The 1534 Kildare Rebellion: Silken Thomas vs Henry VIII

Lucas and Luna revisit the explosive 1534 rebellion of Thomas FitzGerald, the young Earl of Kildare known as 'Silken Thomas,' who dared to defy Henry VIII. They explore how Thomas's impulsive uprising, sparked by a false rumor of his father's execution, unraveled the mighty House of Kildare and accelerated the Tudor conquest of Ireland. From the dramatic scene at St. Mary's Abbey in Dublin, where Thomas threw down his sword of office, to the brutal siege of Maynooth Castle and the grisly execution of the Geraldine leaders at Tyburn, this episode uncovers a pivotal moment when Gaelic and Anglo-Irish loyalties collided with the emerging English Reformation. Lucas explains the background of the Kildare ascendancy, the role of 'Surrender and Regrant,' and how Henry VIII's break with Rome gave the rebellion a religious edge. Luna asks sharp questions about the family dynamics, the involvement of figures like Lord Leonard Grey and the Earl of Ossory, and the haunting legacy of the 'Maynooth Pardon' betrayal. A story of pride, miscalculation, and the end of an era. #SilkenThomas #KildareRebellion #ThomasFitzGerald #HenryVIII #TudorConquest #Maynooth #SurrenderAndRegrant #Geraldines #IrishHistory #16thCentury #EarlOfKildare #LordLeonardGrey #EarlOfOssory #StMarysAbbey #Tyburn #Reformation #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo