About the exhibition
Social climbing was a competitive sport in Tudor England, requiring a complex range of skills, strategies, and techniques. How to Be a Power Player: Tudor Edition invites you into a world of lace ruffs, jousting, hawks, bad handwriting, scandal, and political factions. Experience the playbooks, the people, and the spectacular fails, as courtiers tried to navigate the minefield of working for a boss who could shower you with riches or chop off your head.
On view
at the Folger through July 2025
Start exploring
The exhibition features more than 60 objects from the Folger’s collection to demonstrate the “rules” for how to be a successful courtier. They show how historical and literary figures ranging from royal advisors to household staff used cunning, cutthroat, and creative means to acquire power and curry favor with the Tudor monarchs.
Rules
Select a rule to see the objects associated with it. You can jump around, or start with Rule #1 and go in order.
Rule #1: Study the playbooks
Rule #2: Style a garter
Rule #3: Fight for your honor
Rule #4: Create intimacy
Rule #5: Expand your brand
Rule #6: Eat, carve, fold
Rule #7: Get on the gift list
Rule #8: Hunt like a pro
Rule #9: Hang on to your head
Rule #10: Lean in
Rule #11: Die a noble death
Rule #12: Dress for success
Rule #13: Become the queen’s work spouse
Power players beyond England
The Tudor court was like a consulate, frequented by merchants, ambassadors, and diplomats from around the world. This section of the exhibition, called “How to Be a Power Player: Global Edition,” focuses on some of these international power players.
See this exhibition at the Folger
