British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics

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Royal Road Trip: Tudor Summer Progresses (ep 70) Aug 25, 2021

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The Tudor court was always on the move. Basic hygiene required that the court remain in any one palace for just a few weeks before moving out so everything could be cleaned. Think of no indoor plumbing or running water. After a few weeks, it was time to move.
During the spring and summer, those moves went beyond London into other parts of the country. This was for practical reasons in some ways—plague and other illnesses often came during these months, and London was crowded and therefore dangerous. Getting out of the city made good sense to avoid contagion.
But beyond the need for cleaning and the advantage of avoiding disease, the most important motive for spring and summer progresses was to see and be seen. It was important for the monarch to visit worrisome areas of the country. That way, the highest figures in the government could identify areas where trouble was brewing and make a preemptive strike to settle things down. In addition, the physical presence of majesty could be enough to convince would-be rebels to think twice (or more!) about causing trouble. The size of the household and presence of guards and knights was a visual reminder of the power of the monarch.
Early progresses of the first and final Tudor monarchs give us some great insight into the potential power of the royal progress.

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Tudor Summers: Treats and Temptations (ep 69) Aug 18, 2021

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Tudors spent their summers working hard, playing hard, enjoying season fruits, and sometimes having a great time. Brigitte Webster of Tudor & 17th Century Experience continues to share her expertise on how Tudors enjoyed their summers.
Find more about Brigitte and how you can immerse yourself in a real Tudor experience at https://www.tudorexperience.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram (@tudor_experience), Facebook (Tudor & 17th Century Experience), and Twitter (@tudorfoodrecipe).

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A Tudor Summer at Old Hall (ep 68) Aug 11, 2021

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From special summer food to the Banqueting House, and from harvest days to feasting, Tudor summers were a time of working hard and celebrating. Brigitte Webster, owner of Tudor and 17th Century Experience, shares the details of Tudor summer fun and feasting. Living at Old Hall, a 16th century home, Brigitte experiences the full Tudor experience.
Brigitte shares the fun of a Tudor summer, which included gathering together to share a meal, eating outside, and discovering and enjoying the power of sugar.

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Sea Bathing with Jane Austen (ep 67) Aug 04, 2021

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When we think of Jane Austen’s novels, we often think of life in the parlor. Well-dressed Bingley sisters making pointed comments in the grand rooms of Netherfield Hall. Mr. Knightley visiting Emma and Mr. Woodhouse at Hartfield. Lady Catherine deBourgh holding court at Rosings. And Mr. Darcy watching Elizabeth play the piano at Pemberley. Ladies read books and walk around the room. Gentlemen write letters. Relationships develop and dissolve.
But what might happen if they take a journey to the seaside?
Austen's characters tease us with the promises and perils of sea bathing!
“The sea is very rarely of use to any body. I am sure it almost killed me once.”
BENEFITS OF THE SEASIDE
“The sea is no beautifier, certainly; sailors do grow old betimes; I have observed it; they soon lose the look of youth.”
DANGERS OF THE SEA
“There has been a solemn engagement between them ever since October—formed at Weymouth, and kept a secret from every body.”
SCANDALS OF THE SEASIDE
“A little sea-bathing would set me up for ever.”
APPEAL OF THE SEASIDE

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Christmas in July Windsor Style! (ep 66) Jul 28, 2021

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In 1800, Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, erected the first known Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. She hosted a party for the children of Windsor families. According to Dr. John Watkins, who wrote a biography of Queen Charlotte, the large yew tree stood in a tub in the middle of the drawing room at Queen’s Lodge. The branches were decorated with “bunches of sweetmeats, almonds, and raisins in papers, fruits and toys, most tastefully arranged, and the whole illuminated by small wax candles.”
Prince Albert popularized the Christmas tree. As he and Queen Victoria shared their family tradition of gathering around the tree at Windsor Castle with popular publications of the day, the tradition caught on with families throughout the country. With the support (and possibly encouragement) of the royal family, Illustrated London News, Cassell’s Magazine, and The Graphic shared images of the royal Christmas at Windsor with details about the royal trees.
After Victoria, in the early 20th century, the royals began celebrating Christmas at Sandringham. Edward VII decided to start holding family Christmas celebrations there in 1864. George V continued the tradition of the royal family Christmas at Sandringham. In 1932, King George V delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live from Sandringham House.
George VI, who succeeded his brother, gave his first Christmas broadcast in 1937. In 1939, George VI spoke on the first Christmas of World War II. He sadly reflected on the loss of peace during the Christmas season and praised the Royal Navy, British Expeditionary Force, and armies of the Empire. As the war ended and new challenges arose, George VI spoke of the unity and steadfastness of the Commonwealth and the Empire.
Her Majesty the Queen gave her first Christmas message from the same desk and chair that her father and grandfather had used. She pledged to carry on the tradition of Christmas broadcasts and thanked people for their loyalty and affection. She has delivered broadcasts from Sandringham, New Zealand, Buckingham Palace, and Windsor Castle. As technology progressed, she moved the broadcast from radio to television and then to HD, and often incorporates additional footing.
This year, the Queen’s annual Christmas message will be delivered from Windsor Castle—which is the same location as her two previous addresses of 2020. Last year, in 2019, the Queen said it is “the small steps, not the giant leaps” that bring about lasting change in the world. This was a reference to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and our own roles in doing good in the world. As always, her message is both timely and utterly timeless.

