Videos
Tudor Quiz - 75 THOUSAND Youtube Subscribers - Play Along!
There's a quick-fire round of two minutes where I have to answer as many questions correctly as I can, and then a slightly more leisurely round where I get some bonus questions.
Let me know how many questions you got right by playing along now...
THANK YOU to every single one of my subscribers, I really appreciate your support and I read every comment you leave.
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You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Tudor Quiz - 75 THOUSAND Youtube Subscribers - Play Along!
I can't believe that I've got over 75,000 subscribers on my YouTube ...
I can't believe that I've got over 75,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel, and to celebrate it, my lovely husband, Tim, put together a "mastermind" style expert round quiz to ...test my knowledge on the the Boleyn family.
There's a quick-fire round of two minutes where I have to answer as many questions correctly as I can, and then a slightly more leisurely round where I get some bonus questions.
Let me know how many questions you got right by playing along now...
THANK YOU to every single one of my subscribers, I really appreciate your support and I read every comment you leave.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
There's a quick-fire round of two minutes where I have to answer as many questions correctly as I can, and then a slightly more leisurely round where I get some bonus questions.
Let me know how many questions you got right by playing along now...
THANK YOU to every single one of my subscribers, I really appreciate your support and I read every comment you leave.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Was Henry VIII Really Protestant?
The Truth About His Faith and the English Reformation He broke from ...
The Truth About His Faith and the English Reformation
He broke from Rome. He dissolved the monasteries. He declared himself Supreme Head of the Church in England…
So that makes Henry VIII ...Protestant, right?
Not quite.
In this video, we explore:
Why Henry VIII broke with the Pope (spoiler: it wasn’t about theology)
His 1521 book defending the Catholic sacraments against Martin Luther
The Act of Supremacy and what it really meant
The Six Articles and the continued persecution of Protestants
What changed under Henry—and what stayed Catholic
The king’s final days and the beliefs he clung to on his deathbed
Tell me in the comments:
Do you think Henry ever intended to spark a Reformation?
Or was it all about control?
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell for more daily Tudor history from the Anne Boleyn Files.
Watch next:
July 30 - Reformers and Catholics executed on the same day - https://youtu.be/ZUvIWF51n_Q
#HenryVIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #EnglishReformation #WasHenryVIIIProtestant #ClaireRidgway #OnThisDay #TudorChurch #CatholicWithoutThePope #HistoryDebunked
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
He broke from Rome. He dissolved the monasteries. He declared himself Supreme Head of the Church in England…
So that makes Henry VIII ...Protestant, right?
Not quite.
In this video, we explore:
Why Henry VIII broke with the Pope (spoiler: it wasn’t about theology)
His 1521 book defending the Catholic sacraments against Martin Luther
The Act of Supremacy and what it really meant
The Six Articles and the continued persecution of Protestants
What changed under Henry—and what stayed Catholic
The king’s final days and the beliefs he clung to on his deathbed
Tell me in the comments:
Do you think Henry ever intended to spark a Reformation?
Or was it all about control?
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell for more daily Tudor history from the Anne Boleyn Files.
Watch next:
July 30 - Reformers and Catholics executed on the same day - https://youtu.be/ZUvIWF51n_Q
#HenryVIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #EnglishReformation #WasHenryVIIIProtestant #ClaireRidgway #OnThisDay #TudorChurch #CatholicWithoutThePope #HistoryDebunked
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Who was Marten Micron?
We rarely hear about Marten Micron, a young Dutch pastor who came to ...
We rarely hear about Marten Micron, a young Dutch pastor who came to London as a refugee, and helped organise one of the most radical experiments of Edward VI’s reign: ...the Stranger Church at Austin Friars.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s video I’ll be sharing the remarkable story of Marten Micron: his ministry among London’s refugees, his influential writings on church order and catechism, his exile under Mary I, and his enduring legacy in the Reformation.
In this episode:
- Who Marten Micron was and how he came to London.
