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Elizabeth I

Edward IV of England & Lancastrian Fugitives at Tewkesbury Abbey. Source: Public Domain

Top Five Worst Rebellions Under the Tudor Regime (Video)

The Tudor era , spanning 118 years, emerged from the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses . Henry VII's victory at Bosworth in 1485 secured his tenuous claim to the throne, symbolized by the Tudor Rose...
Illustration of a Tudor rose. The Tudor rose symbolized unity under the Tudors, merging the white rose of York and red rose of Lancaster.  Source: Cassidy / Adobe Stock

Meet the Tudors - A Brief(ish) History of the Tudor Dynasty

Lasting from 1485 to 1603 AD, the Tudor period is one of the most important, and fascinating, periods of English history. It’s an era marked by political intrigue, cultural renaissance and major...
Catherine Parr portrait-sixth wife of King Henry VIII Tudor of England.	Source: National Portrait Gallery/ Public Domain

Catherine Parr - The Woman Who Outlived Henry VIII (Video)

Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII , navigated the treacherous waters of Tudor court with resilience and intelligence. Born around 1512, Parr became queen consort in 1543. Unlike some of...
Queen Elizabeth I portrait, National Portrait Gallery, London. Source: Public Domain

Five Things You Didn’t Know About Queen Elizabeth I (Video)

Queen Elizabeth I, a figure often shrouded in speculation, possessed intriguing facets beyond her stoic public image. Contrary to popular belief, her preoccupation with appearance extended beyond...
Painting by Glindoni of John Dee performing an experiment for Elizabeth I.	Source: Henry Gillard Glindoni/ CC BY 4.0

Queen Elizabeth I's Astronomer, John Dee (Video)

Dr. John Dee , the Renaissance luminary and confidant to Queen Elizabeth I , epitomized the intellectual spirit of 16th-century England. A polymath with interests ranging from astrology to...
Top image: Queen Elizabeth I. Source: Eduardo / Adobe Stock.

Queen Elizabeth I: Unmarried & Out for Blood (Video)

On Queen Elizabeth I's 27th birthday, she had been ruling England for just two years, a feat that stirred both support and skepticism. The notion of a woman holding such power fueled whispers of...
Medieval Queen. Source: aicandy / Adobe Stock.

History's 10 Most Ruthless Queens and Brutal Rulers (Video)

Throughout history, powerful women have wielded authority with determination. Countess Elizabeth Bathory had a dark obsession, enjoying the torture of the lower classes. Empress Wu Zetian , China's...
Tudor historian Dr Nicola Tallis rates Tudor movies. Source: YouTube Screenshot / History Hit.

Tudor Historian Rates Classic Tudor Movie Scenes (Video)

We all know that Hollywood isn’t always concerned with historical accuracy. This is why Dr. Nichola Tallis, a respected Tudor historian, was asked to conduct a meticulous evaluation of several Tudor...
Queen. Source: aicandy / Adobe Stock.

Mighty Queens: 8 Royal Powerhouses Who Shaped History (Video)

Throughout history, there have been several mighty queens who have made a significant impact on their nations. These influential women include Nefertiti, Marie Antoinette , Anne Boleyn, Mary Tudor,...
John Dee demonstrating an experiment before Queen Elizabeth I (Wellcome Images/ CC BY-SA 4.0)

John Dee’s Enochian Magick: Language Of The Angels or Encrypted Spy Talk?

Enochian Magick is a complex system of occult practices and rituals that have their roots in the 16th-century writings of the Elizabethan scholar John Dee (1527 – 1608) and his associate, Edward...
Royal Entry of Queen Mary I with Princess Elizabeth into London by Byam Shaw (1910) (Public Domain)

The Fall of the Leaf: Mary Tudor’s Seasonal Depression

Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Katherine of Aragon was not a happy person. When Mary Tudor's health is discussed, it is usually her phantom pregnancies that are so often...
Lord Darnley and Mary Queen of Scots by unknown painter (Public Domain)

