Henry Tudor, Heretic and Father of Kings

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“The death of Prince Christian, grandson of King Henri III, would leave the inheritance a little shakier than it had been before. The only living child of Prince Henri was thirteen-year-old Anne Tudor. There were several prominent nobles that would have preferred for her to disinherited in favor of her uncle Prince Francis Tudor.

But, Prince Francis and Marie Francoise of Brittany, continuing in their pattern of avoiding conflict where possible, put their support behind Princess Anne being left in the succession.”

Solomon Lee, “Marie Francoise and Francis Tudor”​

“To reinforce Princess Anne’s claim, she was betrothed to René de Lorraine, the grandson of Magdalena d’Albret, the elder half-sister of King Henri III. [2] The two wouldn’t actually marry until Princess Anne reached the age of fifteen.”

Tammie Waltherson, “For the Tudors’ It’s All About Family”​

[2] Princess Magdalena d’Albret, was the eldest surviving daughter of Catherine of Navarre would marry Jean de Lorraine. Their son, Jean Gaston de Lorraine, Lord of Albret and Count of Castres would marry Renée of Guise. Their only son was René de Lorraine.


“After almost a year, a full four months longer than planned, Prince Henry and his party would leave Navarre, heading towards Hesse-Kassel to visit Margaret Tudor, the mother of William Henry, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.”

Irene Whent, “Prince Henry’s Last Trip”​

“Landgravine Margaret Tudor was the second child from Prince Henry’s marriage to the Lady Mary Howard. Landgravine Margaret would grow quite close to her father’s next wife, her step-mother, Renee of France. In fact, Landgravine Margaret’s second daughter would be named for Princes Renee; Renata being the German form.

Landgravine Margaret Tudor had married William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, early in fifteen sixty-two, at age eighteen. The two shared a love of the heavens and stars that would propel Hesse-Kassel into the forefront of astronomical study and discovery. Even after the death of William IV, Landgravine Margaret would continue funding and sponsoring astronomical research.”

Clara Bently, “Margaret and the Heavens”​

 

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“Prince Henry would arrive in Hesse-Kassel only several months before Tycho Brache. The famed astronomer hadn’t intended to stay long in Hesse-Kassel; he only wished to see the observatory that William IV had built. But with dwindling support from King John Albert of Denmark and Norway, and the offer of patronage from William Henry, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, [2] Tycho Brache would remain in Kassel.

He would move his family to Hesse-Kassel several months after the end of Prince Henry’s visit.”

Clara Bently, “Margaret and the Heavens”​

[2] Though in truth the offer was probably the notion of Dowager Landgravine Margaret.


“StarCrossedis about what you’d expect: drama filled, campy, and historically inaccurate. I almost strained my eyes rolling them so hard. After I was done being baffled I got mad. Tycho Brache and Landgravine Margaret Tudor (Prince Henry’s daughter, it’s hard to keep Tudors straight, I know) did not have some sort of Romeo and Juliet love affair!

For one, Tycho Brache was happily married (he and his wife would have, like twelve kids) and two, anytime Landgravine Margaret Tudor and Tycho Brache were in the same room they apparently spent the entire time nerding out about the stars! No romance! Is it really so hard to believe two people can be close without it becoming romantic?!?!?

But, credit where credit is due, the costuming was amazing! Completely accurate. Alyssa Milano, as Margaret Tudor, was dressed in the English fashions Margaret must have brought with her from England. This kept Milano distinct in every frame. And everyone, down to the extras, was dressed period typical. It was amazing!

But, it did not make up for the aweful plot. I almost felt like a friend of mine was being slandered! Margaret Tudor should be remembered for the advances to astronomy she made personally and the advances she financed and for the amazing job she did as regent for her young son. Not, this b-movie drama plot.”

Review by Hailey Lane, the definitive Tudor Reviewer​

“Prince Henry seemed to be aware that he would never again be able to return to Hesse-Kassel. He spent the majority of his time with his daughter and grandchildren, eschewing most parties and other engagements. This was particularly unusual, as Prince Henry had always loved the spotlight.”

Irene Whent, “Prince Henry’s Last Trip”​

 

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A.N. It's alive!! Sorry about going AWOL. College has been a lot.


“Lord Edmund Tudor, youngest son of Prince Henry, would be just ten years old when he left England with his father for Prince Henry’s last trip. This journey would introduce Lord Edmund to several older siblings he had never met, give the young man a breadth of experience unusual for his age, and a bevy of connections that rivaled Prince Henry’s. For, throughout the journey, Lord Edmund would make a lot of friends.

Among the most prevalent would be his grandnephew Henri Tudor, son of Francis Tudor and Marie Francoise of Brittany; Julian Jakes, the Navarrese-Italian philosopher; his distance cousin Louise Stuart, the bastard daughter of the King of France; Lorenz Mul, the great playwright; Pierre Charron, theologian and philosopher; and Irmele Schade, the portrait painter. [1]

Lord Edmund Tudor shared his father’s charisma and the unique ability—for the Tudors—to allow another to take center stage. This would endear him to the many important people.”

Harper Wayne, “Keeping Up with The Tudors, Your Guide to Who’s Who”​

[1] Schade is primarily known for her portraits of the Tudor Family. The project would start late in 1589 and encompass the living children of Prince Henry Tudor and their descendants. It would take thirty years.


