Hilarious History Lessons

Browsing The Washington Post this morning, I found an article on a hilarious You Tube Channel that uses music to teach history lessons. The History Teachers' Channel uses a combination of songs from old and new artists and video clips from famous movies on the topics cut together with live action video of actors singing a song parody. It’s pretty funny, although some desperately need to be redone and made modern.

Click here to see hits like

* The French Revolution set to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance
* Cleopatra taught to Fergalicious
* The Black Death is done with Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani

The bummer is that the Tudor videos are all older with songs that kids today will NOT know.

* Anne Boleyn is put to “Girl” by the Beatles (and very hokey with the dancing girl in an odd headdress.)
* Henry VIII is set to an ABBA song I’ve never heard
* Elizabeth I is done with She’s Not There by The Zombies
* Mary Queen of Scots to Jenny from the Block by JLo

They’re entertaining, but I do think they should update them because kids will be more interested and learn better if it’s music they can relate to!

On This Day in Tudor History

On December 8, 1542, Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, Scotland to King James V of Scotland and his French second wife, Mary of Guise.
Six days later, her father would die, leaving her to rule Scotland. Mary's rule was a tumultuous one and would pass to her son through her abdication before she was finally sentenced to death by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.

On This Day in Tudor History

On October 14, 1586, Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial for treason after being implicated in the Babington Plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I by her own letters, which Sir Francis Walsingham had arranged to come straight to himself.

From the letters Walsingham intercepted it was clear that Mary had sanctioned the attempted assassination of Elizabeth, despite her denials and spirited defense. Her case also rested on the fact that she was denied the opportunity to review the evidence or her papers that had been removed from her, that she had been denied access to legal counsel, and that she had never been an English subject and thus could not be convicted of treason.

The extent to which the plot was created by Sir Francis Walsingham and his English Secret Services remains open to conjecture. However, this was not the only time Mary was implicated in treasonable offenses.

Mary was ultimately convicted of treason and sentenced to beheading.
Although Mary was found guilty and sentenced to death, Queen Elizabeth hesitated to order the execution of her own cousin and an anointed queen. She was fearful of the consequences, especially if Mary's son, James of Scotland, took revenge by forming an alliance with Catholic powers, France and Spain, and invaded England.

Elizabeth did eventually sign the death warrant. The privy council, having been summoned by Lord Burghley without Elizabeth's knowledge, decided to carry out the sentence before she could change her mind.

When the news of the execution reached Elizabeth she was furious. She took it out on the privy councillor to whom she gave the warrant, saying he had disobeyed her instructions not to part with the warrant. The secretary was arrested and thrown into the Tower. He was later released, after paying a heavy fine, but his career was ruined.
It was Mary Queen of Scots' execution that is often remembered for its gory and theatrical events. First, the executioners and her two servants helped remove a black outer gown, two petticoats, and her corset to reveal a deep red chemise — the color of martyrdom in the Catholic Church.

Biographer Antonia Fraser writes that it took two strikes to decapitate Mary: The first blow missed her neck and struck the back of her head, at which point the Queen's lips moved. (Her servants reported they thought she had whispered the words "Sweet Jesus.") The second blow severed the neck, except for a small bit of sinew that the executioner severed by using the axe as a saw.

Afterward, the executioner held her head aloft and declared, "God save the Queen." At that moment, the auburn tresses in his hand came apart and the head fell to the ground, revealing that Mary had had very short, grey hair.

Another well-known execution story was about one of the queens small dogs, which is said to have been hiding among her skirts, unseen by the spectators. Following the beheading, the white dog refused to be parted from its owner and was covered in blood. It was finally taken away by her ladies-in-waiting and washed.

On this Day in Tudor History:

On February 1, 1587, Queen Elizabeth I signed the death warrant of her cousin, Mary (Stuart) Queen of Scots. Mary would subsequently be beheaded on February 8 at Fotheringhay Castle.

On This Day in Tudor History:

On August 19, 1561, the 18-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, arrived in Leith, Scotland to assume throne after spending 13 years in France.
Mary was the only surviving legitimate child of King James V. She was six days old when her father died and made her Queen of Scotland. Her mother, Mary of Guise, assumed regency and her daughter was crowned nine months later. She was sent to France for her upbringing and prepared for marriage to the dauphin.
In 1558, she married Francis, Dauphin of France, who ascended the French throne as Francis II in 1559. However, Mary was not Queen of France for long; she was widowed on 5 December 1560.
After her husband's death, Mary returned to Scotland, arriving in Leith on 19 August 1561. Four years later, she married her first cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. In 1567, Darnley was found dead and it was rumored that Mary conspired with her next husband, James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, in Darnley's murder.
Mary was imprisoned and forced to abdicate the throne in favour of her one-year-old son, James VI in June, 1567. After an unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne, Mary fled to England seeking protection from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, whose kingdom she hoped to inherit. Elizabeth, however, ordered her arrest. Mary would continue to be a thorn in the protestant Queen Elizabeth's side because she was Catholic and a blood claimant to the throne of England. In 19 years of imprisonment in England, Mary never ceased to conspire with Catholics to depose Elizabeth and claim the English throne. It would be her undoing.
After a long period of custody in England, she was tried and executed for treason in 1587.

