British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics

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Fierce, Feisty Women: Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I, part 2 (episode 20) Sep 09, 2020

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In early September 1533, Anne Boleyn was supposed to be getting ready to give the King a son. The birth of a son would justify the actions Henry VIII had taken—setting aside his first wife, going against the wishes of most of his ministers, breaking with the Pope, and establishing himself as Supreme Head of the Church of England. Henry believed God would reward these actions by giving him the son he had wished for since he came to the throne almost 25 years previously.
It seemed God had other plans.
Anne must have realized in that moment that, however she doted on and showered gifts on her little girl, she had failed in her quest to give the King a son. Mother and daughter faced incredible challenges the day Elizabeth was born. Their determination, as well as the fierce and feisty natures they possessed, would guide them through challenges and take them to very different ends.
Mother and daughter lived in different times and played different roles. But their decisions seem connected to me in this way: they made their own way in the world, defying expectations and claiming their power in the ways they could. In Anne Boleyn’s case, it meant holding out for marriage. In Elizabeth’s case, it meant holding out against marriage. In both cases, it meant holding out, and holding on to an inner power and control. Anne Boleyn lost her life because her husband ultimately held the power. Elizabeth was the longest-reigning Tudor and oldest monarch when she died. Perhaps not having a husband was part of that outcome.

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Her Mother's Daughter: Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I, pt 1 Sep 02, 2020

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Queen Elizabeth I is regularly associated with her father, Henry VIII. The least likely heir became the most successful of his children and the longest-reigning Tudor monarch. Elizabeth is described as resembling her royal father, perhaps more than his other two children. And Elizabeth’s fiery temper certainly matched the historic temper of Henry VIII.
Elizabeth I and Henry VIII are certainly the most famous Tudor monarchs, and two of the most famous monarchs of all time. Elizabeth is reported to have linked herself firmly to her father: “I may not be a lion, but I am a lion’s cub and have a lion’s heart.”
But what of her mother?
Anne Boleyn died in disgrace, by the order of her father, before Elizabeth turned three years old. As a result, Elizabeth was “demoted” from her position as Princess. She went from a cherished daughter, showed off by the King to his court, to an outcast whose governess had to beg for her clothing. All of this was associated with the fall of Anne Boleyn. After the execution of her mother, it seemed Elizabeth’s chance of inheriting the throne was gone.
But Elizabeth did inherit. Was the royal daughter, so publicly connected to her father, also less publicly connected to the mother she barely knew? I think she was.
By turning a 35-year old King into a lovesick schoolboy, refusing to be used and cast aside as a mistress, convincing Henry VIII that new ideas about religion were interesting instead of dangerous, championed religious reform, and giving the world not the expected son but a daughter who would put England on the world’s stage, Anne Boleyn created the world her daughter would inherit. I think she left not only a changed England but elements of herself that would guide Elizabeth throughout her reign.

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Are Diamonds a Royal's Best Friend? The Impact of Royal Jewelry Aug 26, 2020

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All that glisters is not gold…but some of it is! The elite in society, including and perhaps especially the royals, have always used jewels to sparkle and stand out in a crowd. Whether it’s Henry VIII adding cloth of gold and gold thread to his outfits and adding jewels to his chest and even his hat or Mary I wearing a legendary pearl or Victoria pinning a huge sapphire brooch to her wedding dress or Princess Margaret wearing a tiara in the bathtub…jewels make the royal!
Jewels have dazzled royal outfits for hundreds of years. One of the most personal pieces of Tudor jewelry, and my absolute favorite, actually does survive! It’s a small item, a ring, worn by Elizabeth I. Called the Chequers Ring because it’s housed at Chequers, the country house of the Prime Minister, it has been displayed at the National Maritime Museum and at the National Portrait Gallery. It’s a locket ring that contains a special secret.
This tiny piece of history is a reminder that jewelry is both personal and public, both sentimental and stately. The history of the royal wardrobe needs to include the jewelry, the crowns and tiaras, the brooches and the necklaces. These pieces, large and small, elegant and outlandish, are often the final touch to the message the wardrobe seeks to deliver: magnificence.