“Hansen: Not everyone is a familiar with the Tudors as I am, but even those who don’t religiously study the 1500s and all the **** the Tudors got up to, will reference Tudor’s all the time. They just don’t know it.

Lawless: Like calling red hair Tudor hair?

Hansen: Yep, or, you know the phrase, ‘Edmund knows them’?

Lawless: I have heard it a time or two.

Hansen: It means a person worth knowing. It’s because way back when, if there was anyone worth knowing, Edmund Tudor knew them. It came into popularity at the end of the FitzTudors, when everyone was Tudor crazy.”

Selection from interview with Henry Hansen, author of Tudors, Wettins, and FitzTudors: The Last Three Dynasties of England ​

“While the relationship of Prince Henry with his youngest son Edmund would never compare with his relationship his eldest son Henri, it is undoubtedly one the stronger relationships of Prince Henry’s life.

And old man when Edmund Tudor was born, Prince Henry had outlived all his siblings, most of his generation, and several of his children. He was intimately aware of the fragility of life. It appears to be for this reason that Prince Henry insisted that young Edmund Tudor accompanied Prince Henry on his last trip. Prince Henry knew that he was running out of time and wanted his youngest son by his side.”

Rachel Rowell, “Father of the Reawakening, and a Good Father”​

 

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“One of the largest consequences of Prince Henry’s last trip would be the spread of the Awakened Church. While there were three organized Awakened churches, the Awakened Church of Navarre, the Awakened Church of Denmark, and the newly formed Awakened Church of England, [1] there had not been much growth in the last few years. But, where Prince Henry went so did converts.

Though the Awakened Church of the German State would not be formally organized for several decades, it’s birth can be traced back to Prince Henry’s visit to Hesse-Kassel and Julich-Cleves-Berg.”

Lise Marie Peters, “The Awakening of Europe”​

[1] Unlike the Awakened Church of Navarre and the Awakened Church of Denmark, the Awakened Church of England was not the national religion of its country.


“A lot of people have asked about the title of this book. They think it’s too laidback for a history text book. But, who said history has to be uptight? History is fascinating! Full of love affairs and religious riots, family drama and feuds, war and death. Most textbooks managed to turn this fascinating tapestry to a dull boring timeline.

People also think that recounting European history through the lens of the Tudors is partisan or biased. Is it? Maybe. But it sure is interesting. Prince Henry fathered two Kings, a Queen; grandfathered another handful of monarchs; started a religion; personally feuded with a pope (some of their letters literally boiled down to ‘no you’); held a Italian Duke hostage for almost two decades; married six of the fifteen hundreds most influential women and was apparently madly in love with five of them (sorry Catherine of Navarre); and kept the shenanigans going all the way into his eighties. And that’s just one Tudor. The rest of them were almost as outrageous.

This is The 1500’s Was A Crazy Century, and It Was Mostly the Tudors’ Fault. The fifteen hundreds really were crazy, and it was mostly the Tudors’ fault.”

Matheo Henrikson, introduction to “The 1500’s Was A Crazy Century, and It Was Mostly the Tudors’ Fault,” textbook for History 235 at CLU.​

“The mid 1570s saw Prince Henry finally begin to slow down; he had finally begun to feel his age. Knowing his days were numbered, Prince Henry set out to visit his living children one more time. For Eleanor Tudor, he wouldn’t make it in time.”

Irene Whent, “Prince Henry’s Last Trip”​

 

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“It is rather ironic that the worst day of King John Albert’s life was the dawn of the best years of his reign. For over a decade, John Albert had struggled to govern Denmark and Norway. He faced opposition in religion, foreign affairs, and pretty much everything else. While he was the grandson of King Christian II of Denmark, many viewed John Albert as a usurper. His marriage to his cousin Dorothea, daughter of King Christian III, had done little to sooth those feelings. His establishment of Awakening as the national religion, while initially popular, had been viewed with greater and greater resentment over the years.

In all likelihood, it was Queen Mother Eleanor that was really responsible for John Albert’s continuing reign. The second surviving child of the marriage of Prince Henry and Anne Boleyn, she had the singular ability to be universally loved. Charming and kind, Eleanor Tudor endeared herself to all sides and factions in the growing conflict.

It’s why her death so shook the country.”

Catelyn Narson, “Birth of the Kalmar Union”​

“The Queen Mother was found this morning by her ladies, dead. I find that I feel as if the stars have refused to shine or the wind has swept the breath from my lungs. That the most gracious lady will no longer be with us, is the utmost tragedy. What’s more she was not taken in God’s time, but by man’s hand.

There were marks on her throat indicating she was strangled. The news sent the King into a fury. Too often I have felt the King ineffectual or irresolute, but as he paced I was reminded of his grandfather the Prince. This may be the making of our King.”

Letter from Christoffer Valkendorff to his younger brother, Erik​

 

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“Prince Henry would receive word of his daughter’s death during the fourth month of his visit to Hesse-Kassel. Leaving his youngest son Edmund with Landgravine Margaret, Prince Henry would travel with minimum companions to arrive in time for Eleanor Tudor’s funeral.”

Rachel Rowell, “Father of the Reawakening, and a Good Father”​

“After the death of Queen Mother Eleanor, King John Albert would act quickly, several prominent nobles would be arrested and charged with conspiracy. Initially the suspects denied their culpability, but, after the arrival of Prince Henry, many would confess to their involvement in the murder of Eleanor Tudor.

What once would have been contested was now welcomed by a country in morning. Rumors floated that Queen Dorothea may have been party to the death of her mother-in-law, and the marriage was annulled.”

