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Claire Ridgway

@claireridgway.bsky.social
1.3K followers 45 following 870 posts

Author, historian, Tudor history lover, owner of The Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society, loves talking Tudor and transporting people to the past. Also dog lover, cat lover, fitness fanatic and veggie. linktr.ee/claireridgway

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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Can you own a historical theory or idea? And if two historians independently examine the same sources and reach the same conclusion, has one copied the other? I'm looking at plagiarism, research and who “owns” history in my latest video. What do you think? #TudorHistory #History
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A viewer suggested I cover up my tattoos because she found them distracting from my history content… but one of those tattoos is connected to Anne Boleyn, and her words gave me the perfect response nearly 500 years later. Full story on my YouTube channel. #AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #WomenInHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Did Catherine Howard actually confess that she intended to sleep with Thomas Culpeper? I’ve seen this repeated many times, so I went back to Catherine’s examination and Culpeper’s to check exactly who said what. Full video on YouTube. #tudorhistory #CatherineHoward #ThomasCulpeper
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
"Henry VIII didn't divorce Catherine of Aragon or Anne of Cleves. Their marriages were annulled." You've probably seen that correction. But is "divorce" really historically inaccurate? I look at the evidence in my latest YouTube video. #henryviii #sixwivesofhenryviii #Tudors
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
When we consider Anne Boleyn's life, we tend to focus on her continental education, her relationship with Henry VIII and rise to the throne, and then her dramatic fall. But what about her three years as queen consort? Find out about Anne Boleyn as queen in my full video on YouTube.
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
I've opened my Tudor history event archive! Explore 7 Tudor history collections, 50 expert talks from 20 historians, 50 downloadable transcripts and additional resources, with lifetime access. The complete Back to Tudor School collection is $99 until Monday 24 Aug: claireridgway.com/history-even...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Back to Tudor School is open! 7 Tudor history collections 50 expert talks 50 transcripts 20 historians Lifetime access Just $99 until 24 August. claireridgway.com/history-even... #TudorHistory #Tudors
claireridgway.com
Back to Tudor School - The Ultimate Tudor History Mega Bundle - Claire Ridgway
7 history collections. 50 expert talks. 50 downloadable transcripts. Just $99. What if you could spend the rest of the summer immersing yourself in Tudor history? From the Wars of…Continue readingBack...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Henry VIII is back on the marriage market... Three wives down, and now he needs wife number four. Who on earth would say yes? Welcome to Tudor Blind Date! Full video on YouTube #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #TheTudors #tudorhistory #AnneOfCleves
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Did Mary of Guise really use Anne Boleyn's famous "little neck" words to refuse Henry VIII? I spent hours tracing the story through contemporary sources, diplomatic dispatches and Tudor chronicles... and what I found surprised me. Full investigation on YouTube. #HenryVIII #MaryOfGuise #AnneBoleyn
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Did Holbein really "catfish" Henry VIII with his portrait of Anne of Cleves? What did Henry actually know before Anne arrived in England? Were Holbein's portraits considered accurate? And what did the Englishmen who met Anne before Henry have to say? #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #AnneOfCleves
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Did Christina of Denmark really say she'd marry Henry VIII if she had two heads? It's one of the most famous Tudor put-downs - but when you start tracing the quote back through the sources, things get very interesting... See my full video on YouTube.
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Did Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves ever actually "do it"? Officially, no. But was Anne really the problem? An extraordinary allegation from George Boleyn's trial raises another possibility about what was really happening in Henry's bedchamber... Watch the full investigation on YouTube.
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Did Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves actually 'do it'? I'm trying out YouTube's Premiere feature with my next video, so we can all watch together and I'll be there chatting with you live. Bring your popcorn and click "Notify me" so you don't miss it! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2A...
youtube.com
Why Couldn't Henry VIII "Do It" With Anne of Cleves?
YouTube video by The Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Everyone expected Henry VIII to remarry Anne of Cleves after Catherine Howard's fall… Even Anne herself may have hoped it. The primary sources tell a fascinating story. Full video now on YouTube. #AnneOfCleves #HenryVIII #CatherineHoward #TudorHistory #BritishHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Every time Henry VIII is mentioned, someone diagnoses him as a narcissist, psychopath or sociopath. After years of researching Henry VIII, I don't think the evidence allows us to do that. Here's why... Watch the full video on YouTube. #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #History
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Did Henry VIII really marry for love or was he searching for the perfect queen? Most kings put politics first. Henry VIII often put personal choice first. Was he different from other monarchs? Watch the full video on YouTube #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #SixWives #BritishHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
People call Anne Boleyn the love of Henry VIII's life... but where was that love in 1536? He sent her to the Tower, didn't see her, and married Jane Seymour days after her execution. I am not convinced this was a great love at all. Full video on YouTube.  #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #Tudors #SixWives
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
The Rise & Fall of Catherine Howard is already 50% full. Join me this September as we explore Catherine's life, queenship, downfall, the evidence against her, and the myths that still surround her. Early-bird price ends 30 June. claireridgway.com/events/cathe... #CatherineHoward #HenryVIII
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
African musicians. Muslim diplomats. French refugees. Anti-immigration riots. All in Tudor England. History is often far more surprising than people think. See my full video on YouTube now. #TudorHistory #BritishHistory #History #immigration
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Think football is rough today? In Tudor England, people played a version of football that was so controversial that kings tried to stop it. What made it so dangerous? And could a modern footballer survive it? Watch my latest video on Youtube to find out. #TudorHistory #Football #Soccer #WorldCup
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
A rare portrait of Anne Boleyn has returned to England. The Lyndhurst Portrait, on display at Hever Castle, offers visitors the chance to examine one of the most intriguing and much-discussed depictions of Anne. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/a-rare-anne-... #AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #HeverCastle
theanneboleynfiles.com
A Rare Anne Boleyn Portrait Comes Home: The Lyndhurst Portrait Arrives at Hever Castle - The Anne Boleyn Files
Visitors to Hever Castle can now view one of the most intriguing and rarely seen portraits of Anne Boleyn. The so-called Lyndhurst Portrait has travelled from New York to Kent to take its place in Hev...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
England expected a prince in 1533. Astrologers predicted one. Celebrations were prepared. Instead, Anne Boleyn gave birth to the future Elizabeth I. My latest full video on YouTube explores the drama, danger, rituals, and reality of Tudor childbirth. #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #TudorHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The speed of Henry VIII’s relationship with Jane Seymour shocked many contemporaries. Just one day after Anne Boleyn’s execution, the king was officially betrothed again. For the full video, head over to my YouTube channel. #Tudors #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #JaneSeymour #TudorHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London. I explain exactly what happened and share her execution speech. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/19-may-1536-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
19 May 1536 - The end of Queen Anne Boleyn - The Anne Boleyn Files
Today is, of course, the anniversary of the execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, on 19th May 1536 at the Tower of London.
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, Anne Boleyn, having prepared herself to die, was told by Sir William Kingston that her execution would be delayed until the following day. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 18 May 1536 - Queen Anne Boleyn is told that she won't be executed that day - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 18th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn, who had prepared herself to die that day, was informed by Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London, that she would be executed the following day...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, George Boleyn, Norris, Weston, Brereton and Smeaton were executed on Tower Hill, condemned for alleged adultery with Anne Boleyn and plotting Henry VIII’s death. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 17 May 1536 - Queen Anne Boleyn's alleged lovers are executed on Tower Hill - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 17th May 1536, five men who'd found guilty of high treason were executed on Tower Hill. George Boleyn, Lord Rochford; groom of the stool Sir Henry Norris; Sir Francis Weston; William Brereton; and ...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
#OTD in 1536 - Condemned to death, Anne Boleyn suddenly seemed hopeful of mercy. What had changed, and why did she think she might live? www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 16 May 1536 - Archbishop Cranmer visits an imprisoned Queen Anne Boleyn - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 16th May 1536, Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, visited his friend, Queen Anne Boleyn in the Tower of London, where she was awaiting her execution. It wasn't a friendly visit, or even one ...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
#OTD 1536: Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, stood trial for treason in the King’s Hall of the Tower of London. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 15 May 1536 - The Trials of Queen Anne Boleyn and George Boleyn, Lord Rochford - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 15th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, were tried separately in the King's Hall of the Tower of London. Due to their ranks, Anne and George were tried by a ...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
#OTD in 1536: The day before Anne Boleyn’s treason trial, Jane Seymour was moved to Chelsea to be closer to King Henry VIII... www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 14 May 1536 - Jane Seymour moves closer to the king - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 14th May 1536, the day before Queen Anne Boleyn was tried for high treason, her former lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, was moved to Chelsea to be closer to her sweetheart the king...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