- Why the Stranger Churches were so significant in Edward VI’s England.
- Micron’s role in shaping worship, discipline, and teaching.
- His exile, death, and why his writings still mattered across Europe.
Join me as we uncover the story of a reformer too often forgotten, yet whose influence rippled far beyond Tudor England.
What do you think—should Marten Micron be remembered alongside figures like Cranmer and Calvin? Tell me in the comments!
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell so you don’t miss more daily deep dives into Tudor and Reformation history.
And if you’d like even more Tudor content—including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle—consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
#TudorHistory #Reformation #MartenMicron #StrangerChurch #ClaireRidgway
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s video I’ll be sharing the remarkable story of Marten Micron: his ministry among London’s refugees, his influential writings on church order and catechism, his exile under Mary I, and his enduring legacy in the Reformation.
In this episode:
- Who Marten Micron was and how he came to London.
- Why the Stranger Churches were so significant in Edward VI’s England.
- Micron’s role in shaping worship, discipline, and teaching.
- His exile, death, and why his writings still mattered across Europe.
Join me as we uncover the story of a reformer too often forgotten, yet whose influence rippled far beyond Tudor England.
What do you think—should Marten Micron be remembered alongside figures like Cranmer and Calvin? Tell me in the comments!
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell so you don’t miss more daily deep dives into Tudor and Reformation history.
And if you’d like even more Tudor content—including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle—consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
#TudorHistory #Reformation #MartenMicron #StrangerChurch #ClaireRidgway
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
The Pope Who Celebrated a Massacre
A medal for a massacre. A Te Deum for thousands of deaths. A ...
A medal for a massacre. A Te Deum for thousands of deaths. A celebration that still shocks centuries later.
On this day in history—11 September 1572—Pope Gregory XIII ordered Rome to ...give thanks for not one, but two "victories": the Catholic triumph over the Ottomans at Lepanto and the mass slaughter of French Protestants during the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
In this episode:
The shocking papal reaction to the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
The political and religious tensions behind Gregory’s “thanksgiving”
Why he linked the massacre with the naval victory at Lepanto
The commemorative medal and what it tells us about 16th-century propaganda
Gregory XIII’s surprising legacy—from calendar reform to Jesuit patronage
To some, it was divine justice. To others—then and now—it was unthinkable.
Watch next:
The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – https://youtu.be/1DmTMXr0TcQ
The Gregorian Calendar - https://youtu.be/VRz98plSjqk
Like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily deep dives into Tudor and early modern history.
#OnThisDay #StBartholomewsDay #Lepanto #GregoryXIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #CounterReformation #ClaireRidgway #GregorianCalendar #HistoryDebate #ReligiousHistory #EarlyModernEurope
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
On this day in history—11 September 1572—Pope Gregory XIII ordered Rome to ...give thanks for not one, but two "victories": the Catholic triumph over the Ottomans at Lepanto and the mass slaughter of French Protestants during the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
In this episode:
The shocking papal reaction to the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
The political and religious tensions behind Gregory’s “thanksgiving”
Why he linked the massacre with the naval victory at Lepanto
The commemorative medal and what it tells us about 16th-century propaganda
Gregory XIII’s surprising legacy—from calendar reform to Jesuit patronage
To some, it was divine justice. To others—then and now—it was unthinkable.
Watch next:
The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – https://youtu.be/1DmTMXr0TcQ
The Gregorian Calendar - https://youtu.be/VRz98plSjqk
Like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily deep dives into Tudor and early modern history.
#OnThisDay #StBartholomewsDay #Lepanto #GregoryXIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #CounterReformation #ClaireRidgway #GregorianCalendar #HistoryDebate #ReligiousHistory #EarlyModernEurope
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
She Faced the Flames Cheerfully – The Martyrdom of Joyce Lewis
On this day in Tudor history—10 September 1557—Joyce Lewis was led to ...