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Christmas in July Victorian Style! (ep 65) Jul 21, 2021

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When Victoria and Albert married in 1840, they consciously set about improving the image of the monarchy. Creating a family Christmas, with children gathered around the tree, was an essential part of this. With their Christmas tree as a centerpiece, the royal family was ready to create a picture-perfect Christmas. In 1848, the Illustrated London News featured a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree. Eager to share the image of family-centered royals, especially at Christmas, Victoria and Albert were happy to have the image published. The popularity of the Christmas tree grew rapidly in Britain after the image appeared.
A few years later, in 1860, an image of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children decorating the tree was featured in Godey’s Lady’s Book. The growing popularity of Christmas and the Christmas tree helped make the royal family seem like a benefit to the British people. Even into the 20th century, images of the young Victoria and Albert decorating the Christmas tree continued to emerge. For example, in the 1910 Life of Queen Victoria for Boys and Girls by Alice Corkran features an image of the young queen and prince consort, with a couple of their young children, decorating the Christmas tree. The image of the royal family celebrating around a Christmas tree became permanently connected with Victoria’s reign.
Like A Christmas Carol, the popularity of A Visit from St. Nicholas helped shape the perception of Christmas and continues to do so today. Likewise, the efforts of Victoria and Albert, supported by economic and technological advances, were essential to the transition of Christmas from a quiet celebration at the beginning of the 19th century to the modern celebration we enjoy today.

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Christmas in July Tudor Style! (ep 64) Jul 14, 2021

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For the Tudors, Christmas was a highlight of the year. It was a time of feasting on especially grand dishes, of dancing and singing, of enjoying the antics of the Lord of Misrule and special holiday revels and entertainments, and of showing off. Oh, and of course going to church.
The Tudors certainly made the most of these traditions. Families in Tudor times carried on decorating their homes with holly and ivy. They brought in mistletoe and often shaped it into the double ring under which couples could kiss. Tudor lords opened their great manors for members of the village, inviting in members of the village to partake of a special meal. Common families indulged in meat, pastries, fruit, and other specialties over Christmas that they wouldn’t see for the rest of the year. The holiday lasted for twelve days, from December 25 to Twelfth Night in January. It was a time people stopped working, spent more time in church, visited families, enjoyed entertainment, and shared gifts.

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Christmas in July Medieval Style! (ep 63) Jul 07, 2021

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We're celebrating Christmas in July!
Unlike today, Medieval Christmas decorations did not start going up mid-October! In fact, because of Advent, the 40 days before Christmas were pretty bleak. Once noon passed on December 24, decorating homes and churches could begin. Family members wrapped up warmly and headed outside to gather the holly bows, ivy, red berries, pine branches and cones, and other greenery they would use to decorate their homes.
There weren’t Christmas trees in homes in Medieval England. Instead, the center of the decorations was often a double ring of mistletoe that was hung in a prominent location. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was common in this time, and often the kissing couple of pluck one of the red berries each time they shared a kiss. Again, we see remnants of pagan and other beliefs. The Celtic druids believed holly warded off evil spirits. Romans and others believed mistletoe would encourage fertility, protect crops, and keep witches away.
Another Christmas tradition is the Yule log. The family would drag a large piece of tree trunk into the house and light it on Christmas Eve, using a piece of the Yule log from the year before. To ensure good luck and better fortune in the coming year, it was important to keep the log burning throughout the holiday season. It was allowed to go out after Epiphany, and a portion was kept to light next year’s log.
Most people had eaten sparsely and fasted during Advent, so they looked forward to Christmas feasting. For all levels of society, Christmas food usually represented better fare than the usual. Laborers, farm workers, and the like often treated themselves to meat at Christmas—usually boiled. This was often the only time of year they ate meat. Sometimes, the lord of the manor would feast on venison and then offer the leftover bits and entrails to his workers. These bits, called umbles, were often baked into a pie. An umble pie. That’s right—the beginning of humble pie. In addition to meat, workers and peasants might treat themselves to cheese and eggs and even a cake.
Members of the aristocracy dined so well during the rest of the year that they had to go all out to make Christmas feasts something special. And they did! Decorated with seasonal greenery and spices, the Great Hall was the setting for the grandest meals. The Christmas feast was several courses, often hailed by trumpets or other music as it was carried in. The higher levels of aristocracy were entitled to more variety of food and more courses. The king, of course, had the best of everything. His holiday meals would go on for hours, with various courses introduced with musical numbers and other performances.
Waes Hael!

