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PODCAST

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

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All Episodes

12:00

Was Anne Boleyn Really “Corrupted” in France?

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/22

The idea that Anne Boleyn was "corrupted in France has been repeated in popular histories and documentaries, often stated as fact, sometimes even placed in quotation marks, as if it were securely sourced. But is it? In this video, I trace where that idea comes from and what the evidence actually says. We’ll look at: Anne’s seven formative years at the French court The oft-quoted remarks attributed to Francis I The claim that Henry VIII told the Imperial ambassador that Anne had been “corrupted”

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30:09

The Foreign Courts That Created Anne Boleyn

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/20

Anne Boleyn didn’t arrive at Henry VIII’s court as an inexperienced girl dazzled by a king. She arrived as someone who had already been shaped inside two of the most sophisticated Renaissance courts in Europe.In this second episode of my Anne Boleyn series, we go back to the years that formed her: first to Mechelen, to the court of Margaret of Austria, regent of the Low Countries and one of the most powerful women in Europe - her court a cultural powerhouse famed for learning, art, music, and the

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9:17

Mary Tudor and the Will to Fight

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/17

Mary Tudor is often remembered through a single, brutal label: “Bloody Mary.”But in the summer of 1553, she revealed a very different side of herself. In this second part of my series on the two tough cookies of 1553, I explore how Mary I faced down danger, isolation, and overwhelming odds to claim her throne - not through force of arms, but through resolve, leadership, and legitimacy. Drawing on contemporary accounts, including Robert Wingfield’s Vita Mariae, this video looks at: How years of

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9:55

Lady Jane Grey and the Will to Rule

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/15

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: The teenage queen who signed herself “Jane the Quene” The ruler who ordered

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30:08

The 1553 Succession Crisis: A Beginner's Guide

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/13

Three Monarchs - 13 Days - One CrownIn July 1553, England experienced one of the most volatile succession crises of the Tudor period. In just thirteen days, the crown passed from a dying teenage king, to a proclaimed queen who would never be crowned, and finally to Mary I, who became England’s first crowned queen regnant. This video offers a clear, step-by-step guide to the events of that summer, explaining how and why the succession unravelled so rapidly. It explores Edward VI’s decision to

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8:48

The Homes That Shaped Anne Boleyn

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/10

Before Anne Boleyn left England for the European courts, before Henry VIII, before scandal, drama, queenship, and tragedy... there were two places that shaped her earliest world, places that were home to her.Those two places were the Boleyn seats of Blickling Hall in Norfolk and Hever Castle in Kent. In this episode, we explore: Blickling Hall as the heart of the family’s Norfolk roots, and the probable birthplace of Anne Boleyn The medieval origins of Hever Castle and its transformation into

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18:15

When was Anne Boleyn born? 1501 vs 1507 and Why It...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/08

Was Anne Boleyn thirty-five when she died… or just twenty-eight? Because the answer completely changes how we read her downfall in 1536. I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in this companion episode to my Anne Boleyn documentary series I’m diving into one of the most contested questions in her biography: when was Anne Boleyn actually born – 1501, 1507, or somewhere in between? In this video we’ll look at: • Thomas Boleyn’s comments about his children being born “every year” • Anne’s early

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30:26

The Making of Anne Boleyn: Her Family, Upbringing and...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/06

Anne Boleyn is so often remembered at the height of drama, standing at the centre of Henry VIII’s court, caught in politics, passion, and tragedy. But Anne did not appear from nowhere. Before the scandals, the Reformation, and the dramatic fall, there was a child, shaped by powerful families, privilege, education, and expectation. In this episode, I explore the world that formed Anne Boleyn - her lineage, identity, upbringing, and early surroundings at Blickling and Hever. Far from the myth of a

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5:46

When Christmas Really Ended: Twelfth Night & Epiphany...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2026/01/05

Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t a single day, it was a season. And Twelfth Night was its final, glittering crescendo. In this final episode of my Tudor Advent and Christmas series, I explore how Tudor people marked the end of Christmas with feasting, music, disguisings, misrule, and the famous Twelfth Night cake, complete with a hidden bean or pea to crown a King (or Lord of Misrule) for the night. I also explain: When Twelfth Night actually was — the 5th or the 6th of January Why Epiphany

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2:11

Christmas Eve in Tudor England: Fasting, Firelight,...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/23

Christmas Eve in Tudor England was a day of preparation, restraint, and anticipation, not feasting. It marked the final day of Advent.In this short Christmas Eve episode, I’m sharing quick reminders of how Tudor people marked this special day, from fasting and firelight to church and tradition, before the celebrations truly began. For a deeper look at how Christmas was celebrated across the whole season, watch my video “The Real Twelve Days of Christmas” - https://youtu.be/0t61a2jATgs Before I

