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

On 15th April 1565, Elizabeth, or “Bess” Throckmorton was born. The Throckmortons were an influential gentry family from Coughton Court, Warwickshire. Half of the family remained strictly Catholic and were involved in serial plots against Elizabeth I, and half became Protestant, including Bess’ own father, who was Ambassador to Scotland. Bess was appointed as a maid-of-honour to her distant cousin, Elizabeth I, with whom she was in high favour, until her clandestine relationship with Elizabeth’s favourite, Sir Walter Raleigh, was discovered. Initially imprisoned in the Tower of London, and then banished from court, Bess retired to Raleigh’s estates in Dorset where she brought up their children during his voyages to the Americas. Bess long outlived her husband, who was executed in 1618. Whilst in prison, Raleigh wrote her a moving letter which is still preserved at Coughton.

Picture of Elizabeth Throckmorton by Robert Peake the Elder

On 14th April 1578 James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, died. Bothwell had been a staunch supporter of the regency of Mary’s mother, Marie de Guise, and was one of the few Scottish nobles who never entered into secret negotiations with England or France. On Mary’s return to rule Scotland personally, he continued in his loyalty, however, there can be little doubt that he was up to his neck in the plot to murder Darnley. When Mary married him, it gave substance to the belief that she had colluded in the murder, although the evidence against her does not stand up to scrutiny. Mary and Bothwell surrendered at Carberry Hill, and he went into exile. On landing in Denmark, he was arrested – bizarrely on an initial accusation of a Breach of Promise to a Norwegian woman. Although the case was settled, he remained under arrest, the King of Denmark hoping to use him as a bargaining chip for the return of the Orkney Islands. Despite efforts to extradite him, he remained incarcerated for the rest of his life.

On 13th April 1519 Catherine de Medici was born in Urbino, Italy, to Lorenzo and a French noblewoman, Madeleine de la Tour d’Auvergne, whose heiress she was. Catherine was also great-niece to Pope Leo X who arranged her marriage to Henri, Duc d’Orleans, son of Francois I of France. Catherine and Henri were married aged fourteen, and forced to consummate their union under the gaze of her father-in-law. This began an unhappy marriage, in which Catherine was ignored by her husband, who paraded his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, openly. The first of Catherine’s ten children was born after nearly eleven years of marriage. Henri II died in 1559 and Catherine spent the next thirty years fighting as Regent and Queen Mother to maintain her position and that of her children, whilst trying to steer a middle course in religious affairs. In the latter, she failed, and the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots resulted in horrific bloodshed. Catherine was a notable patron of late Renaissance culture, but has a sinister reputation as an intriguante and poisoner – probably not entirely deserved.