On this day in Tudor history—10 September 1557—Joyce Lewis was led to the stake at Lichfield for her Protestant faith.
Eyewitnesses said she faced the flames with cheerfulness.
I’m historian and author ...Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode, I share the powerful and heartbreaking story of a Tudor gentlewoman who chose faith and conscience over compliance—with devastating consequences.
In this video:
Her noble lineage and tragic first marriage
The moment that changed her faith
Her arrest, trial, and unwavering defence of conscience
Her final toast to gospel believers
The dignity and defiance she showed at the stake
Her lasting legacy, memorialised centuries later in Mancetter
This is the story of a woman whose quiet courage still echoes today.
Like, comment, and subscribe for more daily Tudor history stories.
What do you think sustained Joyce Lewis’s bravery—faith, community, or sheer inner resolve? Tell me in the comments.
Want more Tudor content, including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle? Consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
#TudorHistory #JoyceLewis #MarianMartyrs #OnThisDay #ProtestantMartyrs #MaryI #ClaireRidgway #TudorWomen #FaithAndFire #HistoryWithHeart #TudorMartyrs #ReformationHistory
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Eyewitnesses said she faced the flames with cheerfulness.
I’m historian and author ...Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode, I share the powerful and heartbreaking story of a Tudor gentlewoman who chose faith and conscience over compliance—with devastating consequences.
In this video:
Her noble lineage and tragic first marriage
The moment that changed her faith
Her arrest, trial, and unwavering defence of conscience
Her final toast to gospel believers
The dignity and defiance she showed at the stake
Her lasting legacy, memorialised centuries later in Mancetter
This is the story of a woman whose quiet courage still echoes today.
Like, comment, and subscribe for more daily Tudor history stories.
What do you think sustained Joyce Lewis’s bravery—faith, community, or sheer inner resolve? Tell me in the comments.
Want more Tudor content, including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle? Consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
#TudorHistory #JoyceLewis #MarianMartyrs #OnThisDay #ProtestantMartyrs #MaryI #ClaireRidgway #TudorWomen #FaithAndFire #HistoryWithHeart #TudorMartyrs #ReformationHistory
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
“Near to Heaven by Sea”: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s Last Voyage
We are as near to Heaven by sea as by land.” On this day, 9 September ...
We are as near to Heaven by sea as by land.” On this day, 9 September 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s tiny ship, the Squirrel, disappeared in an Atlantic storm, and ...an audacious Elizabethan life ended in a flash of foam and darkness.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today we follow Gilbert’s extraordinary arc: Devon gentleman and half-brother to Sir Walter Ralegh; soldier praised at Newhaven and feared in Munster for brutal tactics; polemicist for a Northwest Passage and English colonisation; MP who clashed in Parliament; and, finally, patent-holder who sailed to Newfoundland and claimed St John’s for Queen Elizabeth I, before disaster struck on the homeward voyage.
In this episode:
Gilbert’s powerful family network (Kat Ashley & the Ralegh connection)
Soldier and strategist: praise in France, terror in Ireland
Pen and policy: A Discourse of a Discoverie & dreams of an academy
The 1583 voyage: The Delight, the Golden Hind, the Swallow, and the fateful Squirrel
Claiming St John’s—and losing men, charts, and nerve in a wreck
The storm off the Azores and Gilbert’s haunting last words
Legacy: how his vision fed later English ventures in the New World
If you enjoy these daily Tudor deep dives, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you don’t miss the next one.
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #Elizabethan #Exploration #Newfoundland #SirHumphreyGilbert #WalterRaleigh #HistoryTube
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today we follow Gilbert’s extraordinary arc: Devon gentleman and half-brother to Sir Walter Ralegh; soldier praised at Newhaven and feared in Munster for brutal tactics; polemicist for a Northwest Passage and English colonisation; MP who clashed in Parliament; and, finally, patent-holder who sailed to Newfoundland and claimed St John’s for Queen Elizabeth I, before disaster struck on the homeward voyage.
