Wyatt families to build up their own holdings. It seems very likely Wendy’s ancestors knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally. Wendy is married, the mother of three sons and one daughter—named after a certain Tudor queen, surprisingly, not Anne. She is also the grandmother of two amazing small boys. She gained her PhD in 2014 and loves walking in the footsteps of the historical people she gives voice to in her novels. Wendy also tutors at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out Now! Women of the Anarchy

Two cousins. On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Coming on 15 June 2024: Heroines of the Tudor World

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. It is is available from King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops or direct from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. 

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2024 Wendy J. Dunn and Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS.

Cover Reveal: Heroines of the Tudor World

Sharon Bennett Connolly4 Comments

I am so excited!

It’s finally here!

Heroines of the Tudor World – the long-awaited (well, by me, if no one else) sequel to Heroines of the Medieval World – is now available for pre-order on Amazon in the UK (I will hopefully have a US release date shortly). It will be released in the UK on 15 June 2024.

So, here is the stunning cover, designed by the fabulous cover design team at Amberley Publishing.

And what a cover!

About the book:

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love.

These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. Some famous, some infamous, some less well known, including Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Barton, Catherine de Medici, Bess of Hardwick and Elizabeth I.

From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

To buy the book:

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

About me:

Sharon Bennett Connolly is the best-selling author of several non-fiction history books. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied history academically and just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle. She also writes the popular history blog, http://www.historytheinterestingbits.com and co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval, alongside historical novelist Derek Birks. Sharon regularly gives talks on women’s history. Sharon is a feature writer for All About History and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television’s ‘Who Do You Think You Are?‘

Her previous books include: Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy

*

My Books

Christmas is coming!

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Coming 15 January 2024: Women of the Anarchy

On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Both women are granddaughters of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland and descendants of Alfred the Great of Wessex. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Out now: King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady. Nicholaa de la Haye was the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon.

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2023 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Guest Post: Fabric as Power by Judith Arnopp

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

It is an absolute pleasure to welcome novelist and historian Judith Arnopp to History…the Interesting Bits today. Judith’s new book, How to Dress Like a Tudor, is one I have been excited to get my hands on ever since I heard she was writing it. The Tudors had a special talent for sumptuous gowns and bright, vibrant colours. They knew how to steal the show!

So, here’s Judith to give you a little taster of her research.

The Evolving Tudor Image: fabric as power

We have all become so familiar with royal Tudor images that we no longer really see them. One glance tells us who they are. We think we know them. They exude power, majesty and the iron fist of mastery.

Earlier portraits of the Plantagenet kings, and even the early portraits of Henry VII are very different to that of his son and grandchildren. But it was Henry VII, the first ‘Tudor’ king who began to develop the ‘Tudor’ brand.

The Tudors were the new kids on the block; nobody could foresee what sort of King Henry would make and his popularity depended very much on that of his wife, Elizabeth of York. Yorkist propaganda demeaned his claim to the throne, declaring that his mother’s line was illegitimate; that Lancaster had stolen the crown in 1399.

Henry, realising he needed to reinforce his hold on the country, embellished his family history to create an impressive Tudor dynasty. He stressed the royal connection of his mother, Margaret Beaufort, and her descent from John of Gaunt and, to strengthen his claim further, he legally removed the stigma of bastardy from the family. He reiterated the royal descent of his grandmother, Katherine of Valois and, more surprisingly, claimed descent from the ancient Welsh King Cadwaladr, and King Arthur. To further cement his link to Arthur he named his first-born son in his honour and embellished the round table at Winchester with the Tudor rose.

With the blood of both York and Lancaster flowing in the veins of his two sons and several daughters, the Tudor line looked set to continue but Arthur’s sudden death in 1502 taught Henry that a king can never have too many sons. He lost no time in teaching his remaining son, later to become Henry VIII, the finer points of kingship. He stressed the importance of his role, the unreliability of the fickle populace, and the crucial need for strong male heirs to perpetuate the dynasty. The importance of heirs was a lesson young Henry never forgot, and one he fought hard to achieve for the rest of his life.

The blooming of the Renaissance and the introduction of men like Holbein to the royal court helped to reinforce this new Tudor image and during Henry VIII’s reign new style of royal portraiture began.

I think of them as ‘power portraits’ that were loud declarations of Tudor permanence and dominance.

The one with which we are most familiar was painted by Holbein the younger after 1537, at a time when Henry was at the height of his power. He had freed himself from Anne Boleyn, and the Pope, and Jane Seymour had finally provided the son and heir he’d been craving.

Everything in this portrait is designed to impress and I certainly succeeds; we cannot take our eyes from the breadth of shoulder, the sumptuous quality of his clothes, his immovable stance, the potent codpiece, and the unflinching expression in his eye. The portrait exudes wealth, power and uncompromising control. It is an unspoken challenge.

