The Tudor Chest - The Podcast The Tudor Chest Podcast

On the 15th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn stood before a crowd of 2,000 spectators at the Tower of London, on trial for her life. Accused of adultery with five men, including her own brother, and plotting the death of the king, the charges could hardly have been more grave. To discuss what happened on this remarkable day in history, I am pleased to welcome historian, author and all round Anne Boleyn expert, Claire Ridgway onto the show. She joins me today to unpick what must surely be the most explosive court case ever held at the Tower of London, a case which would end with the queen of England suffering the ultimate punishment.

On the 2nd of May 1536 Anne Boleyn, queen of England, was summoned to present herself before her husbands small council at Greenwich Palace. Presenting herself, the queen was told that she was arrested on charges of adultery and high treason and was to accompany the men by barge along the river Thames to the tower of London. Anne’s downfall, and those loyal to her, was shockingly fast and carried out with staggeringly swift efficiency. Despite her shock, Anne agreed to join the men, not knowing that within two weeks, she would be dead.

Alex Walsh is the author behind the hit historical fiction book series, the Marquess House Saga. In Alex’s books, she has built what I consider to be the historians dream, with a compelling and fascinating story in which a pair of sisters find their lives overturned and directly tied to significant periods of history. Consisting of dual timelines, Alex’s series has reimagined the stories of some of histories most infamous women, telling alternative tales of the lives of Catherine Howard, Elizabeth I, Arbella Stuart and Jane Seymour, all of which, whilst fictitious, are plausible and so rich in detail that you can’t help but think, I wish this was all true! She joins me today for a fascinating discussion about her work, her inspiration, how she came up with the series and much much more!

When we think of the Tudors, one of the first things that springs to mind is the fashion! From Henry VIII’s codpieces to Anne Boleyn's French hoods and Elizabeth i’s voluminous gowns, Tudor fashion is a huge part of the wider Tudor story and was incredibly important to the Tudors themselves, so much so that king henry viii famously introduced laws which mandated who could wear what and where! To discuss all things Tudor fashion with me today, I am thrilled to welcome Eleri Lynn onto the podcast. Eleri is a fashion historian and expert in Tudor attire. She was responsible for the discovery of the bacton alter cloth, a piece of fabric which may very well have once formed part of a dress that queen Elizabeth I wore. Eleri is a genuine expert in Tudor dress, and is here to bust some myths about the French hood, to unpick all of the different aspects that went into Henry VIII’s iconic outfits, plus much more!

Anne Seymour was married to the most powerful man at the court of King Edward VI, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and as such, ruled supreme, briefly, as the most powerful women in England, but, this precedence was hard won and challenged by another grand dame of the royal Tudor court, the dowager queen Katherine Parr, with whom Anne tried to continually usurp. A bold and fascinating character, she was committed to religious reform and patronising writers, and yet has become something of a villain to modern audiences, but who actually was she? What was her early life like? How did she come to be married to an uncle of the king and exactly how did her falling out with Katherine Parr come to pass?