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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Question from Dawn - New Year's gifts for Henry VIII in the 1540s

Hello. I am looking into who Henry VIII particularly esteemed in the 1540s (especially the last three years) and was wondering where I could get hold of the list of his New Year's Gifts for these years, which I thought might be a good indication. Where also could I get hold of a list of the gifts he gave throughout the year to his courtiers?

Also, were the New Year's gifts a solid indicator of favor? Was he expected to spend more on let's say a duke than a knight? Was he expected to give gifts to people outside his Household, e.g. ladies of the court and children?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Dawn Fenwick

2 comments:

  1. There is a list for 1534 in the Letters and Papers of Henry's reign on british-history:

    http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=79289

    There might be lists given for other years there. You could use the search function for the years you want to look at. The site is kind of hard to navigate, but see the guide to Letters and Papers here:

    http://www.british-history.ac.uk/catalogue.aspx?gid=126&type=3

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  2. Just some interesting observations on who didn't make the cut in the yr cited....no presents for Bessie Blount, Thomas Wyatt's main squeeze (Elizabeth Darrell), Edmund Howard (Catherine Howard's dad?), would Mary Boleyn go by Rochford & if not is that supposed to be Jane Rochford? & since Anne was queen why would they not get gifts?, had Henry Guildford died by then that Paulet was now comptroller?

    And who, pray tell, was Mark Anthony?

    I heart documents, TYVM for the link!

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