Hi, I'm historian Claire Ridgway
I'm the best-selling author of 15 history books and the founder of the TheAnneBoleynFiles.com, Elizabethfiles.com and The Tudor Society.
I help Tudor history lovers worldwide to gain access to experts and resources to discover the real stories behind myths and fiction, so that they grow in knowledge while connecting with like-minded people and indulging their passion for history.
How I can help you...
My latest youtube video
Henry VIII’s Boyhood Companion Who Became His Enforcer
On this day in Tudor history, 15 October 1542, William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton, died on campaign at Newcastle, serving Henry VIII one last time.
He’d been by the king’s side ...since childhood; a boyhood companion who became a soldier, sailor, ambassador, and royal enforcer. From the naval battles of 1512, to the splendour of the Field of Cloth of Gold, and even the downfall of Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, and Cromwell, Fitzwilliam’s career ran through the heart of Tudor power.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode, I uncover the life of the man who was always there when Henry VIII needed something done - on land, at sea, or in the shadows of court politics.
#TudorHistory #WilliamFitzwilliam #HenryVIII #TudorCourt #HistoryTok #BritishHistory #OnThisDay #TudorNavy #AnneBoleyn #ThomasCromwell
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Henry VIII’s Boyhood Companion Who Became His Enforcer
On this day in Tudor history, 15 October 1542, William Fitzwilliam, ...
On this day in Tudor history, 15 October 1542, William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton, died on campaign at Newcastle, serving Henry VIII one last time.
He’d been by the king’s side ...since childhood; a boyhood companion who became a soldier, sailor, ambassador, and royal enforcer. From the naval battles of 1512, to the splendour of the Field of Cloth of Gold, and even the downfall of Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, and Cromwell, Fitzwilliam’s career ran through the heart of Tudor power.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode, I uncover the life of the man who was always there when Henry VIII needed something done - on land, at sea, or in the shadows of court politics.
#TudorHistory #WilliamFitzwilliam #HenryVIII #TudorCourt #HistoryTok #BritishHistory #OnThisDay #TudorNavy #AnneBoleyn #ThomasCromwell
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Arthur Grey: The Elizabethan Soldier Who Went Too Far?
On this day in Tudor history, 14th October 1593, Arthur Grey, 14th ...
On this day in Tudor history, 14th October 1593, Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey of Wilton, died at his Buckinghamshire home.
He’d served Elizabeth I as a soldier, statesman, and staunch ...Protestant, but his career left a stain that history has never quite erased.
In this episode,I explore the life of the man behind one of the most brutal episodes of Elizabeth’s rule, the Smerwick massacre, and ask how such a devout reformer became known for such ruthless acts.
From the battlefields of France and Scotland to the rebellion-torn lands of Ireland and the muster fields of Tilbury, Arthur Grey’s life reveals both the heroism and harshness of Tudor power.
Was he a commander doing his duty, or a man who crossed a moral line in the name of faith and crown?
#TudorHistory #ArthurGrey #ElizabethI #Smerwick #TudorIreland #HistoryTok #BritishHistory #OnThisDay #TudorDrama #Reformation
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Pride comes before a fall...
He ruled England in the king’s name… until pride brought him to the ...
He ruled England in the king’s name… until pride brought him to the block.
Edward Seymour’s rise and fall is pure Tudor tragedy.
##DukeOfSomerset #EdwardVI #TudorHistory #BritishHistory #TudorDrama #edwardseymour
"I'll do it my way!"
On 13 October 1549, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, the man who had ...
On 13 October 1549, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, the man who had ruled England as Lord Protector for young Edward VI, lost it all.
By the next day, he was ...in the Tower.
How did the most powerful man in Tudor England fall so fast?
In this episode, I uncover the character flaws, bad decisions, and political missteps that doomed Somerset’s rule.
He was a soldier, reformer, and visionary, but also proud, volatile, and deaf to counsel.
Discover:
- The letter that warned Somerset he was heading for disaster
- How anger and obstinacy turned allies into enemies
- Why his leadership failed both at home and abroad
- And how ambition finally led him to the scaffold in 1552
Was Somerset a well-meaning reformer crushed by politics, or an arrogant ruler who couldn’t share power?
Tell me what you think in the comments.
#TudorHistory #EdwardSeymour #DukeOfSomerset #EdwardVI #HenryVIII #Reformation #TudorDrama #OnThisDay #HistoryTok #BritishHistory
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Did Edward VI kill his pet falcon?
A foreign diplomatic claimed that Edward VI had plucked and torn apart ...
A foreign diplomatic claimed that Edward VI had plucked and torn apart his pet falcon. Was this true? And if not, why did some people believe it?
