Introduction Henry VIII became King on the death of his father, King Henry VII, on 21st April 1509. After the death of his elder brother, Arthur, in 1503 he was the sole heir to the throne. As such, he had been closely supervised and given little freedom. After his accession, he quickly surrounded himself with … Read more
A Tudor Christmas was celebrated primarily as a religious festival and also as a time for families to come together and celebrate surviving through another year. The main period of festivities was the twelve days of Christmas beginning on Christmas Day (25th December) and ending on Epiphany (6th January). For most people this period was … Read more
When Henry VII became King in 1485 his foreign policy had four main aims: secure the throne; establish the Tudor dynasty; gain recognition from European monarchs increase revenue through foreign trade. Aim 1 – Secure the throne Background Henry VII had become King after defeating and killing Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. … Read more
Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced beheaded survived The fate of Henry VIII’s six wives Henry VIII was King of England, Ireland and Wales from 1509 to 1547, during his reign he married six times. Two wives were divorced, two executed, one died and one out-lived Henry. But why did he have so many wives? This article … Read more
A Summary of the most important Tudor nobles The Tudor nobility were those whose rank placed them below the monarch but above the common people. The titles held by the Tudor nobility were hierarchical – Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Knight. In total there were around 1,500 members of the nobility in the Tudor period, … Read more
There were a total of six Tudor kings and queens, but only five of them were crowned. They are arguably the most famous and popular of the British monarchs, ruling over a period of great change in culture, philosophy and religion. The Tudor kings and queens were devout, educated and powerful people. They promoted their … Read more
Tudor society took the form of a hierarchical system with the King at the top. Those at the top were rich and powerful while those at the bottom were poor and had no power at all. People were taught by the church that their position in life was determined by God; if you were … Read more
People That Shaped Elizabeth’s Character Early Childhood Elizabeth had had a turbulent childhood. For the first three years of her life she was the Princess of the court. Then her mother, Anne Boleyn, had been executed for treason. Elizabeth was declared illegitimate after her parent’s marriage had been pronounced invalid. Although she had lived … Read more
Population In 1500 the population of England was about 3 million. Due to yearly outbreaks of plague and sickness the population stayed at about this number. There was a general shortage of labourers which meant wages were high and rents low. All classes therefore enjoyed a reasonable standard of living. London The city of London … Read more
In the fifteenth century, there was a power struggle between rival descendants of Edward III. The conflict between them is known as the Wars of the Roses.
The descendants of John of Gaunt were Lancastrians represented by a red rose.
The descendants of Edmund of Langley were Yorkists represented by a white rose.
The Wars of the Roses is the name given to a series of conflicts in the fifteenth century fought between the members of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. It was called the Wars of the Roses because the House of Lancaster was represented by the red rose and the House of York was represented by the white rose.