The Plantagenet’s Episode 5

Welcome to Tdr Now & The Heritage Hunters Podcast with Dawn Piercy and The Heritage Huntress. A somewhat trusty AI bot coded and programmed by Dawn herself to help locate sources, cross-referencing sites, locate missing information and more!

Today in The Plantagenet’s Episode 5, we are nearing closer to pur season finale!

Tune in below, and browse are interactive page links, read, look at photos and learn about history in a non bias way by a direct descendant of The Plantagenet’s, and from all sides of warring family fueds that changed history forever as we know it.

Royal women are often looked over, scandalized, make to give birth in front of spectators, we lost our heads for not birthing sons. Kept in cages, tortured, and then made to rule while others took credit for it.

Times have changed. I am paying respect to my ancestors, the trauma they endured, they passed on generation to generation. Women consistently being locked up over the years in my family. Even my my maternal aunt we lost tragically while she was kept. Generational trauma is real.

We may not be able to fix that but healing is possible. Releasing strongholds. Knowing we are not them, the choices we make can make astronomical impacts among us. Health is true wealth. Not money. Many ancestors lost their wealth after so many generations of people taking life for granted, not making IP, not investing in monetary, but farming instead, military, lawyers, Reverends, and doctors, day to day life just like anyone else.

My great grandparents helped raise my mother in the Great Depression. My mother told me she got only 1 potato a day, and a bed of dandelion greens to survive off of. Period. The rest was picking fruit from various trees as she needed to sustain her health.

Today is a little different. I will be covering something called the Marian Persecutions.

It’s heavier than Wyatt’s Rebellion which it ties into.

Have you ever heard of it?

And also instead of photos throughout I have added them all to the slideshow below except a couple.

General Marian Persecutions

📜 Background
Timeframe: 1555–1558
Ruler: Queen Mary I of England (reigned 1553–1558), daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
Context: After her Protestant half-brother Edward VI’s death (1553), Mary sought to restore Roman Catholicism as England’s official faith.
Trigger: The revival of heresy laws in 1554 allowed authorities to try, condemn, and execute people for rejecting Catholic teachings.

🔥 What Happened
Between 280–300 Protestants (men, women, and even some teenagers) were burned at the stake for heresy.
Another ~30 died in prison due to poor conditions.
Victims were accused of refusing Catholic doctrines like the Mass, transubstantiation (the belief that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ), and the authority of the Pope.

⚖️ Who Was Involved
Queen Mary I (“Bloody Mary”) – ordered the persecutions.
Catholic Bishops & Clergy – oversaw heresy trials (notably Bishop Stephen Gardiner and Bishop Edmund Bonner).
Victims – mostly Protestants, including:
Clergy: Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Cranmer.
Ordinary men and women: farmers, weavers, mothers, apprentices.
Groups: The Oxford Martyrs, Canterbury Martyrs, Lewes Martyrs, and Stratford Martyrs.

⚰️ Method of Execution
Burning at the stake was chosen as punishment for heresy.
Executions were public spectacles, often meant to frighten others into conforming.
Victims were tied to stakes, surrounded by wood and brush, and burned alive.

Overview & Victim Counts

Estimated total executed: at least 280–287 Protestants burned at the stake, including 56 women, plus about 30 who died in prison.

Some sources claim “over 300” burned, and additional estimates place the figure at around 290.

Christian History Institute
Notable Martyrs

1. The Oxford Martyrs
Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at Oxford on 16 October 1555.Latimer encouraged Ridley, saying “We shall this day light such a candle… as… never be put out.”
Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury) was executed on 21 March 1556, famously thrust his hand into the flames repudiating his earlier recantation.

2. George Marsh
A Protestant preacher, executed at Boughton, Chester, on 24 April 1555. His trial and martyrdom are recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. I’ve added direct links below for you to click and explore after the podcast. Or pause explore and come back. I am saying their names because they deserve to be remembered in a proper way. Some are my cousins. I’ve added as always how below at the end.

3. Stratford Martyrs
13 Protestants (11 men and 2 women, including the pregnant Elizabeth Pepper) were burned together on 27 June 1556 at Stratford‑le‑Bow (or Stratford‑le‑B). Names include Henry Adlington, Laurence Pernam, Agnes George, among others.

