The Tudor Monarchy

The Tudor era is one of the most famous periods in English history. Beginning with the accession of Henry VII in 1485 to the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, the Tudor monarchs spanned three generations and included three kings, two queens, and one questionable and extremely short-lived contender for the throne. They were the most powerful individuals in the land, and it comes as no surprise to learn that they became fascinating topics for literature, drama, musicals, and opera alike. For centuries, the Tudor monarchs have fascinated playwrights and composers, and this guide explores how they have influenced the course of theatrical history.

Terminology

• Monarch: A sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor.
• Tudor: Relating to the English royal dynasty which held the throne from the accession of Henry VII in 1485 until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603.
• Dynasty: A succession of rulers from the same family.
• Deposition: The action of deposing someone, especially a monarch.
• Heresy: Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.
• Plantagenet: Relating to the English royal dynasty which held the throne from the accession of Henry II in 1154 until the death of Richard III in 1485.
• Monastery: A building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows.
• Treasury: The funds or revenue of a state, institution, or society.
• Reformation: A 16th-century movement for the reform of abuses in the Roman Church ending in the establishment of the Reformed and Protestant Churches.
• Master of the Revels: A member of the Royal household, in charge of approving every play for theatrical performance.

Key Dates & Events

• 1485 - Henry Tudor defeats Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth and is crowned as Henry VII at Westminster Abbey
• 1486 - Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York, uniting the two houses and ending the Wars of the Roses.
• 1502 - Arthur, Prince of Wales dies, leaving behind his Spanish widow, Catherine of Aragon. 11-year old Henry, Duke of York, now becomes heir to the throne.
• 1503 - James IV of Scotland marries Margaret, daughter of Henry VII of England. This brings peace between the two countries but it also gives James IV's descendents a claim to the English throne.
• 1509 - Henry VII dies and is succeeded by his younger son Henry VIII. Two months after he becomes king, he marries his brother's widow, Catherine of Aragon.
• 1528 - Henry VIII appeals to the pope to annul his marriage so that he could marry Anne Boleyn instead.
• 1533 - Henry VIII orders the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer to declare his marriage to Catherine of Aragon illegitimate because Catherine was his brother's widow. Following his divorce, he marries Anne Boleyn.
• 1533 - Anne Boleyn gives birth to Elizabeth (future Elizabeth I)
• 1534 - Henry VIII forms the 'Church of England separating England from the Roman Catholic Church.
• 1536 - Anne Boleyn is executed on charges of adultery, incest, and conspiracy. 11 days later, Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour.
• 1537 - Jane Seymour gives birth to Edward (future Edward VI) but dies shortly after.
• 1542 - Mary Queen of Scots lays claim to the English throne.
• 1547 - Henry VIII dies and is succeeded by his nine-year-old son, Edward VI.
• 1553 - Edward VI dies aged 15 and is succeeded by Lady Jane Grey who only reigns for nine days before she is deposed in favor of Mary I.
• 1554 - Mary I marries Philip of Spain.
• 1556 - Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer (who approved Henry VIII’s divorce from Mary I’s mother, Catherine of Aragon) is burned at the stake for heresy.
• 1558 - Mary I dies aged 42 and the crown passes to her half-sister, Elizabeth I.
• 1587 - Mary Stuart (Mary I of Scotland) is executed for treason after being found guilty of plotting to kill Elizabeth.
• 1597 - The first record of William Shakespeare’s history play Richard III, which dramatizes the reign of the final Plantagenet monarch and the accession of Henry VII.
• 1603 - Elizabeth I dies without a direct heir, thus ending the Tudor dynasty. The throne passed to James VI of Scotland (now James I of England), uniting the two countries under one crown and beginning the Stuart dynasty.
• 1607 - Thomas Dekker and John Webster publish their history play Sir Thomas Wyatt, centering the action around the politician’s involvement in the accession of Mary I and his concern over her marriage to Philip II of Spain. It is believed to have been performed as early as 1602.
• 1715 - Nicholas Rowe writes The Tragedy of Lady Jane Grey, often shortened to Lady Jane Grey.
• 1830 - 1837 - Donizetti’s Tudor Queen Trilogy is first performed in Italy.
• 1998 - Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman’s Oscar-winning screenplay Shakespeare in Love is released and would be adapted for the stage by Lee Hall in 2014.
• 2010 - Howard Brenton’s play on the life of Anne Bolyen premieres at Shakespeare’s Globe.
• 2017 - The musical Six is first produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It subsequently transfers to the West End and to Broadway.