Catelyn Narson, “Birth of the Kalmar Union”​

“The trial is ongoing, the ACCUSED is standing and trying to yell their innocence.

JOHN ALBERT [yelling] : Silence, I will have silence! You have been called here to answ—

ONE OF THE ACCUSED [hysterical] : Never would I harm the Queen! Never could I even thi—

The large door at the end of the hall swings open, PRINCE HENRY enters. There is a hushed silence.

PRINCE HENRY [full of grief] : Who killed my daughter?

JOHN ALBERT [a little whiney] : These men here, conspired and murdered Mother.

ACCUSED begin again to cry their innocence.

PRINCE HENRY [quiet] : Silence

The ACCUSED fall silent.

PRINCE HENRY [even quieter] : You dare raise your voice! My daughter is dead! Your Queen is dead! At your hands!

Silence

ONE OF THE ACCUSED begins to speak

PRINCE HENRY [loud] : No, I will not hear excuses nor pleas. I’ll hear naught but admissions.

Silence

ONE OF THE ACCUSED [manic] : As if at my own hand, the Lady fell, and I cannot recall her

Silence

JOHN ALBERT [calm] : From their own lips, we hear their guilt. Take them away. Grandfather, would you see justice done?

PRINCE HENRY [tired] : Justice would have been no harm befalling my beloved daughter. But I will see the guilty punished.

PRINCE HENRY, the ACCUSED, and company leave

JOHN ALBERT [gleeful] : Grandfather can always be counted on, to draw the eye, to cow the fearful. Oh how he’d mourn to know in what ill way I have used him.”

Selection from the English translation of ELEANOR first published in 1875​

“The possible motives for the murder of Eleanor Tudor, are many and varied. Some suspect that she had a secret lover—she had been widowed for years—and a lover’s quarrel resulted in her death, others believe that she was killed due to the politics of the day—a measure she supported or didn’t support. While several prominent nobles would be arrested, tried, and executed for their role in her death, most historians now agree that it is very unlikely that one of the executed was responsible for Eleanor’s death.

If not them, then who?

The answer may shock and horrify you; Eleanor Tudor was murdered by her only son.”

First recorded instance of the Eleanor Tudor’s Murderer conspiracy theory. Published in a newspaper on the anniversary of Eleanor Tudor’s death.​

 

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“Kenny_Art_my_boi: Wait, did John Albert really kill his mom?!?!?!?!?!

Kath&Cat: Could be. The theory showed up in the 1800s when the dudes who were executed where officially cleared.

Kath&Cat: And if it’s true, Prince Henry terrified like 20 innocent people into confessing!!! Isn’t that epic!?!?!?!

Malwavery: John Albert did not kill his mother. Also, the whole scene was totally wrong. Prince Henry didn’t get there during the trial, he was there a couple days before, for the funeral.

Kath&Cat: JA totally could have killed her! JA really cashed in on Eleanor’s death. Like stone cold, turned it to his advantage. Also, the whole scene is a tribute to this old Kalmar play called Eleanor.

Malwavery: John Albert killing his mom is on the same level as saying the moon landing never happened. wackadoodle. And I did know about the play, it doesn’t change to the that it’s historically inaccurate.

Malwavery: And they did not confess because they were scared of Prince Henry, but because they actually did it.

Kenny_Art_my_boi: If you two are just going to argue, can you pm so I don’t have to watch?”

Tudor Chatroom​

“Doctor Evelyn Vassily: Do I think John Albert killed his mother? No. I do think that having heard of how King Henri III handled the murder/suicide of Prince Christian and Princess Christina, John Albert knew that his mother’s death could be used to strengthen his position. And he did use it. But did he engineer it? I don’t think so. (Doctor of European Awakened History)

Yancy Beltane: Yes. Read my book. (Author of John Albert, Deal with the Devil)

Catelyn Narson: Murdered by John Albert? Do people still believe that? No, I don’t think Eleanor was killed by her son. John Albert couldn’t have predicted how the fallout would have gone. As far as he knew, his mother was the only reason he was still King. (Author of Birth of the Kalmar Union)

Professor Jims Oliver: It’s entirely possible. The two had a complicated relationship. Eleanor Tudor doted on her son, because as King he had so much power over her. We see this pattern in Eleanor Tudor’s life: she tried to regain control by charming those who have power over her. And that’s a very byzantine dynamic to have with your mother. (Professor of History of Psychology)

Harold Cathar: We really don’t know. The theory started in the late 1800s when historians began to question the culpability of [list of those sentenced cut due to length]. Documents were found indicating their probable innocence. But, even if they were completely innocent, John Albert wasn’t letting them off once he got them. These were some of his greatest opponents. The question isn’t why John Albert had them executed, it’s why did he stop looking for a murderer? That’s when people began to suspect John Albert. (Youtuber and History Mystery enthusiast)”

Introduction to the documentary The Death of Eleanor Tudor (2009)​

 

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“While we may never be sure who killed Eleanor Tudor, it should be said that Prince Henry must have been satisfied at the guilt of those executed. For, after the execution, Prince Henry would turn his attention to his newly eligible grandson. John Albert having taken the opportunity to set aside Queen Dorothea.

As Prince Henry neared the end of his life, he desired to see his large family settled. Which for him led to the odd desire—for our time anyway—for his grandchildren to marry each other. [1] He would suggest several of his granddaughters, John Albert’s cousins, as brides to his grandson.