#OTD in 1536: Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, refused to “play ball” with Thomas Cromwell over Anne Boleyn’s fall. What was Cromwell trying to make Percy do — and why did Percy refuse? www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 13 May 1536 - A precontract denied and a household broken up - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 13th May 1536, two days before her trial, Queen Anne Boleyn's household was broken up. On the same day, her former sweetheart, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, denied once more having been prec...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
#OTD in 1536: Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were tried for high treason at Westminster Hall. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn - 12 May 1536 - Four courtiers are tried for treason - The Anne Boleyn Files
On 12th May 1536, Sir Henry Norris, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton were escorted from the Tower of London to Westminster Hall, where they were tried by a special commission of o...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
#OTD in 1536: The Grand Jury of Kent met to consider the case against Anne Boleyn and five courtiers. According to the indictment, the queen had been very busy indeed… www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 11 May 1536 – The Grand Jury of Kent and its indictment against Anne Boleyn and the men – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, the Grand Jury of Middlesex decided there was enough “evidence” to send Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn, Norris, Weston, Brereton & Smeaton to trial for treason. The indictments were drawn up. I explore the charges and what really happened... www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 10 May 1536 – The Grand Jury of Middlesex meets – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, 9th May, King Henry VIII wanted an update on the investigation into his wife, Queen Anne Boleyn. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 9 May 1536 – Henry VIII wants to know what’s going on – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, while Anne Boleyn and the accused men sat imprisoned in the Tower, courtiers were already circling for their offices, lands, and rewards. The vultures were gathering… www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 8 May 1536 – Courtiers or vultures? – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Did Richard III really murder the Princes in the Tower, or is that just the story history remembers? No proven bodies. No eyewitnesses. No definitive proof. And what if one or both of the princes survived? Watch my full deep dive on YouTube now! #PrincesInTheTower #RichardIII
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, William Latymer, chaplain to Anne Boleyn,was stopped and searched on returning to England from the Continent. Why was he targeted? What was he carrying, and what became of him? www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 7 May 1536 – The Queen’s chaplain is searched – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
OTD in 1536, some believe that an imprisoned Queen Anne Boleyn wrote to her husband from the Tower of London… www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 6 May 1536 – From the Lady in the Tower – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, Sir Thomas Wyatt & Sir Richard Page were implicated in Anne Boleyn’s fall and sent to the Tower. Sir Francis Bryan had also been summoned for questioning… www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
OTD in 1536, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, received a message of comfort from his wife, Jane Boleyn, and two more men were taken to the Tower... www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 4 May 1536 – George Boleyn receives a letter and two more men join him in the Tower of London – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, Archbishop Cranmer wrote a letter to King Henry VIII. He was shocked as he’d heard of the allegations made against Queen Anne Boleyn. www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 3 May 1536 – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
#OTD in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, were arrested and taken to the Tower of London... www.theanneboleynfiles.com/the-fall-of-...
theanneboleynfiles.com
The Fall of Anne Boleyn – 2 May 1536 – Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother are arrested – The Anne Boleyn Files
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
England’s royal family once tore itself apart in a brutal civil war that changed history. Kings fell, princes vanished, and out of the chaos came the Tudors. My Beginner’s Guide to the Wars of the Roses is on YouTube now. #WarsOfTheRoses #TudorHistory #RichardIII #HenryVII
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Anne Boleyn didn’t just marry Henry VIII once, she may have married him twice. And both times, he was still married to Catherine of Aragon. Full story on YouTube. #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #BritishHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
The man who helped Henry VIII go to the toilet was one of the most powerful figures at court. In Tudor England, access was influence. #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #HistoryFacts #RoyalHistory #DidYouKnow
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Was Henry VIII obeying God… or rewriting scripture to suit himself? Leviticus said his marriage was sinful. Deuteronomy said it was required. So which was it? And was the same argument used to annul his marriage to Anne Boleyn? Full video on YouTube #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #CatherineOfAragon #Tudors
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Tudor villains...but not as you know them. Starts 13 April - a few places left. Go to ClaireRidgway.com #TudorHistory #Tudors #henryviii #ElizabethI
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Anne Boleyn wasn’t just waiting in the background for six years, she was part of the story that changed England forever. From papal politics to royal power,this is the real story of the Great Matter. Full video on YouTube. #AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #greatmatter #WomenInHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
We call it a Golden Age… but it wasn’t golden for everyone. War in Ireland. Rising poverty. Religious persecution. And England entering the slave trade. Elizabeth I wasn’t just Gloriana — she was complicated. Full video on YouTube. #ElizabethI #Tudors #DarkHistory #BritishHistory
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Claire Ridgway @claireridgway.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Good Friday in Tudor England was a day of deep devotion, and powerful ritual. From “creeping to the cross” to royal healing ceremonies under Mary I, faith was something people experienced with their whole bodies. Watch the full video on YouTube. #GoodFriday #TudorHistory #MaryI #Reformation
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