#OTD 16 July 1557 #AnneofCleves died, the true #SixWives survivor Outliving them all she had got the best deal out of Henry! #HenryVIII’s 4th wife had ‘pleased him not’ yet kept his 'dear sister' close Agreeing to the annulment so quickly led Henry to be extremely generous youtu.be/h71_Z75lSeY

#OTD 15 July 1542 Lisa del Giocondo née Gherardini died at The Convent of Saint Orsola in the Duchy of Florence But who was this Italian beauty? You might not know the name, but you will recognise her enigmatic smile ... ... she was the subject of Leonardo Da Vinci's #MonaLisa

#OTD 14 July 1551 Henry & Charles Brandon, sons of #CharlesBrandon & #KatherineWilloughby died within an hour of one another aged 14 & 16 at Buckden They had been moved from St John's College Cambridge to escape 'The Sweat' but too late! Hear Katherine speak of her loss: youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#OTD 12 July 1543 #HenryVIII married his 6th wife: vibrant, vivacious, attractive, intelligent #KatherineParr-the 'IT' girl of her time Her tomb at Sudeley Castle is a must see for all self-respecting Tudor fans! sudeleycastle.co.uk youtube.com/playlist?lis... @enortonhistory.bsky.social

#OTD 10 July 1559 10days after a lance splinter pierced his eye, Henri II died After his death 3 of his sons ruled ineffectively 1st #OTD 1559 François II, husband of #MaryQueenofScots - he died the following December aged just 16 2nd Charles IX in 1560 Finally Henri III in 1574 #Frenchhistory

#OTD 10 July 1553 #LadyJaneGrey daughter of Frances Grey, #HenryVIII’s niece was proclaimed Queen Named #EdwardVI's heir he died on 6 July Reigning just 9 days she was c.16 when she met the🪓 LJG who was once ward of #ThomasSeymour of Sudeley Castle was chief mourner at #KatherineParr's funeral

#OTD 9 July 1540 The marriage of #HenryVIII & #AnneofCleves was annulled Shrewd Anne capitulated quickly to Henry's request after 6mths She fared well, suitably compensated for her trouble more than can be said for the man held accountable #ThomasCromwell youtube.com/playlist?lis... #History

#OTD 8 July 1553 #MaryTudor daughter of #HenryVIII & #KatherineofAragon proclaimed herself Queen at Kenninghall This should have been the Privy Council's job, but they were too busy running around like headless🐔positioning her cousin #LadyJaneGrey as Queen instead as Edward named her his heir!

#OTD 7 July 1537 Madeleine of Valois, 16 #QueenofScots daughter of #FrançoisI & Claude, 1st wife of #JamesV, died in her husband's arms at Holyrood Palace Totally smitten, James insisted on her hand despite her poor health The 'Summer Queen' had arrived in Scotland that May #History #Stuarts

#OTD 7 July 1607 Penelope Blount née Devereux (Rich) Countess of Devonshire & poet's muse, died at Westminster Daughter of Lettice Knollys & great-granddaughter of #MaryBoleyn Her public affair with Blount, led to annulment of her marriage to Lord Rich & banishment from Court @tonyriches.bsky.social

#OTD 6 July 1553 15yr old King #EdwardVI died at Greenwich Palace & buried at @westminsterabbey.bsky.social Born 12 Oct 1537 at Hampton Court Palace his mother #JaneSeymour died just 12 days later King at 9 his Uncle #EdwardSeymour became Lord Protector Naming #LadyJaneGrey heir put a 🔧 in the works

#OTD 4 July 1551 #GregoryCromwell 31, son of #ThomasCromwell & #ElizabethWyckes died of sweating sickness He had married Elizabeth sister of #JaneSeymour in 1537 Surviving fallout from his father's fall he kept out of politics, living quietly Launde Abbey youtube.com/playlist?lis... #History

#OTD 2 July 1776 America voted for independence from English rule! Yes you heard right .. today should be #IndependenceDay🥳🎆 ... except congress took 2 days to ratify the document So kinda convenient it was 2 days later ... seeing as everyone celebrates on 4th😜 #American #History

#OTD 1 July 1536 The 2nd Act of Succession was read in parliament declaring #HenryVIII's daughters Mary & Elizabeth to be illegitimate With 3 illegitimate offspring (Henry Fitzroy included) the pressure was on incoming wife No.3 #JaneSeymour to provide that elusive male heir! #TheTudors #History

#OTD 30 June 1540 #ThomasCromwell wrote asking #HenryVIII for Mercy Mercy Mercy Found guilty of trumped up charges protecting heretics & plotting to marry Lady Mary Stripped of titles & sentenced to death Just happens today is our Crum Andrew’s birthday 🎂 youtu.be/0mx9ofLTKEo #History