4. Canterbury Martyrs
Several groups burned in Canterbury:
12 July 1555: John Bland, John Frankesh, Nicholas Sheterden, Humphrey Middleton.
23 August 1555: William Coker, William Hopper, Henry Laurence, Richard Collier, William Stere.
6 September 1555: George Catmer, Robert Streater, Anthony Burward, George Brodbridge, James Tutty.
31 January 1556: John Lomas, Agnes Snoth, Anne Wright, Joan Sole, Joan Catmer.
15 January 1557: Stephen Kempe, William Waterer, William Prowting, William Lowick, Thomas Hudson, William Hay.
19 June 1557: John Fishcock, Nicholas White, Nicholas Pardue, Barbara Final, Bradbridge’s Widow, Mistress Wilson, Alice Benden.
15 November 1558: John Corneford, Christopher Brown, John Herst, Alice Snoth, Katherine Knight/Tynley.

5. Lewes Martyrs
In Sussex, 17 Protestants burned between 1555–1557. Notable among them:
22 June 1557: Richard Woodman plus nine others (George Stevens, Alexander Hosman, William Mainard, Thomasina Wood, Margery Morris, James Morris, Denis Burges, Ann Ashdon, Mary Groves)—the largest single bonfire of victims in England �.

Summary Table
Victim / Group
Date
Location
Notes
Oxford Martyrs

Oct 1555 / Mar 1556
Oxford
Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer – bishops and archbishop

George Marsh
Apr 1555
Boughton, Chester
Preacher, local martyr

Stratford Martyrs
Jun 1556
Stratford‑le‑Bow
Group of 13 Protestants (incl. pregnant woman)

Canterbury Martyrs
1555–1558
Canterbury
Multiple groups over time (all burned)

Lewes Martyrs
1555–1557
Lewes, Sussex
17 executed; Woodman and nine in single bonfire

General Marian Persecutions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Protestant_martyrs_of_the_English_Reformation

https://samplecontents.library.ph/wikipedia/wp/m/Marian_persecutions.htm

https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-8/marian-persecutions/?srsltid=AfmBOopQPrb4PslEe2WfMSbDfzyh1F-DpNtquYZj59k0erykoKVhc-f9

https://www.history.com/articles/queen-mary-i-bloody-mary-reformation

https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/why-queen-mary-was-bloody

Oxford Martyrs (Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Martyrs

Individual Martyrs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Marsh_(martyr)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Woodman_(martyr)

Group Martyrs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford_Martyrs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Martyrs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewes_Martyrs

Once again Mary I and her bloody reign. Some have so much sympathy. Was her hand twisted? Who was involved in controlling her? I can say … it is all family. She had a lot of say and pull. Period. It is up to us to know the difference between right and wrong, release family strongholds and move on to be better people. Right? Many of us are Ministers, Doctor’s, farmer’s, military, and lawyers in my family for a reason. We do not want to be bothered with politics. Period, for the most part. I think it’s a majority, but a good chunk of our family is still in politics. and back to the topic.

🕊Legacy
The persecutions backfired: instead of quelling Protestantism, they inspired sympathy for the martyrs and resentment toward Mary’s Catholic policies.
When Elizabeth I (Mary’s Protestant half-sister) became queen in 1558, Protestantism was re-established as the state religion.
The Marian executions became a defining trauma in English Protestant memory and identity.

✅ In short: the Marian executions were the state-sanctioned burnings of Protestants under Queen Mary I, aimed at restoring Catholicism but ultimately strengthening Protestant resolve and leaving Mary with the grim nickname “Bloody Mary.”

Now I want to get into some new ancestors I have not gone over, some I started with like the War of the Roses, and I did not finish, I promised I would, and and here is their personal tea, timelines, and all affected.

War of the Roses 🌹

🌹 Key Figures of the Wars of the Roses

⚔️ Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (“The Kingmaker”)
Born: 22 November 1428
Died: 14 April 1471 (killed at the Battle of Barnet)
Role:
Known as the Kingmaker for his power to make and unmake kings.
Engineered Edward IV’s accession in 1461 after deposing Henry VI.
Fell out with Edward after his secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville.
Switched allegiance, briefly restoring Henry VI in 1470.
Defeated and slain at Barnet in 1471.
Primary/Secondary Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Neville,_16th_Earl_of_Warwick
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Neville-Earl-of-Warwick

👑 Edward IV
Born: 28 April 1442 (Rouen, Normandy)
Died: 9 April 1483 (Westminster)
Reign:
4 March 1461 – 3 October 1470 (1st reign)
11 April 1471 – 9 April 1483 (2nd reign)
Role:
First Yorkist king of England.
Won throne after the bloody Battle of Towton (1461).
His marriage to Elizabeth Woodville created new factions and angered Warwick.
Restored to power after victories at Barnet & Tewkesbury in 1471.
His sudden death left his sons vulnerable (Princes in the Tower).
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_IV
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-IV-king-of-England

🏰 George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence
Born: 21 October 1449 (Dublin)
Died: 18 February 1478 (executed for treason)
Role:
Younger brother of Edward IV & Richard III.
Married Isabel Neville (Warwick’s daughter).
Switched sides multiple times during the Wars of the Roses.
Convicted of treason by Edward IV and executed—legend says he was drowned in a butt of malmsey wine.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Plantagenet,_Duke_of_Clarence
https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Plantagenet-duke-of-Clarence

🛡️ Richard, 3rd Duke of York (Father of Edward IV & Richard III)
Born: 21 September 1411
Died: 30 December 1460 (Battle of Wakefield)
Role:
Heir with strong Plantagenet bloodline, challenged weak Henry VI.
Served as Protector of the Realm during Henry VI’s insanity.
Killed at Wakefield, his head displayed on Micklegate Bar with a paper crown.
His sons Edward IV and Richard III carried on his claim.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_of_York,_3rd_Duke_of_York
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-duke-of-York

👑 Richard III
Born: 2 October 1452 (Fotheringhay Castle)
Died: 22 August 1485 (Battle of Bosworth Field)
Reign: 26 June 1483 – 22 August 1485
Role:
Brother of Edward IV; became king after declaring Edward’s sons illegitimate.
Accused of involvement in the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower.
Killed at Bosworth, ending Plantagenet rule and ushering in the Tudor dynasty.
Rediscovered in 2012 under a Leicester car park.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_III_of_England
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-III-king-of-England

👑 Henry VI
Born: 6 December 1421
Died: 21 May 1471 (murdered in the Tower of London)
Reign:
1 September 1422 – 4 March 1461 (1st reign)
Restored October 1470 – April 1471 (2nd reign)
Role:
Child king after Henry V’s death.
Pious but weak, prone to mental breakdowns.
His failures in France (Hundred Years’ War) and at home caused the Wars of the Roses.
Restored briefly by Warwick, but killed after Edward IV retook power.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VI_of_England
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-VI-king-of-England

👑 Margaret of York (Duchess of Burgundy)
Born: 3 May 1446
Died: 23 November 1503
Role:
Daughter of Richard, Duke of York; sister of Edward IV, George, and Richard III.
Married Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (1468).
After his death, became influential in Burgundy, supporting Yorkist pretenders like Lambert Simnel & Perkin Warbeck against Henry VII.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_York
https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/margaret-of-york-duchess-of-burgundy
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Margaret-of-York

📅 Timeline of Major Events
1421 – Birth of Henry VI.
1428 – Birth of Warwick (“Kingmaker”).
1442 – Birth of Edward IV.
1446 – Birth of Margaret of York.
1449 – Birth of George, Duke of Clarence.
1452 – Birth of Richard III.
1460 – Richard, Duke of York, killed at Battle of Wakefield.
1461 – Edward IV crowned king after Towton.
1470 – Warwick restores Henry VI.
1471 – Battles of Barnet & Tewkesbury: Warwick killed, Henry VI murdered.
1478 – Execution of George, Duke of Clarence.
1483 – Death of Edward IV; Richard III takes throne.
1485 – Richard III killed at Bosworth; Henry Tudor crowned Henry VII.

January 18, 1486 the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth Plantagenet AKA Elizabeth of York

1503 – Death of Margaret of York in Burgundy.

Story Angles
Betrayals & Alliances: Warwick shifting sides, Clarence betraying Edward IV, Richard III’s usurpation.
Family Drama: York siblings (Edward, George, Richard, Margaret) tearing England apart.
Tragedy: Henry VI’s mental illness, the murder of the Princes in the Tower, Clarence’s bizarre execution.
Climactic Ending: Richard III’s death at Bosworth, ending Plantagenet rule forever as we knew them. Now us descendants are most like anyone else.

Typical family drama…

Right?

If any interest in how this all relates to my family, who I am from, I’ve added screen shots and DNA test below. I am not related to everyone. Some are cousins, aunts, uncles etc., not all direct.

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