In the end, John Albert would choose Mathilde Tudor, Princess of Julich-Cleves-Berg, daughter of Duke John Tudor, as bride due to her exceptionally large dowry. [2] While the marriage wouldn’t take place for a few years, due to Princess Mathilde’s age, the two would meet for the first time during Prince Henry’s visit.”

Tammie Waltherson, “For the Tudors’ It’s All About Family”​

[1] At every stop in Prince Henry’s last trip, at least one match would be suggested. Most of Prince Henry’s children ignored his advice through long practice.

[2] Duke John Tudor being one of the richest men in Europe.


“The contrast between the first two decades of John Albert’s reign and the last two decades, is extreme. During the first twenty years, John Albert was ineffectual and without support. But after the murder of his mother, John Albert would take advantage to gain momentum and he would never relinquish it. Taking his cue from his new father-in-law, John Albert would alter certain tariff and tax laws. Denmark and Norway would see greatly increased trade as a result. Additionally, John Albert would push for a more national feeling, doing much to unify Denmark and Norway.

But, for all the accomplishments of the latter half of his reign, John Albert would never quite escape the first half. To this day, he is most commonly known, not for any of his own acts, not even the purported murder of his mother, but as the father of Queen Mathilde.”

Catelyn Narson, “Birth of the Kalmar Union”​

 

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“Prince Henry would spend several months in Denmark before returning to Hesse-Kassel to retrieve Edmund Tudor. Then Prince Henry’s party would travel onto Julich-Cleves-Berg to visit Duke John Tudor.

The reunion between Prince Henry and Duke John was perhaps the least emotional of Prince Henry’s last trip. The two had never been close, Duke John having been raised by his elder brother, Charles Tudor. In many ways, Prince Henry and Duke John were strangers.”

Irene Whent, “Prince Henry’s Last Trip”​

“Even more so than the verses morning the deaths of Anne, (daughter of Anne Boleyn and died at age seven), Francis (son of Catherine of Navarre and possibly assassinated), Arthur (son of Sybylle of Cleves and died at age three), and Eleanor (daughter of Anne Boleyn and murdered), the verse of A Father’s Lossdedicated to Duke John is perhaps the most poignant. While the lyrics of Little Love, Little Boy Sleeps, Lament of Mine, and Unlived and Unanswered[1] all speak of death, Yesteryearspeaks of lost chances.

Yesteryear deals with the realization that there were words that should have been said, and the chance to say them has passed. The raw grief and loss found in the lyrics continues to haunt me.”

Celine Dion’s answer as to why she insists on including Yesteryearin her cover of A Father’s Loss. [2] Parenthetical details added for publication.​

[1] All fourteen verses of A Father’s Losshave received colloquial titles to differentiate them.
[2] Due to the length of the individual verses, very few recordings include all fourteen verses. Among the most commonly chosen verses are Bright Bride, Little Boy Sleeps, Beyond Me, Merry Margaret, and In Step about Elizabeth Tudor, Arthur Tudor, Thomas Tudor, Margaret Tudor, and Henri Tudor respectively.


“John Tudor, more commonly known as Johann, was one of the more important players in the early history of the German State. While he himself would not live to see the organization of the German State, the foundation he laid, the sense of nationality he left his sons, would be instrumental in the in birth of the German State. In fact, his grandson Karl Tudor [1] would be one of the principle writers of the Constitution of the German State.”

A.E. Bell, “The German State”​

[1] Karl Tudor is perhaps the most common name in German. Charles Tudor was particularly beloved of the people of Julich-Cleves-Berg after his many years as regent, and this popularity prompted an upsurgence of boys named Karl. Then, Johann Tudor’s six sons and forty-seven grandsons would ensure the prevalence of the surname Tudor. This would combine to make Karl Tudor, much like John Smith in Glorianna, serve as a placeholder name.

 

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“In contrast with the previous stops in his Last Trip, Prince Henry would spend most of his time in Julich-Cleves-Berg deeply involved with the growing Awakened presence in Julich-Cleves-Berg, not with family. This would cause some friction between the religious majority—the Lutherans—and the religious minority—the Awakeners.

Three of his most well-known sermons, include the Christian Struggle, would be given during this time. Initially thought lost to time, the content and doctrine was religiously [1] speculated. But, several German clerks had diligently record Prince Henry during his visit. Due to religious tension, the transcripts of these sermons would be zealously guarded until the organization of the Awakened Church of the German State, upon which the German Awakeners felt secure enough to publish them.

Initially, the authenticity of the sermons would be doubted but further analysis would cause the seven Awakened Churches to accept the sermons as doctrine. Now, almost no one remembers the uncertainty that surround the original publishing.”

Rachel Rowell, “Father of the Reawakening, and a Good Father”​

[1] Pun intended


“Possibly the most well know of Prince Henry’s sermons, The Christian Struggle, discusses both his own mental and emotional concerns and the trials of the Christ. There was a distinct comparison between the two, for Prince Henry oft compared himself to the Christ, subtly of course, as he wouldn’t want people to think he is prideful.

The Christian Struggleis traditionally read at Easter, though it is a popular lesson topic throughout the year. Originally read by clerics to their specific churches, for the past several decades, due to technological advances, the reading has been done by the individual Deacons and broadcast by country. But, in the spirit of cooperation, this year the reading will be done by Deacon Endika Mendoza, Deacon of the Awakened Church of Navarre. It will be broadcast live, with re-broadcasts for those whose time zone made the live broadcast difficult.

