Weird History
Why Elizabeth I Was A Badass Queen
Queen Elizabeth the first may have been a virgin who can’t drive but what most people don’t know is that she was one of the most brutally cut-throat and significant rulers England has ever had. A badass to some, a merciless imperialist...
Weird History
What May Have Caused the Death of Elizabeth I
Pale white skin was the signature look for the upper class in the Elizabethan era and Queen Elizabeth I's makeup was perhaps one of the most iconic examples. But what was IN all that caked on makeup? Turns out, there was quite a cost for...
Weird History
The Lady Pirate Grace O'Malley
Contrary to popular belief, not all pirates hobbled on peg-legs with talking parrots perched on their shoulders, patches covering their eyes, and broad West Country accents sharpening their vowels. One of the most important, fascinating,...
Weird History
Why Did Elizabethan Collars Get So Big?
The Elizabethan ruff is easily identified - a large, stiff, upright, usually lace collar that, in all honesty, looks uncomfortable and awkward. The Elizabethan collar that dominated fashion during the late 16th and 17th centuries,...
History Squad
A Tudor Gunner
An ordinary gunner’s story of how he fought aboard Sir Francis Drake’s ship during the Spanish Armada. He gives a decks-eye view of the battle and tactics used during the by the English Navy and international trade during the Elizabethan...
History Squad
An Elizabethan Lady
An overview of Elizabethan England, through the eyes of a wealthy woman. She talks about politics, crime, the impact of population growth and the development of towns as well as the treatment of vagrants. The History Squad - Kevin Hicks.
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 5: Search for a Husband and the Cult of Virginity
Politics, religion, and bad publicity complicated Elizabeth I's attempts to find a husband. Robert Dudley, the man she fell in love with was married when they met. He later became single but was thought to have murdered his wife, which...
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 2: the Thomas Seymour Scandal
After the death of her father, Elizabeth went to live with her stepmother, Katherine Parr and Katherine's new husband, Thomas Seymour. Thomas' attentiveness to teenage Elizabeth soon drew suspicion from Katherine and started rumors....
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 7: the Queen's Legacy
By the time Elizabeth I died in 1603, public opinion of her was mixed. She had quelled religious tensions and defeated the Spanish Armada, however, the brutal and bloody tactics of her military stained her memory and the country was in a...
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 1: Early Life at Hatfield House
Elizabeth I of England, daughter of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, is a renown and popular leader of the country who ruled through peace and war. When she was just two years old, her father had her mother beheaded and quickly married...
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 4: Religious Tolerance and Choosing a Successor
Calming the tension between Protestants and Catholics was important to Elizabeth I of England. She re-instituted the Church of England as the country's chosen church but repealed strict heresy laws and permitted people to practice...
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 6: Why the Virgin Queen Could be Cruel
From gendered criticism to mercury poisoning from cosmetics, there are many theories about why Elizabeth I could be so cruel.
Curated Video
Elizabeth I of England part 3: Sibling Rivalry
When their brother died in 1553, Elizabeth's sister was crowned Mary I. Mary, a devout Catholic, soon began to distrust her Protestant sister, accusing Elizabeth of involvement in Wyatt's Rebellion of 1554. Despite a lack of evidence,...
Weird History
Why Elizabeth I Was a Bad*ss Queen
Queen Elizabeth the first may have been a virgin who can’t drive but what most people don’t know is that she was one of the most brutally cut-throat and significant rulers England has ever had. A badass to some, a merciless imperialist...
Bridgeman Arts
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 1960s
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth walking in shelter among citizens.