Antonia Fraser is a Funny Lady...

Biographer Antonia Fraser felt the need to respond to an item printed about her in the British tabloid Tatler. I hope you enjoy her explanations as much as I did, especially the one about Jane Seymour!

Tatler got it wrong about me and Marie Antoinette

I do not read Tatler. So it was left to my 13-year-old granddaughter to inform me that I had been placed at No 7 on Tatler's list of "most-invited" people. But I should like to clear something up which might otherwise lead to a period of social stagnation. I do not, as Tatler and Gold claimed, mourn Marie Antoinette for the whole of the first half of October: only on 16 October, the date of her execution. This year I shall be in deepest black, incidentally, at the Cheltenham festival, preparing to talk about Mary Queen of Scots. I mourn her on 8 February.

At least Oliver Cromwell was ritually executed after his death so there's no need for precise mourning. On the other hand, as his biographer, I feel I must pay tribute to him – after all, I have profited from him, as it were, so why should I not make some gesture of respect? The answer with Cromwell is 3 September: the day on which he died in 1658, but also termed by him his "most fortunate day". He won both the battles of Dunbar and Worcester on that date, and in my unsubstantiated opinion, delayed his death to fit in. The anniversary has been taken over by the second world war, so one could sneak into the Churchill Museum incarnating the war cabinet rooms and have a quick pious reflection.

Now to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, among other decapitated women I have written about and annually commemorate: to save time, I suggest a day-long tour of the six tombs of the six wives of Henry VIII. You begin with the Tower of London for Boleyn and Katherine, first cousins and, respectively, second and fifth wives. On to St George's Chapel where poor old Jane Seymour lies beneath Henry VIII himself: we shall spare a thought for that predicament. On again to Sudeley Castle, near Cheltenham, where lies Catherine Parr. A swerve east to Peterborough and the marvellous tomb of Catherine of Aragon (although her age at death is given wrong). Lastly Westminster Abbey and the tomb of the fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, adjacent to the high altar.

Readers may feel that this is all mourning too far. But I repeat: since I have in a sense been lucky enough to benefit from the lives and deaths of these people, why should I not remember them? Otherwise it's a hard life, with only the parties to cheer one up.

On This Day in Tudor History: The End of a Dynasty

On this day, July 25, 1603, James VI of Scotland - son of Mary, Queen of Scots - was crowned James I, King of England and Ireland, officially bringing to an end the Tudor Dynasty and ushering the House of Stuart into the English monarchy. James VI & I celebrated his coronation with rich pageants although festivities had to be curtailed due to an outbreak of the plague in London.

Union of the Crowns
James's reign would be the first time England and Scotland were united under one monarch, although they remained separate states until the reign of Queen Anne in 1707.

On This Day in Tudor History:

On July 17, 1586, the Babington Plot to kill Queen Elizabeth I and replace her on the throne with the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots was foiled by Sir Frances Walsingham and his spy network. It was on this date that Mary wrote the letter that would seal her fate.

Walsingham had long pleaded with Elizabeth to try her cousin Mary for treason and put her to death - to no avail. Elizabeth would not be moved to execute a fellow queen of royal blood. So when he intercepted a letter Mary wrote to young Anthony Babington concerning the plot to rescue her and assassinate Elizabeth, Walsingham used this opportunity to forge additions to the letter which would be certain to seal the fates of both Babington and Mary.

Queen Mary went on trial at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire and denied her part in the plot, but her correspondence was the evidence although many believed correctly that some of it had been forged. Mary was sentenced to death. Elizabeth finally signed her cousin's death warrant, and in February 1587, in front of 300 witnesses, Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed by beheading.

Upcoming Tudor Events (in England)

One of my favorite Tudor historians, Alison Weir, is participating in some incredible events this fall and next spring. Kinda wishing I didn't already take my trip to England!

On September 9, 2009:
In order to launch her new book, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, Alison will accompany visitors on a tour of The Tower of London, walking the route that Anne strode to the Queen's Apartments. Then she will join author Tracy Borman for a presentation called "The Whore and the Virgin," along with drinks, canapes and a book signing session.
Then the ladies will escort visitors on tours of the Queen's Apartments and the Tower Green where Anne was executed.
Tickets will be available through the Historical Royal Palaces.

And the biggie...