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Mentioning Unmentionables: A Brief History of Underwear Aug 19, 2020

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Today we’re looking at the history of underwear. The first question you might ask is…Why? Why spend time thinking about something so mundane, so personal, so domestic? Because something so personal and utilitarian can give us a real glimpse into the way people lived their most personal lives hundreds of years ago.
Throughout history, people responded to changes in climate and technology, to wars and regimes being overthrown, to hunger, to marriage and birth and death in public ways. They also responded in private ways. And private choices are sometimes represented by these most private moments and bits of clothing, worn away from the public gaze. Looking at the private moments can help us understand who those people really were. And understanding them helps us understand where we come from, who we are, and who we can be.
So let’s take a look at what’s happening under all those glamorous clothes!

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Fashion Statement? Political Statement? Or Just a Bad Hair Day? Aug 12, 2020

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The story of royal fashion includes accessories, and that means the accessory we all take with us everywhere, every day: hair.
Life in Medieval England was heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. This extended to hairstyles. Around the 10th century, the Church began issuing statements about the appropriate length of men’s hair and the need for women to cover their heads and hair. In 1073, Pope Gregory VII even banned beards and mustaches among the clergy.
As the Reformation progressed, the strict rules of the Catholic Church began to disappear in some places. In England, this was reflected in hairstyles. Elizabeth’s reign in particular saw women abandon the notion of covering their hair with a hood and veil. Hair was visible in Elizabethan England, decorated with jewels and ornaments.
Of course, if hair is exposed for the world to see, what happens when it turns grey or begins to thin? You’ll notice from portraits of Queen Elizabeth I , that didn’t seem to happen to royals. Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: wigs! Even though St. Bernard de Clairvaux said in the twelfth century that women who wore wigs were committing a mortal sin, this condemnation had been swept away. Queen Elizabeth had several wigs—some people think as many as 80! The wigs covered her the reality of ageing, something that became a popular political stand as Elizabeth refused to marry and produce an heir.
As we leave the Tudors and move into the Stuart reign, it’s the men whose hair takes center stage. Starting with Charles I, the second Stuart King of England, big wigs were the style of Kings. The abundance of all that curly hair gave the King and the royalists their nickname during the English Civil War: The Cavaliers. It is associated with the French word chevalier meaning horse—think horse main, abundant hair, dressed and styled for royal processions. The Parliamentarians, on the other hand, were known as the Roundheads because they couldn’t afford the huge wigs and their closely cropped hair showed the round shape of their heads.
In the early 20th century royal hair beats a bit of a retreat. For example, the Queen's hairstyle has remained largely the same throughout her reign, serving primarily as a place to display the elegant crowns and tiaras at evening events and spectacular hats during the day. But the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century, fashion-forward hair makes a comeback. Diana, Princess of Wales captured the world's attention with her wardrobe and hair--both of which got sleek and chic over the years. And the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex have their own styles and continue to define the modern monarchy.
What do you think the royal style will be like in the next 20 years??

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Making Magnificence: The Tudor Royal Wardrobe Aug 05, 2020

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To become a successful dynasty, the Tudors had to create an absolutely unassailable royal image. One of their primary tools was the royal wardrobe.
With the numerous times the crown was seized in the 15th century, the notion of looking the part of King was incredibly important. Edward IV was determined to create an image that would reinforce his place on the English throne, wearing the finest clothing, jewels, and furs. Later, after another seizure of power, Henry VII would need to rely on Fortescue’s advice to create an image of unassailable royalty for himself and his heirs.
After all, the Tudors had to be accepted by their subjects, many of whom had switched allegiance regularly during the Wars of the Roses and didn’t know Henry VII at all. They had to exert power over the nobility. They had to impress foreign powers. They had to create and deliver an immediate and overwhelming message of dominance and royalty. Their regal appearance, conveyed by their wardrobe, was essential to the success of the dynasty. Dress was an important tool to convey power, wealth, and right to reign.
When dynasties change, clothing and jewels are often given away or taken apart to be made into something new. This is certainly true of Tudor clothing and jewels. With a couple of possible exceptions, almost nothing remains from the Tudor dynasty. But because of inventory records and portraits, we are able to get a clear sense of some of how royal dress was used to convey messages of authority and power through the majesty of appearance. It’s hard to imagine a dynasty more successfully accomplishing that mission of creating magnificence.

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Sibling Squabbles in the Tudor Nursery Jul 29, 2020

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Henry VIII was the only King of England to have all three of his children inherit the throne. Typically, all a King’s children would be in the succession until the King died. Not so if the King is Henry VIII!
Desperate for a son, Henry actually disinherited both of his daughters. He disinherited Mary when Elizabeth born (the First Succession Act was passed in 1534) because he claimed the marriage to Katherine of Aragon was not valid. He disinherited Elizabeth when killed her mother (the Second Succession Act was passed in 1536) because he claimed the marriage to Anne Boleyn was not valid. For several years after he was born, Edward was only heir. Finally, in 1543, Henry enacted the Third Succession Act, which returned Mary and Elizabeth to the succession.
All these changes affected the children as they grew and then as all three took the throne. Their relationships with Henry, with various stepmothers, and with each other shaped the rest of their lives.