Before Deacon Endika was chosen, Deacon Thomas Brandon, Deacon of the Awakened Church of England, and Deacon Petelo Alaatatoa, Deacon of the Awakened Church of the Samoan Islands, were considered.”

Press Release for the Coalition of Awakened Churches​

 

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“By the 1575 it was clear to the English court that John Tudor would not be the next King of England; he wouldn’t live that long. We now believe that John Tudor was diabetic, a condition the 1500s had no hope of treating. His health would continue to fail, and he would pass a way early in 1576.”

Thomas Nelson, “Kathryn Tudor and the Golden Era”​

“Duke Johann received news of his son’s death shortly before the departure of Prince Henry. Prince Henry’s journal indicates that he offered to push back his departure, to stay and support his son. But, Duke Johann would decline Prince Henry’s offer, sending him on his way. It would be the last time Duke Johann saw his father.”

Irene Whent, “Prince Henry’s Last Trip”​

“It is believed that the verse Yesteryear was written directly after Prince Henry’s visit to Julich-Cleves-Berg. While Yesteryear is a particularly melancholy verse, this is not the reason for its lack of popularity. Many other popular verses of A Father’s Loss are melancholy. No, it’s because the grief found in Yesteryear isn’t a clean grief: no justice has been served [1] and there is no assurance the lost one is in better place. [2]

There is just something broken, and there isn’t anything anyone can do to fix it. Yesteryear does an amazing job showing that not truly being Duke Johann father was one of Prince Henry’s greatest regrets in life.

Perhaps the saddest words found in A Father’s Loss are found in Yesteryear, ‘For all the misplaced yesterdays, and all the careless yesteryears.’”

Everett Jacobs, “A Father’s Loss: An Analysis of Each Verse”​

[1] Little Boy Sleeps and Unlived and Unanswered, the verses for Prince Francis and Queen Mother Eleanor respectively, both speak of Prince Henry’s quest for justice for their deaths.

[2] Little Love and Lament of Mine, the verses for Lady Anne Tudor and Duke Arthur respectively, both speak of the deceased children as if they were in heaven with angels and that Prince Henry would see his children again. Additionally, both Little Love and Lament of Mine are commonly sung at funerals.

 

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Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay. I started a new job and lost all free time.


“The death of John Tudor left Kathryn Tudor with a problem. Once again Margaret of Wales had no betrothed. What’s more, the pool of potential husbands that met Kathryn Tudor’s exacting criteria [1] had shrunk considerably. [2] It was at this point that Arthur Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor, sent an ambassador to England. It would be the first time since Katie’s War that the Holy Roman Empire’s ambassador had been welcome in England.

The ambassador came with a simple compromise: the marriage of Charles Habsburg, the teenage son of Emperor Arthur and Empress Margaret, and Margaret of Wales. This would officially put an end to the decades old hostility between England and the Holy Roman Empire and tie the two claims together. Religious matters were studiously unmentioned.”

Oliver Gotham, “Arthur and the Throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland”​

[1] Of the House of Tudor, close in age to Margaret of Wales, and not likely to inherit anything of importance
[2] Both of Duke Francis’s sons were spoken for and after Duke Johann’s heir his next son was still a very young child.


“While Kathryn Tudor entertained the Emperor’s ambassador, personal records indicate she had no desire to accept the Emperor’s proposal. For Charles Habsburg met only one of Kathryn Tudor’s requirements, and the lesser one at that. What’s more, she had every reason to suspect that the Habsburgs would push for England to rejoin the Catholic Church, something the Awakened Kathryn would not abide.

It appears that despite Kathryn Tudor’s intention to refuse the Emperor’s offer, she hoped to use the visit as a stepping stone to peace or at least a cessation of hostility. She may have succeeded if she hadn’t announced Margaret of Wales betrothal while the Emperor’s ambassador was still in residence, expecting a response to the Emperor’s proposal.”

Thomas Nelson, “Kathryn Tudor and the Golden Era”​

 

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“We know Queen Kathryn turned from looking among her cousins for a groom for Princess Margaret, to looking among her uncles, on the third of April fifteen seventy-five. Or around that time. We know this because that is when she went to speak to Archbishop Thomas Tudor about a dispensation and Archbishop Tudor kept a detailed journal.

Unfortunately for Queen Kathryn, Archbishop Tudor did not immediately assure her that her would grant her a dispensation if she wished; he was one of the few people who didn’t live in awe and a little fear of Queen Kathryn. Instead he turned from speaking with Queen Kathryn and began to pull books of the shelf: Tyndale’s Bible, the Tudor Bible, several of his father’s writings, some writings of Luthor’s, and more.

Luckily for him, Queen Kathryn was more amused than offended, though she would organize an impromptu garden gathering right outside his window. According to Archbishop Tudor’s journals this was a common tactic of Queen Kathryn’s when she wanted to annoy him.”

Nathan Hampson, “Keeping it Tudor, Queen Kathryn’s quest for a Tudor Dynasty”​

“If my most illustrious niece wishes a judgement, perhaps she would grant me the peace to judge?”

