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This is a page to keep track of what went on in history, following the characters and setting on the show. It can be used to compare with the events taking place on the show.

Prior to the Show[]

  • 16 December 1485 - Catherine of Aragon is born to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castill.
  • 19 September 1486 - Prince Arthur is born to Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
  • 28 June 1491 - The future Henry VIII is born to Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
  • 10 April 1512 - The future James V is born to James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor.
  • 31 March 1519 - The future Henry II is born to Francis I of France and Claude of France.
  • 13 April 1519 - Catherine de' Medici is born to to Lorenzo de' Medici and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne.
  • 19 January 1544 - The future Francis II is born to Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
  • 1547 12 November - Princess Claude was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
  • 1549 3 February - Prince Louis of France was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
  • 1550 27 June - King Charles IX of France was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
  • 1551 19 September - King Henry III of France was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine Medici.
  • 1553 14 May - Princess Margaret of France was born to King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
  • 1500 28th July - King Henry VII appealed to the Pope to grant a dispensation allowing Princess Margaret to marry her fourth cousin, King James IV of Scotland.
  • 1501 circa - Anne Boleyn was born to Thomas Boleyn and his wife, Elizabeth Howard.
  • 1501 14th November - Henry VII’s son, Prince Arthur, married Catherine of Aragon at St Paul’s Cathedral.
  • 1501 28th November - Catherine of Aragon's parents paid the first instalment of Caher’s dowry.
  • 1502 24th January - A treaty of perpetual peace was agreed with Scotland to be sealed with the marriage of King James IV and Princess Margaret.
  • 1502 late March - Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon were taken ill with a viral infection.
  • 1502 2nd April - Prince Arthur, died at Ludlow Castle.
  • 1502 23rd April - A funeral service took place for Prince Arthur. He was buried in Worcester Cathedral
  • 1502 June - The Spanish ambassador, suggested Catherine of Aragon could marry Prince Henry.
  • 1503 2nd February - Princess Katherine, was born to King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York.
  • 1503 10 February - Princess Katherine died.
  • 1503 11th February - Queen Elizabeth of York died from complications following the birth of her daughter.
  • 1503 25th June - Prince Henry and Catherine of Aragon were formally betrothed.
  • 1503 8th August - Princess Margaret married King James IV of Scotland in Holyrood House.
  • 1503 26th December - The Pope granted a dispensation allowing Prince Henry to marry his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon.
  • 1505 during - King Henry VII sent an envoy to Spain to report on Joan of Naples as a bride.
  • 1505 June - King Henry VII’s envoy returned reported Joan of Naples had no income of her own and was financed to Ferdinand of Aragon. King Henry VII was furious he had not been given this information by Ferdinand himself.
  • 1505 27th June - King Henry VII ordered Prince Henry to formally protest marrying Catherine of Aragon. The Prince stated the treaty was made when he was a minor and was therefore not valid.
  • 1505 late October - King Henry VII refused to allow the marriage of Prince Henry and Catherine of Aragon. He also refused to allow Catherine of Aragon to return to Spain because he did not want to repay the part of her dowry already paid.
  • 1508 22nd February - The new Spanish ambassador brought the remaining amount of Catherine’s dowry.
  • 1508 early Summer - Negotiations for the marriage of Prince Henry and Eleanor of Austria broke down.
  • 1508 July - King Henry VII was taken ill again, he had lost weight, had a nasty cough and could not walk unaided.
  • 1509 24th March - King Henry VII collapsed and was taken to his bed.
  • 1509 31st March - King Henry VII dictated his will.
  • 1509 20th April - Prince Henry was summoned to his father’s bedside.
  • 1509 21st April - King Henry VII died from tuberculosis and was succeeded by his son, King Henry VIII.
  • 1509 22nd April - Henry VIII was financially secure – his father had left 1 million pounds. The new King modelled himself on his predecessor Henry V and swore to continue Henry V’s war with France.
  • 1509 25th April - As was the custom on the accession of new monarchs, Henry VIII freed all prisoners except those accused of serious crimes or murder.
  • 1509 early June - Henry visited Catherine of Aragon in her private chambers and proposed to her.
  • 1509 11th June - Henry married Catherine of Aragon in the church of Greenwich Palace. The service was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham.
  • 1509 24th June - Prince Henry was crowned King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon was crowned Queen.
  • 1509 August - Catherine of Aragon announced she was pregnant.
  • 1510 31st January - Catherine of Aragon prematurely delivered a stillborn daughter.
  • 1510 April - The Pope sent King Henry VIII a golden rose as an act of friendship.
  • 1510 May - Catherine of Aragon announced a second pregnancy
  • 1511 1st January - A son was born to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Guns were fired from the Tower of London and the city bells were rung. Beacons were lit to announce the royal birth to the country.
  • 1511 6th January - Baby Prince Henry was christened at Richmond, and The royal court moved to the Palace of Westminster where banquets and tournaments were held to celebrate the Prince’s birth.
  • 1511 22nd February - Prince Henry died at Richmond Palace. Both King and Queen were deeply upset. The infant prince was buried in Westminster Abbey.
  • 1512 April - England declared war on France.
  • 1513 12th August - Scotland declared war on England
  • 1513 17th September - Catherine of Aragon went into early labour & delivered a son that died soon after.
  • 1514 June - Catherine of Aragon announced she was pregnant again.
  • 1514 mid July - King Henry VIII’s sister, Princess Mary, begged her brother not to marry her to the elderly King of France.
  • 1514 August - Anne Boleyn was selected to go to France as a maid to Princess Mary.
  • 1514 9th October - King Henry VIII’s sister, Princess Mary, married King Louis XII of France.
  • 1514 5th November - King Henry VIII’s sister, Mary was crowned Queen of France.
  • 1514 31st December - King Louis XII of France died.
  • 1515 January - Mary Boleyn and Anne Boleyn were asked to serve the new Queen of France, Queen Claude wife of Francis I of France.
  • 1515 8th January - Catherine of Aragon delivered a stillborn son.
  • 1515 Summer - Catherine of Aragon announced her fifth pregnancy.
  • 18 February 1516 - Princess Mary Tudor was born to King Henry VIII and his wife Catherine of Aragon.
  • 1517 1st May - Evil May Day

