I am holding in my hands a book that once belonged to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right-hand-man. We know it was his because of a remarkable piece of historical detective work carried out by the curators at @hever_castle along with the librarians of the Wren Library at @trincollcam. The news of this amazing discovery broke today. I went to Hever to get the full story, which you can see in a documentary exclusive to @historyhit, which will be released next week. In it, I talk to all the curators and experts involved, and take some voxpops from leading Tudor historians. Look out for it. This is Tudor news you do not want to miss.
I am holding in my hands a book that once belonged to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right-hand-man. We know it was his because of a remarkable piece of historical detective work carried out by the curators at @hever_castle along with the librarians of the Wren Library at @trincollcam. The news of this amazing discovery broke today. I went to Hever to get the full story, which you can see in a documentary exclusive to @historyhit, which will be released next week. In it, I talk to all the curators and experts involved, and take some voxpops from leading Tudor historians. Look out for it. This is Tudor news you do not want to miss.
I am holding in my hands a book that once belonged to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right-hand-man. We know it was his because of a remarkable piece of historical detective work carried out by the curators at @hever_castle along with the librarians of the Wren Library at @trincollcam. The news of this amazing discovery broke today. I went to Hever to get the full story, which you can see in a documentary exclusive to @historyhit, which will be released next week. In it, I talk to all the curators and experts involved, and take some voxpops from leading Tudor historians. Look out for it. This is Tudor news you do not want to miss.
I am holding in my hands a book that once belonged to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right-hand-man. We know it was his because of a remarkable piece of historical detective work carried out by the curators at @hever_castle along with the librarians of the Wren Library at @trincollcam. The news of this amazing discovery broke today. I went to Hever to get the full story, which you can see in a documentary exclusive to @historyhit, which will be released next week. In it, I talk to all the curators and experts involved, and take some voxpops from leading Tudor historians. Look out for it. This is Tudor news you do not want to miss.
I am holding in my hands a book that once belonged to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right-hand-man. We know it was his because of a remarkable piece of historical detective work carried out by the curators at @hever_castle along with the librarians of the Wren Library at @trincollcam. The news of this amazing discovery broke today. I went to Hever to get the full story, which you can see in a documentary exclusive to @historyhit, which will be released next week. In it, I talk to all the curators and experts involved, and take some voxpops from leading Tudor historians. Look out for it. This is Tudor news you do not want to miss.
This is a day late because yesterday was a Sunday and I was having fun, but… On 11 June 1509, Henry VIII married Katherine of Aragon and I wanted to say a word or two about the kind of wife he was getting.
G.M. Trevelyan’s attitude to the lives of the past has been so important in shaping my approach to history. History should be a kind of forensic poetry.
Hot off the press! To learn all about the discovery of Cromwell’s Book of Hours by @hever_castle’s curators Alison Palmer, @drowenemmerson and @kateemccaffreyhistorian, watch my brand new documentary — exclusively on @HistoryHit. Only @historyhit can turn a documentary around in a week! Also features cameos from @drjoannepaul, @sarah.gristwood, @tracy.borman , @estelleprnq and @linda.porter7 And here are the crack team behind the camera: @bill.locke.58 and @owainpennington Go to HistoryHit dot com to view it (free trial or 50% off your first three months with the code word TUDORS).
Hot off the press! To learn all about the discovery of Cromwell’s Book of Hours by @hever_castle’s curators Alison Palmer, @drowenemmerson and @kateemccaffreyhistorian, watch my brand new documentary — exclusively on @HistoryHit. Only @historyhit can turn a documentary around in a week! Also features cameos from @drjoannepaul, @sarah.gristwood, @tracy.borman , @estelleprnq and @linda.porter7 And here are the crack team behind the camera: @bill.locke.58 and @owainpennington Go to HistoryHit dot com to view it (free trial or 50% off your first three months with the code word TUDORS).
Hot off the press! To learn all about the discovery of Cromwell’s Book of Hours by @hever_castle’s curators Alison Palmer, @drowenemmerson and @kateemccaffreyhistorian, watch my brand new documentary — exclusively on @HistoryHit. Only @historyhit can turn a documentary around in a week! Also features cameos from @drjoannepaul, @sarah.gristwood, @tracy.borman , @estelleprnq and @linda.porter7 And here are the crack team behind the camera: @bill.locke.58 and @owainpennington Go to HistoryHit dot com to view it (free trial or 50% off your first three months with the code word TUDORS).
Hot off the press! To learn all about the discovery of Cromwell’s Book of Hours by @hever_castle’s curators Alison Palmer, @drowenemmerson and @kateemccaffreyhistorian, watch my brand new documentary — exclusively on @HistoryHit. Only @historyhit can turn a documentary around in a week! Also features cameos from @drjoannepaul, @sarah.gristwood, @tracy.borman , @estelleprnq and @linda.porter7 And here are the crack team behind the camera: @bill.locke.58 and @owainpennington Go to HistoryHit dot com to view it (free trial or 50% off your first three months with the code word TUDORS).
