Tag Archives: execution

Why was Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, executed? A short overview.
On the 19th May 1536, Anne Boleyn – Henry VIII’s second wife and mother of the future Elizabeth I – was beheaded in the Tower of London, having been found guilty of adultery, treason, and incest.

Why was Lady Jane Grey queen of England for only nine days?
On the 10th July 1553, Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen of England after her first cousin once removed, the 15-year-old King Edward VI, died of an unknown respiratory problem.

John Rogers and the Protestant persecutions under ‘Bloody’ Mary I of England
On the 4th February 1555, John Rogers became the first Protestant martyr under ‘Bloody’ Mary I of England.

Why was Thomas Cranmer executed in 1556?
On the 21st March 1556, Thomas Cranmer was executed for heresy.

The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
On the 8th February 1587 Mary Stuart, more commonly known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed in the great hall of Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire.

The Gunpowder Plot and the discovery of Guy Fawkes
On the 5th November 1605, the Gunpowder Plot was foiled when Guy or Guido Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder that had been placed in an undercroft below the House of Lords in London.

Why were the trials of the Pendle Witches in 1612 so significant?
On the 18th August 1612, the trials of nine Lancashire women and two men known as the Pendle Witches began.

First execution using the guillotine
An overview of the invention of the Guillotine and its first use in an execution on 25th April 1792.

A brief overview of the execution of Louis XVI
On the 21st January 1793, former French King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine at the Place de la Revolution in Paris.