Curated playlist
Burials at the Church of St Peter ad Vincula
- Anne BoleynAnne Boleyn laughed on the scaffold, joking that she had a little neck.
- George Boleyn, Viscount RochfordGeorge Boleyn's execution crowd fell almost completely silent to hear his scaffold speech.
- John Dudley, 1st Duke of NorthumberlandJohn Dudley's "wicked Duke" label was largely built because Queen Mary needed a villain.
- Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of SomersetA king's marriage to his sister made Edward Seymour ruler of England. He governed for a nine-year-old king.
- Catherine HowardCatherine Howard was queen of England for barely sixteen months. Henry VIII's fifth wife was beheaded in 1542.
- Lady Jane GreyLady Jane Grey was queen of England for only nine days in July 1553. Her own Privy Council then turned on her.
- Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of EssexOne account says the Earl of Essex walked in on Queen Elizabeth not yet properly wigged or gowned.
- Thomas MoreThomas More taught his daughters Greek when almost no one did. He also approved burning heretics.
- Thomas CromwellHenry VIII beheaded Thomas Cromwell, then called him his most faithful servant.
- Edmund DudleyEdmund Dudley wrote a guide to good kingship while waiting in the Tower of London to be executed.
- Richard EmpsonWithin months of Henry VIII taking the throne in 1509, Richard Empson was in prison. He had raised money for Henry VII.
- John FisherBishop John Fisher kept a human skull beside his plate at every meal. Henry VIII later had him beheaded in 1535.