In this episode:
Gilbert’s powerful family network (Kat Ashley & the Ralegh connection)
Soldier and strategist: praise in France, terror in Ireland
Pen and policy: A Discourse of a Discoverie & dreams of an academy
The 1583 voyage: The Delight, the Golden Hind, the Swallow, and the fateful Squirrel
Claiming St John’s—and losing men, charts, and nerve in a wreck
The storm off the Azores and Gilbert’s haunting last words
Legacy: how his vision fed later English ventures in the New World
If you enjoy these daily Tudor deep dives, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you don’t miss the next one.
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #Elizabethan #Exploration #Newfoundland #SirHumphreyGilbert #WalterRaleigh #HistoryTube
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
The Boleyn Grandson Who Backed Shakespeare
Grandson of Mary Boleyn. Cousin to Elizabeth I. Patron to ...
Grandson of Mary Boleyn. Cousin to Elizabeth I. Patron to Shakespeare’s company. On 8 September 1603, George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon, died, leaving a legacy that runs from court politics ...to the playhouse. Some even whispered he was Henry VIII’s grandson. Rumour or not, Carey stood right behind the stage that gave us Hamlet, Henry V and more.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway. In today’s “On This Day,” meet the steady court insider who helped shape the English Renaissance, from border forts and the Isle of Wight to the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
What you’ll learn:
- Carey’s Boleyn roots & royal connections
- Missions to Scotland and a knighthood at Berwick (1570)
- Roles that kept him close to Elizabeth I (Marshal of the Household, JP, Constable of Bamburgh, Captain of the Isle of Wight)
-How he supported the fleet during the Spanish Armada
-Why becoming Lord Chamberlain (1596) mattered to Shakespeare’s troupe
- Honours (KG, Privy Council) and his late-life legacy under James I
-The enduring rumour about Tudor blood in the Carey line
If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily Tudor stories.
Tell me in the comments: Do you think the Carey–Tudor blood rumour holds water? I've done a whole video on the topic too - see https://youtu.be/l4kvjTbAosc
#TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #Shakespeare #LordChamberlainsMen #HistoryTube #OnThisDay
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway. In today’s “On This Day,” meet the steady court insider who helped shape the English Renaissance, from border forts and the Isle of Wight to the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
What you’ll learn:
- Carey’s Boleyn roots & royal connections
- Missions to Scotland and a knighthood at Berwick (1570)
- Roles that kept him close to Elizabeth I (Marshal of the Household, JP, Constable of Bamburgh, Captain of the Isle of Wight)
-How he supported the fleet during the Spanish Armada
-Why becoming Lord Chamberlain (1596) mattered to Shakespeare’s troupe
- Honours (KG, Privy Council) and his late-life legacy under James I
-The enduring rumour about Tudor blood in the Carey line
If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily Tudor stories.
Tell me in the comments: Do you think the Carey–Tudor blood rumour holds water? I've done a whole video on the topic too - see https://youtu.be/l4kvjTbAosc
#TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #Shakespeare #LordChamberlainsMen #HistoryTube #OnThisDay
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Who was Anne Boleyn REALLY? - A detailed analysis
Who was Anne Boleyn...really? In this fast, source-based overview I ...
Who was Anne Boleyn...really? In this fast, source-based overview I cover her debated birth year, French education, rise to queenship, real influence on religion and politics, the 1536 downfall, and ...the biggest myths to bin (no, not a sixth finger). Perfect for newcomers and Tudor die-hards.