Edward VI, and Mary I also used art to illustrate their power but it was Elizabeth, arguably the greatest Tudor of them all, who exploited royal portraiture to the full. The queen was very aware of the power of image and iconography. Encouraged by her adviser, John Dee, her portraits became more and more extreme. In every image she is majestic and fabulously dressed, her tiny frame all but

obliterated by satin, velvet, lace and jewels. In looks, Elizabeth resembled her great grandmother, Margaret Beaufort and her grandfather, Henry VII but by nature she was very much like her father.

Elizabeth’s portraits are perfect examples of Renaissance iconography. Every item represents a characteristic, not of the woman within but of the nature of her reign. It is all there; virginity, wisdom, power, world domination, military genius, and the all-seeing eye of queenship.

In The Armada Portrait c.1588 Elizabeth’s femininity is eclipsed by her magnificent clothing. She has so much padding, she appears every bit as broad and powerful as her father.

If Elizabeth’s grandfather and father had coveted England and parts of France, Elizabeth cast her ambitious eye farther – to the New World. Her hand rests on a globe and just in case the viewer should forget who wears it, the crown of England is just above. If you look closely her famously long white fingers are covering the Americas and, behind her are commemorations of the Spanish fleet being driven onto a rocky shore by a storm that became known as the ‘Protestant wind,’ inferring God’s approval in England’s victory over Spain. Elizabeth is proclaiming herself as the saviour of her people; the mother of her expanding empire; a victorious, virgin queen, blessed by God.

These are the things she wanted the world to see and believe. Her private, inner feelings were none of our concern and so they turned their faces into masks – a blank page, devoid of personality yet replete with majesty.

The portraits of the Tudors reveal so much about that far off world. Holbein in particular is invaluable to anyone studying the period. It is solely due to Holbein’s sketches taken at the court that we know exactly what was going on behind the gabled hoods of Catherine of Aragon and Jane Seymour. A particular favourite sketch of mine is of a woman on a settle which shows her sons dressed in replica garments of adult men. His sketches provide a behind the scenes glimpse of life at court, something the formality of the finished portraits don’t convey.

One of the best parts of writing How to dress like a Tudor for Pen and Sword books was the chance to closely examine the court portraits, and the informal sketches of the royal painters and trace the evolving fashions, styles, fabrics of the era. The Tudors were the new icons, monarchs to be worshipped, feared and respected and their portraits a shield, concealing every vestige of human frailty from common view.

How to Dress like a Tudor doesn’t just examine the clothing of royalty but of courtiers, commoners, children, monks and fools.

About the Author:

Judith Arnopp writes historical fiction set during the late medieval and Tudor period. Her usual focus is on the women who lived close to the monarch, women like Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth of York and Mary Tudor but more recently has been writing from the perspective of Henry VIII himself. Her books are on Kindle, Audible and Paperback. You can find her fiction books here: http://author.to/juditharnoppbooks

She also writes non-fiction, her work featuring in many anthologies and online magazines. Her latest non-fiction, How to Dress like a Tudor published by Pen & Sword Books is available now. http://mybook.to/howtodress

Judith is a founder member of a reenactment group The Fyne Company of Cambria, and began making Tudor costumes for herself, her husband, John, and other members of the group. It was this that inspired How to Dress like a Tudor and she hopes to write more non-fiction Tudor history in the future. You can find Judith on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, Goodreads, Bluesky, Instagram, webpage

Illustrations

Eliz I The Armada Portrait Wikimedia commons [[File:Elizabeth I (Armada Portrait).jpg|Elizabeth I (Armada Portrait)]]

Henry VIII After Hans Holbein the Younger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Edward VI Attributed to William Scrots (active 1537-1553) [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

*

My Books

Christmas is coming!

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Coming 15 January 2024: Women of the Anarchy

On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Both women are granddaughters of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland and descendants of Alfred the Great of Wessex. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Out now: King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady. Nicholaa de la Haye was the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon.

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2023 Judith Arnopp and Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Book Corner: Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots by April Taylor

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots tells the story of the enactment of law and its penalties from Henry VII to Elizabeth I.

The sixteenth century was remarkable in many ways. In England, it was the century of the Tudor Dynasty. It heralded the Reformation, William Shakespeare, the first appearance of bottled beer in London pubs, Sir Francis Drake, and the Renaissance. Oh, and the Spanish Armadas―all five of them! Yes, five armadas and all failures.

It was a watershed century for crime and punishment. Henry VII’s paranoia about the loyalty of the nobility led to military-trained vagrants causing mayhem and murder. Henry VIII’s Reformation meant executions of those refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy. State-controlled religion―summed up through the five reigns as Roman Catholic; Anglo-Catholic; Protestant; Roman Catholic, and Sort of Protestant but I don’t mind so long as you swear the Oath of Supremacy―became an increasingly complex, not to say confusing, issue for ordinary people.

Although primary sources are rare and sometimes incomplete, the life of criminals and the punishments meted out to them still fascinates.

Read about: John Daniell and how he tried to blackmail the Earl of Essex. The Stafford insurrection of 1486, the first serious opposition to the new king. The activities of con-man extraordinaire, Gregory Wisdom, and many more.

Crime and punishment didn’t start with the Tudors and this book summarises judicial practices built on tradition from the Roman occupation. It covers often gory details―what happens to the body when it is beheaded, burned, boiled, or hanged?

Arranged in alphabetical order of crimes, it recounts tales of blackmail, infanticide, kidnapping, heresy, and sumptuary laws. Told with occasional low-key humour, the book also includes Tavern Talk, snippets of quirky information.

Dip into it at your pleasure.

I have to admit, Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots by April Taylor is one of the best non-fiction books I have had the pleasure of reading this year. I have always had a fascination for the law – I was even considering it as a career at one stage, until I realised I couldn’t stand the 9 to 5 lifestyle. Give me shift work and odd hours any day! So, I have been looking forward to this book ever since I heard April was writing it.

Opening with a fabulous history of the development of England’s legal system, Crime and Punishment in Tudor England explains not only the crimes committed, but also the various legal processes under different monarchs and at different social levels. Every crime imaginable is covered, from infanticide to treason. And so are the punishments and the reasons behind them; and how often such punishments were intended to fit the crime – or to shame the perpetrator. Every part of the criminal justice system is analysed, from religious offenders to witchcraft, from capital punishment to torture, prison condition and labour camps. Crime and Punishment in Tudor England also looks into the influences on crime, such as the impact of economic and social conditions, in a century of religious and political upheaval throughout Europe.

I do have to warn you: this book is not to be read while eating, unless you have a strong stomach. April Taylor includes descriptions of the various methods of execution, including beheading, hanging, burning and the particularly gruesome method of boiling alive!

Boiling to Death

Boiling to death was not often used in Tudor England to be fair, although it was the designated punishment for coiners on the continent. The method is self-explanatory. The offender would be put into a large container which might be filled with water, oil, molten lead, wax or sometimes wine, heated to boiling point.

The most famous victim was Richard Roose, cook to the Bishop of Rochester, John Fisher. It was established that Roose had decided to poison his master and guests by serving them pottage for dinner. Fisher was known to be abstemious and did not partake of the pottage, and nobody can blame him since it sounds less than appetising.

Pottage was a kind of thick porridge that peasants relied on for centuries as a staple food. For them, it would consist of grains and vegetables, boiled in a pot and often kept simmering for hours or days to make sure it was safe to eat. If rich households ate it, often meat or fish was added, but if you can imagine a kind of hearty soup full of heaven knows what that has been boiled to extinction, you have an idea of what pottage was like.

This case became something of a political ‘hot potato’(even though nobody had yet encountered one in 1531 in England). Sixteen of Fisher’s guests became ill, one of them, a man called Curwen, died. The rest of the poisoned pottage was given to the poor, at which point Alice Trypptt also died from eating it.

Bishop Fisher had been Margaret Beaufort’s confessor and it was he who had taught the young Henry VIII the tenets of theology. However, and here is the political bit, at the time Roose conducted his ‘jest’, thinking the powder he had put in the pottage was a laxative that would make his fellow servants ill, Bishop Fisher was a vocal opponent of Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn. Moreover, there were rumours that the Boleyn family had engineered the poisoning. Obviously they all liked pottage.

The Spanish ambassador, Chapuys, and Thomas More, neither of whom were sympathetic to Anne, told Henry of the rumours accusing her, to which Henry is alleged to have answered that she was blamed for everything.

Henry decided he must act with speed to make sure any such rumour was quashed and that neither his beloved’s character nor her family were sullied (a bit of a non-starter since she was already known as the ‘goggleeyed whore’ by the majority of the population who adored Katherine of Aragon).

Back to Henry. He immediately told Parliament he wanted a bill passing that any servant found guilty of poisoning or attempting to poison their master or mistress should be attainted for high treason and executed.

Henry was quite clever in some ways. Because he made the crime one of high treason, it meant there was no need for prior judicial process or a jury to determine the guilt or otherwise of the defendant. This was not to be the first time Henry dispensed justice with the tenets of common law.

While some of the more sensational and high profile cases are discussed – such as Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard – April also introduces cases far less familiar to the reader. Encompassing murder, fraud, blackmail and all manner of crimes, April Taylor presents a fascinating insight into Tudor crimes, ably supported by actual – and fascinating – case studies. Theses case studies not only demonstrate the nature of crimes and their punishment, but also the changing attitudes to crime, and the shifting emphasis on punishments, from the dawn of the Tudor period to the royal dynasty’s demise in 1603.

Crime and Punishment in Tudor England also highlights various miscarriages of justice, including where officials accused innocent victims with the aim of appropriating their goods and property. There are some truly harrowing tales, such as the youngest felon executed in the Tudor era – a girl of the tender age of 11 – and the general treatment of children who fell foul of the criminal justice system. It makes you happy to be living in the 21st century!

April Taylor has managed to cram so much information into Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots it really is an impressive tome. It is thorough and well referenced and is written in a lively, entertaining writing style, with a fair amount of wit thrown in for good measure.

I cannot recommend it highly enough. Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots is a pleasure to read!

To buy the book:

Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots by April Taylor is now available from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books.

