Tudor historians to give a series of Katharine of Aragon Festival talks

The talks take place on January 25 and 26 – and all six offer a deep dive into the intriguing world of the Tudors, bringing history to life through engaging stories and insights.

JANUARY 25 Henry and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Made the Tudors by Nathen Amin (11am)

Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, the parents of Henry VIII, had an extraordinary marriage: politically, strategically and personally. It was an alliance that both cemented the power of the Tudor dynasty and made their younger son, Henry, the King of England. Leading Tudor historian Nathen Amin explores this remarkable union from their background and their marriage in 1486 to the crowning of Elizabeth in 1487.

Walking a tightrope: Catherine of Aragon’s ladies in waiting by Dr. Nicola Clark (1pm)

Every queen had ladies-in-waiting, but they are rarely placed under the spotlight. This talk asks who Katharine of Aragon’s women were, what they did, and what difficult choices they faced as Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn altered the course of Katharine’s life. Who came with Katharine from Spain, and what did they think of England?

​Maiden, Mother Majesty: The Imagery of Mary I by Dr. Peter Stiffell (4pm)

This talk explores several images of the Queen; from portraiture to legal documents, coins to medals, the queen is even present on windows. Mary was not the villain often portrayed, but an innovator and a woman who understood the power of imagery.

JANUARY 26

Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort by Dr Nicola Tallis (12pm)

Join Dr Nicola Tallis as she reveals the life of an extraordinarily ambitious and devoted woman who risked everything to ultimately found the Tudor dynasty. Nicola Tallis is a well-renowned Tudor Historian who has written Elizabeth’s Rival: The Tumultuous Tale of Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester in 2017, Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch, in 2019, All the Queen’s Jewels, 1445-1548: Power, Majesty and Display in 2022. Her newest book, Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen was released in 2024.

Queen-Making: Catherine of Aragon, Princess Mary and the Reigning Queens of Spain by Dr. Elizabeth Norton (2pm)

Dr Elizabeth Norton is a London-based historian specialising in the queens of England and the Tudor period. Elizabeth’s most recent books are the critically acclaimed ‘The Lives of Tudor Women’ and ‘The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor’. She is also the author of a biography of Margaret Beaufort and four of Henry VIII’s wives, amongst other titles.

Katharine of Aragon and the Tyranny of Henry VIII by Jackson Van Uden (4pm)

Katharine of Aragon is a Queen that looms large in the consciousness of many Tudor history fans, particularly in the minds of us from Peterborough. In this talk, Peterborough-based and raised historian Jackson van Uden looks at the life of Katharine of Aragon and the tyranny of her second husband, Henry VIII, that she experienced and witnessed throughout their 24 years of marriage and beyond.

Ticket details at https://peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/