The people of London had become increasingly hostile towards the numbers of foreigners in the capital. Londoners claimed that the foreigners stole their jobs and used up English resources and food. During the May Day celebrations riots broke out. Despite attempts for peace the riots continued into the night when the King sent instructions for Norfolk to raise an army to stop the riots.

  • 1517 5th May - 279 people were charged with treason for their part in the May Day riots. Fifteen Londoners were found guilty of inciting the riot and were sentenced to be executed.
  • 28 February 1518 - Prince Francis of France was born to King Francis I of France and Queen Claude
  • 1518 February - Catherine of Aragon announced her sixth pregnancy.
  • 1518 5th October - Princess Mary aged two years was formally betrothed to Henri, the Dauphin of France.
  • 1518 10th November - Catherine of Aragon delivered a daughter, but she died within days.
  • 1518 late November - King Henry VIII began to have serious doubts regarding his marriage.
  • 1519 28th June - Charles V of Spain was elected Holy Roman Emperor.
  • 31 March 1519 - King Henry II of France was born to King Francis I of France and Queen Claude
  • 1521 - The Italian War of 1521–1526, also know as Four Years' War broke out across Western Europe.
    • King Francis I went goes to war agents King Charles V, and King Henry VIII of England.
  • 1522 January - Anne Boleyn returned from France where she had been a lady in waiting to Queen Claude.
  • 1522 February - Anne Boleyn, aged 15 years was given a place in the Queen’s household.
  • 1522 4th March - Anne Boleyn took part in her first court pageant. Her sister Mary, who was the King’s mistress, partnered King Henry VIII in the dances.
  • 1523 19th November - Despite assurances that Charles V would back Wolsey for Pope, Guilo de Medici was elected Pope Clement VII.
  • 1524 26th July - Margaret Tudor, succeeded in making her 12 year old son, King James V of Scotland.
  • 1524 August - Negotiations began regarding a possible marriage between King James V of Scotland and King Henry VIII’s daughter Princess Mary.
  • 1525 24th February - King Francis I of France, was taken prisoner after being defeated at the Battle of Pavia.
  • 1526 February - King Henry VIII aged 35 years asked Anne Boleyn aged 19 to become his mistress. He was amazed when she refused and would only surrender her virginity to the man she married.
  • 1526 Summer - Anne Boleyn, unable to cope with the King’s attention, spent moved to her family home of Hever Castle. The King was so infatuated with her, wrote many letters protesting his love for her.
  • 1527 March - King Henry VIII infatuation for Anne Boleyn led to the conclusion that he had to divorce Catherine.
  • 1527 late Spring - Anne Boleyn returned to court, and given beautiful apartments and showered with jewellery and fine clothes. She had accepted King Henry VIII’s proposal to marry as soon as he was divorced from Catherine.
  • 1527 22nd June - King Henry VIII told Catherine of Aragon that they must separate because they had been living in sin.
  • 1527 18th August - The Treaty of Amiens