Line from Archbishop Thomas Tudor’s journal​

“In the end, it would be the genealogy of Moses that would decide the issue for Archbishop Tudor. According to the Sefer HaYashar, a Hebrew text that the Archbishop had acquired, Moses’s parents were nephew and aunt. According to the Archbishop’s notes, this was excused due to the necessity of only marrying within God’s people. The next several pages of Archbishop Tudor’s notes cite several other sources before concluding that just like it was important for Moses to be born of God’s people, it was necessary for the next Prince of England to be born a Tudor.

Kathryn Tudor would get her dispensation.”

Leslie Wallace, “Archbishop Thomas Tudor”​

 

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Guess who's not dead?!?

“Queen Kathryn Tudor had four unmarried uncles. Two were never considered: King Henri of Navarre was to old and Queen Kathryn had no wish to risk the union of England and Navarre and Archbishop Thomas Tudor had no wish to marry. That left Duke Francis of Chartes, the son of Princess Renee, and Lord Edmund Tudor, the son of Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. Duke Francis was four years older than Princess Margaret and Lord Edmund was but a year older.

Duke Francis was eighteen years old, tall and of dark hair. He was charming and widely regarded as an exemplary young man. Duke Francis had not spent much time in England, having taken possession of the Duchy of Chartes at a young age. So, to get to know her potential son-in-law, Queen Kathryn Tudor sent for her uncle, inviting him to visit England.

Tammie Waltherson, “For the Tudors’ It’s All About Family”​

“Francis Tudor, Duke of Chartes would spend almost two months in England. It appears that, Duke Francis was too much like Queen Kathryn. Both forceful and determined to be right, they didn’t get along and so, after several months he returned to Chartes and Kathryn Tudor sent for her grandfather and Edmund Tudor, requesting they return to England.”

Thomas Nelson, “Kathryn Tudor and the Golden Era”​

“Throughout April, May, and June [1] of 1575, as Kathryn Tudor waited for the return of her grandfather and young Edmund Tudor, the Imperial Ambassador continued to press the suit of Charles Habsburg. The eldest son of Emperor Arthur Habsburg was the same age as Princess Margaret, and according to the ambassador, the most Christlike young man.

The marriage would put to rest the claim of Mary Tudor, Kathryn Tudor’s Aunt, and would ease the tension that had existed between England and the Holy Roman Empire for the past few decades. But to Kathryn Tudor the marriage felt too much like capitulation.”

Matheo Henrikson, “The 1500’s Was A Crazy Century, and It Was Mostly the Tudors’ Fault”​

[1] It took a while for Prince Henry to return to England, he kept getting distracted.


“The prevailing theory is that Kathryn Tudor entertained the Imperial Ambassador as an effort to disguise her evaluation of her young uncles. That if they didn’t know they were being, she would be able to determine their true characters.”

Elizabeth Tudor, Duchess of Calais, “Kathryn Tudor”​

 

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AN: Not Dead Hope you enjoy the update even if it doesn’t move the timeline forward.


Top Seven Prince Henry Tudor Movies, in no particular order, a review by Hailey Lane, the definitive Tudor Reviewer


The Prince and His Princess (1949)

Most people think of the Broadway play since they haven’t seen the original movie, but Prince and His Princess is a stellar musical and rollicking good fun. It was actually the Prince and His Princess that got me started on Tudors. Danny Kaye, playing a dashing Prince Henry, sings and swings a sword in what was probably great choreography for the day (but now looks just a little silly). But you can tell Kaye is having just as much fun as the audience. Additionally, Basil Rathbone plays a wonderfully debonair Cesare Borgia and Barbara Bates is sweet as Princess Reneé.

And yeah, it’s campy, the Father’s Loss le motif is a little overused, and all the downer parts of Tudor history are totally ignored, but damn, you can’t help smiling after watching it.


The Decade of Anne Boleyn (2013)

Carey Mulligan has always been a problematic Anne Boleyn for me. Mulligan does a stellar job and watching her you get swept up in the story. But, for me, she comes off just too harsh to be Anne Boleyn. All of her contemporaries agree, for good or ill, that Anne Boleyn was charming. And Mulligan’s Anne Boleyn is just too sharp.

But the sharpness fits to the story. Unlike other movies about Anne Boleyn, her marriage to Prince Henry doesn’t take center stage. Instead the movie focuses on the religious efforts of Anne Boleyn and all she accomplished during the last decade of her life. Mulligan’s Anne Boleyn is driven and committed to the cause.

On the whole a very textured movie, and even with the conflicting interpretations of Anne Boleyn, I really enjoy this movie.


Lovely, Lovely Anne (2002)

Somewhere between a RomCom and a Historical Drama, Lovely, Lovely Anne is probably the most watched Tudor film of all time. Anne Hathaway has always been my favorite Anne Boleyn. Hathaway works well with Kenneth Charles Branagh who plays Prince Henry. Poignant and funny, thoughtful and playful, the movie straddles the cheer and joy of the courtship of Anne Boleyn and Prince Henry with the stress struggles from Prince Henry’s responsibilities as Regent for his son.

The film does pretty much drop the religious struggles of the day, choosing to focus on the Tudor family and exaggerate the disproval regarding Anne Boleyn and Prince Henry’s marriage. But it’s got great dialog and amazing costuming. All around great movie.


Anne and Reneé (2019)

Anne and Reneé simultaneously portrays two of Prince Henry’s marriages: his second to Anne Boleyn and his second to last with Princess Reneé.

Callum Turner wonderfully portrays just how dependent Prince Henry was on Anne Boleyn. Hailee Steinfeld does a wonderful job capturing Anne’s determination and religious fervor, really really intense religious fervor.

