Tudor History Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

John Skelton is a central literary figure and the leading poet during the first thirty years of Tudor rule. Nevertheless, he remains challenging and even contradictory for modern audiences. This book aims to provide an authoritative... more

In the June of 1520, the monarchs of England and France came together in an effort of peacemaking between two countries of long standing rivalry. Both monarchs were to sign a peace treaty, its philosophical and political foundations... more

In the June of 1520, the monarchs of England and France came together in an effort of peacemaking between two countries of long standing rivalry. Both monarchs were to sign a peace treaty, its philosophical and political foundations resting in the art of humanistic diplomacy. Henry the eighth of England and Francis the first of France, dressed in cloth of gold, met in an open field that had been transformed into a tented town, just outside the town of Calais. After months of preparation at great expense what followed was a grand event of feasting, drinking and celebrating. By day, the main entertainment was a tournament, with jousts, swordplay, wrestling and other masculine sports. 'To prevent idleness and sedition', as one chronicler notes, the rules were set before the event, in order to ensure fair sport. By night, the feasts were accompanied with dancing, dressing up and the mingling of the English and French nobility. The Field of Cloth of Gold, as it came to be known, somewhat pales into insignificance because Henry backed out of the peace treaty within two years. Yet, the event epitomises early Tudor politics -chivalry expressed in the political sphere, influencing the character of kingship, monarchical power and the practice of diplomacy.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most remarkable queens of the Middle Ages who took control when her husband, Henry VI, was incapable. Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) wanted Henry to stay in power for the sake of their son, the... more

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most remarkable queens of the Middle Ages who took control when her husband, Henry VI, was incapable. Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) wanted Henry to stay in power for the sake of their son, the heir to the throne, and her refusal to back down was seen by her enemies as a cause of the great dynastic struggle of the Wars of the Roses.

This is a small research paper accompanying a detailed research project. This is early on in my research regarding Fashion Dolls pre-1600, also the accompanying curiosity cabinets and accessories for such objects. I hope in the future to... more

This is a small research paper accompanying a detailed research project. This is early on in my research regarding Fashion Dolls pre-1600, also the accompanying curiosity cabinets and accessories for such objects. I hope in the future to revisit this topic and remake a curiosity cabinet more like the image of the original. As someone who is doing this as an avocation, compared to a more professional capacity. I am hoping to continually advance in my research and more so in technique and artistic prowess.

Office: 125 Brown Office Phone: 395-5689 Office Hours: MWF 11-12; TTH 8-9

A paper written in Graduate School

Here are five articles from the 1850s and the 1860s that appeared in the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine. Four are by Charles Long and are entitled 'Wild Darell of Littlecote'. One is a hostile reply to Long's work... more

Here are five articles from the 1850s and the 1860s that appeared in the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine. Four are by Charles Long and are entitled 'Wild Darell of Littlecote'. One is a hostile reply to Long's work by 'A Credulous Archaeologist': Long's fourth article is a counter-reply. As these articles are difficult to hunt down and as they have useful editions of primary documents I have put them in one pdf file for general use.

Manly Tudor Jousting ' The King hath promised never to joust again except it be with as good a man as himself'. So stated an angry Henry VIII the 20 May 1516, following a tournament held in honour of his sister Margaret, Queen of Scots.... more

Manly Tudor Jousting ' The King hath promised never to joust again except it be with as good a man as himself'. So stated an angry Henry VIII the 20 May 1516, following a tournament held in honour of his sister Margaret, Queen of Scots. Jousting was the king's favourite sport, but the day had proved disastrous. As always, Henry was captain of the Challengers, the team comprising the jousting elite of the Tudor court: Sir Nicholas Carew; Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex; and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. The opposing team, the Answerers, consisted of a dozen other jousting enthusiasts from court. They waited in the lists (the barriers that defined the edge of the tournament ground) to answer the challenges given by Henry and his three dashing knights. Henry was a highly skilled jouster. But what should have been a wellfought and exciting series of duels turned into a succession of bad runs and complete misses, making for a disappointing display. The king, the ultimate showman, was not impressed by the performances of certain knights in the Answerers. Henry blamed them for limiting his final score, arguing that they had failed to keep their horses close enough to the barrier for him to make contact and thus score points.

