Tudor Times is the online repository for all things Tudor and Stewart (1485–1625)

On 24th August 1507, Cicely of York died in relative obscurity. Cicely, who, following convention was named after her grandmother, Cicely Neville, was the third daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, born in 1469. During her father’s lifetime she had been mooted as a wife for James IV of Scotland. When her brother, Edward V, was deposed, she lived in sanctuary at Westminster Abbey with her mother and sisters, until, eventually, they were persuaded to join Richard III’s court.

During early 1485 a marriage to Ralph Scrope of Upsall was solemnised, but probably not consummated as it was later annulled. When Henry VII became King and married her sister, Elizabeth of York, Cicely was married to his half-uncle, Lord Welles. As the Queen’s oldest surviving sister, she carried the infant Prince Arthur to the font for his christening. Widowed in 1498, her second marriage caused uproar.

On 23rd August 1553 Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, was appointed as Lord Chancellor. In his youth, Gardiner had served Cardinal Wolsey, but had transferred to the King’s service where he had roles as both Secretary, and in diplomatic matters. Initially, he was a supporter of Henry VIII’s annulment suit against Katharine of Aragon, and had no trouble casting off papal authority.

Later, however, as doctrine began to move away from traditional Catholic practice, he became a figurehead of the conservative faction at Henry’s court, and, according to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, plotted the downfall of Katherine Parr. He was not named by Henry to the Council that was to govern during Edward’s minority, as ‘no man could rule him.’ Objecting to the Protestant reforms of Edward’s reign, Gardiner was sent to the Tower, whence he emerged at the succession of Mary. He remained as Lord Chancellor until his death in late 1555.

The 22nd August 1485 is the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth at which Henry Tudor, a rather junior member of the Lancastrian branch of the royal family, defeated Richard III, the Yorkist King. Henry had been in exile, first in Brittany, then latterly in France, since the age of fourteen. During the reign of Edward IV there was little or no chance of a successful Lancastrian bid to regain the throne, but when Richard III deposed his nephew, Edward V, many Yorkists were disaffected and were willing to join Henry.

An initial attempt on the throne, led by Richard’s erstwhile supporter, the Duke of Buckingham, in August 1483 had failed, but Henry received significant support at home, as well as from the troops raised abroad. To read more about some of the private motivations for fighting on either side, read our guest article, Fighting Bosworth, by Chris Skidmore, author of 'Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors'.