About the author:

April Taylor was born in the historic county of Lincolnshire in the UK. Having caught the history bug from a young age, April has always been fascinated by the physical manifestation of times past in particularly the Tudor period. This interest deepened when she discovered one of the most important events of Henry VIII’s reign, the Lincolnshire Rebellion that led to the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, started eight miles from where April was born. April has always ensured her research is as meticulous as possible. During her study of the Tudors for her fictional Luke Ballard books, April was intrigued by frequent references to Henry VIII’s charisma. Choosing a career in librarianship, April honed her research skills but always leant towards the history of the area in which she lived. This led to numerous talks to schools and local groups, especially in Worcester, yet another place of historic importance in the UK. April Taylor now lives near the rugged coast of north-east England in close proximity to one of the priories that fell victim to Henry VIII’s Reformation. She frequently walks her golden retriever in local forests using that time to work through complicated plotlines. She sings in the medieval church and occupies her down-time dressmaking and cross-stitching.

My Books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out now: King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers, gaining prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon.

Coming 15 January 2024: Women of the Anarchy

On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Both women are granddaughters of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland and descendants of Alfred the Great of Wessex. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and  Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

©2023 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Book Corner: The Tudors by Numbers by Carol Ann Lloyd

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

The Tudors by Numbers is a fresh look at a well-known dynasty ― through its numbers. Take a new look at old friends by learning the complicated path to 1 possible king symbolized by 1 rose, viewing the extraordinary 42 percent of the dynasty under the rule of 2 women, and considering the impact of 4 English language translations of the Bible printed in England. The Tudors by Numbers takes you behind the scenes through a different path and reveals new ways of seeing the Tudors.

The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty by Carol Ann Lloyd is a new way of looking at the Tudors, giving a refreshing insight into the family and the 16th century.

When you think about ‘numbers’ as they relate to the Tudor dynasty, I am sure the first thig that comes to mind is ‘Henry VIII had six wives’ and I have to admit, that’s exactly where I went as soon as I saw the title of the book. I expected Carol Ann to dwell on Henry and his wives and, perhaps, add a few more numbers in the mix to flesh out the book. I actually thought there was not much breadth to looking at numbers with regard to the Tudors.

How wrong I was!

Carol Ann Lloyd presents the Tudors in a whole new light, looking at where numbers played a prominent role in England’s most famous dynasty.

It is illuminating!

The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty by Carol Ann Lloyd is a fun, engaging volume that will make you look at the Tudors in a different light. Written in short, easy to absorb chapters, the author guides the reader through the the Tudor era, highlighting where numbers had a significant influence on the dynasty, not just in the number of wives of Henry VII or the number of ruling queens, and not just in the years.

Did Henry VII really end the Wars of the Roses by marrying Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, and creating the Tudor dynasty?

Let’s find out. Let’s roll the numbers!

The Story of a Rose by the Numbers

The numbers tell us that the path to one single rose and the establishment of the Tudor dynasty was a long and treacherous road made up of many complications. The numbers tell us the real story of the beginning of the Tudor Dynasty. The most important number in Henry   VII’s narrative is one. He based his claim and the establishment of his dynasty on there being:

•one heir to the Lancastrian claim to the throne: Henry himself

•one heir to the Yorkist claim to the throne: Elizabeth of York

•one marriage that united those two claimants

•one option for king, based on the above.

So, the question of who should be rightful king of England, which had rocked the country since 1399 when Richard II had been deposed, all came down to one man in 1485: Henry Tudor. Henry needed to tell his story. He decided to do so with red and white roses.

The white rose had a long history with Edward IV. It’s found on his manuscripts and features prominently in his genealogical roll, which was probably created to celebrate his coronation as King of England. After all, he had not inherited the throne from a royal father; instead, he had seized it from an anointed king in battle. To demonstrate the superiority of his family claim to the throne, his supporters created an elaborate genealogical roll filled with symbols to validate his divine right to the throne: three suns representing the holy trinity and white roses. Perpetuating the story that Elizabeth’s two brothers had died during the reign of Richard III, Henry recognised Elizabeth as the heir to the Yorkist claim. He seized on the white rose and passed the symbol on to Edward’s eldest daughter.

The red rose proved a trickier A few previous Lancastrians had used a gold rose, but not consistently. Henry Tudor’s Lancastrian predecessor, Henry VI, had used the antelope. Henry Tudor himself had initially used the symbol of the red dragon of Wales, associating himself with the mythical British King Cadwalladr. We don’t see any evidence of Henry using the red rose before Bosworth. But once he was king, he realised the power of symbolism and settled upon something that would allow him to put his stamp on the country forever. It was a masterstroke. The combination of the red and white rose was powerful in its simplicity and effective in its message. The king then went about carving that rose into buildings, emblazoning it on royal documents, and including it in portraits.

The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty by Carol Ann Lloyd is a must-read for any Tudor enthusiast. All the great characters of the time are put in the spotlight, from the kings and queens to those who served them, from the likes of William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth’s right-hand man, to Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, men whose careers helped to usher in the Reformation and the foundation of the Church of England. As a consequence of which, Edward VI – that much desired male heir – was the first king of England to be crowned as the supreme head of the Church of England.