The marriage of King Henry VIII’s daughter, Princess Mary, to King Francis I of France’s second son, Prince Henry. It was also agreed both countries would demand the release of Prince Henry by Charles V.

  • 1528 January - It was widely known that the King had set Catherine of Aragon aside for Anne Boleyn and this was not well received. Anne Boleyn was booed and jeered whenever she appeared in the streets.
  • 1529 early December - Anne Boleyn’s father, Thomas Boleyn, was created Earl of Wiltshire. Anne Boleyn was now Lady Anne Boleyn while her brother George was Lord Rochford.
  • 1531 5th January - The Pope issued a brief which ordered King Henry VIII to separate from Anne Boleyn.
  • 1531 24th March - The King allowed Princess Mary, who had been in poor health, to visit her mother.
  • Early of 1532 King Henry VIII visited Calais, France, and eventually decides to keep the town.
  • 1532 Autumn - Anne Boleyn finally surrendered to King Henry VIII and they began living openly as man and wife. Anne Boleyn had her own court, including her brother George Boleyn and his wife Jane, Lady Rochford, Sir Thomas Wyatt and other members of the Boleyn family.
  • 1533 early January - Anne Boleyn told King Henry VIII she was pregnant. King Henry VIII knew he had to marry her soon, to ensure the child’s legitimacy. He decided to marry Anne Boleyn secretly.
  • 1533 25th January - King Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn
  • 1533 May - Jane Seymour became a member of Anne Boleyn’s household.
  • 1533 1st June - Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England in St Peter’s Abbey, Westminster.
  • 1533 25th June - King Henry VIII’s sister, Mary Brandon, died aged 37 years.
  • 1533 10th September - Princess Elizabeth was christened and confirmed.
  • 1533 December - Anne Boleyn announced her second pregnancy.
  • 1534 March - King Henry VIII declared that Anne Boleyn would be ‘regent and absolute governess of her children and kingdom’ if he were to die prematurely.
  • 1534 Spring - Princess Mary was taken ill, probably due to the stress she had been under. She requested permission to visit her mother but this was denied by father.
  • 1534 June/July - Anne Boleyn was delivered of a stillborn child. King Henry VIII who did not want to lose face ordered the details be kept secret.
  • 1534 26th September - Pope Clement VII died.
  • 1535 mid March - Anne Boleyn declared she was pregnant.
  • 1535 late June - Anne Boleyn was prematurely delivered of a stillborn child. King Henry VIII kept it secret.
  • 1535 November - King Henry VIII was openly courting Jane Seymour.
  • 1535 late November - Anne Boleyn discovered that she was pregnant again. She was aware that everything depended on the outcome of this pregnancy.
  • 1535 30th December - King Henry VIII thought Catherine of Aragon to be dying, and still refused Mary permission to visit her mother.
  • 1536 7th January - Catherine of Aragon died.
  • 1536 mid January - Princess Mary was taken very ill.
  • 1536 24th January - King Henry VIII fell from his horse during a joust and was unconscious for two hours. The fall caused a head injury that left him more bad tempered than before and also opened up an old wound on his leg that would cause him problems for the rest of his life.
  • 1536 29th January - Anne Boleyn miscarried of a son four months into her pregnancy. She blamed the miscarriage on concern following King Henry VIII’s fall and King Henry VIII’s interest in Jane Seymour.
  • 1536 February - King Henry VIII decided that he needed to find a way out of his marriage to Anne Boleyn.
  • 1536 April - Jane Seymour was sent home to Wulfhall. King Henry VIII did not want her at court while a case was being made against Anne Boleyn.
  • 1536 29th April - Cromwell presented King Henry VIII with a list of charges against Anne Boleyn. King Henry VIII was furious and ordered the arrest of all those concerned including the Queen.
  • 1536 2nd May - George Boleyn was taken to the Tower of London, and Anne Boleyn was arrested and taken by barge to the Tower.
  • 1536 4th May - Jane Seymour took up residence at Beddington Park in Surrey so that King Henry VIII could visit her in secret.
  • 1536 10th May - Anne Boleyn was indicted before a grand jury for treason. She was charged with having committed adultery with Norris, Weston, Brereton, Smeaton and her brother George. She was also charged with plotting to murder the King and making fun of him in public.
  • 1536 15th May - Anne Boleyn was tried by 26 peers of the realm including her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, who presided over the trial. Although Anne Boleyn argued her innocence she was found guilty and sentenced to die.
  • 1536 17th May - Anne Boleyn was able to watch the executions of those accused with her from her rooms in the Tower.
  • 1536 19th May - Anne Boleyn was executed by beheading with a single stroke of the sword. She was buried in the choir of the royal chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.
  • 1536 20th May - King Henry VIII was formally betrothed to Jane Seymour at Hampton Court.
  • 1536 30th May - King Henry VIII married Jane Seymour in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall.
  • 1536 4th June - Jane Seymour was proclaimed Queen of England at a ceremony at Greenwich.
  • 1536 mid June - Princess Mary reluctantly signed papers acknowledging her father’s supremacy and the invalidity of her mother’s marriage. She was assured by Chapuys that the Pope would forgive her actions because she had been forced to sign the papers.
  • 1537 Spring - Jane Seymour announced that she was pregnant and that she believed the baby would be born in the middle of October.
  • 1537 8th October - King Henry VIII’s niece, Frances Brandon, gave birth to a baby girl. She was named Jane Grey.