It was a joy to see the new Tudor gallery at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery. Chief among the joys was this portrait of Margaret Beaufort, dating from c.1510 and commissioned by Bishop John Fisher, on long-term loan from Cambridge. And this early sixteenth-century image of Richard III (an insight into how the Tudors portrayed him). And this newly conserved portrait of Kateryn Parr, which now fairly glows.
It was a joy to see the new Tudor gallery at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery. Chief among the joys was this portrait of Margaret Beaufort, dating from c.1510 and commissioned by Bishop John Fisher, on long-term loan from Cambridge. And this early sixteenth-century image of Richard III (an insight into how the Tudors portrayed him). And this newly conserved portrait of Kateryn Parr, which now fairly glows.
It was a joy to see the new Tudor gallery at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery. Chief among the joys was this portrait of Margaret Beaufort, dating from c.1510 and commissioned by Bishop John Fisher, on long-term loan from Cambridge. And this early sixteenth-century image of Richard III (an insight into how the Tudors portrayed him). And this newly conserved portrait of Kateryn Parr, which now fairly glows.
As you know, I care very much about recovering the stories of historical women. Most people who ever lived left barely a trace of their existence, but with women the problem is compounded. Women have historically been less powerful and less literate than men, and this has affected their presence in historical archives. Ordinary women left behind few documents in their own hands and appear to us only fleetingly through the eyes of others. If we know of them at all, it’s generally because a handful of their words were written down by a man. So how can we access their lives? How can we reclaim them from historical oblivion? Can we restore them to history? I thought I’d share with you some of the ways I think we can do that, some of the stories we can unearth, and some of the problems that are raised in a special four-week course run by @histfestuk The course explores these questions through three detailed case studies. These suggest different ways to approach the study of the past but also offer the opportunity to explore the lives of ordinary, poor, marginalized, and enslaved women throughout history. The course will be delivered by a series of four pre-recorded video lectures from me, plus four live online Q&As with me. If you sign up, you’ll also receive a reading list, course literature, and activities a few days before the course begins. The course starts on 2nd October 2023 – but you can sign up now. Lectures will be released at 7pm GMT each Monday and will be available to view for a month and half. The live Q&A will take place at 8pm GMT each Monday of the course. It will be recorded and made available to view afterwards. All lectures will have closed captions. The live Q&As will have live captioning. And what are the lectures? They are: 1: How can we recover the lost lives of women? 2: Women, witchcraft, and fantasy 3: Finding the voices of 16th-century rape victims 4: Violence in the archives: The experience of enslaved women And all this for just £44.04.
My first book recommendation is Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle. Here’s why.
Last night of Hamnet at the RSC before its London transfer. For those who haven’t yet read Maggie O’Farrell award-winning book, it’s the story of Anne or Agnes, William Shakespeare’s wife and their children, including their son, Hamnet. I’ll be talking about it on an upcoming Not Just the Tudors podcast.
It was wonderful to join @tweeter_anita, @katemossewriter and @profnicolarollock on this panel about the best non-fiction writing by women. I recommended: Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village and @childs_jessie, The Siege of Loyalty House: A Civil War Story – both seriously well researched and compelling stories told in crisp, beautiful prose. Thank you to @estelleprnq for taking these pictures.
It was wonderful to join @tweeter_anita, @katemossewriter and @profnicolarollock on this panel about the best non-fiction writing by women. I recommended: Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village and @childs_jessie, The Siege of Loyalty House: A Civil War Story – both seriously well researched and compelling stories told in crisp, beautiful prose. Thank you to @estelleprnq for taking these pictures.
It was wonderful to join @tweeter_anita, @katemossewriter and @profnicolarollock on this panel about the best non-fiction writing by women. I recommended: Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village and @childs_jessie, The Siege of Loyalty House: A Civil War Story – both seriously well researched and compelling stories told in crisp, beautiful prose. Thank you to @estelleprnq for taking these pictures.
It was wonderful to join @tweeter_anita, @katemossewriter and @profnicolarollock on this panel about the best non-fiction writing by women. I recommended: Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village and @childs_jessie, The Siege of Loyalty House: A Civil War Story – both seriously well researched and compelling stories told in crisp, beautiful prose. Thank you to @estelleprnq for taking these pictures.
The @womensprize party was pretty damn glamorous this year. String quartet with @cathynewmanc4 Flowers by @theflowerbx And, of six excellent books on the shortlist, Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead was announced as the Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Kingsolver is now the first two-time winner of the prize. She said, “Literature is how we make our hearts grow bigger and that’s how we change the world.”
The @womensprize party was pretty damn glamorous this year. String quartet with @cathynewmanc4 Flowers by @theflowerbx And, of six excellent books on the shortlist, Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead was announced as the Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Kingsolver is now the first two-time winner of the prize. She said, “Literature is how we make our hearts grow bigger and that’s how we change the world.”
The @womensprize party was pretty damn glamorous this year. String quartet with @cathynewmanc4 Flowers by @theflowerbx And, of six excellent books on the shortlist, Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead was announced as the Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Kingsolver is now the first two-time winner of the prize. She said, “Literature is how we make our hearts grow bigger and that’s how we change the world.”