#edwardvi #maryi #tudorhistory
Did Edward VI Really Kill His Falcon
Did England’s boy-king really tear his pet falcon to pieces? In 1551, ...
Did England’s boy-king really tear his pet falcon to pieces?
In 1551, a foreign ambassador claimed that thirteen-year-old Edward VI, Henry VIII’s only son, plucked and ripped apart his own falcon, ...saying he was that bird “whom everyone plucked.”
Some at court swore it happened. Others called it lies.
Was this a violent outburst, a misunderstood symbol of royal power, or pure Tudor gossip?
Join me, historian Claire Ridgway, as I unpack the evidence, the politics behind it, and what this strange rumour reveals about the young king determined to rule, not be ruled.
Watch to the end and decide for yourself: was Edward’s falcon moment real, or a tale that flew out of control?
#TudorHistory #EdwardVI #HenryVIII #TudorMystery #BritishHistory #TudorEngland #ClaireRidgway #Reformation #OnThisDay #RoyalHistory #TrueCrimeHistory #TudorDynasty
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Arthur Tudor: The King We Lost
Before Henry VIII, there was another heir. Prince Arthur Tudor, Prince ...
Before Henry VIII, there was another heir. Prince Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, married to Katharine of Aragon, and dead at fifteen. In this interview, Gareth Streeter (author of Arthur, ...Prince of Wales: Henry VIII’s Lost Brother and founder of Royal History Geeks) explores the prince’s real life beyond the footnotes.
We discuss:
- Why Arthur, not Henry, was central to Henry VII’s vision & propaganda
- Reconstructing the Arthur–Katharine marriage
- The big one: consummation, weighing contemporary evidence vs later “Great Matter” claims
- Education, character & the king Arthur might have become
- Illness and cause of death: what we know, what remains mystery
- Gareth’s research process, sources that changed his mind, and advice for new history writers
Find Gareth & the book:
Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII’s Lost Brother - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arthur-Prince-Wales-Henry-Brother-ebook/dp/B0C6NLT7NJ/, https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Prince-Wales-Henry-Brother-ebook/dp/B0C6NLT7NJ/
Royal History Geeks - https://www.royalhistorygeeks.com/
If you enjoy deep dives into Tudor history, please like, subscribe, and tell us in the comments: What kind of king do you think Arthur would have been, and why?
#ArthurTudor #PrinceOfWales #TudorHistory #HenryVII #KatharineOfAragon #WarsOfTheRoses #GarethStreeter #HistoryInterview
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Lady Jane Grey's influential and rich grandfather
#OTD in 1530, Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, died - star ...
#OTD in 1530, Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, died - star jouster, court insider, grandfather of Lady Jane Grey, and one of England's richest men at his death.
#OnThisDay #HenryVIII ...#LadyJaneGrey #tudorhistoryShow More
The Power, Peril, and Legacy of Lady Jane Grey’s Grandfather
On this day in Tudor history, 10 October 1530, Thomas Grey, 2nd ...
On this day in Tudor history, 10 October 1530, Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, died. Soldier, jouster, courtier, and grandfather of Lady Jane Grey, he lived a life that ...perfectly captured the dangers and rewards of Tudor ambition.
Born into royalty - grandson of Elizabeth Woodville and Katherine Neville, sister of the Kingmaker - Thomas grew up in the shadow of shifting alliances and rebellion.
He was imprisoned by Henry VII, restored under Henry VIII, and rose again through charm, courage, and sheer survival instinct.
- He dazzled at court tournaments, fought in France in 1513, escorted Mary Tudor to her French wedding, and bore the sword of state at the Field of Cloth of Gold.
- He sat in judgment on the Duke of Buckingham, backed Henry VIII’s annulment, and—when the tides turned—joined the charges against Cardinal Wolsey.
- Yet behind the glitter was a man who fought feuds, faced imprisonment, and watched power slip as easily as it came.
By his death, he was one of England’s wealthiest nobles—and the patriarch of a line that would end in tragedy with Lady Jane Grey.
Join me, historian and author Claire Ridgway, for the remarkable story of a Tudor magnate who lived, fought, and schemed at the heart of power.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor history.
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #ThomasGrey #LadyJaneGrey #HenryVIII #TudorCourt #TudorDynasty #EnglishHistory #FieldOfClothOfGold #ClaireRidgway
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The Pilgrimage of Grace Rebellion
9 October 1536 — Lincolnshire rose in fury. What began as local anger ...
9 October 1536 — Lincolnshire rose in fury.
What began as local anger over taxes and monasteries became the Pilgrimage of Grace, the greatest rebellion of Henry VIII’s reign.