  • 12 October 1537 - Prince Edward is born to King Henry VIII of England and his third wife Jane Seymour.
  • 1537 16th October - Jane was taken ill with diarrhoea and sickness.
  • 1537 24th October - Jane died. It is thought that she died from puerperal fever.
  • 1537 25th October - Jane’s body was embalmed and dressed in gold tissue. A golden crown was placed on her head. Her body was taken to the presence chamber of Hampton Court where it lay in state.
  • 1537 12th October - Queen Jane’s body was laid to rest in a vault before the high altar of St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
  • 1538 Spring - King Henry VIII began to consider remarrying and considered Mary of Guise and Christina of Milan. Francis refused any marriage between Mary of Guise and King Henry VIII since Mary was promised to King James V of Scotland.
  • 1539 4th October - The treaty for the marriage of King Henry VIII of England and Anne of Cleves was concluded and signed at Hampton Court.
  • 1540 1st January - King Henry VIII decided to pay his new bride, Anne of Cleves, a surprise visit and, armed with a New Year’s gift, rode to Rochester. However when he saw her he was so horrified that he left the gift and rode back to London.
  • 1540 2nd January - King Henry VIII told Cromwell that he was not at all pleased with his new bride and postponed the wedding from the 4th to 6th January. He wanted to use the time to find a loophole in the marriage contract that would allow him to get out of the marriage.
  • 1540 3rd January - Anne Boleyn of Cleves made her official entry into London. A banquet was held at Greenwich to celebrate the event.
  • 1540 6th January - King Henry VIII married Anne of Cleves in the Chapel Royal at Greenwich Palace. King Henry VIII was unable to consummate his marriage.
  • 1540 Late April - King Henry VIII was far more taken with the petite, attractive, young Kathryn Howard than with his wife. He made grants of land to the Howard family.
  • 1540 late June - Kathryn Howard had been installed in Lambeth Palace and was openly visited by the King.
  • 1540 9th July - King Henry VIII received official notification that his fourth marriage was invalid and that he was now free to re-marry. Anne was told of the decision by a deputation of the Privy Council. She was now to be called the King’s sister and would receive an annual income of £4,000. She was also given the manors of Bletchingly and Richmond for her own use.
  • 1540 11th July - Anne Boleyn of Cleves wrote to King Henry VIII formally acknowledging the dissolution of their marriage.
  • 1540 28th July - King Henry VIII married Kathryn Howard at the Palace of Oatlands.
  • 1540 October - King Henry VIII granted Kathryn all the lands and manors which had belonged to Jane Seymour.
  • 1541 mid February - King Henry VIII was taken ill and it was feared that he was dying. His injured leg had got progressively worse over the years and he was now often chair-bound.
  • 1541 late August - Kathryn sent a secret invitation to her former lover, Thomas Culpeper, to meet her. Culpeper forgot to destroy the note.
  • 1541 9th September - King Henry VIII and Kathryn had travelled to York to meet King James V of Scotland. During the evening Kathryn met Thomas Culpeper in Lady Rochford’s chamber.
  • 1541 8th October - King Henry VIII’s sister, Margaret, mother of King James V of Scotland, died at Methuen castle in Scotland.
  • 1541 26th October - Prince Edward was taken ill with a fever.
  • 1541 1st November - King Henry VIII was informed of the details of Kathryn’s behaviour before her marriage. King Henry VIII was shocked and full of disbelief but ordered a full investigation.
  • 1541 5th November - King Henry VIII was told that the allegations against the Queen were true and that she had been seeing Thomas Culpeper secretly while she was married.
  • 1541 7th November - Kathryn was questioned by Cranmer. She admitted that Derehem had visited her during the night while she was in the Duchess of Norfolk’s household. During the questioning she also mentioned Thomas Culpeper’s name and he too was arrested.
  • 1541 11th November - Kathryn was placed under house arrest at Syon Abbey and Lady Rochford was taken to the Tower of London to await questioning.
  • 1542 16th January - Kathryn Howard and Lady Rochford were formally accused of high treason.
  • 1542 10th February - Kathryn Howard was taken, by barge, to the Tower of London to await execution. She was told that her request to die in private had been granted. She asked for a block so that she could practice putting her head on it.
  • 1542 13th February - Kathryn Howard and Lady Rochford were executed by beheading.
  • 1542 28th June - King Henry VIII celebrated his fiftieth birthday. He was now very obese with a waist measurement of 54 inches.
  • 24 November 1542 - The Battle of Solway Moss takes place.
    • Encouraged by Cardinal Beaton, King James V led an army of 10,000 Scottish troops into England. Unfortunately the Scots were badly organised and were attacked just over the border with England by the English army of 3,000 men. The Scots found themselves fighting on boggy marshy ground at Solway Moss. The battle was a decisive victory for the English who captured a large number of Scottish noblemen.
  • 14 December 1542 - King James V of Scotland dies.
  • 1543 1st January - They was a proposed match between the infant Queen and Prince Edward.
  • 1543 16th February - King Henry VIII made a gift of pleats and sleeves to Katherine Parr whose husband was on his death bed.
  • 1543 May - King Henry VIII had noticed the infatuation between Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour. As he had already decided to make Katherine Parr his sixth wife he sent Thomas Seymour as permanent ambassador at the court of the regent of the Netherlands.
  • 1543 1st July - Treaty of Greenwich