Jennifer Garner captures the balance between Princess Reneé’s fighting spirit and a sort of dignified fragility. But the best is Jeff Goldblum as Prince Henry. There’s one point during the movie where Prince Henry and Princess Reneé are talking religion and Prince Henry call her Anne, it’s a brutal heartrending scene, and Goldblum captures is perfectly.


The Two Princes (1995)

Now, normally I don’t like remakes. In general I think they’re pointless and derivative. But, as hard as it it to admit, The Two Princes (1995) remake of 2 Princes (1972), is much better than the original. Both films portray Cesare Borgia’s time as Prince Henry’s hostage, but after that they differ. 2 Princes (1972) is campy cheesy B-Flick. The Two Princes is an Indi film before Indie was a thing.

While neither film has anything resembling a plot, just series of loosely related events with no climax or finish, The Two Princes comes of as purposeful, a slice of life, instead of 2 Princes’s “I ran out of funds and can’t finish” wet mess.


Kalmar’s Birth (1965)

Kalmar’s Birth is the only Prince Tudor film to make this list that isn’t in English. The Kalmarian Film is at the heart a national film. It is rife with Kalmarian imagery and allusions towards future monarchs of the Kalmar Union.

One of the more positive portrayals of King John Albert, the film focuses on the effect both King John Albert And Prince Henry on Queen Mathilde. As the daughter of King John Albert, much of the film is taken up by flashbacks to her childhood. Even though Queen Mathilde never met her illustrious great-grandfather in person, the film does an amazing job of showing the effect Prince Henry has on her life.


The Last Trip (2014)

For all the setting lends itself to an Historical Drama, The Last Trip is most commonly known as a Father’s Day film. Many channels play the movie every year on father’s Day. The majority of the film deals with Prince Henry and the variety in his relationships with his many children.

The lion’s share of the film dwells on the relationship between Prince Henry and his youngest, Edmund Tudor. Thomas Brodie-Sangster does a wonderful job as young Edmund Tudor and plays off Daniel Craig’s Prince Henry (though Craig is much to young to play Prince Henry during the last trip) wonderfully.

 

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“Prince Henry and Edmund Tudor would arrive in England early in July of 1575. Very quickly young Edmund Tudor charmed Kathryn Tudor. His unique (for a Tudor) ability to allow another center stage made him a favorite of the court. What’s more, he managed to befriend Princess Margaret of Wales.

The young heir to the throne had few close companions. But the two had been close before Edmund Tudor accompanied his father on Prince Henry’s tour of Europe; Edmund Tudor had been part of the household of young John Tudor (Princess Margaret’s first betrothed). The shared childhood appears to have allowed Edmund Tudor and Princess Margaret to grow close.”

Thomas Nelson, “Kathryn Tudor and the Golden Era”​

“A through study of the literature of the time indicates that Margaret I of England suffered from severe social anxiety and was constantly plagued by doubts regarding the intentions of those around her. The fact that it was probably a good idea to doubt these intentions must not have helped.

But, several key members of the Tudor family, her great-grandfather Prince Henry, her cousin Eleanor Duchess of Suffolk, Edmund Tudor her childhood friend and husband, to name a few, were trusted to deal candidly with her. As such, it is from their writings that the true Princess Margaret is discovered.”

Jims Oliver, “The Tudor Diagnostic”​

“Psychology Historians have been arguing over the mindset of Margaret Stewart for almost as long as they been arguing over Prince Henry’s diagnostic. The fact that they have been debating it this long does not add any credence to their claims. Psychology History is still very much the quack subject that is has always been, no more accurate than astrology.”

Karl Tudor, Internet Demagogue​

“Queen Kathryn Tudor would announce the betrothal of Princess Margaret Stewart of Wales to Edmund Tudor late in August of fifteen seventy-five, while the Imperial Ambassador was still at the English Court championing the cause of Charles Habsburg.

This would cause some problems.”

Oliver Gotham, “Arthur and the Throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland”​

 

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“Alone the betrothal of Princess Margaret of Wales and Edmund Tudor may not have been enough to spark the Third Succession War; the Hapsburgs had few allies. Only a few die-hard Catholics wished to see Arthur Hapsburg as King of England. The Castilian Hapsburgs had their own problems and the Trastamara’s weren’t currently getting along with the Hapsburgs on the whole. [1] Even France, with Queen Helene as Arthur Hapsburg’s beloved sister, was rather done with the whole thing.

So, if it had only been the betrothal there might not have been a third Succession War. But, it wasn’t only the betrothal.

Matheo Henrikson, “The 1500’s Was A Crazy Century, and It Was Mostly the Tudors’ Fault”​

[1] A rather long story, and can be found in Chapter Twenty-Three, but the short version is they aren’t talking.


“November 1575, Prince James Stewart died leaving King James of Scotland in something of a bind: no obvious heir. But, never fear, King James had a plan. His son by Grace O’Malley, Seamus, was a bonny charming fellow. And his legitimacy could be dealt with by swearing, that yes, King James and Grace O’Malley were totally married….. secretly. With Grace O’Malley having passed away the year before, there was no one to naysay.

To shore up the claim of young Seamus, now called James (I know it’s confusing), he was betrothed to his cousin Princess Margaret Stewart (the daughter of Queen Margaret of Fance, not Princess of Wales). Princess Margaret had a pretty good claim herself.