What you’ll learn
• How Mechelen & France shaped her polish and politics
• What Anne actually did as queen: patronage, reform, image
• The 1536 crisis: miscarriage, factions, the trial of the five men
• Myths vs reality: portraits, “witchcraft,” birth year
• Legacy, places to visit, and what we still don’t know
• My take on Anne Boleyn's fall
Further reading (starter list)
• Eric Ives, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn
• Claire Ridgway, The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown
• G. W. Bernard, Anne Boleyn: Fatal Attractions
• Retha M. Warnicke, The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn
Watch next:
Anne’s Fall playlist (step-by-step from April–May 1536) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrIov3Augf3dy9QDBFL1yViK
Anne Boleyn and the Boleyns playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrLjVti06aNo1KLQg9Cn64FR
If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
What you’ll learn
• How Mechelen & France shaped her polish and politics
• What Anne actually did as queen: patronage, reform, image
• The 1536 crisis: miscarriage, factions, the trial of the five men
• Myths vs reality: portraits, “witchcraft,” birth year
• Legacy, places to visit, and what we still don’t know
• My take on Anne Boleyn's fall
Further reading (starter list)
• Eric Ives, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn
• Claire Ridgway, The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown
• G. W. Bernard, Anne Boleyn: Fatal Attractions
• Retha M. Warnicke, The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn
Watch next:
Anne’s Fall playlist (step-by-step from April–May 1536) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrIov3Augf3dy9QDBFL1yViK
Anne Boleyn and the Boleyns playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrLjVti06aNo1KLQg9Cn64FR
If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Mary Tudor’s Hidden Influence + How Tudors Learned - Claire Ridgway interviews Amy McElroy
Join me for a lively deep-dive with historian and author Amy ...
Join me for a lively deep-dive with historian and author Amy McElroy—whose books include Educating the Tudors and Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era, with Mary Tudor, Queen of France ...out next and a new project on Desiderius Erasmus underway. We talk Tudor education, women’s real power at home and court, Mary Tudor’s overlooked influence, and why Erasmus matters.
In this interview, we explore:
How Amy fell in love with history and turned blogging into books
Educating the Tudors: what (and how) children learned—across class and gender
Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era: daughters, wives, mothers, widows—how much agency did they really have?
Mary Tudor, Queen of France: the sister who shaped a dynasty—beyond the shadow of Henry VIII
Erasmus: Europe’s sharpest mind—visionary or misunderstood?
Research wins, writing routines, audience Qs, and a quick-fire Tudor round
About my guest:
Amy McElroy is the author of Educating the Tudors (2023), Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era (2024), and Mary Tudor, Queen of France (2025), with Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe's Greatest Mind (2026) forthcoming. She co-hosts The Tudor Notebook on Substack and has appeared on several podcasts.
Links:
Amy’s books & Substack — https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://amymcelroy.substack.com/
My December online event The Other Tudors: The Forgotten Figures Who Shaped a Dynasty — Launching soon at https://claireridgway.com/ - keep an eye out!
Subscribe for more Tudor interviews & deep dives
Say hello in the comments:
Which part of Mary Tudor’s story deserves its own episode? And what’s your take on Erasmus?
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
In this interview, we explore:
How Amy fell in love with history and turned blogging into books
Educating the Tudors: what (and how) children learned—across class and gender
Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era: daughters, wives, mothers, widows—how much agency did they really have?
Mary Tudor, Queen of France: the sister who shaped a dynasty—beyond the shadow of Henry VIII
Erasmus: Europe’s sharpest mind—visionary or misunderstood?
Research wins, writing routines, audience Qs, and a quick-fire Tudor round
About my guest:
Amy McElroy is the author of Educating the Tudors (2023), Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era (2024), and Mary Tudor, Queen of France (2025), with Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe's Greatest Mind (2026) forthcoming. She co-hosts The Tudor Notebook on Substack and has appeared on several podcasts.
Links:
Amy’s books & Substack — https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://amymcelroy.substack.com/
My December online event The Other Tudors: The Forgotten Figures Who Shaped a Dynasty — Launching soon at https://claireridgway.com/ - keep an eye out!
Subscribe for more Tudor interviews & deep dives
Say hello in the comments:
Which part of Mary Tudor’s story deserves its own episode? And what’s your take on Erasmus?