This treaty agreed a marriage between Mary Queen of Scots and Prince Edward of England with Mary travelling to England when she was ten years old. A peace treaty between the two countries was also agreed.

  • 1543 early July - King Henry VIII proposed to Katherine Parr who, although she wanted to marry Thomas Seymour, had little choice but to accept.
  • 1543 12th July - King Henry VIII married Katherine Parr, a devout and committed Protestant, in the Queen’s Privy Chamber at Hampton Court. The King’s three children were present for the ceremony.
  • 1543 late - King Henry VIII commissioned a painting of himself, his wife and three children but asked that his third wife, Jane Seymour be painted as his wife.
  • 1543 31st December - It was agreed that England and Spain would jointly attack France in the new year.
  • 19 January 1544 - Prince Francis, the 1st child of Prince Henry and Catherine is born.
  • 1544 Spring - Fearing an English invasion, Mary Queen of Scots was taken to a remote abbey where she was to remain in hiding.
  • 1544 late June - King Henry VIII and Katherine attended the wedding of King Henry VIII’s niece, Lady Margaret Douglas and the Earl of Lennox.
  • 1545 October - King Henry VIII proposed an alliance with Charles V to be sealed with the marriage of Charles V to Lady Mary and his son Phillip to Lady Mary. However, Charles V replied that he could not consider marriages to women who were declared illegitimate.
  • 1545 late Autumn - King Henry VIII was taken ill.
  • 1546 March - King Henry VIII was taken ill with a fever but recovered fairly quickly.
  • 1546 mid August - Katherine’s ladies-in-waiting were closely questioned regarding books they and the Queen possessed. A warrant was drawn up for the Queen’s arrest and signed by the King. However, it was dropped and found by a member of Katherine’s household. Katherine, concerned for her fate, became very upset. When King Henry VIII heard her cries and visited her to find out what was wrong. She told him that she was worried that she may have displeased him in some way. King Henry VIII was touched by her words and stayed with her awhile.
  • 1546 19th September - King Henry VIII was taken ill again. His leg was now so bad that he was unable to climb stairs. A mechanical hoist was installed to take the King to the higher levels of his palaces.
  • 1546 30th December - King Henry VIII dictated his will.
  • 1547 26th January - King Henry VIII was now on his deathbed and summoned Katherine to say goodbye.
  • 1547 28th January - King Henry VIII, aged 55 years, died at 2am at Whitehall Palace.
  • 1547 28th January - As was the custom when a monarch died, all those imprisoned in the Tower of London were pardoned. This included the Duke of Norfolk who had been scheduled to be executed later that day.
  • 1547 16th February - The body of King Henry VIII was laid to rest next to that of Jane Seymour in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
  • 1547 20th February - Edward was crowned King Edward VI of England at Westminster Abbey.
  • 1547 April - Katherine Parr, secretly married King Edward VI’s uncle, Thomas Seymour. Although Katherine was in love with Seymour it is likely that he married for power rather than love.
  • 12 November 1547 - Princess Claude, the 4th child of King Henry and Queen Catherine, is born.
  • 1548 Summer - Katherine Parr discovered her husband, Thomas Seymour, with Edward’s half-sister, Lady Elizabeth. Elizabeth was sent to live with Sir Anthony Denny.
  • 1548 7th September - Katherine Parr died of puerperal fever after giving birth to a daughter, Katherine.


During the Show[]

  • 1549 - King Edward VI of England orders a hit on Queen Mary Stuart of Scotland. [1]