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Mary Howard: A Wise Tudor Woman (ep 62) Jun 30, 2021

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She was surrounded by men: daughter of a Duke, sister of an Earl, and wife of the King's illegitimate son! But Mary Howard, daughter-in-law of Henry VIII, was not about to be pushed around. She stood up for what was hers, refused to be married off, and ended up with an income and a chance to make a life of her own.
No wonder her father described her as "too wise for a woman."
Join Rebecca Larson of Tudors Dynasty to meet a remarkable woman and get a new perspective on women's lives in Tudor England.

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Kids Rule! Major Problems with Minority Rule (ep 61) Jun 23, 2021

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The whole idea of the royal succession was for the throne to pass from the King to his adult, prepared, son. That’s the pattern that makes the “The King is dead, long live the King” thing work. But in English and Scottish and British history, that didn’t always happen. Sometimes there wasn’t an adult son ready to take the throne. Sometimes (gasp!) the throne went to a woman! And sometimes (double gasp!), it went to a child. Throughout Medieval times, when the King needed to rule and a strong King meant a strong country, a child on the throne was a bit of a problem. It was right there in the Bible: “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child.”
It was not automatically a full disaster. But it was certainly less than ideal.
It had taken Henry VIII nearly 30 years of his reign to have a son, so by the time Edward was born, the King was in his final decade. Henry’s health was failing by the end of 1546. So he did everything he could to help smooth the way for his son to take and keep the throne. Although young, Edward was a determined and dedicated reformer and his reign saw significant reforms and the beginning of the use of the term “Protestant.” Edward’s second Book of Common prayer provided a model for worship that would be used for 400 years. He was beginning to write in his journal about his frustration with those who didn’t follow his religious laws—it’s likely that if he had lived longer, his persecution of Catholics would have increased. But Edward was one of the few child Kings who did not grow to adulthood and rule on his own.
One of the interesting things about the reign of Richard II was that he had one of his best royal moments while still in his minority. Although just 14 years old, Richard responded decisively. He met the rebels at Mile End and agreed to some of their demands. The rebels grew restive and the King’s men responded, pulling Tyler off his horse and killing him. Despite the rebels’ outcries, Richard shouted that he was their true captain and led them away from the scene. It was not the end of outbreaks of rebellion, but Richard had shown his potential as a leader and exercised authority in the defeat, capture, and execution of the rebels. Ironically, Richard’s success with the Peasant’s Revolt turned out to contribute to his downfall. It seemed to fuel Richard’s belief in his absolute power as King—and he started to exercise it.
If it’s bad to have a king who’s a child, imagine the potential disaster if the King is an infant. Especially in the midst of a huge war with France. There’s a moment at the end of Shakespeare’s Henry V, after the “band of brothers” speech and the glories of Agincourt and the humor of King Henry and Princess Katherine where the Chorus comes back on stage and rips the thrill of victory right out from under us. Henry V’s victories were followed shortly by his early death.
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown’d King
Of France and England, did this King succeed;
Whose state so many had the managing,
That they lost France and made his England bleed.
Of course, England wasn’t the only country with child Kings. The Stuarts saw a series of Kings named James take the throne as children. In 1406, James I was 12 and in captivity when he became King. James II became King at age 6 after his father was assassinated. The exact birth of James III is disputed, but he certainly was no older than 10 when he became King. James IV became King of Scotland at age 15 after his father died in battle. James V was only 17 months old when he became King after his father’s death in battle. And James VI was only 13 months old when he became King. So from 1406 to 1567, the incoming King was a young boy. There was, of course, one exception. Still a child, but not a boy. The exception is, of course, Mary Queen of Scots.
So having a child on the throne may have been as bad as prophesied: “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child.”

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