Articles by Ben Coates
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Poison and the Tudor nobility: the De La Warr peerage case
With House of Lords membership once again on the political agenda, Dr Ben Coates of our Lords 1558-1603 section explores how one aristocratic family’s murderous internal struggles played out in Parliament in the sixteenth century… On 26 Feb. 1549 a…
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The First Accession Council
In modern Britain, the death of a monarch has little political impact; the work of government continues uninterrupted, apart from a period of official mourning. But four centuries ago, when the king or queen actually ran the government, the situation…
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Did they marry? Lady Katherine Grey and Edward Seymour, earl of Hertford
For Elizabeth I’s closest relatives, the process of finding a spouse could be fraught with difficulties, as Dr Ben Coates of our Lords 1558-1603 section explains… On 9 August 1561 Lady Katherine Grey, one of Elizabeth I’s maids of honour,…
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An English baron in early 17th century America: Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
To mark Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th president of the United States, Dr Ben Coates of our Lords 1558-1603 section explains the surprising connection between the state of Delaware and the English peerage… The new American president, Joseph Robinette…
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Thomas Sackville, 1st earl of Dorset: an overlooked Jacobean statesman?
Continuing our preview of the History of Parliament’s forthcoming volumes on the House of Lords 1604-29, Dr Ben Coates of our new Lords 1558-1603 section considers a major figure in Jacobean government who is today less well known… Historians of…
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Catholic peers and the Gunpowder Plot
Remember, remember the fifth of November… Today we hear from Dr Ben Coates of the House of Lords 1604-29 Section about the warning of Catholic Peers before the Gunpowder Plot… On 26 October 1605 the Catholic nobleman William Parker, 5th…
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More 17th century diplomatic incidents: the King of Denmark and his unfortunate gesture to the hero of the Armada
Dr Ben Coates, Senior Research Fellow on the Lords 1603-60 section, relates a less-than-diplomatic exchange in 1606 between King Christian IV of Denmark and the then Lord Admiral, the earl of Nottingham… Contrary to popular belief, Sir Francis Drake did…