My article, ‘Visualizing the executions of British queens in early modern Europe‘, has been published in “Historical Research” and can be read here: academic.oup.com/histres/adva...

Current project away from PhD‘ing

My article for The Conversation about five of the best TV shows about the Tudors has been published: theconversation.com/the-five-bes...

It is commonly asserted that Anne Boleyn’s memory was celebrated, and vindicated, during her daughter’s reign. The truth is more complex, as the Norwich clergyman John More’s “A Table from the beginning of the World to this day” (1593) shows. (1/2)

I am looking forward to presenting a paper for the Women’s Studies Group this Thursday about my research into images of the executions of British queens. This will be available to tune into online #queenship #tudors #earlymodern #beheading

My review of “The Afterlife of Mary, Queen of Scots”, edited by Steven Reid, is out in the Scottish Historical Review @scottishhistreview.bsky.social

Immersed in the Popish Plot and the Exclusion Crisis. Can’t wait to submit my PhD thesis (hopefully soon)

On 5 September 1548, Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII, died aged 36. Since then, her portraiture (images 1 and 2) has been manipulated as likenesses of her great-niece by marriage, the tragic Lady Jane Grey (image 3). This image has nothing to do with Jane sadly.

Was Mary Boleyn definitely older than her sister Anne? Not necessarily. Stuart historians suggested otherwise

Currently immersed in the Popish Plot and the Exclusion Crisis. The former was a fictitious conspiracy leading to numerous executions and apparently sought the assassinations of Charles II and his Catholic brother James, duke of York while the latter aimed to remove James from the succession

On 22 August 1485, Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry’s victory inaugurated the rule of the Tudors. My doctorate focuses on the executions of Henry’s daughters-in-law Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard and great-granddaughters Jane Grey and Mary, Queen of Scots

As I’m coming closer to finishing my doctorate, never in my wildest dreams, as a child, did I think that my passion for Tudor history would allow me to pursue a doctorate focused on executed queens. I grew up reading about Queen Anne Boleyn, and I wrote biographies about Queen Katherine Howard. 🌹

The penultimate chapter of my thesis has involved exhaustive research into these two fascinating monarchs, grandson and grandmother, both executed: In the 1650s, there were many links made - in Britain and in Europe - between Charles and Mary.

I am about to publish an academic article about visual representations of executed queens, including Jane, and there are several that I’m really excited to share, printed across the Continent. These span multiple languages and national traditions, to provide a wider European perspective.

Lady Jane Grey is one of the central figures in my PhD thesis and has occupied much of my time, having written a biography of her sister Katherine. I am so interested in the mythology of Jane’s legend and I have to commend Dr J. Stephan Edwards for his work on Jane’s portraiture. 🧵

This portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots narrates her tragic history in Latin and presents her as a Catholic martyr. I have an academic article coming out this year that discusses the Catholic iconography of portraits of Mary & themes of martyrdom, royalty & succession, which this image encapsulates

The current chapter of my doctoral thesis has involved these three monarchs and it’s been really fascinating! Very fitting as it’s the quartercentenary of the death of James VI of Scotland and I of England (middle), son of Mary, Queen of Scots (left) and father of Charles I (right).

Revisiting an article that I wrote some years ago: does this portrait depict (as traditionally, but provisionally… believed) Katherine Howard, or as recently suggested, her predecessor Anne of Cleves? Or another woman entirely? conorbyrnex.blogspot.com/2021/09/kath...

Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Jane Grey in the film “Lady Jane” (1986). I have recently written a piece about this which I am hoping to get published, either in an edited collection (originally the plan) or elsewhere.

My latest research has taken me into the fields of art history and visual culture. My new article explores early modern images of queens’ executions with a wide-ranging continental focus. This image isn’t early modern, but is probably the most famous artistic representation of Jane Grey’s execution.

Yesterday I presented on some of my current research at the History Doctoral Symposium, it was great to have some feedback

It was truly wonderful to visit the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery while conferencing in Lisbon #royalstudies #queenship 🇵🇹

Some very interesting papers on day 2 of #KQ14 #royalstudies

Next is a paper I have been looking forward to - @enortonhistory.bsky.social on Jane Seymour's political role as consort #KQ14

It’s always wonderful to see the variety in papers, covering different regions, eras, and types of queenship!