  • 27 June 1550 - Prince Charles, the 5th child of King Henry and Queen Catherine, is born.
  • 19 September 1551 - Prince Henry, the 6th child of King Henry and Queen Catherine, is born.
  • 1550 December - King Edward was betrothed to Princess Elisabeth, daughter of King Henry II of France.
  • 1552 April - Edward was taken ill with smallpox. He survived but was weakened by the disease.
  • 1553 25th May - John Dudley married Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of King Henry VIII‘s younger sister, Mary,.
  • 1553 6th July - Edward died. He was succeeded by Lady Jane Grey.
  • 1553 10th July Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen of England. She and her husband entered the Tower of London to await the coronation. Jane declared that she would not allow Guildford to be King and he would be given the title Duke of Clarence.
  • 1553 10th July - King Henry VIII’s eldest daughter, Mary Tudor, sent a letter to the Council saying that by the terms of the Act of Succession of 1544 she was now queen.
  • 19 July 1553 - King Edward VI dies and Princess Mary becomes Queen Mary I of England.
  • 1553 19th July - Jane Grey and her husband were arrested and charged with treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
  • 1553 3rd August - Princess Mary made her formal entry into London. She was accompanied by her half-sister Princess Elizabeth and Anne of Cleves.
  • 1553 8th August - King Edward, was buried in the King Henry VII Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey.
  • 1553 1st October - Princess Mary was crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey .
  • 1553 late Autumn - Queen Mary decided to marry Prince Philip of Spain. The match was unpopular with the people who feared that England would be ruled by Spain.
  • 1554 March - Queen Mary was betrothed to Prince Philip of Spain.
  • 1554 18th March - Princess Elizabeth was arrested and taken to the Tower of London where she was questioned regarding her part in Wyatt’s Rebellion. Queen Mary was worried that Protestant factions would try to put Elizabeth on the throne in her stead.
  • 1554 19th May - Princess Elizabeth was moved from the Tower of London and placed under house arrest at Woodstock.
  • 1554 September - Queen Mary was nauseus and had put on weight. Her physician announced that she was pregnant.
  • 1555 April - Mary invited her half-sister, Princess Elizabeth to court to witness the birth of her child.
  • 1555 June - Queen Mary retired from court to await the birth of her child. However, no child appeared.
  • 1556 January - Queen Mary's father-in-law, Charles V of Spain, abdicated in favour of his son Philip. Mary’s husband was now King of Spain.
  • 1556 February - Queen Mary's husband, King Philip of Spain, made peace with France.
  • 1558 January - French forces took Calais, England’s last remaining possession in France. The loss severely damaged Mary’s popularity.
  • 1558 April - Mary had still not given birth and it was believed that this was another phantom pregnancy. Mary was in poor health and concerned about her health.
  • 1558 17th November - Mary died. Her death is believed to have been caused by cancer of the womb.
  • 1558 17th November - Elizabeth became Queen of England, Ireland and Wales.
  • 1559 - Queen Elizabeth turned down a proposal of marriage from her brother-in-law King Philip of Spain.
  • 1559 15th January - Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey.
  • 1559 Spring - Queen Elizabeth had a close relationship with Robert Dudley and many thought she was in love with him. However Dudley was married to Amy Robsart.
  • 1560 around - Queen Elizabeth considered a marriage proposal from Eric, heir to the Swedish throne, but eventually turned him down.
  • 1560 5th July - Treaty of Edinburgh