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You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
Could You Really Get Away with Murder at Henry VIII's Court? - Tudor True Crime
In April 1532, Sir William Pennington was cut down on the very edge of ...
In April 1532, Sir William Pennington was cut down on the very edge of Westminster sanctuary—and his killers walked away with a manslaughter verdict, a £1,000 pardon, and glittering careers. ...In this Tudor true-crime deep dive, I unpack the fight, the politics, and the legal loopholes that made it possible.
What’s inside:
- The argument and fight, from Westminster Hall to the sanctuary precinct
- How sanctuary should have worked—and how it was bent
- The official indictment vs. Carlo Capello’s explosive diplomatic report
- Cromwell’s intervention and the price of a royal pardon
- Holbein’s 1537 portrait: the scar carried from the fight
- What this case tells us about power, patronage, and Tudor justice
Sources & further reading:
Shannon McSheffrey, “The Slaying of Sir William Pennington: Legal Narrative and the Late Medieval English Archive" - https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/flor/article/view/21566/25053
Venetian ambassador Carlo Capello’s report, Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533, 761 - https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol4/pp331-334
Hans Holbein: preparatory sketch & portrait of Richard Southwell (1537) - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Hans_Holbein_d._J._060.jpg and https://www.rct.uk/collection/912242/sir-richard-southwell-15023-1564
If you enjoy Tudor true crime & deep dives into the records, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell.
Tell me in the comments: Was this justice, or a cover for court politics?
#TudorHistory #TrueCrime #HenryVIII #ThomasCromwell #AnneBoleyn #Westminster #Sanctuary #Holbein #RichardSouthwell #SirWilliamPennington
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
What’s inside:
- The argument and fight, from Westminster Hall to the sanctuary precinct
- How sanctuary should have worked—and how it was bent
- The official indictment vs. Carlo Capello’s explosive diplomatic report
- Cromwell’s intervention and the price of a royal pardon
- Holbein’s 1537 portrait: the scar carried from the fight
- What this case tells us about power, patronage, and Tudor justice
Sources & further reading:
Shannon McSheffrey, “The Slaying of Sir William Pennington: Legal Narrative and the Late Medieval English Archive" - https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/flor/article/view/21566/25053
Venetian ambassador Carlo Capello’s report, Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533, 761 - https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol4/pp331-334
Hans Holbein: preparatory sketch & portrait of Richard Southwell (1537) - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Hans_Holbein_d._J._060.jpg and https://www.rct.uk/collection/912242/sir-richard-southwell-15023-1564
If you enjoy Tudor true crime & deep dives into the records, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell.
Tell me in the comments: Was this justice, or a cover for court politics?
#TudorHistory #TrueCrime #HenryVIII #ThomasCromwell #AnneBoleyn #Westminster #Sanctuary #Holbein #RichardSouthwell #SirWilliamPennington
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
From Paston Letters to Power
On this day in Tudor history, 4 September 1550, Sir Thomas Paston, a ...
On this day in Tudor history, 4 September 1550, Sir Thomas Paston, a gentleman of the privy chamber under Henry VIII and Edward VI, died. If the name Paston rings ...a bell, it should: the Paston Letters gave us one of the richest pictures of late-medieval/early-Tudor gentry life. But Thomas Paston wasn’t just part of a famous family, he carved out his own path at the heart of power.
In this video, I trace his journey from younger son to royal insider:
- Gentleman of the privy chamber (daily access to the king)
- Keeper of the armoury at Greenwich (1541)
- Steward & constable of Castle Rising (1542)
- French campaign with Henry VIII and knighthood after Boulogne (1545)
- Local authority & Parliament: steward of estates, MP for Norfolk, J.P.
- Crisis manager: helped quell Kett’s Rebellion (1549)
- Family life: marriage to Agnes Leigh; heir Henry (aged 4 at Thomas’s death), with Agnes pregnant with Edward
If you enjoy these “On This Day” spotlights, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. Want Tudor extras? Consider joining as a channel member for exclusive talks, resources, and my monthly magazine.
