Swords, history and stuff

Seeing that some of you liked the royal armories suggestion....

Sorry guys, hope you dont mind, but if any one fancies a day out this bank holiday, i am here with my group...

Aydon castle

Introduction - Revolt against the Tudors 1487

Next year is the 520th anniversary of the battle of Stoke field. With that in mind we are following a Stoke field theme similar to that at Lincoln. Hence for your benefit again, by 1487 all serious Yorkist claimants to the throne were now either dead or imprisoned, there was still a considerable groundswell of support for the Yorkist claim. The banner for this claim was carried by Margaret Duchess of Burgundy who was sister of both Edward IV and Richard III. She was supported in her campaign by a number of nobles in England including John de la Pole, the Earl of Lincoln, who was himself the son of another of the sisters of the two Yorkist Kings. However his claim was considered too tenuous and an attempt to raise a rebellion in north and west England in 1486 came to nothing. Not to be defeated by this setback, Margaret developed a plan to use an impostor as a claimant to the throne.

In 1486 a priest called Richard Simmons traveled to Ireland with a boy called Lambert Simnel. This boy was the same age and had the same features as Edward, Earl of Warwick, son of George Duke of Clarence and nephew of the two Yorkist Kings. The real Edward was safely imprisoned in the tower by Henry but it was possible through clever propaganda to pursue the claim that the boy imprisoned by Henry was the impostor and that Simnel was the real Earl of Warwick, next in Yorkist line to the throne. It was this claim that would form the basis for an invasion by the Yorkists in 1487.

Under cover of the May Day festival several key plotters in a potential revolt against Henry VII have gathered at Aydon Castle for a meeting. the plotters will meet at Aydon Castle to establish a strategy against Henry VII including and will include the Stafford Brothers of Grafton, Martin Swartz (German Mercenary commander), Lord Stanley, Thomas Wrangwysh, Mayor of York and others.

Timetable

10:00 Castle authentic and low key living history.
11:00 Drill and weapons training for the soldiers and archery practice for all the archers.
11:30 Role-Play - Introduction of Characters
11:45 Living History ? show and tell including surgery, arms and armour, archery, costume, and more.
13:00 Lunch
13:30 Role-Play ? Who will pay for the army to defeat Tudor and how will it be gathered?
14:00 Archery in the orchard
14:45 Music and Dance
15:30 Role-Play ? York and the road to Stoke Field.
16:00 Drill and Kiddie Drill followed by an account of the Battle of Stoke Field
17:00 Formal Display ends



I realise it may be a bit Too north but if you like history, and you can join in with the drill, its fun.

 

If I can get my car back on the road I might be up for this. On a somewhat unrelated note, would you know anywhere I could get tuition in swordsmanship or whatever it's called, I've bought a sword and am looking for somewhere to learn how to use it properly, instead of just swinging it about madly lol.

 

Good old Lambert, shame he didn't succeed And that Stanley family - boo hiss!
Would have loved to come, doubt I can get there on a bank holiday via public transport round here

 

Yeah, it is out the way. WE are going to have a wander round hadrians wall while we are up there.

I'll try and remember to ask the lads Dickie about lessons.