New documentary discoveries and technical analysis reveal that a portrait of Lady Margaret Beaufort, founder of St John's College, Cambridge, was painted c. 1510 by the Netherlandish immigrant artist Meynnart Wewyck. It may be the... more

New documentary discoveries and technical analysis reveal that a portrait of Lady Margaret Beaufort, founder of St John's College, Cambridge, was painted c. 1510 by the Netherlandish immigrant artist Meynnart Wewyck. It may be the earliest known full-length portrait of an English woman.

La prima controversia fra Francia e Inghilterra per dominio del mare risale alla fase conclusiva della guerra dei Cent’anni (1337-1453). Se il Lybelle of Englishe Policye, scritto verso il 1436 da Monsignor Adam de Moleyns, vescovo di... more

La prima controversia fra Francia e Inghilterra per dominio del mare risale alla fase conclusiva della guerra dei Cent’anni (1337-1453). Se il Lybelle of Englishe Policye, scritto verso il 1436 da Monsignor Adam de Moleyns, vescovo di Chichester, fu il primo proclama della sovranità dell’Inghilterra sui mari, occorre attendere i governi Tudor per vedere accordata un 'elevata priorità alla crescita della potenza marittima inglese, grazie alle politiche navali di Enrico VII e Enrico VIII, con la creazione del Navy Board e lo sviluppo del supporto logistico della marina: porti e arsenali. L’ascesa al trono di Elisabetta I (1558-1603) sanciva la nascita della talassocrazia inglese. La guerra di corsa inglese (privateering) e la sconfitta dell'Invencible Armada segnarono la fine della supremazia spagnola, confermata dalla rivolta vittoriosa delle Provincie Unite (attuale Olanda). L'apparizione dell'Inghilterra e dell'Olanda come potenze marittime data dal 1602. Da allora la lotta per la sovranità dei mari e il commercio coloniale divennero indissociabili.

The ‘Nine Years War’ in Ireland saw violence and upheaval which brought the authority of the English crown to the point of collapse, but also resulted in the completion of the Tudor conquest and the eradication of native Irish laws and... more

The ‘Nine Years War’ in Ireland saw violence and upheaval which brought the authority of the English crown to the point of collapse, but also resulted in the completion of the Tudor conquest and the eradication of native Irish laws and social order. This thesis examines the conduct and impact of the Nine Years War in the context of military transformations occurring in continental Europe. The effects of the modernising influences of the ‘military revolution’ on the native Irish military are explored, and also the reciprocal development and response of the forces of the English crown. This is achieved by studying the war at strategic, operational and tactical levels, the role of combat, the methodology and equipment used and development of doctrine. Furthermore the increased intensity of war precipitated higher levels of brutality and civilian victimisation. Therefore this study examines the role and extent of atrocity and aggression against civilians in Ireland and compares this with the experience of war in contemporary Europe.
Key issues engaged with are the strategy behind both Irish and English campaigns, the degree to which the war can be considered a guerrilla war, the use of fortifications by the Irish, and the fatal weaknesses in the forces raised by O’Neill and his confederates. In addition non-combat characteristics of the war are examined such as the native economy, manufacturing, the command and control of military forces, and Irish military logistics. Detailed examination of the course and key moments of the war provides significant insight into attitudes in early modern Ireland with regards to modernisation, innovation and the social relationships between the native Irish, and the Old English and New English.

This article focuses on twenty-first-century literary representations of Anne Boleyn. In an insightful 2007 study, Miriam Elizabeth Burstein argues that the sheer number of novels written on Anne Boleyn is itself testimony about the fact... more

This article focuses on twenty-first-century literary representations of Anne Boleyn. In an insightful 2007 study, Miriam Elizabeth Burstein argues that the sheer number of novels written on Anne Boleyn is itself testimony about the fact that a definitive account of her life has not yet been written. However, such representations have not been exempt from criticism, as they may be seen as reincarnations of “the bitch,” the central figure in Harlequin novels, as claimed by Burstein, and, equally frequently since the 1930s, “the witch,” as posited by Roland Hui.
In light of the above, this article analyzes the literary afterlives of Anne Boleyn penned by three bestselling authors in postmillennial British literature: Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl), Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Mirror and the Light), and Alison Weir (Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession), with the aim of considering the extent to which these recent revisions of her story conform to the long-established patterns identified by Burstein and Hui: Do these narratives reaffirm the Anne the bitch/witch pattern or suggest any other interpretation? And which role—if any—do they grant Anne in that foundational time that was the Tudor period?