#TudorHistory #PastonLetters #HenryVIII #EdwardVI #Norfolk #KettsRebellion #OnThisDay #AnneBoleynFiles #HistoryYouTube
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
In this video, I trace his journey from younger son to royal insider:
- Gentleman of the privy chamber (daily access to the king)
- Keeper of the armoury at Greenwich (1541)
- Steward & constable of Castle Rising (1542)
- French campaign with Henry VIII and knighthood after Boulogne (1545)
- Local authority & Parliament: steward of estates, MP for Norfolk, J.P.
- Crisis manager: helped quell Kett’s Rebellion (1549)
- Family life: marriage to Agnes Leigh; heir Henry (aged 4 at Thomas’s death), with Agnes pregnant with Edward
If you enjoy these “On This Day” spotlights, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. Want Tudor extras? Consider joining as a channel member for exclusive talks, resources, and my monthly magazine.
#TudorHistory #PastonLetters #HenryVIII #EdwardVI #Norfolk #KettsRebellion #OnThisDay #AnneBoleynFiles #HistoryYouTube
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Now Playing
From Prison to Power to Poison? The Rise and Fall of Edward Courtenay
On this day in Tudor history, 3rd September 1553, Edward Courtenay was ...
On this day in Tudor history, 3rd September 1553, Edward Courtenay was created Earl of Devon by Queen Mary I.
It was a stunning reversal of fortune for a man who ...had spent 15 years imprisoned in the Tower of London after his father, the Marquess of Exeter, was executed for treason.
In this video, I trace the extraordinary life of Edward Courtenay:
His royal blood as a great-grandson of King Edward IV
His childhood imprisonment and forgotten years in the Tower
His dazzling restoration under Mary I — knighted, cheered by Londoners, even carrying the sword of state at Mary’s coronation
Hopes that he might marry Mary (or even Elizabeth) instead of Philip of Spain
His entanglement in Wyatt’s Rebellion and return to prison
Exile abroad and rumours of conspiracies, assassination plots… and finally poison
His sudden death in Padua in 1556, aged just thirty
Courtenay’s story is one of royal promise turned to tragedy — a man hailed as “the flower of English nobility,” yet destined to be remembered as a prisoner, pawn, and victim of Tudor politics.
Do you think Edward Courtenay could ever have been a successful husband for Mary or Elizabeth? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you enjoyed this dive into Tudor history, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new episode.
For even more Tudor treasures — including exclusive talks, printable resources, Zoom chats, and my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle — consider joining as a channel member.
#TudorHistory #MaryI #WyattsRebellion #EdwardCourtenay #AnneBoleynFiles
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
It was a stunning reversal of fortune for a man who ...had spent 15 years imprisoned in the Tower of London after his father, the Marquess of Exeter, was executed for treason.
In this video, I trace the extraordinary life of Edward Courtenay:
His royal blood as a great-grandson of King Edward IV
His childhood imprisonment and forgotten years in the Tower
His dazzling restoration under Mary I — knighted, cheered by Londoners, even carrying the sword of state at Mary’s coronation
Hopes that he might marry Mary (or even Elizabeth) instead of Philip of Spain
His entanglement in Wyatt’s Rebellion and return to prison
Exile abroad and rumours of conspiracies, assassination plots… and finally poison
His sudden death in Padua in 1556, aged just thirty
Courtenay’s story is one of royal promise turned to tragedy — a man hailed as “the flower of English nobility,” yet destined to be remembered as a prisoner, pawn, and victim of Tudor politics.
Do you think Edward Courtenay could ever have been a successful husband for Mary or Elizabeth? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you enjoyed this dive into Tudor history, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new episode.
For even more Tudor treasures — including exclusive talks, printable resources, Zoom chats, and my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle — consider joining as a channel member.
#TudorHistory #MaryI #WyattsRebellion #EdwardCourtenay #AnneBoleynFiles
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
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