The Tudors and the wider world

Aims 

This course aims to:   

• consider who the Tudors were  
   
• introduce you to relevant primary material  
   
• position Tudor England within a global framework 

Content 

We all think we know the story of the Tudors, England’s most famous dynastic soap opera. We rarely stop to consider how much of what we know was constructed much later in order to provide an origin point for England’s empire. This course will provide you with an opportunity to look with fresh eyes at 16th-century England. You will discover a society more diverse than you’d imagined and a place constantly looking beyond its shores in order to construct its own identity.   

You will learn that Tudor England was an anxious place where hierarchy mattered above all: what role did trade play in the defining of status? We will consider how the Tudor kings and queens interacted with the world beyond Europe and how the changed wrought by the Reformations shaped this contact. You will see through primary evidence how the widening of horizons was reflected in an emerging popular culture. Using the recent academic developments in the field, we will consider how accepting the Tudors were of difference and how monolithic a culture Tudor England really was. Along the way we will have a chance to reconsider England’s place within the wider world and tell a different story about who the Tudors really were.   

Presentation of the course  

This course will be taught over five sessions. In each session you will be presented with a thorough analysis of the topic. You will be encouraged to consider primary material and to discuss ideas within the group. 

Course sessions 

1. Who were the Tudors?  
    
2. Shifting Horizons  
    
3. Merchants, Privateers and Adventurers  
    
4. Navigating The Globe  
    
5. Constructing Identities 

Learning outcomes 

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.  

The learning outcomes for this course are:  

• to understand the Tudors within a radically different context  
   
• to challenge assumptions about Tudor society  
   
• to consider Tudor England’s connections with the wider world  
   
• to examine a variety of primary sources to frame this new narrative 

Required reading 

There are no compulsory readings for this course. However, you may find the below recommended reading list of interest to supplement your course: 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.