When Thomas Cromwell was arrested in June of 1540, his teenage son Gregory faced the very real threat of losing everything.

Just over a month later, Cromwell was executed on trumped-up charges of treason and heresy.

And yet, in a twist that would make even the most seasoned courtier's headspin, Gregory not only survived,

but he thrived at the Tudor court.

So what exactly happened to the children of those who were branded traitors?

Were they shunned, stripped of their inheritances, tossed aside like yesterday's stale

trencher bread?

Or did some manage to pull off an unexpected comeback? Today we're going to talk about what happened to the children of executed and disgraced

nobility and give some specific examples and talk about some redemption arcs and some comeback stories. So grab your coffee or your

water and let's get started. Hey friend, welcome back to the YouTube channel for the Renaissance

English history Podcast.

I am your host, Heather, and I have been podcasting on Tudor England since 2009.

Labor Day, 2009 was when my first show came out.

So actually my show gets a driver's license this year.

I think they turned 16.

So that's fun.

My show's like growing up into its, I think. They turned 16. So that's fun. Myish was like growing up

into its own little person or something. Anyway, today, like I said, we are talking about the children

of executed nobles and traitors. So let's get started. First, let's talk legalities. In Tudor England, when a nobleman was convicted of

treason, he didn't just face the executioner's axe. He also got hit with something called an attainder.

This delightful bit of legalese meant that all of his titles and lands went, poof, reverting back to the crown. If our unlucky nobleman

had underage heirs, they instantly became wards, essentially the property of the monarch, or

...