Every aspect of the Tudor dynasty is examined – and the numbers rolled. If you love the story of Mary Queen of Scots, Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon, you will find them here – presented in a new light.

Carol Ann Lloyd delves deep into the history of the time and uses her incredible knowledge of the dynasty in order to give the reader a fascinating insight into the Tudors. A study of the numbers highlights the great events of the period, from the dawn of the dynasty, through the pretenders who threatened Henry VII’s rule, Henry VIII’s obsession with having a male heir, to the great Elizabeth I and the twilight of the era.

The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty by Carol Ann Lloyd is an enjoyable read and a valuable edition to the library of any Tudor enthusiast. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

To buy the book:

The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty by Carol Ann Lloyd is now available on Amazon.

About the author:

Carol Ann Lloyd turned an obsession with the Tudors into a speaking and writing career. She shares her love of history with Smithsonian Associates, Royal Oak Foundation, Agecroft Hall, Folger Shakespeare Library and other organizations. She holds degrees in Literature and Education and hosts a popular podcast, British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics. She also offers workshops about using Shakespeare strategies to improve communication skills and is a member of National Speakers Association.

My Books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out now: King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers, gaining prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon.

Coming 15 January 2024: Women of the Anarchy

On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Both women are granddaughters of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland and descendants of Alfred the Great of Wessex. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and  Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

©2023 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Guest Post: Children of the House of Cleves by Heather R Darsie

Sharon Bennett Connolly1 Comment

Today it is an honour and pleasure to open the blog tour for Heather R. Darsie’s latest book, Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings. You may remember that Heather wrote a fabulous biography of Anna of Cleves, Henry VIII’s fourth wife, a few years back. She has now followed that up with a look into Anna’s family.

Mental Illness in the House of Cleves

By Heather R. Darsie, J.D.

The von der Mark family, particularly once it came to the mental health of Anna of Cleves’ fraternal nephew Johann Wilhelm, was marred with mental health issues. Unfortunately, it is impossible to diagnose individuals from hundreds of years ago with afflictions that the modern person would recognize. To that end, terms from the time are rather simplistic.

Anna of Cleves’ family did not appear to have any serious mental health concerns on her father Johann III’s side, although Johann was regarded as being simple-minded. Madness featured on the maternal, Jülich-Berg side of Anna’s family. Her mother Maria of Jülich-Berg’s paternal grandfather, Gerhard of Jülich-Berg. He, “fell in and out of madness, beginning when William was still an infant…” That eventually led to William’s regency on the late 15th century, until Gerhard died.

William’s daughter Maria, mother of Anna and her siblings, was said to have died in a fit of rage. She was recognized as an intelligent, capable woman in her lifetime. Beyond her heartbroken rage at the end of her life, there is nothing to hint that Gerhard’s mental instability was passed down to Maria.

Anna’s brother Wilhelm is difficult to discern. After a series of strokes in his forties and fifties, Wilhelm occasionally suffered from a mental stupor. Whether it was from the strokes or a mental disorder is hard to sort. However, whatever his post-stroke limitations, a regency was never necessary during Wilhelm’s long reign as Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.

Anna’s second sister-in-law through Wilhelm, Maria von Habsburg, was prone to fits of melancholy. Sometimes, the fits, or what the modern person might suspect to be depression, could be quite intense. She was one of Juana the Mad’s granddaughters, after all.

With the exception of perhaps Gerhard of Jülich-Berg, no one in the family was quite as mad as Anna’s nephew, Johann Wilhelm of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. Johann Wilhelm’s peculiar disposition began presenting itself in his youth, although it was easy enough to put him away in a religious establishment. Unfortunately, by the time he became a young man, there was no hiding his infirmity.

Again, there are really only glimpses of what ailed Johann Wilhelm. At times, he seemed to have entered an almost catatonic state. At other times, he seemed perfectly lucid, but was highly paranoid.

As the decades rolled on and Anna’s brother Wilhelm sought method after method of treating Johann Wilhelm, nothing worked. Multiple doctors saw him, including a known quack. Even witches were consulted in hopes of curing Johann Wilhelm, but nothing worked. On top of Johann Wilhelm’s mental illness, he failed to conceive any children.

Likely motivated by her own desperation for a child, Johann Wilhelm’s wife arranged an exorcism for him,

“The exorcism, which began around 5 September 1599, was violent, but started off harmlessly enough. Johann Wilhelm and members of his court were at Hambach Castle [near the city of Jülich], then being used by the duke as a hunting lodge. Foreign priests … and their religious retinue awaited Johann Wilhelm and his company as they returned from a hunting excursion. The priests gathered in Hambach Castle’s galleries to greet Johann Wilhelm, who was immediately apprehensive when he saw them. According to the report, Johann Wilhelm behaved strangely toward them because, “he was able to think or suspect without a doubt that the priests or monks are not being called for in vain, but are called to the place for the sake of the cause” of exorcising him.

Aside from dispossessing Johann Wilhelm of whatever demon was harassing him, the monks and priests wished to remove any impediment to Johann Wilhelm’s marriage bed…. The hope was that God would make them fruitful. Johann Wilhelm was keenly aware that the United Duchies needed an heir, especially since his first marriage was childless.”