There were only two other claims. Princess Marjorie, King James’s eldest daughter had recently died giving birth to a daughter, Infanta Catalina Habsburg of Aragon, and King Ferdinand the Old was too busy finding a bride for his heir to bother with Infanta Catalina’s claim.

It was the claim of King James’s sister that was the problem.”

Maximillian Green, “Scotland, the Isolation Years”​

 

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“Empress Margaret, wife of Holy Roman Emperor Arthur Hapsburg, viewed herself as her brother’s rightful heir what with his only legitimate son dying and his only legitimate daughter being dead. So, when King James VI declares his, in her mind, bastard son his heir, she blows her top. This combined with the slight her husband’s been stewing over [1] the Holy Roman Emperor and Empress declare that they are the rightful rulers of England, Scotland and Ireland.

This causes Queen Helene of France, an eminently practical woman when she isn’t pulling Marie Stuart’s pigtails [2], to look sideways at her brother. Helene has long since decided England was more trouble than it is worth and has suggested multiple times to her brother that perhaps the claim to England could be settled by claiming a few of those Gloriana Colonies that have been making so much money for England.

Now, instead of snagging a couple of those money makers, Emperor Arthur is claiming the whole of the British Isles. Which in Helene’s mind is a backward heretical land, and not worth it.”

Matheo Henrikson, “The 1500’s Was A Crazy Century, and It Was Mostly the Tudors’ Fault”​

[1] The slight in question is Queen Kathryn Tudor choosing someone other than his son as her daughter’s groom.
[2] A good fraction of Psychology Historians believe the conflict between Queen Helene and Queen Marie derives from a tendre they had for each other.


“The official declaration of Emperor Arthur and Empress Margaret’s claim to the whole of the British Isles would be issued early in 1576. The fact that claims came from sidestepping closer claimants was neatly ignored. It is actually quite an impressive document describing the duty a ruler has to his subjects and has been continually sited as one of the more impressive ethical and philosophical treatises of its time.”

Oliver Gotham, “Arthur and the Throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland”​

 

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AN - So, things were a little crazy for a while, but I hope to be back for something of a regular schedule so I can wrap this up. We're in the homestretch guys.

“We don’t know what Margaret of Wales thought of the uproar surrounding her future wedding. She was not close to any of her ladies and her journals didn’t survive. Many Psychology-Historians have tried to analyze the portion of Camelot that was written during this time, but results have been inconclusive. [1]

We do know that there was an increase of tree climbing (which, it must be said, is extremely impressive considering the dresses teenaged Margaret of Wales wore), make of that what you will.”

Professor Laura Anderson, “The Stewart Queen”​

[1] The fact that both historians and psychologists find, psychology-historian’s findings suspect at best and nonsensical at worst, doesn’t dissuade the psychology-historians from trying.


“With war brewing on the horizon, Queen Kathryn wished to settle once and for all the issue of her only daughter and heir’s marriage. Shortly after The Monarch’s Duties[1], late in July of the year fifteen seventy-six, Princess Margaret of Wales would wed Lord Edmund Tudor. Then the two would be sent North away from where the fighting would be.

We still have no conclusive evidence regarding how Margaret of Wales viewed her husband. They never publicly quarreled, an impressive feat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they never quarreled. They were rarely parted, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t wish to part.

And so with the dearth of any real substantiation the psychology-historians have continued to run wild with theories.”

Doctor Veronica Westerwood, “The War for a United Island”​

[1] The Monarch's Duties is the title of Emperor Arthur's published claim to England, Scotland, and Ireland.


“The first draft of The Engagement of Lyonesse is believed to have been written shortly after the marriage of Margaret of Wales, showing that art imitates life. In it the titular Lyonesse [1] has been banished from Camelot by the dreadful Morgause [2] and after a series of adventures finds true love in Sir Gareth, the youngest nephew of King Arthur. [3]

The significance of this writing has long been argued. Due to the few minor parts the character of Lyonesse plays, only a minority of psychology-historians believe Lyonesse to be based on Margaret of Wales herself. Many argue that if Margaret of Wales constructed the character of Lyonesse referencing herself, the character would play a more significant part in the narrative.

But, it is the smallness of Lyonesse’s part that shows great insights into Margaret of Wales state of mind. Even in the section named for the character Lyonesse, Lyonesse is a background character. This shows us that Margaret of Wales felt as if she was a background character in her own story.”

Doctor of History of Psychology, Mathias Kent, “Camelot and the Mind of Margaret of Wales”​

[1] The character Lyonesse in Camelot appears to be a combination of the Lady of the Lake, and the sisters Lynette and Lyonesse from the original Arthurian legends.
[2] Many of the characters of Camelot appear to be based upon the members of the Tudor family, Morgause appears to have been based on Catherine of Aragon.
[3] King Arthur of Camelot appears to have been based on Arthur Tudor and Prince Henry in combination.

 

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"When asked the best ballet of all time most people will answer Swan Lake or possible La Sylphide. But making a comeback is Alcott Penley Byrne's masterpiece, Camelot.

Based on the epic by Queen Margaret of England, Byrne's masterpiece was written in 1880s. After an initial splash at it's inaugural performance in 1885, the ballet faded into obscurity. But, starting with the Calais Theatre Ballet's anniversary production of Camelot in 1985 the ballet has made a strong resurgence."

- flyer for the first performance of Camelot by the London Ballet Company

- flyer for Glorianna's premier Ballet company's performance of Camelot