Page 5 - Leighton News June 2016
P. 5
5
The removal of Henry VI came after years of confrontations Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary
commemorations coincide with
between Lancastrians and Yorkists. Throughout the thirty our Long Mountain/Henry Tudor
year period there were countless skirmishes, battles, feature this month. The BBC have just
broadcast the Hollow Crown series of
murders, abductions and Shakespeare plays. Their two parts of Henry VI are
the back-story leading up to the battle of Bosworth.
LANCASTER YORK executions. The cousins They cover the convoluted era of throne swapping
on each side were known as the Wars of the Roses.
Henry VI - 1422 to 1461 acutely aware of their The TV versions have been skilfully edited and
reduced from the original three parts of Henry VI to
Edward IV 1461 to 1470 position in the line of be more palatable to the modern ear — but even
possible accession and then the narrative is difficult to follow. The plays are
not known as the Bard’s best work.
Henry VI - 1470 to 1471 (again) took every opportunity Game of Thrones — a popular television series
watched avidly by the entire western world, apart
to seize the crown from your editors — is based on fantasy novels in
which the author has used the War of the Roses as
Edward IV 1471 to 1483 (again) which changed hands his main inspiration. The Shakespeare plays are just as
cut-throat and violent as GoT — but with better
five times during the dialogue.
Edward V - nine months in 1483 wars. The Tudors’ story has also been popularised over
many years in both fiction and documentary by
Richard III - 1483 to 1485 Magaret Beaufort Hilary Mantel, David Starkey, Philippa Gregory, etc.
Earlier this month Wolf Hall won the main prizes at
Henry VII - 1485 to 1509 believed she had a holy the BAFTAs for its depiction of Tudor England with
duty to establish her son Henry VIII and his chancellor Thomas Cromwell. So
where does our local lad, Henry Tudor, fit into all this
as a rightful Lancastrian media coverage?
Pretty much nowhere! The Shakespearean history
king. After Henry VI had died she realised Henry Tudor was plays include the reigns of every English king from
John through to Henry VIII except for Henry VII.
in danger as a threat to the Yorkists. At the age of fourteen he Richard III only reigned for two years but has a
whole play devoted to him. Of course his nemesis,
went into exile in France with his uncle Jasper as his guardian. Henry Tudor, appears in this play but as ‘Richmond’,
being the earl’s title inherited from his father.
Following the sudden death of Edward IV his thirteen year old
son became king as Edward V. Lasting only nine months his
was the shortest reign in English history. His uncle the Duke of
Gloucester acting as regent put Edward and his brother in the
Tower of London ‘for their own safety’ — they were never
seen again. Their uncle declared himself king as Richard III.
After two years Richard’s armies had been beaten at Bosworth
and Henry Tudor, now aged twenty eight, had been accepted as
the rightful king of England.
Henry VII spent the twenty four years of his reign putting the
kingdom’s finances in good order and ensuring the
continuation of the Tudor dynasty. To reconcile
the warring factions, he married Edward IV’s
daughter Elizabeth and combined the red rose of
Lancaster with the white rose of Yorkshire — the
symbol of the new reign was the Tudor Rose.
His mother’s ancestry could still have Edward III Special thanks to Patrick Dumayne for suggesting
been a cause for challenges. There this feature. Patrick, a recent Leighton resident, is a
were two issues: Margaret Beaufort’s keen reader of the newsletter. Let’s have lots more
grandfather, the first Earl of Somerset, readers’ suggestions please!
started life as the illegitimate son of
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. John of Gaunt Steve Patricia
John Beaufort became legitimate when Duke of Lancaster
his mother, Katherine Swinford,
married John of Gaunt as his third wife John Beaufort
having previously been his mistress. Earl of Somerset
But anticipating inheritance disputes an
Act of Parliament barred the Beaufort John Beaufort Find Out What Happened Next
line from being heirs to the throne. Duke of Somerset
Even if this was ignored and Margaret The story of the twenty four years of Henry’s reign is
was considered a legitimate descendant Henry IV excellently documented in Thomas Penn’s 2012 book
of Lancastrian kings, being still living, Winter King. The title refers to the declaration of a
she should have taken precedence over Henry V Catherine ‘new Spring’ as the young Henry VIII succeeded his
her son for claiming the throne. of France father — which must mean the old reign was ‘Winter’
Margaret’s lasting legacy to the nation — an era beset with spying and taxation as the new
was founding both Christ’s College and Henry VI Owen dynasty established itself. The author’s documentary
St. John’s College, Cambridge and other Tudor film from the book is on YouTube (although it shouldn’t be!).
educational institutions.
The spectacular Henry VII Chapel at Edmund Margaret Philippa Gregory’s Red Queen is a clever fictional
Westminster Abbey is the legacy and Tudor Beaufort account of Margaret Beaufort’s life written in the first
tomb of the first Tudor monarch. person. It’s her story from the age of ten until she had
HENRY TUDOR achieved her goals for her son and became known as
‘My Lady, the King’s Mother’.