TOUR OF TUDOR ENGLAND

In the Spring of 2010, Alison will be Study Leader on a tour of Tudor England organised by The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Details are as follows:

A Tudor Tapestry
11 Days - April 6-16, 2010

Tudor England - the England of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare -comes alive as best-selling author Alison Weir and other historical experts escort you on a journey into the past. At Windsor Castle and Hampton Court, major exhibitions mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne. At the Tower of London, learn about Arbella Stuart's famous and daring escape and see the spot where Anne Boleyn and other Tudor victims were beheaded. Enjoy special tours of castles steeped in Tudor history, as Hever, Leeds and Sudeley, as well as Eltham Palace and Acton Court. In Portsmouth, home to the Royal Navy, view the remains of Henry VIII’s flagship, The Mary Rose, and visit Winchester, where Mary Tudor married Philip of Spain.

Alison Weir will accompany the tour and her lively narratives will help bring to life the dramatic lives of the Tudors.
Meet historians Sarah Gristwood, Tracy Borman, and Kate Williams, who together with Alison Weir, form The History Girls, who have created events for BBC radio and are currently developing a major television series.
Enjoy connoisseur tours and private openings at historic castles and gardens.
Take private tours of two major exhibitions dedicated to Henry VIII’s Quincentenary.
Itinerary:

April 6: Depart US for London.

April 7: London.
Arrive in London this morning and check into the centrally located Hotel Rubens in St James’s. Gather for a welcome reception and introductory talk on the Tudors by Alison Weir.

April 8: Westminster Abbey/Tower of London.
Take a short walk to Westminster Abbey, which houses the tombs of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Anne of Cleves, Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. At the Tower of London , hear about Arbella Stuart’s daring escape from the Tower, and see where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. This evening’s presentation by Alison Weir and Tracy Borman is entitled The Whore and the Virgin: Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I.

April 9: Winchester/Portsmouth.
Journey south to Portsmouth , home to the British Royal Navy, via Winchester . Visit the cathedral where Mary I married Philip of Spain and see Wolvesey Castle where they enjoyed their wedding breakfast. At the Portsmouth Royal Dockyards, visit Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose and learn about life in the Tudor navy. On the return journey, listen to a talk on The Virgin Queen: Aspects of Elizabeth.

April 10: Leeds Castle/Hever Castle.
Today discover two beautiful castles in the Kent countryside. Leeds Castle was the dower property of medieval queens and was owned by Henry VIII. At Hever Castle , former home of Anne Boleyn, view the many Tudor items on display and wander through the gardens. This evening, Alison Weir will talk about The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

April 11: Eltham Palace.
Time at leisure before traveling to Eltham Palace , where Henry VIII spent much of his childhood. Admire the medieval great hall and archaeological remains in the gardens. Henry VIII: King and Court is the title of Alison’s talk this evening.

April 12: Sudeley Castle/Acton Court.
Journey west to Gloucestershire and see Sudeley Castle , the last home and burial place of Katherine Parr. After lunch in Winchcombe, take a private tour of the well-preserved Acton Court, visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Enjoy an elegant dinner at historic Thornbury Castle tonight. Overnight at The Close Hotel, Tetbury.

April 13: Kenilworth/Stratford-upon-Avon.
Elizabeth I visited the Earl of Leicester at Kenilworth Castle in 1575 for nineteen days of pageantry, the magnificent “Princely Pleasures”. Visit the extensive ruins and Leicester 's newly recreated garden. Spend the afternoon at Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, where you can visit houses associated with him before continuing to Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the home of his wife. Return to The Close Hotel and listen to Sarah Gristwood’s talk on Elizabeth and Leicester.

April 14: Windsor Castle.
Alison Weir will guide you through the special exhibition commemorating Henry VIII's quincentenary. After lunch, take a guided tour of the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel where Henry VIII is buried, then enjoy some free time to explore the castle and town. During this evening's talk, Deadly Rivals: Treason, Intrigue and Threats to the Tudor Throne, five historians will give engaging presentations.

April 15: Hampton Court.
Spend a full day at delightful Hampton Court Palace on the River Thames. Siobhan Clarke is your authentically-costumed Tudor guide, and will lead you on a fascinating tour of the palace. Visit the Henry VIII Heads and Hearts exhibition, see the gardens or get lost in the maze! This evening, enjoy a lively debate, with audience participation, on Dramatising the Tudors. Our guest speakers will discuss the merits – or otherwise – of films and TV series on the Tudor period. A light-hearted Tudor quiz follows a festive farewell dinner.

April 16: Return to the US

Hotels:
The Rubens Hotel is an elegant four-star hotel in the heart of London.

Set in the delightful Cotswolds market town of Tetbury, the boutique Close Hotel was originally built during the reign of Henry VIII. Rooms are individually furnished and comfortable. There is a charming garden restaurant with an original Adam ceiling and views of the walled garden.

Booking:
This tour, inclusive of return air fares, costs from $5,695 per person.

Anyone wishing to book a place must first become a member of The Smithsonian Institute. Anyone can become a member, and it costs from $26. This can be arranged at the time of booking. Cause $5,695 DOESN'T INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP!?!?

The website is www.smithsonianjourneys.org. Tour details will appear there shortly.
The phone number to call (202) 349-0677