Monday 3rd – Sunday 9th June, 2024

Step into the captivating world of Thomas Cromwell, beyond the pages of Wolf Hall, in this thrilling online event with Dr Owen Emmerson.

Overview

Join Dr Owen Emmerson for an exciting online event, Thomas Cromwell: Beyond Wolf Hall, where we delve deeper into the life and legacy of this controverial historical figure.

Taking place from Monday, June 3, 2024, at 11:00 AM BST, this week-long online event offers a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world of Thomas Cromwell.

Discover the man behind the character portrayed in the popular novel and TV series Wolf Hall. Learn about Cromwell’s political career, relationship with King Henry VIII, four of his six queens, and significant contributions to English history.

Through seven engaging presentations and a live Q&A with Dr Owen Emmerson, this course will shed light on Cromwell’s rise to power, his role in the Reformation, and his impact on shaping the ever-fascinating Tudor period.

The series of lectures will conclude with a special presentation by Dr Owen Emmerson and historian Kate McCaffrey, who will reveal the parts they played in discovering Thomas’ book of Hours, which was captured by Hans Holbein the Younger in his famous portrait of Cromwell.

Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply curious about this captivating era, don’t miss out on this virtual event that promises to go beyond what you already know about Thomas Cromwell.

Mark your calendar and join us online for Thomas Cromwell: Beyond Wolf Hall from June 3, 2024, to explore the life and legacy of this influential historical figure.

What Is Included?

• Six pre-recorded, 40-minute lectures by Dr Owen Emmerson.
• One pre-recorded lecture with Kate McCaffrey & Dr Owen Emmerson
• Access to all lectures for one month from the upload date.
• A live Zoom with Dr Owen Emmerson, who will answer your questions.
• Entry into an exclusive prize giveaway.

COST: £35.00 per person, plus booking fee.

Lecture Schedule

Monday, 3rd June 2024

Lecture 1: Make or Mar

This first lecture will begin by examining the popular image of Thomas Cromwell, as seen through popular culture, and will ask how closely these depictions reflect the man of history. We will then chart the opaque early life of Thomas Cromwell and ask how his upbringing contributed to the man he became.

Tuesday, 4th June 2024

Lecture 2: Nothing Spoken Against My Lord

This lecture will chart Cromwell’s early career in England as a lawyer and member of parliament and his journey to becoming an advisor to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Discover how Cromwell identified himself as Wolsey’s loyal servant in the wake of the cardinal’s dramatic downfall and how this loyalty endeared Cromwell to King Henry VIII.

Wednesday, 5th June 2024

Lecture 3: Loyal Servant

In this lecture, we will consider Thomas Cromwell’s role in securing an annulment of King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and discover his part in the dramatic break with Rome. We will also explore Cromwell’s relationship with Queen Catherine and her daughter, Princess Mary.

Thursday, 6th June 2024

Lecture 4: Crowning and Killing A Queen

This lecture will question how allied Thomas Cromwell really was to Henry’s second queen, Anne Boleyn. It will explore Cromwell’s role in paving the way for Anne’s coronation and consider his role in her dramatic downfall three years later.

Friday, 7th June 2024

Lecture 5: Queens with Means

This lecture will explore Cromwell’s role in facilitating Henry’s marriages to Queen Jane Seymour and Queen Anne of Cleves and his own enoblement. It will also chart Thomas Cromwell’s role in religious reform and how he negotiated the bitter opposition to these reforms across England.

Saturday, 8th June 2024

Lecture 6: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

In this penultimate lecture, we will discover how Thomas Cromwell fell dramatically from royal favour and why his life was ended on the block. Was Cromwell’s demise a result of his involvement in the disastrous Cleves marriage, or were wider political manoeuvrings at play?

Sunday, 9th June 2024

Lecture 7: Cromwell’s Book of Hours

In this final lecture, Dr Owen Emmerson and historian Kate McCaffrey will share how they and Alison Palmer discovered the Book of Hours captured by the famous court artist Hans Holbein the Younger in his famous portrait of Thomas Cromwell. Dr Tracy Borman called the discovery “the most exciting Cromwell discovery in a generation – if not more.”

Bonus: Live Zoom Chat with Dr Owen Emmerson

Join Dr Owen Emmerson for a live Zoom Q&A.

Two Zoom sessions will be held to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to attend this live component:

Session 1: Sunday 9th June at 09:00hrs GMT

Session 2: Sunday 9th June at 21:00hrs GMT

Questions can be submitted in advance or asked during the session. Attendees will receive a recording of these live Zoom sessions.

About Dr Owen Emmerson

Hello! My name is Dr Owen Emmerson. I am a social and cultural historian, the author of four books, and an expert contributor to several television documentaries. I worked as Castle Historian and Assistant Curator for six years at the stunning Hever Castle in Kent. I have appeared in seventeen documentaries about the Tudor era, including “Blood, Sex, and Royalty: Anne Boleyn” (Netflix, 2022); “The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family” (BBC2, 2021); “Who Do You Think You Are? Josh Widdicombe” (BBC1, 2021); “Walking Tudor England” (C5, 2021); “Lady Rochford” (C5, 2021); “Henry VIII and the King’s Men” (Smithsonian, 2020). 

My first book, co-authored with the historian Claire Ridgway, is entitled The Boleyns of Hever Castle. My second book, co-authored with the historian Kate McCaffrey, is entitled Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court. My third book, co-authored with historian Kate McCaffrey and Curator Alison Palmer, is entitled Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. My most recent book, entitled Holbein’s Hidden Gem: Rediscovering Thomas Cromwell’s Lost Book, was published in 2023. It tells the story of the ground-breaking discovery made by myself, Kate McCaffrey and Alison Palmer of the Book of Hours depicted in Hans Holbein’s painting of Thomas Cromwell. Dr Tracy Borman has dubbed our efforts as ‘The most exciting Thomas Cromwell discovery in a generation – if not more’.