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

On 5th February 1557, another round of the Italian Wars came to an end with signing of the Treaty of Vaucelles, between Philip II of Spain and Henri II of France. By its terms, which were to last five years, it was agreed that both sides would retain the territories they were holding at the time. The French had been allied with Pope Paul IV, who hated the Spanish with a passion. He undermined the Treaty by provoking the Spanish Duke of Alba to invade the Papal States, thus obliging the French King to retaliate in accordance with a prior treaty between them.

Picture of the Spanish Duke of Alba, by Titian

On 4th February 1495, Anne of York, daughter of Edward IV, and sister of Queen Elizabeth of York, was married to Lord Thomas Howard. The pair had been betrothed during the reign of Anne’s uncle, Richard III, as a reward for the support of Lord Thomas’ grandfather, John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk. Following Richard’s defeat at Bosworth, the Howards were out of favour, and Thomas’ father spent some time in the Tower. Nevertheless, by the 1490s, they had shown their loyalty to the new regime and the marriage to Anne was a mark of royal favour. Read more on the Howards here.

The only known representation of Anne is in this stained glass window, where she is second from the right.

On 3 February 1576 Henri, King of Navarre, escaped from Paris after having been held by Catholic forces since his marriage to Marguerite de Valois, sister of Henri III of France, in 1572. The marriage had been the occasion of the terrible Massacre of St Bartholomew, during which Henri only avoided death after converting to Catholicism. As soon as he was free, he renounced his conversion and joined the Protestant forces hoping to defeat the fanatical Catholic League. Read more about Henri in a Guest Article by Dominic Pearce here