Why a Specific Year ?

We live in a specific year and any Re-Creation to pretend to any degree of authenticity must do the same. The Year chosen and the events of that year provide the necessary background for the Re-Creation.

Is this so for Weekend Tudor Re-Creations as well as the Great Annual ?

Yes. However, the Easter and May Day Weekend Tudor Re-Creations which occur prior to that year's Great Annual Re-Creation are always set in the year following the previous year's Great Annual Re-Creation year. The August & Michaelmas Weekend Tudor Re-Creations which occur after that year's Great Annual Re-Creation continue with its year.

This Year's Great Annual Re-Creation Year

The year being re-created in 2008 is 1588. That re-created for 2007 was 1584. For the Easter and May Day Weekends in 2008 the Re-Creations will therefore be set in 1585.

What happened in 1588 ?

The threat of Invasion from Spain appeared very real. The King of Spain was preparing a huge fleet at Lisbon, reports of which came back to England regularly. None knew if the threat was real or a bluff. As the King of Spain had threatened invasion for over 15 years but done nothing.

Babington Plot

However, in 1586 a plot by Thomas Babington had been uncovered. He was a Catholic and its purpose was to place Mary Queen of Scots, a Catholic but Elizabeth's prisoner in England since fleeing Protestant nobles in Scotland, on the throne in place of Elizabeth. It also appeared that Philip of Spain had undertaken to help Mary gain the throne once Elizabeth was dead.

Babington and fellow conspirators were taken and executed in late 1586.

Mary Queen of Scots

Mary had been in correspondence with Babington. The correspondence had been intercepted by Walsingham. The correspondence did not show that Mary supported the assassination of Elizabeth but that apart she was clearly implicated in his conspiracy. She was, though not an English subject, charged with treason, convicted and executed in February 1587.

The execution of Mary, the main Catholic claimant to the English throne provoked the Spanish King. Hence his increased activity to mount an invasion.

Threat of Invasion

Steps were taken to defend the England from such an invasion. Ships were requisitioned and in each area close to the coast Trained Bands carried out musters.

From the beginning of the year there were severe storms which kept ships in harbour and prevented any Armada from sailing. These same storms enabled English seamen, such as Drake, who were away on voyages early in the year, time to return.

Although some still doubted whether the threat was serious many considered that it was and made what preparations they could. As a whole the country lacked arms and ammunition for the trained bands to have been of much use aganinst a well armed foe who landed.

In June/July 1588 the southern part of the country is in a state of alertness as well as one of uncertainty.

What happened in 1584 ?

Plantations in North America. In April there set sail from the South Coast, at the instigation of Walter Raleigh, those who were to plant the first major English settlement in what was to become New England and thus what became the USA was born. This landed at Roanoke although word of the successful settlement did not arrive until some months later. Meanwhile other such settlements were being planned.

The Calendar For a long time folk knew that the calendar on the one hand and nature on the other were increasingly out of sync with each other. For instance, the calendar spring equinox occurred many days adrift from the actual one. Scholars had recognized this for a long time and that the gap was widening.

In 1582 the Pope, Gregory, recognizing that correction was necessary, promulgated a new Calendar which brought these features somewhat back in line by lopping out 10 days of the calendar that year. In England, Raleigh, John Dee and others were considering the same problem but reached a slightly different solution, known as the 35 year cycle, which brought the calendar and natural phenomena more closely in line. This solution appeared to offer a Protestant (and better) solution to Pope Gregory's which Protestant England was loath to adopt. Their solution also seemed to have influenced the choice of the landing point for Raleigh's proposed plantation on (or close to) what came to be called God's parallel. Among the educated and knowledgeable a change in the Calendar is major talking point.

The Dutch - The Spanish provoked assassination of the Prince of Orange in Holland in order to advance their control over the Netherlands and have had to send more forces to quell uprisings there. An English force has been raised (many from parts around Long Melford) to assist the Dutch. This will help to keep the Spanish busy and thus may defer any intended invasion. Yet, this action adds to Spanish fury and may make invasion more likely.