The Medieval Times was an era of discoveries and changes that affected different countries in the world. It was during the Middle Ages that many countries were discovered and that which started the Modern Period. However, it was also during this time that many wars and deaths occurred.
Thus many stories and folklores about ghosts and monsters were passed on from generation to generation. Tales about kings and queens living in castles may be the bases for the different fairy tales we known today but behind all these are stories of blood and death. Many castles built during the medieval times are said to be haunted by many ghosts but the most famous medieval ghosts are haunting the Tower of London.
The Tower of London, also known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, which is a historic monument in central London, England. It served as fortress, royal palace and prison for royal prisoners such as the Princes in the Tower – Edward V of England and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury the 1st Duke of York, and Queen Elizabeth I. The Tower of London was also used as a place of execution and torture which became one of the reasons for the many ghost stories that were told about this place.
There were 7 famous people who were executed inside the Tower of London and who are now 7 of the most famous ghosts in the middle ages. They all played an important part in the history of England and were all killed by beheading. This is why the stories that tell about their ghosts haunting the tower are mostly without heads. These include:
- William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings – he was executed by beheading in June 13, 1483. He fought for the crown of young Edward V after his father King Edward died. Due to this, he was charged with treason and executed without trial.
- Anne Boleyn, Queen of England – she was the 2nd wife of King Henry VIII, who did everything to marry her, lost interest when he fell in love with Jane Seymour. To get rid of her, King Henry VIII charged her with treason, adultery, and incest with her brother, George. She was imprisoned in the Royal apartments and was beheaded on May 19, 1536.
- Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury – she was the last direct descendant of the Plantagenet line and also a descendant of King Edward III. She was charged with treason when she sided with Katherine Aragon against King Henry VIII. She was not given any trial and on the day of hear execution, she refused to lay her head on the block. She struggled and even tried to escape. She was chased by the executioner and struck her 11 times before she died at the age of 68 years old on May 27, 1541.
- Catherine Howard, Queen of England – she was the 5th wife of King Henry VIII and the cousin of Anne Boleyn. King Henry VIII was already an old and repulsive man when Catherine married him that she had an affair with a young and handsome man named Thomas Culpepper. They were found out and thus were charged with adultery and executed. Catherine was 18 years old when she died on February 13, 1542.
The other famous medieval ghosts haunting the Tower of London are Jane Boleyn the wife of George Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey who became queen of England for just 9 days, and Robert Devereux who was once a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I but attempted a political coup against her when their relationship went sour.
For more from the Medieval and Renaissance eras, drop by realmcollections.com.