The Tudor era lasted from 1485 – when Henry VII defeated the Yorkist king Richard III at the battle of Bosworth – until the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. Read everything you need to know about the Tudors, one of the best known periods in history, popularised by the likes of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I

Tudor life

The Tudor dynasty is famous for its monarchs, including Henry VIII, Mary Tudor and her sister, Elizabeth I. But what was life like for those lower down the social scale? Here's everything you need to know…

Henry VIII's wives

We bring you the facts about King Henry VIII's six wives: Catherine of Aragon (m1509–33), who was the mother of the future queen Mary I; Anne Boleyn (m1533–6), whose daughter was the future queen Elizabeth I; Jane Seymour (m1536–7), the mother of Henry’s successor, Edward VI; Anne of Cleves (m1540); Catherine Howard (m1540–2) and and Catherine Parr (1543–7)

Catherine of Aragon. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Catherine of Aragon

Catherine Howard. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Catherine Howard

Painting of Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn

Katherine Parr. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

Katherine Parr

Jane Seymour. (Photo By DEA / G. NIMATALLAH/De Agostini/Getty Images)

Jane Seymour

A portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the Younger. (Photo by © Historical Picture Archive/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Anne of Cleves

Tudor kings and queens

Everything you need to know about the five Tudor kings and queens: Henry VII (1457–1509); Henry VIII (1509–47); Edward VI (1547–53); Mary I (1553–58) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603)

Painting of Henry VII

Henry VII

Elizabeth I portrait

Elizabeth I

Painting of Henry VIII

Henry VIII

Portrait of Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots

Edward VI. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

Edward Vi

A 17th century Dutch portrait of Queen Mary I of England (1516-1558), eldest daughter of Henry VIII. She was nicknamed "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of English Protestants. The painting hangs in the Dutch Room of the Gardner Museum in Boston. | Located in: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. (Photo by Kevin Fleming/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Mary Tudor

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) lived through one of the most turbulent yet thrilling eras of English history – a period of plague, riots and political and religious tensions – and went on to become one of history's most famous playwrights. His most famous plays include 'Macbeth', 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream', 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'The Tempest'

The Reformation

The Reformation is the name given to the religious revolution that took place in the Western church in the 16th century. One of the most important events in world history, the Reformation tore apart the Christian world and created a new faith: Protestantism

The Spanish Armada

We bring you everything you need to know about England's defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The victory over the fleet of Spanish ships, which was led by Medina Sidonia with the purpose of overthrowing Queen Elizabeth I, is considered one of England’s greatest military achievements

Tudor exploration

The 'golden age' of exploration began in the 15th century and lasted more than 200 years, due to advancements in the practical skills of navigation that allowed explorers from Sir Francis Drake to Sir Walter Ralegh to thrive…