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6:24

Tudor Christmas Music Wasn’t Quiet: Instruments,...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/22

Tudor Christmas didn’t just sound like gentle carols, it was bold, noisy, and spectacular. In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we step beyond singing and into the vibrant world of Tudor Christmas music, the instruments, entertainers, and soundscape that filled great halls, courtyards, streets, and chambers during the festive season. This isn’t church music. This is feasting, dancing, misrule, and display. You’ll discover: - Why loud instruments like shawms and sackbuts dominated

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4:48

Christmas on the Streets: Tudor Mystery Plays & the...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/21

Tudor Christmas wasn’t just celebrated at home or in church, it was performed. In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we step into the vivid, noisy, emotional world of Christmas mystery plays, public dramas staged in streets, market squares, and churchyards across medieval and early Tudor England. You’ll discover: - What mystery plays really were — and why the word “mystery” meant craft, not confusion - How towns like York, Chester, and Coventry brought Christmas to life with

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5:00

Christmas Wasn’t Just Feasting

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/20

Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t only about feasting, pageantry, and celebration.It was also a season of obligation, a time when charity and almsgiving were seen as essential acts of faith. In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, I explore how medieval and Tudor people understood Christmas charity: not as a sentimental gesture, but as a moral and religious duty rooted in scripture, custom, and community. We’ll explore: - Why charity was preached so strongly at Christmas - How St

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14:02

Play Along! A Tudor Christmas Trivia Challenge (Can...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/19

Think you know Tudor Christmas? In this festive quiz episode, I’m challenging Tim, my long-suffering cameraman (and husband!), with questions drawn from my Tudor Christmas Advent series. From royal feasts and festive games to superstition, lost palaces, and winter weather, this is a chance to test your Tudor knowledge and play along at home. Grab a pen, keep your score, and let us know how you

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7:28

The Creatures That Shaped a Tudor Yuletide

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/18

Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t just about people, prayers, and pageantry, it was also shaped by animals. In today’s episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we step into the world of Tudor Christmas animals: the creatures that filled festive tables, shaped religious symbolism, inspired superstition, and even featured in royal gift-giving and court entertainments. Drawing on medieval sermons, Tudor household records, chronicles, cookery books, and royal accounts, this episode explores the

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5:49

The Beloved Tudor Palace That Vanished

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/17

Step with me into a palace that no longer stands, yet once witnessed some of the most important Christmases of the Tudor age.In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we journey to Richmond Palace, once known as Shene: a beloved winter residence of the Tudor monarchs, rebuilt by Henry VII after a devastating fire and transformed into one of the most elegant palaces of the dynasty. Although Richmond has almost entirely disappeared, surviving sketches, descriptions, and ground plans

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5:46

Three Chilling Tudor Christmas Superstitions You’ve...

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/16

Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t just a season of feasting, music and Yule logs… it was also a time when the veil between worlds felt unusually thin. In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I’m stepping into the atmospheric world of real medieval and Tudor Yuletide superstitions - beliefs recorded in late medieval sermons, Tudor writings, and 16th-century accounts. These weren’t cosy Victorian myths or later folklore. They were ideas that shaped how people in the 1400s and 1500s experienced

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8:21

What's Inside the Wonkiest Tudor House in England?

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/15

Imagine rounding a frosty corner and discovering a house that looks as if it’s stepped straight out of a Tudor fairytale or Harry Potter - crooked beams, bowing floors, glittering leaded windows, and a long gallery that seems to float above thin air. In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I take you on a winter wander through Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire, one of the most extraordinary, beautifully preserved, and delightfully wonky Tudor houses in England. Built and expanded across the 1500s

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6:12

Did the Tudors Change Christmas More Than We Think?

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/14

Did you know the English Reformation didn’t just reshape churches and doctrine… it quietly transformed Christmas itself? In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I explore how Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I each left their mark on the festive season - sometimes dramatically, sometimes subtly, and sometimes in ways we might not expect. What happened to the old medieval traditions? Why did some customs disappear while others survived untouched? And how did the Tudors balance faith,

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6:28

When the Thames Froze Solid

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway ·

2025/12/13

What did winter really feel like in Tudor England?Spoiler: nothing like the winter we know today. Hello, I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode we’re stepping into a world of bone-deep cold, frozen rivers, and incredible resilience, the world of Tudor winter during the Little Ice Age. Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Europe and North America endured some of the coldest winters in recorded history. And the Tudors? They lived right in the middle

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1,125 results

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