Les séries télévisées, phénomène culturel et social incontournable des quinze dernières années, accordent à l’Histoire une place de premier plan. Mettant en scène des empereurs de la Rome antique aussi bien que des narco-trafiquants des... more

Les séries télévisées, phénomène culturel et social incontournable des quinze dernières années, accordent à l’Histoire une place de premier plan. Mettant en scène des empereurs de la Rome antique aussi bien que des narco-trafiquants des années 1980, les intrigues situées dans un passé proche ou lointain représentent l’une des catégories les plus prisées du public. Entre reconstitutions minutieuses et anachronismes assumés, ces relectures contemporaines offrent une vision sans cesse renouvelée du passé. Mais celle-ci fait-elle écho aux avancées de la recherche historique? Que nous apprend-elle des rapports que notre société entretient avec les siècles précédents? Pour expliquer le succès de ces séries et la manière dont elles recomposent notre imaginaire, ce livre donne la parole à des historiens qui décortiquent cinq séries historiques: Kaamelott, Vikings, The Tudors, The Knick et Masters of Sex.

(Approved, Unpublished Masters Thesis.) The 16th century was one of rapid change for Ireland due to the encroaching control of the Tudors. Tudor policies rapidly changed the Gaelic way of life, sparking rebellion. These rebellions caused... more

(Approved, Unpublished Masters Thesis.) The 16th century was one of rapid change for Ireland due to the encroaching control of the Tudors. Tudor policies rapidly changed the Gaelic way of life, sparking rebellion. These rebellions caused the Tudor government to look to other ways of subjecting the Irish, such as surrender and regrant. By focusing on one family, the O’Neills of Ulster, I propose to demonstrate that before surrender and regrant, the Gaelic lords were able to keep the English primarily located within the Pale.

For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love is the biography and select poetry of John Donne. This publication is as much a stand-alone publication into the life of a Tudor Poet as it is, a part of a forthcoming book. This book is... more

Henry VIII is not now remembered for his military exploits, which were rather thin. However, it is important to examine the fact that this is how he wanted to be remembered, nonetheless. War with France was the established means by which... more

Henry VIII is not now remembered for his military exploits, which were rather thin. However, it is important to examine the fact that this is how he wanted to be remembered, nonetheless. War with France was the established means by which a King of England could secure lasting renown. Henry V is the best example, thus he was a model for Henry VIII. This paper will reveal the continuing power of the medieval model of martial masculinity in the early sixteenth century as Henry VIII attempted to commemorate his status as a warrior king. This paper will also discuss Henry’s designs for a monumental effigy of him on horseback that would have immortalized his martial image and presented an idealised portrait of manhood for his posterity. Henry made powerful use of this tradition of visual representation of the royal person most famously commissioning portraits by Hans Holbein and one significant wall mural to commemorate the Tudor dynasty as he wanted it to be remembered. Finally, this paper will consider Henry’s public representation of chivalrous masculinity through his participation in tournaments, in which the king sought to establish himself as a legendary jouster. For Henry VIII wanted to be remembered as a military and chivalric hero, who had equalled and even surpassed the most virtuous deeds of the Lancastrians and Yorkists.

The reign of Henry VII, which began in 1485, was preceded by the short reigns of the uncrowned Edward V and of Richard III. The period of turmoil in the country did not contribute to the development of the portrait genre. The local... more

The reign of Henry VII, which began in 1485, was preceded by the short reigns of the uncrowned Edward V and of Richard III. The period of turmoil in the country did not contribute to the development of the portrait genre. The local English school of illuminated manuscripts fell into decay, and the Flemish city of Bruges became the main center of origin for most of the manuscripts in England.
The rise to power of Henry VII and the end of the War of Roses contributed to the cultural upsurge. However, after a relatively long period of instability, the new king needed to consolidate his position on the throne. For this purpose, many manuscripts were produced, which spoke about the rights of Henry to the English throne and his great ancestors, and created manuscripts on astrological topics, which predicted a long reign and prosperity of the monarch.
The article’s main objective is to show, using the example of illustrations of manuscripts, easel portraits, and written testimonies of contemporaries, how exactly the glorification of the power of Henry VII took place.