Robert Aske chose ...peace. Henry chose betrayal.
Would you have trusted the king’s promise?
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #PilgrimageOfGrace #HenryVIII #ThomasCromwell #RobertAske #Reformation #ClaireRidgwayShow More
Henry VIII’s Bloody Response to Rebellion: The Pilgrimage of Grace Begins
On this day in Tudor history, 9 October 1536, anger in Lincolnshire ...
On this day in Tudor history, 9 October 1536, anger in Lincolnshire burst into open revolt.
At Horncastle, a crowd raised their hands in agreement: “We like them very well!”, and ...sent a blunt list of grievances to King Henry VIII. That petition marked the birth of the Pilgrimage of Grace, the largest uprising of his reign.
But how did it start?
In the first week of October 1536, fear and fury spread through Lincolnshire:
- Louth’s vicar warned that the Church was in danger.
- Cromwell’s commissioners were attacked and their papers burned.
- Two royal agents were killed at Horncastle.
- The rebels’ demands were clear:
- Stop dissolving monasteries
- End new taxes and seizure of Church wealth
- Remove “upstart” councillors like Thomas Cromwell and Richard Rich
Henry’s reply? Defiance. “Withdraw yourselves… and submit to punishment.”
But the rebellion spread north. Within weeks, Robert Aske led 30,000 rebels under the banner of the Five Wounds of Christ. They faced the Duke of Norfolk near Doncaster, and chose negotiation over bloodshed.
Henry’s promise of pardon was a trap. When the rising rekindled, Aske and the rebel leaders were executed.
Join me, historian and author Claire Ridgway, as we trace how local anger became a national crisis, and how Henry VIII’s cold response defined his rule.
Like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor history.
Tell me in the comments: Would you have trusted Norfolk’s offer, or marched on London?
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #PilgrimageOfGrace #ThomasCromwell #RobertAske #Reformation #LincolnshireRising #EnglishReformation #TudorRebellion #BritishHistory #ClaireRidgway
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From the most powerful man in England to traitor in one day!
#OTD in 1549, the most powerful man in England woke up as Lord ...
#OTD in 1549, the most powerful man in England woke up as Lord Protector and went to bed a traitor.
What had led Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, to this point?
#OnThisDay ...#edwardvi #edwardseymour #reformation #TudorHistoryShow More
Online Events
I regularly host online Tudor history conferences to connect Tudor history lovers with Tudor historians all from the comfort of their own homes. They comprise talks, live events, live Q&A sessions and resources, and are educational and fun.
Check out the Events tab to find out about my latest event.
The Tudor Society
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The Anne Boleyn Files
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As featured in...
I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. I was a contributor for the BBC docudrama The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, and have been featured in BBC History Extra, USA Today, History of Royals Magazine, the Express, and Refinery 29, as well as on podcasts including Suzannah Lipscomb's Not Just the Tudors, Gareth Russell's Single Malt History, Natalie Grueninger's Talking Tudors, Hever Castle's Inside Hever, James Boulton's Queens of England, and many more.
Praise for Claire's work
"Claire's blog - recently made available in book form - is more rigorous than that of many professional historians." Susan Bordo, author of The Creation of Anne Boleyn: A New Look at England's Most Notorious Queen
"A sumptuously illustrated and impeccably researched history about the domestic life of a family that shaped British history. This is a fascinating window into both the Boleyns' lives at Hever and upper-class life on the eve of the Reformation." - Gareth Russell, Author of Young and Damned and Fair, on The Boleyns of Hever Castle.
"I've been a history buff all my life, both as a reader and as a writer. I thought I knew about Anne and her Boleyn family, Henry VIII and his court, but this book [The Anne Boleyn Collection] fills in so many blanks for me that I will read it more than once...This is a book for the legion of Tudor fiction readers, who want to know the stories behind the myths, the truth behind the legend...Absolutely fascinating read. " - Jeane Westin, Author of His Last Letter
"Claire has produced another must read for Anne Bolyen fans." Leanda de Lisle, author of Tudor: The Family Story, writing about "The Anne Boleyn Collection II.
More about me
I founded the Anne Boleyn Files in 2009, the Tudor Society in 2014 and I have a popular YouTube channel.
I help Tudor history lovers all over the world learn more about history, connect with experts and like-minded people, and uncover the facts behind the fiction, all from the comfort of their own homes.
I'm a former teacher and a recognised expert in Tudor history, and, as the founder of The Tudor Society, I've built a community of history lovers and experts where members can share their passion for history and receive accurate resources and information.
Claire Ridgway's Books
