Where Elizabeth I was kept prisoner
A gilded palace held two future Tudor monarchs - Elizabeth and Mary
Greetings to all my Silver Level and Gold Level Templar Knight followers on Substack. I have been out and about again. This time visiting a place called Hatfield House. A Tudor and Jacobean mansion with a stormy history. Two Tudor princesses - Elizabeth and Mary - were held here under house arrest. Yet both would go on to become queens of England.
Just an hour of London by car, you arrive in the Hertfordshire countryside and can visit Hatfield House. The main attraction is a huge Jacobean mansion built at the very start of the 17th century by Robert Cecil. He was the leading adviser to Queen Elizabeth I in the closing years of her reign and then advised her successor, James the First.
It was Robert Cecil as Secretary of State to King James who would uncover the Gunpowder Plot - a conspiracy to assassinate James and restore the Catholic religion to England. Those involved and captured suffered a dreadful public execution. I’ll spare you the details.
Nearby to the Jacobean mansion is the “old palace” constructed in the 1490s by the Bishop of Ely. In typical bullying form, King Henry VIII took over the palace during the Protestant Reformation and turned it into what can only be described as a gilded prison for his two daughters - Mary and Elizabeth.
You’ll recall from your knowledge of Tudor history that Mary’s mother was Henry’s first wife - Catherine of Aragon. After a fairly long marriage, Henry decided to divorce Catherine but the Pope refused to annul their union. One thing led to another and England split from the papacy, adopted the Protestant religion and Catherine was packed off - dying of cancer shortly afterwards.
Mary refused to acknowledge Henry’s second wife - Anne Boleyn - as queen and also remained an ardent Catholic. So she was holed up in Hatfield by her furious father. Anne’s daughter Elizabeth suffered a similar fate though for slightly different reasons. Anne was beheaded for treason and Henry married yet again. He now had two illegitimate daughters living in Hatfield.
But after the short reign and death of Henry’s only son Edward, Mary would become queen attempting unsuccessfully to steer England back to the Pope. After a bloody period in power, Mary died - most likely of cancer. And Elizabeth was crowned and enjoyed a long spell as the country’s ‘virgin queen’.
Enjoy my filmed look around Hatfield and tell me what you think of the place. Plus - as I’m here in London, is there anywhere else you’d like me to visit?
Fantastic visuals, nice change up in the music, and of course interesting history with our fave bearded historian. And was that King Tony the VIIIth seen in the preview? Most convincing!
With ancestors going back into GB, I’m game to learn more authentic history - always enjoyable, Tony. Thanks!
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