16th-century Ireland experienced revolutionary change, as the Tudor monarchy undertook comprehensive efforts at extending English political control throughout the island. These efforts, together with religious and legal reforms, met with... more

16th-century Ireland experienced revolutionary change, as the Tudor monarchy undertook comprehensive efforts at extending English political control throughout the island. These efforts, together with religious and legal reforms, met with a variety of responses from the native English and Gaelic communities, ranging from eager collaboration to stubborn resistance.
This book offers a fresh perspective on Tudor state formation in Ireland by exploring the interplay between the royal government and the lesser nobility of the English Pale during a formative period, from the ascendancy of local magnate the earl of Kildare in the later 15th century to the beginnings of an intensified extension of English authority under Sir Henry Sidney in Queen Elizabeth’s reign. It argues that the default position of this regional frontier elite was loyalty and service to the monarch and to the monarch’s representative in Ireland – an attitude based on the peers’ traditions and identity, their locations close to the royal capital Dublin, and their relative economic and military frailties. None the less, the nobility of the English Pale did not evolve into a kind of ‘service nobility’ observable in parts of Britain and continental Europe, whereby aristocrats were co-opted by a combination of inducements and threats into the increasingly centralised and powerful Renaissance state. Rather, relations between Tudor government in Ireland and the Pale nobility were fragile and liable to acrimonious break-down; by the later 1560s the relationship between both groups was one of profound mutual distrust. This development, it is argued, was not caused by conflicting ideological dispositions, but instead was a function of the nobles’ comparative weakness and the dictatorial tendencies of Tudor government in Ireland, and forms part of a wider failure of Tudor policy towards Ireland. The fortunes of the nobility of the English Pale therefore demonstrate the complex and unpredictable nature of Tudor interventions in Ireland, and, more broadly, the variety of noble responses to state formation in early modern Europe.

The question of when, how, why, and where Freemasonry originated is the subject of intense speculation. The consensus generally accepted by researchers is a direct or indirect affiliation with the organizations of operative masons who... more

The question of when, how, why, and where Freemasonry originated is the subject of intense speculation. The consensus generally accepted by researchers is a direct or indirect affiliation with the organizations of operative masons who built the cathedrals and castles of the Middle Ages. In Early Freemasonry, the author gives a new answer to this question, based on archives and documents for some unpublished. Freemasonry would be a commitment. Spiritual choice whose motives are foreign to the profession of builder. Evoking the ideas, the men, and the circumstances in which they lived, the chronicle of the circumstances of this spiritual choice shows how and why the profession of builder had to come to draw from a symbolic and spiritual universe of which he is the heir and not the founder. These first Freemasons are "the men who held the Word" and recognize themselves as such. Men of their time, they took their part in the political and religious conflicts which bloodied Christianity from the 15th to the 17th century. Their ideas are a way out of these conflicts which involves the Masonic movement in the history of ideas between the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. This chronicle of the Masonic adventure at the dawn of Modernity is not limited to illuminating the history of the British Isles. It reveals the contribution of the Masonic movement to the history of men since the Middle Ages and to the development of their ideas.