#OTD 29 Jun 1509 #Tudor Dynasty matriarch #MargaretBeaufort died at @westminsterabbey.bsky.social Her final months saw her grit & determination desert her, mourning the loss of her beloved son #HenryVII A great patron & supporter of education, founding 2 Cambridge Colleges youtu.be/kQJrY9JTuQU

#Wimbledon2026 is underway! But #Tennis isn't all this leafy English suburb is famous for! In the 1870's it was famous for the 'Wimbledon Cup' ... a marksmanship trophy #AnnieOakley famously outshot her rival Lillian Smith in July 1887 as part of #QueenVictoria's Golden Jubilee #History

#OTD 28 June 1515 #AnnavonKleve was born in Düsseldorf 2nd daughter to John III Duke of Cleves & Maria of Jülich-Berg Briefly 4th wife of #HenryVIII who 'liked her not' a disastrous marriage arranged by #ThomasCromwell The real #survivor of #TheSixWives youtube.com/playlist?lis... #History

#OTD 28 June 1491 At Greenwich Palace #ElizabethofYork delivered her 3rd child, a son named for his father #HenryVII This 2nd son #TheSpare was not destined to become King ... wonder what became of him🤔 #TheTudors #History

#OTD 25 June 1533 #MaryTudor, Duchess of Suffolk died at Westhorpe Hall, laid to rest in Bury St Edmunds The youngest surviving child of #HenryVII & #ElizabethofYork, she was briefly Queen of France, before marrying #CharlesBrandon for love @tonyriches.bsky.social www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#OTD 25 June 1601 #PeregrineBertie 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby died of fever at Berwick Son of #KatherineWilloughby Duchess of Suffolk & 2nd husband Richard born during exile in #MaryI's reign Katherine's story: youtube.com/playlist?lis... DYK Andrew Lloyd Webber is a direct descendant?

#OTD 24 June 1532 #RobertDudley Earl of Leicester was born, the 5th of 13 children! Never far from controversy his life touched #MaryQueenofScots & #LadyJaneGrey, he was involved in rebellion & possibly murder A statesman, lover, fighter; the man who arguably held the heart of #ElizabethI

#OTD 24 June 1520 The Field of Cloth of Gold came to an end Our final eye-witness account today comes via #CardinalWolsey, the man behind it's successful organisation This would be Pope was for a time, #HenryVIII’s right-hand man, friend & trusted aide youtu.be/1YyzhKzmR1s #TheTudors #History

#OTD 22 June 1528 William Carey 1st husband of #MaryBoleyn died of sweating sickness aged c.28 A courtier & distant cousin of #HenryVIII (via the Beaufort's) he'd married Mary in 1520, his wife famously being Henry's 'companion' for 3 yrs of their marriage youtu.be/5Dl874kezR4 #TheTudors #History

#OTD 20 June 1837 18yr old Alexandrina Victoria became #QueenVictoria succeeding her Uncle #WilliamIV who had died that morning at Windsor Her 1st act? To spend an hour alone! Her coronation was on 28 June 1838 Our 2nd longest reigning Monarch 63yrs 7m She was a succeeded by #EdwardVII #History

#OTD 19 Jun 1566 #MaryQueenofScots gave birth to a son at Edinburgh castle ... the future #JamesVI of the Scots! A skilled tactician & through canny foresight maintained a relationship with cousin #ElizabethI to become her heir, #JamesI of England in 1603 #Scottishhistory youtu.be/5tacqgyN0Wc

#OTD 17 June 1567 Loch Leven island fortress became the home of #MaryQueenofScots following her defeat at the Battle of Carberry Hill Her time there was perhaps her most tragic; ill she miscarried twins & was forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son youtube.com/playlist?lis... #TheStuarts

#OTD 15 Jun 1515 #AnneHerbert was born Thomas Parr & Maud Green's youngest, sister to #KatherineParr She witnessed the most turbulent 20yrs of #HenryVIII's reign serving 7 #TudorQueens Hear her tongue in cheek careers advice by Rebecca Lyon: youtu.be/xKxl7esLKnc #TheTudors #History

#OTD 15 Jun 1519 #HenryVIII's only acknowledged illegitimate child, #HenryFitzroy was born Raised as a prince, his mother #BessieBlount was rewarded with a good marriage! More here: youtu.be/Qc9HDSZ6M2U Lack of a male heir not his fault? Oh how little he knew! #TheTudors #History

#OTD 13 June 1514 The Great Harry was launched part of #HenryVIII's 'Army by sea' Skirmishes with the French effectively ended on 14 June (coincidence?) so the fleet was decommissioned The ship saw little action until the Battle of the Solent when #MaryRose sank @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social