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Mother and Daughter Drama, Starring Queen Victoria Jul 22, 2020

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This week, we’re turning to family dramas between mothers and daughters. Playing the role of both is our friend Queen Victoria! As a daughter, she had a rebellious relationship against her mother, the Duchess of Kent. Becoming Queen meant Victoria was able to shake off her mother’s smothering influence—and she did. As a mother, Victoria had enough children to have all kinds of maternal relationships—good, bad, and in between. For today, we’ll see this range in the relationship to her youngest daughter, Beatrice.
The Duchess tried to prepare Victoria to be Queen. Unfortunately, this involved creating a large role for Sir John Conroy, a man Victoria hated. Conroy had been the Duke’s equerry and became the Duchess’s closest adviser. He could be charming when he wished, but he was also manipulative. He saw the chance to gain greater power by running the household and establishing for himself a significant role in Victoria’s reign.
Denying her mother this power, Victoria ascended to the throne. When she became a mother herself, she healed the relationship with her own mother. The Duchess was a doting grandmother and support to the Queen.
Echoing the better relationship with her own mother, Queen Victoria attempted to manage the lives of her own children. This was true of her youngest daughter, Beatrice. The baby fo the family was Victoria's obvious favorite, which meant she was expected to spend her life taking care of her mother. The relationship came into crisis when Beatrice wanted a husband and family of her own.
Victoria had trouble making peace with Beatrice's decision, but eventually she did. When Beatrice became a widow after 11 years of marriage, she returned to her mother's side. After Victoria's death, Beatrice was the literary executor of the Queen's journals, editing and rewriting the history to create the image she wanted her mother to have. So as much as Victoria hoped to shape her daughter's life, her daughter shaped her mother's legacy.

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King George and Son: Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 Jul 15, 2020

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Several questions will help us get to know the four King Georges (Kings George?) who ruled Britain from 1714 to 1830.
Question 1: How did these guys come to rule England?
Answer: Parliament insisted on a Protestant heir, and after the death of Queen Anne it turned out George of Hanover got the job.
Question 2: What was George I like as a King of England?
Answer: Not good! He preferred Hanover and spoke little English, making him unpopular. His scandalous treatment of his wife didn't help his reputation in England. He had a terrible relationship with his son and heir.
Question 3: So was George II any better?
Answer: Not really! He had a terrible relationship with his father AND with his son. His son died before he did, so George II left the crown to his grandson.
Question 4: What’s the real deal with George III?
Answer: Well, he'll never be a hero to Americans, but he was the best of the Georges. Still, many were relieved when he went completely mad and retired from public life.
Question 5: Prince Regent? What’s that? Who is the King?
Answer: Prince George (yes, another one) ruled in behalf of his father, George III, as Prince Regent. He lived a scandalous life and was obese and sick by the time he finally became King George IV. His only child preceded him in death, so the crown passed to his brother William.
And that's the end of the Georgians!

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Team Tudor vs Team Stuart: Power and Personalities Jul 08, 2020

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In politics, being neighbors doesn’t mean being friends. The struggles between the Tudors of England and the Stuarts of Scotland shaped the power dynamic of the two countries and affected the politics of Europe as well.
The inevitable mixture of power and personality with the key players in this group make their battles a struggle for personal as well as political survival. So choose your side—Team Tudor or Team Stuart—and let’s get ready to rumble.
When Henry Tudor took the English throne, he knew he had his job cut out for him: create a dynasty and get other countries around the world to accept him as the King of England. One way to create alliances and demonstrate the growing status of the Tudors was to arrange marriages with prominent royal families. Toward that end, Henry VII arranged two marriages: the marriage of his son and heir (at the time) Prince Arthur to Princess Katherine of Aragon in 1501 and the marriage of his daughter Princess Margaret to King James IV of Scotland in 1503.
We usually focus on Arthur and Katherine, as it gets the Henry VIII marital merry-go-round started. But the marriage of Princess Margaret and King James IV is the one that would ignite the Tudor/Stuart rivalry and lead to power struggles and politics that would reshape England and Scotland for years to come.

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