GREENWICH

Known as the 'Palace of Placentia'.
15th century royal residence favoured by the Tudors, in Greenwich.
Approx 5 miles east down river from the Tower of London.

Birthplace of monarchs Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

Place of death of Edward VI.

A View of the Ancient Royal Palace called Placentia, in East Greenwich

KEY EVENTS

28 Jun 1491 - Birth of Prince Henry, later King Henry VIII at Palace of Placentia.

11 Jun 1509 - Marriage of Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon in the Church of the Observant Friars, outside the Palace of Placentia.

13 May 1515 - Public marriage of Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France, to Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk in the Church of the Observant Friars, two months after their secret wedding at Hôtel de Cluny, Paris.

18 Feb 1516 - Birth of Princess Mary, later Queen Mary I, at Palace of Placentia.

07 Sep 1533 - Birth of Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I, at Palace of Placentia.

06 Jan 1540 - Marriage of Henry VIII to Anne of Cleves, at the Palace of Placentia.

06 Jul 1553 - Death of EDWARD VI at Palace of Placentia; Sir Henry Sidney (MARY DUDLEY's husband) present at his death, being a companion of the king.

Detail from 'Image of people sick with smallpox in Ancient Mexico ' Bernardino de Sahagún, 1577 © Library of the Congress

Elizabeth I and the Smallpox Epidemic of 1562

In October 1562, less than three years after her accession to the throne, Elizabeth I contracted the highly-infectious smallpox virus, which led to her becoming critically ill, and subsequently raised questions in relation to the succession of the English monarchy.

Oct 1012 min read

Detail from 'Elizabeth I', Nicholas Hilliard, 1578 © Rothschild Family

The Marriage of Lettice Knollys and Robert Dudley - 21 September 1578

The marriage between Lettice and Leicester was formally celebrated on Sunday 21 September 1578, at Leicester's Essex home of Wanstead Hall, almost two years to the date of death of her first husband. Leicester had consulted with his chaplain at Wanstead, Humphrey Tyndall, informing of his intent to marry Lettice in secret, as he felt that public knowledge of their marriage may cause "great damage to his estate", having not previously obtained the consent of the queen (Tallis,

Sep 2110 min read

The Death of Edward VI - 06 July 1553

At around eight o'clock in the evening, on 06 July 1553, after over a year of ill-health, the fifteen-year-old Edward VI took his final breaths, dying at Greenwich Palace, a favoured residence and birthplace of his father, Henry VIII.

Jul 67 min read

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USEFUL LINKS

The Tudors in Greenwich [ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH]