Mary Tudor’s Hidden Influence + How Tudors Learned - Claire Ridgway Interviews Amy McElroy

Mary Tudor’s Hidden Influence + How Tudors Learned - Claire Ridgway Interviews Amy McElroy

Join me for a lively deep-dive with historian and author Amy McElroy—whose books include Educating the Tudors and Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era, with Mary Tudor, Queen of France out next and a new project on Desiderius Erasmus underway. We talk Tudor education, women’s real power at home and court, Mary Tudor’s overlooked influence, and why Erasmus matters.

In this interview, we explore:
  • How Amy fell in love with history and turned blogging into books
  • Educating the Tudors: what (and how) children learned—across class and gender
  • Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era: daughters, wives, mothers, widows—how much agency did they really have?
  • Mary Tudor, Queen of France: the sister who shaped a dynasty—beyond the shadow of Henry VIII
  • Erasmus: Europe’s sharpest mind—visionary or misunderstood?
  • Research wins, writing routines, audience Qs, and a quick-fire Tudor round

About my guest:
Amy McElroy is the author of Educating the Tudors (2023), Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era (2024), and Mary Tudor, Queen of France (2025), with Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe's Greatest Mind (2026) forthcoming. She co-hosts The Tudor Notebook on Substack and has appeared on several podcasts.
Links:
Amy’s books & Substack — https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://amymcelroy.substack.com/
My December online event The Other Tudors: The Forgotten Figures Who Shaped a Dynasty — Launching soon at https://claireridgway.com/ - keep an eye out!
Subscribe for more Tudor interviews & deep dives

Say hello in the comments:
Which part of Mary Tudor’s story deserves its own episode? And what’s your take on Erasmus?

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Episoder(1003)

Was Henry VIII really catfished by Anne of Cleves?

Was Henry VIII really catfished by Anne of Cleves?

It's one of the most famous stories surrounding Henry VIII's fourth marriage. Hans Holbein the Younger was supposedly sent to Cleves to paint Anne's portrait, produced an image that made her look far ...

29 Jul 26min

Did Christina of Denmark REALLY Say "If I Had Two Heads..."?

Did Christina of Denmark REALLY Say "If I Had Two Heads..."?

Did Christina of Denmark really tell Henry VIII, "If I had two heads, one would be at His Majesty's disposal"?It's one of the most famous quotations associated with Henry VIII's search for a fourth wi...

23 Jul 10min

Why Couldn't Henry VIII "Do It" With Anne of Cleves?

Why Couldn't Henry VIII "Do It" With Anne of Cleves?

Did Henry VIII Have Erectile Dysfunction? The Anne of Cleves Bedroom MysteryDid Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves ever actually "do it"?Henry claimed that his marriage to Anne was never consummated becaus...

21 Jul 28min

Did Henry VIII Almost Take Anne of Cleves Back?

Did Henry VIII Almost Take Anne of Cleves Back?

Why did so many people believe Henry VIII would remarry Anne of Cleves after Catherine Howard's fall?While researching my forthcoming event, The Rise and Fall of Catherine Howard, I noticed something ...

15 Jul 8min

Should We Stop Diagnosing Henry VIII?

Should We Stop Diagnosing Henry VIII?

Was Henry VIII a narcissist? A psychopath? A sociopath?These labels are increasingly applied to England's most famous king, but after years of researching Henry VIII and reading contemporary sources, ...

5 Jul 14min

Henry VIII: Not Like Other Kings

Henry VIII: Not Like Other Kings

Why did Henry VIII marry so differently from other European monarchs? Most Renaissance kings married for diplomacy, alliances and dynastic advantage. Personal attraction might have mattered, but poli...

28 Jun 29min

Was Anne Boleyn Really the Love of Henry VIII's Life?

Was Anne Boleyn Really the Love of Henry VIII's Life?

People often call Anne Boleyn the love of Henry VIII's life, but was she really? In this video, I'm taking a closer look at one of the most romanticised relationships in Tudor history and asking whet...

22 Jun 16min

People Were Protesting Immigration in England 500 Years Ago

People Were Protesting Immigration in England 500 Years Ago

The history of immigration in England is far older than many people realise. Immigration in Tudor England, medieval England and even Roman Britain helped shape the nation we know today. People often ...

16 Jun 28min

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