Tudor History with Claire Ridgway
Step back into a world of intrigue, passion, and ruthless ambition — welcome to Tudor England. Join historian and bestselling author Claire Ridgway as she uncovers the riveting stories of the Tudor dynasty. From the scandalous love affairs of King Henry VIII to the tragic fall of Anne Boleyn, the fierce reign of Elizabeth I, and the lesser-known secrets of Tudor court life, this podcast brings history to life in vivid detail. Hear dramatic tales of betrayal, execution, forbidden love, and political manoeuvring that shaped England forever. Discover daily Tudor history with fascinating “On This Day” episodes — unique insights you won’t find in typical history books. Get behind-the-scenes stories from Claire’s own research trips to historic sites like the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Hever Castle, and more. Enjoy interviews with top historians and experts in Tudor studies, plus lively Q&A sessions tackling listeners’ burning Tudor questions. 🖋 Who is Claire Ridgway? Claire is the author of the bestselling On This Day in Tudor History series and numerous other Tudor books loved by readers around the world. She founded The Tudor Society, connecting enthusiasts with experts through live online events, and runs the hugely popular history websites The Anne Boleyn Files and www.ClaireRidgway.com. Her mission: to uncover the human stories behind the crown — the hopes, fears, and triumphs of not only kings and queens but also the courtiers, rebels, and ordinary people who lived under the Tudor rose. What can you expect? - Gripping accounts of famous events like the Field of Cloth of Gold, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, or the Babington Plot. - Intimate portraits of Tudor figures: Anne Boleyn’s charm and downfall, Thomas Cromwell’s rise and brutal fall, Elizabeth I’s cunning survival. - Dark mysteries and unsolved deaths — who really killed Amy Robsart? Was Katherine Howard truly guilty? - Special episodes on Tudor fashion, food, medicine, and the day-to-day lives of Tudor men and women. Join thousands of Tudor fans worldwide Never miss an episode — subscribe now and become part of a global community that can’t get enough of Tudor drama. Explore more with Claire’s books, free resources, and live historical events at www.ClaireRidgway.com. Ready to travel back 500 years? Press play and let the adventure begin.
Episodes
When you hear the name Mary I, you probably hear one phrase: “Bloody Mary”. A queen of fire and fear. A religious fanatic. A failure compared to Elizabeth I. But that version of Mary is a shortcut, and it isn’t good history. Before the burnings, Mary was Henry VIII’s celebrated heir. A princess educated to rule. A woman who endured humiliation, illegitimacy, and political coercion, and survived. In 1553, when Edward VI died and ...
What really happened during Mary Boleyn’s lost years? Between 1513 and 1522, Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, slips in and out of the historical record, leaving behind one of the most debated gaps in Tudor history. Over time, that silence has been filled with confident claims: that she served Queen Catherine of Aragon, that she was present at court throughout the period, and most famously, that she was the mistress of King Fran...
When Anne Boleyn returned to England from France in late 1521, she wasn’t coming back for love, ambition, or a crown. She was being recalled for politics. Her return was prompted not by royal interest, but by a proposed marriage, a diplomatic solution to a dangerous inheritance dispute in Ireland. If that plan had gone ahead, Anne might have become Countess of Ormond, living at Kilkenny Castle. No queenship. No religious revolut...
The Strangest Tudor Cures (And the Ones That Actually Worked) - A Beginner’s Guide to Tudor Medicine
Hare brains. Hedgehog testicles. Mouse skin. Live pigeons. Tudor remedies are famous for sounding grotesque, and ridiculous. But were they really nonsense? In this second part of A Beginner’s Guide to Tudor Medicine, we explore the strangest cures of the sixteenth century, and uncover the surprising truth: some of them actually worked. You’ll learn: – Why remedies were designed to move “imbalances” through the body – Which Tudor...
- Anne’s seven formative years at the French court
- The oft-quoted remarks attributed to Francis I
- The claim tha...
Lady Jane Grey is usually remembered as a tragic pawn, a frightened girl forced onto the throne by ambitious men. But that story simply doesn’t hold up.
When Jane was told she was queen, she wept and insisted that Mary was the rightful heir. Yet once she learned that Edward VI had named her, she made a deliberate choice. She embraced the crown as God’s will, and she ruled.
This video reveals a very different Jane:
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The teen...
- Blickling Hall as the heart of the family’s Norfolk roots, and the probable birthplace of Anne...
- When Tw...
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