Historical fiction is everywhere: bookshelves, bestsellers lists, and history-drama TV are scattered through pop-culture reading and viewing. Devoured for being escapism and sensationalism, historical fiction is often irresistible to the... more

Historical fiction is everywhere: bookshelves, bestsellers lists, and history-drama TV are scattered through pop-culture reading and viewing. Devoured for being escapism and sensationalism, historical fiction is often irresistible to the public. Understandably, then, it shapes opinions of historical events, figures, and the overall general understanding of history. Thus, historical fiction is an inescapably self-conscious genre with its authors frequently having to defend the presentation of fact and truth in their work. Both Philippa Gregory (The Tudor Court series and The Cousins’ War series) and Hilary Mantel (Wolf Half and Bring Up the Bodies) have very different perspectives on the writing of historical fiction. Taking these author’s own processes and views are taken into consideration, the complex problem of historical knowledge in popular culture arises, alongside authorship and authority. When retelling, adapting, or, in essence, rereading a historical period for the genre of fiction, what responsibilities and considerations do fiction authors take into consideration when representing historical facts and stories? This paper will examine the commentary, and the comments of Gregory and Mantel themselves, to argue that their methods of adaptation have considerable effect on the consuming public’s historical knowledge. Furthermore, the paper will explore the way in which these historical fiction authors are given authority on the public sphere. The complex issues when rereading historical content for fictional works and authority of historical adaptation, problematically influences popular understanding. This is further complicated by their presence as cultural and public commentators on historical discourse and discussions. By exploring the relationship between Mantel and Gregory’s work and history, this paper will discuss the considerable place in they hold as commentators, broadcasters, authors, and self- proclaimed historians, assessing their presence in public and reflecting the vexing link between historical fiction and the influence on public historical knowledge.

The aim of this thesis is to explore and uncover the strong presence chivalry had during the development of the early Tudor dynasty, particularly following the end of the Wars of the Roses and into the early modern era. It seeks to answer... more

The aim of this thesis is to explore and uncover the strong presence chivalry had during the development of the early Tudor dynasty, particularly following the end of the Wars of the Roses and into the early modern era. It seeks to answer the questions of how prevalent the phenomena of chivalry and courtly love were during the transition from the medieval to the early modern period, as well as their importance in the political and dynastic foundations of the Tudor dynasty. Further, the work aims to examine what chivalry and courtly love reveals about gender, politics, and social dynamics during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. In the foundations of his reign, Henry VII craved dynastic stability, legitimacy, and monarchical power. In establishing his dynasty, Henry attempted to create a legacy that emphasised the conceptual ideals of
chivalry, and courtly love, as critical for strength, courtly performance and politics. The thesis will argue that
the early Tudor kings sought to drive cultural chivalric elements into the political, and dynastic foundations
of the early Tudor public sphere. It will explore how chivalric and courtly love ideals created a framework
for conversation and behaviour, gauging how gender roles were perceived and performed by courtiers during
the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Chivalry’s place in Tudor court culture has been considerably understated, discussed as a cultural undertone, and not properly contextualised. By focussing on this cultural ideal in early Tudor court life, the thesis will argue chivalric discourse was crucial to both kings and courtly
performance.

This is a highly detailed document regarding the only extant fashion doll from the 16th Century. The doll date from 158-1590 Swedish court fashion. This research also compares the full size fashion in the area as well as other painting of... more

This is a highly detailed document regarding the only extant fashion doll from the 16th Century. The doll date from 158-1590 Swedish court fashion. This research also compares the full size fashion in the area as well as other painting of dolls nearby in the time frame, comparing the miniaturized fashions from portrait paintings. This also includes the detail on how I made the replica doll.

This thesis explores how the paratexts to and physical features of English Tudor books about the New World presented the books’ content to their original readers. The contribution this thesis makes to knowledge is threefold. First, the... more

This thesis explores how the paratexts to and physical features of English Tudor books about the New World presented the books’ content to their original readers. The contribution this thesis makes to knowledge is threefold. First, the field of study of English travel and colonial literature lacks a bibliographically informed account of how the books’ constitutive elements of type and paper affect meaning. Widespread use of modern editions of the few accessible texts effaces the originals’ rich aesthetic, structural and tactile forms and fails to comprehensively historicise the production and intentions of the books. The careful, contextualised examinations of typefounts and composition included in this thesis go beyond what has been previously done and suggest agendas for further, necessary and illuminating bibliographical work. Second, the thesis presents the first comprehensively investigative survey of how the paratextual elements of the books marketed the New World to Tudor England. It goes beyond John Parker’s fifty-year-old Books to Build an Empire (1965) by considering the full range of forty-three editions’ paratextual apparatus, not just prefaces, proems and dedications. It is simultaneously a counterbalance to the narrow focus on Richard Hakluyt’s anthological Principal Navigations (1598-1600). The thesis begins the much-needed recovery of the conceptual and publication histories of both the constitutive texts reprinted in Principal Navigations and those not included in Hakluyt’s anthology that are nontheless relevant to the history of the genre. Third, this survey that challenges a still powerful teleology: that the publications were unequivocally books to build an empire. Many of these books were in fact marketed as recreational reads. As the paratextual, structural and material features of many of the books this thesis looks at are under-explored and under-reported, close examination of multiple exemplars was necessary to ensure that this thesis is a representative and reliable record of the marketing strategies used to promote Tudor books about America.

Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, the so-called 'Ditchley Portrait' (National Portrait Gallery, London) is among the most well-known and iconic images of the queen, yet its precise meaning... more

Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, the so-called 'Ditchley Portrait' (National Portrait Gallery, London) is among the most well-known and iconic images of the queen, yet its precise meaning remains uncertain. While historians and art historians agree that it was commissioned by the courtier Sir Henry Lee as an appeal for Elizabeth’s forgiveness, no analysis has convincingly explained how the allegorical tempest, which is unique among images of Elizabeth, conveys her pardon. This essay demonstrates how the Ditchley Portrait represents Elizabeth in the guise of the goddess Fortune, an identity central to the visual culture of Elizabeth's court--yet unmentioned to date. Her position balancing atop a globe in a landscape divided into stormy and sunny zones explicitly invokes iconographic traditions of Fortune. With its conjunction of Latin mottoes, vernacular sonnet, and icon of the queen, the Ditchley Portrait comprises a grandiose emblem ratifying the queen as Eliza Fortuna, arbiter of her nation’s destiny and Lee’s fate. Ultimately, the portrait renegotiates the contentious nature of female authority while also providing its patron with a powerful talisman against misfortune.

The descriptions of small towns in John Leland's Itinerary provide valuable evidence about their economic functions and fortunes in a period often categorized as one of urban decline. Leland described markets, ports, industries, buildings... more

The descriptions of small towns in John Leland's Itinerary provide valuable evidence about their economic functions and fortunes in a period often categorized as one of urban decline. Leland described markets, ports, industries, buildings and transport links. He identified examples of small towns expanding, through new commercial and industrial opportunities, notably cloth manufacture, as well as others in decline, and suggested that investment by entrepreneurs and benefactors had enabled some small towns to prosper. These experiences reflected both the particular functions of individual towns and their role in wider regional economies.

The Tudors have become early modern England's most famous, and in some cases most infamous, monarchs. They will always be associated with major turning points in English history, including the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Protestant... more

The Tudors have become early modern England's most famous, and in some cases most infamous, monarchs. They will always be associated with major turning points in English history, including the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Protestant Reformation in England, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. They are not, however, often associated with witchcraft. This is somewhat surprising, since it was Henry VIII who enacted England's very first secular law against witchcraft and Elizabeth I under whose reign the first known secular English witchcraft prosecution and execution took place. The Elizabethan period has even been described as "arguably a formative era of English witchcraft." 1 Early modern English witchcraft prosecution was a part of what historian Brian Levack called "one very large judicial operation." 2 In the early 15th century, many European theologians, philosophers, and lawyers began to believe in witchcraft as a specific crime comprised of harmful magic, or maleficium, and heretical Devil-worship, or diabolism.

This research paper was prepared for magazine publication hence no footnotes. However it collates a great deal of material on the Bohemian, Orthodox Jewish engineer Joachim Gaunse (Chaim Gans) who was employed by Elizabeth I's minister... more

This research paper was prepared for magazine publication hence no footnotes. However it collates a great deal of material on the Bohemian, Orthodox Jewish engineer Joachim Gaunse (Chaim Gans) who was employed by Elizabeth I's minister Sir Francis Walsingham to establish lead mines in the Lake District of North-west England. Several German Jewish minining engineers joined him, at a time when it was officially illegal for Jews to reside in England. Later in his amazing life Gaunse went on to join Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions to the new world and thus become the first Orthodox Jew to live in North America.