Tag Archives: Henry VIII of England

On This Day: Henry VIII Marries Third Wife, Jane Seymour

  May 30, 2016 at 9:00 am by

Back in 1536 – the year dubbed that of the ‘Three Queens’ – Henry VIII of England took his third wife, Jane Seymour, in holy matrimony (well, as holy as any marriage of Henry VIII’s could be!). They were married on May 30 in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. The private ceremony was held a mere eleven days after the execution of … Continue reading →

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Day in History: Mary I becomes Queen Regnant of England

  July 19, 2012 at 7:46 pm by

On July 19, 1553 Mary Tudor replaced Lady Jane Grey on the English Throne, becoming the first undisputed Queen Regnant of England. Mary was born on 18 February 1516 to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She was a much loved child and, because she was their only surviving one, was doting upon by her parents. Once it became apparent Queen Catherine would not have more children, Mary was treated … Continue reading →

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Is Dr. David Starkey Channelling Henry VIII?

  April 30, 2009 at 4:40 pm by

A recent article in The Times made some interesting observations about Dr. David Starkey and the object of his affections, King Henry VIII. The historian and the king share several characteristics, some of which Dr. Starkey addressed. A few weeks ago I wrote a blog entry about Starkey’s analysis of the king’s handwriting and that of his mother and a sister. While doing research Starkey observed that Henry VIII had … Continue reading →

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Did Anne Boleyn Cheat on Her Husband? Judge for Yourself

  April 30, 2009 at 9:33 am by

The National Archives has digitized and created an online exhibition of parchments from the reign of Henry VIII. A collection of “top secret” documents, part of the “Bag of Secrets”, tells the story of the beginning of Anne Boleyn’s trial in 1536. Anne had been accused, with her brother George Boleyn, of high treason and incest. Among the allegations against the Boleyns was that they had French kissed each other, … Continue reading →

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David Starkey Attacks “A Snotty-Nosed Punk”

  April 29, 2009 at 8:06 am by

A couple living in Richmond-upon-Thames for 40 years have incurred the wrath of Dr. David Starkey, Tudor historian. Planners at Richmond Council have approved the couple’s plans to build a solar powered, triple-glazed, two-story house near the former site of Richmond Palace, which was built by Henry VII. Starkey finds it a slap in the face to the founding Tudor’s son: “To give it planning permission almost to the day … Continue reading →

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Are Female Historians Destroying the Tudors?

  April 29, 2009 at 7:25 am by

Dr. David Starkey has been making, in my opinion, some rather strange comments about the biases of female historians. He criticizes some for zeroing in on the ‘soap opera’ of key figures’ love lives rather than their achievements or failures. The TV show “The Tudors” seems to have inspired these comments. Although Starkey is correct to criticize the TV show for its inaccuracies and its prurient emphasis (what Starkey describes … Continue reading →

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Was Henry VIII a Glorious Leader or the Saddam of His Generation?

  April 18, 2009 at 4:28 pm by

With the upcoming 500th anniversary of his accession, Henry VIII continues to garner headlines in Britain. Marvin Gayford, the chief art critic for Bloomberg News, compares the English king to more recent tyrants like Saddam Hussein and North Korea’s Glorious Leader, Kim Jung Il. Gayford thinks that Henry may have been one of the most influential people in world history. Had Henry successfully fathered a son with Catherine of Aragon, … Continue reading →

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On the Trail of Henry VIII

  April 18, 2009 at 4:14 pm by

Dr. David Starkey says that we can learn much about the life of Henry VIII by visiting his residences, the most well-known of which is Hampton Court. Dr. Starkey is amazed by the Tudor royal’s “prodigious accumulation.” He is describing a neglected aspect of Henry’s reign: the number of houses and palaces he owned. When Henry became king in 1509, he had a mere 12 or 13 palaces and castles … Continue reading →

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A New Look at the Psychology of Henry VIII

  March 18, 2009 at 5:05 pm by

According to Dr. David Starkey in the Sunday Times, Henry VIII was a real mama’s boy. Looking at handwriting comparisons (that of Henry, his mother, Elizabeth of York, and his younger sister Mary), Starkey draws the conclusion that he was emotionally dependent on women because of the close similarity of the samples. An exhibition opening in April at the British Museum will display the samples. The Times quoted Starkey as … Continue reading →

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Henry VIII Exhibit Contains Love Letter to Anne Boleyn

  February 21, 2009 at 5:31 pm by

A new exhibit at the British Library beginning in April will feature a love letter from Henry VIII to his inamorata, Anne Boleyn. Never before exhibited, this letter has been hidden in the Vatican for centuries. Historians believe that the letter was stolen from Anne. The exhibit about Henry VIII is curated by Dr. David Starkey. Most Tudor fans will remember that Dr. Starkey wrote The Six Wives of Henry … Continue reading →

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