Historical Inaccuracies in ‘The Tudors’ Season 1


Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII in 'The Tudors (2007-2010).
Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII in ‘The Tudors (2007-2010).

Episode 1 “In Cold Blood”
Assassination of the Duke of Urbino – Henry VIII had no uncle at this time, and so the scene that was included was completely made up.
Charles Brandon and the daughter of the Duke of Buckingham – there is no evidence of Brandon having an affair with any daughter of Buckingham.
Richard Pace – Pace was never accused of spying and was never imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Thomas Tallis – there is no record of Tallis being at court until 1543, not as early as is portrayed in ‘The Tudors’.
Katherine of Aragon’s first son – in the television show, Katherine of Aragon says that he lived for four weeks, but it was actually seven and a half weeks.
Marriage of Bessie Blount – in the television show, Bessie Blount is already married during her affair with the king, but in reality she didn’t marry until 1522.
Thomas Boleyn’s family – Buckingham refers to Boleyn’s family as “old” but in reality his grandfather was Mayor of London, and before that the family was rather obscure. Boleyn only had noble connections because his wife was the sister of the Duke of Norfolk. Continue reading “Historical Inaccuracies in ‘The Tudors’ Season 1”

Spotlight: Margaret Beaufort


Name: Margaret Beaufort / Margaret Tudor / Margaret Stafford / Margaret Stanley.

Title/s: My Lady the King’s Mother, Countess of Richmond, Countess of Derby, Lady Stafford, Baroness Stanley.

Birth / Death: 31 May 1443 – 29 June 1509.

Spouse: Edmund Tudor 1st Earl of Richmond 1430 – 1456 / Sir Henry Stafford c.1425 – 1471 / Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby 1435 – 1504.

Children: Henry VII 1457 – 1509 (by Edmund Tudor).

Parents: John Beaufort 1st Duke of Somerset 1403 – 1444 & Margaret Beauchamp c.1410 – 1482.

Siblings: John Welles 1st Viscount Welles c.1450-1498 (half-brother) Continue reading “Spotlight: Margaret Beaufort”