Tudors

Artist's impression of Thomas Cromwell's London estate

See the Palatial London Mansion of Thomas Cromwell, Adviser to Henry VIII

New research reveals what the Tudor statesman's 58-room estate may have looked like

“We have these iconic figures from history and literature, who people feel possessive about in some way,” says scholar Miranda Kaufman, author of Black Tudors: The Untold Story. “But you have to remember that it’s not a historical reconstruction: it’s a thriller; it’s a drama; it’s entertainment.”

Why the Controversy Over a Black Actress Playing Anne Boleyn Is Unnecessary and Harmful

Long before Jodie Turner-Smith's miniseries came under criticism, British Indian actress Merle Oberon portrayed the Tudor queen

Rosary beads and Bible belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots, pictured at Arundel Castle in January 1968. Authorities recently announced the rosary's theft from the English stronghold.

Rosary Beads Owned by Mary, Queen of Scots, Stolen in Heist at English Castle

The Stuart monarch may have carried the golden beads—taken last Friday in a $1.4-million burglary—to her execution in 1587

Kate McCaffrey, a former steward at Anne's childhood home, used ultraviolet light and photo editing software to reveal hidden writing in the Tudor queen's Book of Hours.

Hidden Inscriptions Discovered in Anne Boleyn's Execution Prayer Book

New research suggests a circle of Tudor women saved the "Book of Hours" for the queen's daughter, Elizabeth I

This 1561 portrait depicts Catherine de' Medici standing alongside four of her children, including the newly crowned Charles IX.

Rarely Seen Portrait of Renaissance Queen Catherine de' Medici to Go on View

The 16th-century regent, pictured with four of her children, wielded significant political power during the French Wars of Religion

This 1540 miniature by Hans Holbein may depict the Tudor king's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, not his fifth wife, Catherine Howard.

Presumed Portrait of Catherine Howard May Actually Depict Anne of Cleves

A Hans Holbein miniature long thought to depict Henry VIII's fifth queen may instead portray the Tudor king's fourth wife

“We used five isotope methods in all to provide information on geology, coastal proximity, climate and diet,” says study co-author Richard Madgwick, an osteoarchaeologist at Cardiff University.

Ethnically Diverse Crew of Henry VIII's Flagship Hailed From Iberia, North Africa

New multi-isotope analysis illuminates early lives of sailors stationed on the Tudor "Mary Rose," including three born outside of Britain

“[The ring's] sentiment reflects the high mortality of the period, the motif and inscription acknowledging the brevity and vanities of life,” says scholar Mark Redknap.

Trove of Treasures, From Gold Skull Ring to Tudor Coins, Unearthed in Wales

The macabre jewelry is a unique example of "memento mori" art, which aimed to remind viewers of their mortality

Self-educated scholar Dennis McCarthy has spent the past 15 years studying the many connections between Shakespeare and little-known translator and writer Sir Thomas North.

Did Shakespeare Base His Masterpieces on Works by an Obscure Elizabethan Playwright?

The new book "North by Shakespeare" examines the link between the Bard of Avon and Sir Thomas North

Medieval women viewed birthing girdles, or long pieces of parchment inscribed with religious invocations and drawings, as protective talismans.

A Medieval Woman Wore This 'Birthing Girdle' to Protect Herself During Labor

Researchers found traces of bodily fluids, as well as milk and other materials associated with pregnancy, on the ten-foot long parchment

Paul Delaroche's 1831 depiction of the princes in the Tower, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York

Did Richard III Order the Deaths of His Nephews as They Slept in the Tower of London?

New research outlines evidence pointing to the English king's guilt

The gold figurine stands just 2.5 inches tall.

Amateur Treasure Hunter Unearths Missing Centerpiece of Henry VIII's Crown

The gold figurine, valued at roughly £2 million, depicts 15th-century English king Henry VI

“The scale of preservation at this site is really exceptional and is adding considerably to our knowledge of English gardens around 1600,” says historian Paul Stamper.

Stunningly Well-Preserved Elizabethan Garden Discovered in England

The Tudor manor's grounds were organized in a geometric pattern of gravel paths, planting beds and pavilions

This year's top stories included an explainer on murder hornets, a list of fun facts about love and sex in the animal kingdom, and a look at the true history behind Hulu's "The Great."

Our Ten Most Popular Stories of 2020

From Anglo-Saxon artifacts to copper's antibacterial properties, systemic racism and murder hornets, these were the most-read stories of the year

Fascinating finds revealed in 2020 ranged from a portrait of Mary Boleyn to a bust of the Greek god Hermes and one of the world's oldest swords.

Ninety Fascinating Finds Revealed in 2020

This year's most intriguing discoveries include an Aztec skull tower, fossilized footprints and Nazi shipwrecks

The statue, which dates back to around 1348, likely depicts John de Belton, a priest who died of the Black Death.

Medieval Effigy Found Hidden Beneath English Church's Pipe Organ

The newly restored carving is the oldest alabaster effigy of a priest discovered in the U.K. to date

A family in southern England found the trove of 64 coins while gardening.

Gardeners Unearth Coins Inscribed With Initials of Henry VIII's First Three Wives

The find is one of more than 47,000 recorded by the U.K.'s Portable Antiquities Scheme in 2020

This year's top titles include One Mighty and Irresistible Tide, You Never Forget Your First, and Caste.

The Ten Best History Books of 2020

Our favorite titles of the year resurrect forgotten histories and help explain how the country got to where it is today

A 2016 study suggested that Henry sustained a traumatic brain injury that affected his temperament following the 1536 accident, but other experts attribute the shift in mood to an ulcerated leg, diabetes or hypothyroidism.

Researchers Find Remnants of Jousting Field Where Henry VIII Almost Died

In January 1536, the Tudor king fell from his horse and sustained significant injuries that troubled him for the rest of his life

Researchers from ADHS, Historic Environment Scotland, Dendrochronicle and Wessex Archaeology examined the remains of the old bridge.

Remnants of Scotland's Oldest Surviving Bridge Found

Both Mary, Queen of Scots, and James V crossed the Old Ancrum Bridge, which was key to travel, commerce and war

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