The removal of Henry VI came after years of confrontations Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary
commemorations coincide with
between Lancastrians and Yorkists. Throughout the thirty our Long Mountain/Henry Tudor
year period there were countless skirmishes, battles, feature this month. The BBC have just
broadcast the Hollow Crown series of
murders, abductions and Shakespeare plays. Their two parts of Henry VI are
the back-story leading up to the battle of Bosworth.
LANCASTER YORK executions. The cousins They cover the convoluted era of throne swapping
on each side were known as the Wars of the Roses.
Henry VI - 1422 to 1461 acutely aware of their The TV versions have been skilfully edited and
reduced from the original three parts of Henry VI to
Edward IV 1461 to 1470 position in the line of be more palatable to the modern ear — but even
possible accession and then the narrative is difficult to follow. The plays are
not known as the Bard’s best work.
Henry VI - 1470 to 1471 (again) took every opportunity Game of Thrones — a popular television series
watched avidly by the entire western world, apart
to seize the crown from your editors — is based on fantasy novels in
which the author has used the War of the Roses as
Edward IV 1471 to 1483 (again) which changed hands his main inspiration. The Shakespeare plays are just as
cut-throat and violent as GoT — but with better
five times during the dialogue.
Edward V - nine months in 1483 wars. The Tudors’ story has also been popularised over
many years in both fiction and documentary by
Richard III - 1483 to 1485 Magaret Beaufort Hilary Mantel, David Starkey, Philippa Gregory, etc.
Earlier this month Wolf Hall won the main prizes at
Henry VII - 1485 to 1509 believed she had a holy the BAFTAs for its depiction of Tudor England with
duty to establish her son Henry VIII and his chancellor Thomas Cromwell. So
where does our local lad, Henry Tudor, fit into all this
as a rightful Lancastrian media coverage?
Pretty much nowhere! The Shakespearean history
king. After Henry VI had died she realised Henry Tudor was plays include the reigns of every English king from
John through to Henry VIII except for Henry VII.
in danger as a threat to the Yorkists. At the age of fourteen he Richard III only reigned for two years but has a
whole play devoted to him. Of course his nemesis,
went into exile in France with his uncle Jasper as his guardian. Henry Tudor, appears in this play but as ‘Richmond’,
being the earl’s title inherited from his father.
Following the sudden death of Edward IV his thirteen year old
son became king as Edward V. Lasting only nine months his
was the shortest reign in English history. His uncle the Duke of
Gloucester acting as regent put Edward and his brother in the
Tower of London ‘for their own safety’ — they were never
seen again. Their uncle declared himself king as Richard III.
After two years Richard’s armies had been beaten at Bosworth
and Henry Tudor, now aged twenty eight, had been accepted as
the rightful king of England.
Henry VII spent the twenty four years of his reign putting the
kingdom’s finances in good order and ensuring the
continuation of the Tudor dynasty. To reconcile
the warring factions, he married Edward IV’s
daughter Elizabeth and combined the red rose of
Lancaster with the white rose of Yorkshire — the
symbol of the new reign was the Tudor Rose.
His mother’s ancestry could still have Edward III Special thanks to Patrick Dumayne for suggesting
been a cause for challenges. There this feature. Patrick, a recent Leighton resident, is a
were two issues: Margaret Beaufort’s keen reader of the newsletter. Let’s have lots more
grandfather, the first Earl of Somerset, readers’ suggestions please!
started life as the illegitimate son of
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. John of Gaunt Steve Patricia
John Beaufort became legitimate when Duke of Lancaster
his mother, Katherine Swinford,
married John of Gaunt as his third wife John Beaufort
having previously been his mistress. Earl of Somerset
But anticipating inheritance disputes an
Act of Parliament barred the Beaufort John Beaufort Find Out What Happened Next
line from being heirs to the throne. Duke of Somerset
Even if this was ignored and Margaret The story of the twenty four years of Henry’s reign is
was considered a legitimate descendant Henry IV excellently documented in Thomas Penn’s 2012 book
of Lancastrian kings, being still living, Winter King. The title refers to the declaration of a
she should have taken precedence over Henry V Catherine ‘new Spring’ as the young Henry VIII succeeded his
her son for claiming the throne. of France father — which must mean the old reign was ‘Winter’
Margaret’s lasting legacy to the nation — an era beset with spying and taxation as the new
was founding both Christ’s College and Henry VI Owen dynasty established itself. The author’s documentary
St. John’s College, Cambridge and other Tudor film from the book is on YouTube (although it shouldn’t be!).
educational institutions.
The spectacular Henry VII Chapel at Edmund Margaret Philippa Gregory’s Red Queen is a clever fictional
Westminster Abbey is the legacy and Tudor Beaufort account of Margaret Beaufort’s life written in the first
tomb of the first Tudor monarch. person. It’s her story from the age of ten until she had
HENRY TUDOR achieved her goals for her son and became known as
‘My Lady, the King’s Mother’.