In Search Of The Murder Scene Of Lord Darnley, Spouse Of Mary Queen Of Scots

Letters previously thought to have been Italian texts from the 16th century, turned out to be written by Mary Queen of Scotts, when she was held prisoner by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. This...
Allegorical portrait of an elderly Elizabeth I, who is said to have suffered the effects of poor dental hygiene and black teeth. Source: Public domain

Queen Elizabeth I Had Beggarly Black Teeth

Queen Elizabeth I of England was particularly fond of sugar. This was a time of great conquests and explorations to the New World for the royal houses of Europe, accompanied by expanding trade and...
Mary, Queen of Scots was said to bathe in white wine. Source master1305 / Adobe Stock

Mary Queen of Scots Washed with White Wine

While Cleopatra is fabled to have bathed in sour donkey milk , Mary Queen of Scots is said to have washed with white wine to ensure a smooth complexion. A devout Catholic, throughout her life Mary...

Queen Elizabeth Ran a Lottery and One Prize Was a Get Out of Jail Free Card

As you wait with baited breath for your lottery numbers to be called out, spare a thought for the people who took part in England’s first state lottery in the 16th century. Seen as an ideal solution...
The scene on the Plymouth Hoe when captains play bowls as the Spanish Armada comes into view by John Seymour Lucas (1880) (Public Domain)

The Protestant Wind That Scattered The Spanish Armada 1588

There had never been such good blood between Spain and England as in the mid-16th century. However, in the last quarter of this century relations between Philip II of Spain (also known as 'Philip the...
Sudeley Castle as visible from the Cotswold Way (Ethan Doyle White / CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sudeley Castle’s ‘Footprints’ Of The Tudors

Awarded the accolade as “one of England’s most picturesque castles”, the manor of Sudeley Castle lies just to the east of the picturesque River Isbourne, a few miles from Cheltenham, on the edge of...
Queen Elizabeth I as depicted in the film Mary, Queen of Scots. Credit: Focus Features

Was Queen Elizabeth I Killed by her Poisonous White Makeup?

Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most successful, celebrated queens in British history. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn , she came to the throne on November 17, 1558, following the death...
In the face of all the odds, the lives of Empress Nur Jahan and Queen Elizabeth I continue to inspire generations of women, as their strength turned them into feminist icons ahead of their time. Source: Left - Public domain. Right - Public domain.

Empress Nur Jahan and Queen Elizabeth I: Female Icons Ahead of Their Time

Our world has numerous examples of kings who have left a significant impact upon the lives of their people. As the saying goes, “behind every powerful man is an extraordinary woman.” Queen Elizabeth...
Leonidas at Thermopylae by Jacques-Louis David (1814) Louvre Museum (Public Domain)

The Greatest History Movie Blunders Ever Made

Hollywood producers and directors have never once been praised for rigorously sticking to the facts and whether it's a medieval epic or a modern war film they generally fail when it comes to relaying...
Henry VIII's first interview with Anne Boleyn.

Capricious Life of Anne Boleyn, The Woman Behind the Church of England

Anne Boleyn was the second wife of Henry VIII and therefore a queen of England. In order to marry Anne, the English king broke away from Rome and formed the Church of England. Henry had hoped that...
Priest hole in the cupboard of Harvington Hall, Worcestershire

Hiding to Avoid Hanging: Priest Holes, Hidden Chambers, and Secret Passages

Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, which began in 1558, Catholics were persecuted by law and priests were imprisoned, tortured, and frequently executed. As a result of this oppression,...
A 16th century bezoar in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienne

Bezoars: The Sought After Ancient Jewels Made from Animal Stomach Growths

There is an urban legend fueled by the movie Beverly Hills Cop that people have around 5 pounds of undigested meat in their stomach by the time they are middle-aged. Not so. But bezoars, which are...
Following the Magical Journey to Poland by John Dee and Edward Kelley

Following the Magical Journey to Poland by John Dee and Edward Kelley

For centuries, Poland has been considered a very Christian country. However, over the ages some of the rulers of Poland still searched for supernatural support. The belief in the power of witchcraft...

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