This was a treaty between England, Scotland and France. It was agreed that the English and French would remove their troops from Scotland.

  • 1560 September - Robert Dudley’s wife, Amy Robsart, died after falling down a flight of stairs. Many people believed that Dudley had murdered his wife so that he could marry Elizabeth.
  • 1563 during - Queen Elizabeth suggested that Robert Dudley could marry Mary Queen of Scots, who had returned to Scotland from France after her husband, the dauphin had died. Neither were interested in making the match.
  • 1563 before April - Queen Elizabeth was taken ill with smallpox. The illness left her with scars on her face which she covered with make up and hair loss which she disguised by wearing a wig.
  • 1564 during - Queen Elizabeth entered marriage negotiations with Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor for a marriage between herself and Ferdinand’s son Charles V.
  • 1565 29th July - Mary Queen of Scots, married King Henry VIII Stuart Lord Darnley.
  • 1567 February - Mary Queen of Scots’ husband, Lord Darnley, was murdered by a group led by James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell.
  • 1567 15th May - Mary Queen of Scots married James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, the man behind her husband’s murder. The marriage shocked people including Scottish councillors who now believed that she may have been party to Darnley’s murder.
  • 1567 24th July - Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate the throne in favour of her infant son who became King James VI of Scotland. She was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle and her son was taken to Stirling Castle to be raised as a Protestant away from his mother’s Catholic influence.
  • 1568 during - Queen Elizabeth ended negotiations to marry the son of Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor after it became impossible to agree terms of the marriage.
  • 1568 May - Mary Queen of Scots escaped from Loch Leven Castle and fled to England where she sought the protection of Elizabeth I. She was escorted to Carlisle Castle where she was placed under virtual house arrest.
  • 1569 during - Queen Elizabeth considered marrying King Henry VIII Duke of Anjou.
  • 1571 Summer - Ridolfi Plot (A plot to depose Elizabeth and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots. It was led by Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine banker from London, who had enlisted the support of the Duke of Norfolk, the King of Spain and the Pope. The plot failed after incriminating letters were discovered. The Duke of Norfolk was arrested and executed. Ridolfi was abroad when the plot was discovered and avoided capture.)
  • 1572 during - Queen Elizabeth considered marrying Francis Duke of Anjou as part of an alliance with France against Spain.
  • 1581 during - An act was passed which made it treason to try to convert people to Catholicism and make them act against Elizabeth. Anyone found guilty would be executed.
  • 1581 4th April - Francis Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.
  • 1583 December - Throckmorton Plot (A plot hatched by Francis Throckmorton to murder Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots. The plot failed after his actions were discovered by Francis Walsingham.)
  • 1586 15th October - Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial for her part in the Babington Plot. She was found guilty and sentenced to death. However, Elizabeth, who feared reprisals from Europe, did not sign the death warrant.
  • 1587 8th February - Elizabeth had finally been persuaded by her ministers to sign the death warrant. They decided to act on it promptly before Elizabeth could change her mind and Mary Queen of Scots was executed at Fotheringay Castle. When Elizabeth found out about the execution she was deeply upset and annoyed with her ministers. She claimed that although she had signed the warrant she had told her ministers not to carry it out.
  • 1587 April - Sir Francis Drake raided and burnt Spanish ships that were being assembled to make an attack on England. The attack is often referred to as the singeing of the King of Spain’s beard.
  • 1591 - William Shakespeare wrote his first play, King Henry VI part 1.
  • 1598 4th August - Elizabeth’s most senior councillor and advisor, Sir William Cecil, died.

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