En route to 🇵🇹 for #KQ14

Just a reminder that you can find my latest publications, news and other info at my website: conorbyrnex.blogspot.com

Is there more to say about Queen Katherine Howard? Yes. And in the midst of juggling a PhD and many other writing commitments, I want to share this research.

I’ve spent a lot of time researching the Protestant martyrologist John Foxe’s “Actes and Monuments” but this kind of physical memorial to three particular individuals among the hundreds recounted in his account that were executed for their beliefs is poignant and reminds us never to forget them.

It acts as a voice for those who are otherwise forgotten, who suffered and died in a horrific way for their beliefs. My doctoral research focuses a lot on martyrdom so this type of material source is of great interest.

Truly fascinating today in Salisbury, discovering that three Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake in Mary I’s reign here. I had never heard of these martyrs but a memorial plaque like this is so important. A 🧵

I’m excited to share that my current research in progress has been accepted for publication in a journal - I look forward to sharing more in due course #queenship #visualculture

This beautiful image, taken from Jean Fouquet’s “Grandes Chroniques de France”, shows Isabella of France, wife of Edward II, returning to England with her son (the future Edward III) to launch her bid to remove her husband’s hated favourites, the Despensers, from power.

This 1795 engraving, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, creatively depicts the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. It was commissioned by Robert Bowyer for his 1806 edition of David Hume’s “The History of England”. I am researching visual depictions of executions alongside my PhD.

Today involved spending some time with some fascinating sources about Lady Jane Grey and it’s made me excited about the scope of this PhD chapter. The Streatham Portrait, shown here, may not present Jane: it may have been based on a portrait of Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII.

If Katherine’s son Edward had inherited the throne, aged 41, in 1603, there would have been no Stuart dynasty and thus no Civil War, Commonwealth, Restoration. As I point out in my chapter, only one of Henry VIII’s children - Mary - actually carried through his dynastic provisions.

I’ve been working on my chapter about Katherine Grey and the succession for a forthcoming volume and with it being the 400th anniversary of James I’s death this week, it does seem fitting to reflect on what might have been if Elizabeth I had followed her father’s wishes.

Today marks the quatercentenary of the death of James VI of Scotland and I of England at Theobalds House, aged 58. Mary, Queen of Scots is a central figure in my doctoral research and the ways in which James interacted with his mother’s controversial memory and legacy are an important part of this.

This article provides some tantalising evidence that Jane became the king’s mistress in late 1535 and conceived a child by him. If so, she must have miscarried sometime in 1536, before falling pregnant with the future Edward VI: conorbyrnex.blogspot.com/2023/05/was-...

Jane Seymour became queen of England a mere eleven days after Anne Boleyn was executed on charges that continue to invite disbelief. Could part of the reason for Henry’s swift destruction of the woman he had loved for a decade and remarriage days later have been on account of Jane’s pregnancy?

Was Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, pregnant before their marriage? My article from the archives explores the evidence. conorbyrnex.blogspot.com/2023/05/was-...

And this portrait features in my current research and writing… #maryqueenofscots

Working on a very interesting article at the minute that I hope will be published soon #earlymodern

Lady Jane Grey was executed on this day in 1554. This image, known as the Streatham Portrait, has been posited as a likeness of Jane from the late sixteenth century - but recent research suggests that it is actually a copy of a 1544 portrait of Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII

On 27 January 1568, Lady Katherine Grey died at Cockfield Hall. At the time of her death, she was heiress to Elizabeth I’s throne according to the last will and testament of Henry VIII (which had been enacted into parliamentary statute)

Catherine Grey’s family (her husband and two sons) who were separated on the orders of Elizabeth I, back together again in monumental form in Salisbury Cathedral. Catherine was legally heiress to the throne when she died in 1568 #salisburycathedral #catherinegrey #tudor #tudors

Interesting article that suggests that Lady Jane Grey was not buried at the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London after her execution in 1554: academic.oup.com/nq/advance-a...

Newcastle Castle and Cathedral - I am in the city for a conference this week.

Still in awe of the beautiful manuscripts on display at the Medieval Women exhibition at the British Library, some of which survive from the twelfth century. Here are two of my favourites about queens I’ve written about - Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth Wydeville

Generally, early modern visual depictions of Anne Boleyn’s execution are rare but this is one example of such from the C17. It will feature in a conference paper I am giving about images of British queens’ executions.