A chronology of Tudor Culture, Education, Art and Travel in the reign of Henry VIII
Please Note: This timeline is a work in progress
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
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
Coinage Tudor money was in the form of coins and there were no paper notes. At the beginning of the Tudor period, the coins in existence were: a silver penny, a groat which was worth four pennies and an Angel which was worth 120 pennies or ten shillings. A pound was not a coin … Read more
Tudor sports were not a regular feature of life for the ordinary people. They worked long hours, often from sun up to sun down, and went to bed when it got dark. In 1512 Henry VIII had a law passed that banned the common people from playing tennis, dice, cards, bowls and skittles. The … Read more
History Although raffles had been held previously this was the first official lottery chartered by Queen Elizabeth I. The lottery was being held to raise money for the improvement and defence of the country as well as to be put towards dealing with the poor. Money raised from the venture was used to improve … Read more
The cloth trade was extremely important in Tudor England. Merchants dealt in the import and export of raw materials and finished products. Cloth merchants were generally very wealthy men. Although linen was beginning to be produced, it was the production of woollen cloth that dominated the Tudor Period. The West Riding of Yorkshire, East … Read more
The Stews was the name given to the most notorious brothels in London. The Tudor ‘red light’ district was situated south of the river Thames in Southwark. Located between Maid Lane and Bankside, they were near to the arenas used for bear and bull-baiting. There were also many theatres and music halls in the … Read more
Definition of Retainers In the Middle Ages the Feudal System established a link between the different classes. Under the system, land was provided in return for a fee or service. By the beginning of the Tudor period, the practice of keeping retainers had been adopted by noblemen to ensure a loyal workforce. Retainers were … 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
Please Note: This timeline is a work in progress