Henry VIII watched from Southsea Castle as his favourite warship, the Mary Rose, sank in the Solent, off the south coast of England, with the loss of up to 700 lives. Launched in 1511, the Mary Rose saw service in wars against France and Scotland. In 1545, tensions with France came to a head, and King Francis I … Read more
Mary, Queen of Scots, cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Mary was implicated in the Babington Plot, which involved the attempted assassination of Elizabeth. She was convicted of treason by a court of 36 noblemen, including The Lord Burghley, William Cecil; George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury; and Francis … Read more
Harold Godwinson was crowned King Harold II of England. He succeeded King Edward the Confessor who had promised the throne to William of Normandy, later known as William the Conqueror, only to retract the offer on his deathbed. Harold’s reign was beset from the outset with threats not only from William but also from his … Read more