What follows is a curious description of the efforts to which the priests went in cleansing Johann Wilhelm of the demon or demons whom they believed were vexing him. It was a shameful event.

If this excerpt piqued your interest, consider reading Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings, set for release in the UK on 15 June 2023 and in the US/Internationally on 12 September 2023. Can’t wait until September? The US Kindle version is released on 15 June, too! You might also like to read Heather R. Darsie’s biography on Anna of Cleves, the first researched and written from the German perspective, Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister.

Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings is available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon in the UK and US

About the Author:

Heather R. Darsie is an independent researcher in the US specializing in early modern history. She focuses on researching the Holy Roman Empire and England in the early 16th century. She is the author of ‘Anna, Duchess of Cleves’ and ‘Catherine of Aragon – Spanish Princess’. Her primary career is as an attorney. She runs the website MaidensAndManuscripts.com.

Sources & Suggested Reading

1. Darsie, Heather R. Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings. Stroud: Amberley (2023).

2. Darsie, Heather R. Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister. Stroud: Amberley (2019).

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

Out Now!

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available for pre-order from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon UK. (I will hopefully have a US release date shortly)

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully.’ Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.

A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

Coming 15 January 2024: Women of the Anarchy

On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Both women are granddaughters of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland and descendants of Alfred the Great of Wessex. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by me:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and  Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

*

Podcast:

Have a listen to my A Slice of Medieval podcast:

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2023 Heather R. Darsie and Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Guest Post: Researching the Elizabethan Court, by Tony Riches

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today, it is an absolute pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow author Tony Riches to History…the Interesting Bits to talk about the research behind his latest book Penelope – Tudor Baroness, the fourth book in his Elizabethan series.

Researching the Elizabethan Court, by Tony Riches

I’ve spent the past five years immersed in the strange world of the court of Queen Elizabeth I researching my Elizabethan series. I wanted to keep the books as historically accurate and consistent as possible. My favourite source is Marion E. Colthorpe’s fascinating website, ‘The Elizabethan Court Day by Day’. This is the result of her decades of research, and includes details of other useful sources.

Penelope and her sister Dorothy (Wikimedia Commons)

To show the many complex facets of the last Tudor queen, I decided the first three books of the series would see her through the eyes of three of her favourites, Drake, Essex, and Raleigh – each of whom knew a different side of their queen. Drake was in awe of her, and showered her with (looted) jewels, Essex was like the son she never had, and Raleigh was the captain of her guard.

These are to be followed by books about three of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies. Less well known, they all had close contact with her, a certain amount of influence with her advisors, and the opportunity to see behind the queen’s carefully contrived façade.

I chose the life of Lady Penelope Devereux as the fourth book in Elizabethan series. Penelope’s great-grandmother was Queen Elizabeth I’s aunt, Mary Boleyn. Her father was Sir Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, and her mother was Lady Lettice Knollys, banished from court for her secret marriage to the queen’s great favourite, Sir Robert Dudley.

A famous beauty, Penelope was well educated, an accomplished dancer and musician. Fluent in Italian, French and Spanish. Penelope became a prominent figure in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. She was also involved in political intrigue, influencing the succession and her brother’s ill-fated Essex rebellion.

A measure of the challenges in researching Elizabethan ladies is the range and number of primary sources, such as letters. When I researched Penelope’s brother Robert for my book Essex – Tudor Rebel, I had Walter Bourchier Devereux’s ‘Lives and Letters of the Devereux, Earls of Essex’ – a two volume collection of his letters and papers, complete with detailed analysis and context.

Baron Robert Rich (Wikimedia Commons)

In Penelope’s case, I managed to track down only twenty-seven letters in English, six in French and seven letters in Spanish. Interestingly, many use code words or are deliberately obscure, although analysis of them all reveal an invaluable sense of Penelope’s character, and how she related to others.

I began my research expecting Penelope to have been greatly disadvantaged by her mother’s banishment from court, yet she became a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth until her stepfather, Sir Robert Dudley arranged her marriage to Baron Rich. (An unlikely choice of husband for her, he was the grandson of Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell’s right hand man in the Dissolution of the monasteries.)

Another surprise was the inconsistent records of Penelope’s many children. Some biographers have them in the wrong order and others omit some entirely. The situation is not helped by the question of who their fathers were, and several premature or stillbirths with no baptism. My solution was to create my own list from the best information I could find, (and I updated her Wikipedia page accordingly.)

To avoid too many spoilers, I shall not say here what I made of her brother accusing Penelope of encouraging his rebellion, or her relationship with Queen Elizabeth after he was executed for treason. Her story does take readers past the end of the Tudors with the death of Elizabeth, and how she became a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Anne.

Lord Byron’s saying ‘Tis strange — but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction; if it could be told.’ is proven right by my research. Although historical fiction, I have only had to ‘fill in the gaps’, and believe my new book is therefore one of the most comprehensive accounts of Penelope’s amazing story.

