Tudor life

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. So what was life like during Tudor times?

A map of London dating from c1572. (Getty Images)

Life in Tudor London

A view of Hampton Court Palace, London. (Getty Images)

Simon Thurley on the architectural history of the Tudors. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Through foreign eyes: the forgotten ambassadors to the Tudor court. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The reluctant ambassador: the life and times of Tudor diplomat Sir Thomas Chaloner. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Shakespeare’s London: playing a dangerous game. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Swan Theatre, Bankside, London, interior from drawing by Johannes de Witt. The Shakespearian theatre, erected c1593 on Bankside – could hold 3,000 spectators – typical of the time. (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images)

At the playhouse: watching Shakespeare's plays in Elizabethan England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Mary, Queen of Scots is executed © Getty

Horrible Histories author reveals 10 ways to die in Elizabethan England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Chess, gambling and cards: Tudor games and indoor pastimes. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Terror in Elizabethan England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Life as a Tudor gent: the 16th-century diary of Humphrey Newton. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The other Elizabethan England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

How the Tudors invented breakfast. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.