It is an often overlooked fact that England once had a Spanish King, by virtue of his marriage to Mary I (Tudor), rather unfairly known as “Bloody Mary” by her detractors.
Professor Glenn Richardson will outline the historical and cultural significance of this union, in particular in relation to music. The religious and political turmoil surrounding the Reformation and counter-reforms lent themselves well to an outpouring of extraordinary musical creativity.
Ryan Wigglesworth will direct the Davey Consort, accompanied by period instruments, to delight the audience with some of the most intense and emotionally charged music ever written, from composers such as Tallis, Mundy, Rogier, Victoria and Lobo.
Glenn Richardson is Professor of Early Modern History. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and is an Honorary Fellow of the Historical Association. He is President of the Society for Court Studies, established in 1995 to research the history of royal and princely courts.
Glenn has published extensively on Tudor England's political and cultural relations with Continental Europe and on European Renaissance monarchy. His recent books include Francis I: The Knight- King (2025) a biography of the sixteenth-century king of France; Renaissance Monarchs at War: The Battle of Pavia 1525 (2025) a biography of Cardinal Wolsey (2020) and an account of The Field of Cloth of Gold (2013) on the meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France held near Calais in 1520.
In addition to journal articles and chapters in edited collections, his other books are: 'The Contending Kingdoms': France and England 1420-1700 (Ashgate, 2008), Renaissance Monarchy: The Reigns of Henry VIII, Francis I and Charles V (London, 2002) and Tudor England and its Neighbours [co-edited with Susan Doran] (2005). He also edited a collection of essays on Renaissance Cardinals.