Tony Riches

About the book:

Penelope – Tudor Baroness (Book Four of The Elizabethan Series)

Penelope’s life is full of love and scandal. The inspiration for Sir Philip Sidney’s sonnet Astrophel and Stella, she is inevitably caught up in her brother Robert’s fateful rebellion.

A complex and fascinating woman, her life is a story of love, betrayal, and tragedy. Discover how Penelope charms her way out of serious charges of treason, adultery, and forgery, and becomes one of the last truly great ladies of the Tudor court.

A maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth, Penelope outlives the end of the Tudors with the death of the old queen and the arrival of King James, becoming a favourite lady-in-waiting to the new queen, Anne of Denmark.

“This is the story of a woman who lived life on her own terms, and one that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.”

To Buy the Book:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C78KDRK3

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C78KDRK3

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0C78KDRK3

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0C78KDRK3

About the Author:

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of Tudor historical fiction. He lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the lives of the early Tudors. As well as his new Elizabethan series, Tony’s historical fiction novels include the best-selling Tudor trilogy and his Brandon trilogy, (about Charles Brandon and his wives). For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches.

Find Tony at: Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tony-Riches/e/B006UZWOXA Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Riches/e/B006UZWOXA Website: https://www.tonyriches.com/ Writing blog: https://tonyriches.blogspot.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyriches Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyriches.author/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonyriches.author Podcasts: https://tonyriches.podbean.com/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5604088.Tony_Riches

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available for pre-order from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon UK. (I will hopefully have a US release date shortly)

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully.’ Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.

A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

Also by me:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and  Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

*

Podcast:

Have a listen to my A Slice of Medieval podcast

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

*

©2023 Tony Riches and Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Guest Post: “How we made an award winning short film about Henry VIII”

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

“How we made an award winning short film about Henry VIII”

Part of a blog series about ‘I am Henry,’ the new novel and award-winning short film of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, by Jan Hendrik Verstaten & Massimo Barbato.

When I set out to write a screenplay for a short film, it wasn’t my plan for it to be about the infamous Tudor monarch. All I envisioned was a middle-aged man in an empty white room.

While I sat down behind the computer, I felt a man’s presence. He seemed eager to engage with me even though he did not say a word, but just stood there in silence. I wondered if this was Henry VIII who had just died, and who had not fully grasped, yet, what that meant.

“I never set out to write about Henry VIII”

I was not convinced I wanted to write his story, and the approach to use a historic character, and certainly one that is so prominent in the history of England, was quite daunting to be honest. I am Dutch, and I doubted very much if I could do it. One thing that did interest me was his tragic relationship with Anne Boleyn, his second wife. This could possibly be the focus of the story, and I decided I wanted to know more about it.

Interesting coincidences occurred during the writing process

I started with Henry’s love letters to Anne. After that I read the account of Master Kingston about Anne’s tragic final visit to the Tower, and her execution. I also watched several documentaries and searched the internet for anything I could find about them.

Apart from this, my main method of preparation remained how I ‘sensed’ him, Anne Boleyn and later also Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. I tried as much as possible to allow them to be themselves. This led to interesting coincidences. For instance, I was not aware Catherine had written a letter in which she claimed that her ‘dead’ children were with her. A fact that I sensed and used in the film, only to discover afterwards, from a Tudor expert, that she had mentioned this herself in real life.

The script went through several drafts and Massimo was the very first person who gave his feedback. At the time, I also worked with script editor and author Lucy Hay who I respect a lot. Her feedback surprised me. “At its heart, the story of ‘I Am Henry’ is quite brilliant (in the truest sense of the word); it’s easily one of the best stories in a short film I have seen for a very long time.” Obviously, this gave me the confidence that I was on the right track with the subject.

The challenges of ‘production’

Massimo and I then started to work on the production of the film itself. The first person who came on board was the very talented cinematographer Simon Rowling. He suggested that we film a couple of the scenes in the massive crypt underneath St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Paddington, north London. We ended up filming the entire film on location at the church, as it had everything we were looking for. The crypt with its Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass windows was used in the film ‘Les Misérables.’

Costumes are expensive. Even so, we were committed to be historically accurate, and were very lucky with Kristen Ernst Brown, our costume designer. She won Best Costume for I Am Henry, and succeeded without a lot of money to create a beautiful and authentic look, using black and gold as her main colour palette. This complemented the cinematography by Simon Rowling, which was inspired by Rembrandt, the great Dutch master painter.

The film won many awards which encouraged us to write the novel

In the UK we are fortunate with so many accomplished actors. The cast was absolutely phenomenal. Especially Fleur Keith as Anne Boleyn and Maria de Lima as Catherine of Aragon, but also Sebastian Street as Henry VIII.

‘I am Henry’ went on to win many awards ( in every category) including a Gold Remi, and received great reviews. The longest and one of our most favourite one is from Claire Ridgeway from the Anne Boleyn Files: https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/i-am-henry-review/

Thousands of viewers have enjoyed the film, which encouraged us to write the novel. The film is still available on Amazon Prime.

‘I am Henry‘ is an innovative retelling of the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Due for release in paperback and e-book format by MadeGlobal Publishing, in April 2023. For more information about the novel and the short film go to linktr.ee/iamhenryfilmandnovel

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

Coming 30 May 2023!

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available for pre-order as a hardback and Kindle from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon (UK and US).

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully’. Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.

A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and  Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

*

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

©2023 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

Book Corner: The Gentlewoman Spy by Adele Jordan

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

What happens when the spymaster’s right-hand man turns out to be a woman…?

1584, London

Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the Tudor Queen Elizabeth has trained Kit Scarlett since she was a girl. Aware that she is able to infiltrate places that his male agents cannot, he sees her as an invaluable member of his team.

When Walsingham discovers that a rebel alliance is planning to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and put Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne, he summons Kit immediately.

Together with loyal Scottish agent Iomhar Blackwood, Kit is tasked with finding out the full details of the treasonous plot.

Both used to working alone, Kit and Iomhar struggle to get along, but they must come together if they are to have any chance of stopping the deadly conspiracy against the queen.

Can Kit secure her place in a man’s world? Will she save Queen Elizabeth?

Or will her daring ultimately be her downfall…?

THE GENTLEWOMAN SPY is the first book in the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries Series. It is a thrilling historical espionage adventure set in Elizabethan London with a feisty female lead.

What a fabulously entertaining adventure!

The Gentlewoman Spy by Adele Jordan follows a young woman, Kit Scarlett, as she attempts to uncover the secrets of Queen Elizabeth I’s enemies. Kit has been raised – and trained – by Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, to become a talented young agent with the ability to decrypt most cyphers. Forced to work with a partner, Iomahar, the story follows both their investigation and the burgeoning friendship between the two agents.

The Gentlewoman Spy is a lively, clever story set against the background of Mary Queen of Scots imprisonment and the plots associated with her, both the free the captive queen and to assassinate Elizabeth. The plot has several twists and turns at the most unexpected moments. And the two leading characters are not without their secrets, which adds to the mystery.

Kit launched for the figure. Without hesitation she reached up and wrapped one arm around his neck, with the other hand holding the dagger, she placed the tip at the top of his throat. It was the perfect threat, and her intruder fell still, his chin tilted up for if he moved at all, the blade could pierce him.

“Do not move,” she ordered.

“Ye’ve already wounded me once this week, do ye really have to do it again?” Iomhar’s distinctive deep voice rang out.

Startled, she released him, watching as he stumbled away from her, into the streams of light from teh windows above.

“You broke in,” Kit accused, gesturing to her door.

“Not exactly.” With a hand on his throat, he rubbed the sore spot she had created. “There was nay answer when I knocked so I found a way to open the door.”

“That’s called breaking in,” she warned, still holding the dagger out in his direction.

“Please do not use that again,” he said tartly, pulling back the sleeve of his doublet to reveal a bandage on his forearm. “Once was enough.”

“I had to find a way to make you release me back in Edinburgh, it was the simplest way.” She placed the dagger back into her belt. “You shouldn’t go sneaking around other people’s lodgings if you don’t want to get hurt.”

“This is where ye live?” he asked, looking around.

“Yes, why?” She followed him as he began to examine the place.

“Hmm…”

Kit Scarlett is a refreshing change in historical fiction detective stories. A wonderful, unique character, young Kit prefers the freedoms afforded by boys’ clothing, rather than the bulky cumbersome, dresses women have to wear. She is clever, brave and highly entertaining. Her mysterious origins are a theme, I’m sure, that will run through the series. I can’t wait to discover who she really is. Iomhar, her partner and a Scot, has his own secrets – and his own reasons for working working with Walsingham against his fellow countrymen. It all adds to the drama.

Adele Jordan takes the reader on a journey of discovery, through the dark streets of Tudor London and into the fashionable townhouses of the nobility, weaving a story of mystery and intrigue that draws the reader in from the very start.

The action and plot twists will keep you gripped!

The Gentlewoman Spy by Adele Jordan is now available on kindle and in paperback from Amazon.

About the author:

Adele Jordan is a writer with a fascination for history. Her focus is fiction in the Tudor era, telling the stories of women and adventure. Whether it’s inspired by true events or created purely from imagination, she desires to write stories from this captivating era that haven’t been written before of those on the edges of society, the paupers, the spies, the workers and those who have not had a voice.

Adele studied English at the University of Exeter before moving into an eclectic career of publishing and marketing. Having worked with the National Trust’s photography department for two years, Adele travelled the country to visit the landscapes and historical places that have carved England and Wales’ heritage. When Covid struck, the job disappeared overnight, and Adele committed her time to ghost writing and authoring her own stories, returning to her childhood dream job. Since then, she has had over twenty successful books published as a ghost writer and hopes to turn that success into stories now written in her own name.

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

Coming 30 May 2023!

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is now available for pre-order from Amazon UK and Pen and Sword Books. (I will hopefully have a US release date shortly)

In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully’. Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.

A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, Bookshop.org and from Book Depository worldwide.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, Bookshop.org and from Book Depository worldwide.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

*

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

©2023 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS