Catherine of Aragon

**Catherine of Aragon** (Spanish: Catalina) (December 16, 1485 - January 7, 1536) was Queen Consort of England by her marriage to Henry VIII.

Catherine was the daughter of Ferdinand II, King of Aragon and Isabella I, Queen of Castile, her parents were infamous for expelling Non-Christians and famous for giving Christopher Columbus the three ships. Catherine was married to Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales at a young age. When Arthur died she married his brother Henry, with the Pope's premission.

Catherine gave Henry many children, but only one survived infancy which was Princess Mary or more famously known as "Bloody Mary" or Queen Mary I. But Henry wanted a son so Henry had an affair with many of Catherine's friends.

Two of Catherine's friends were Mary Boleyn and Anne Boleyn, Henry had had affairs with both of them but Henry liked Anne more. Henry started an open affair with Anne Boleyn. This outraged the court in fear Henry might marry Anne and divorce Catherine.

Henry indeed annulled his marriage to Catherine after splitting from the Vatican. Catherine spent the rest of her life imprisoned. Catherine died of unknown causes as a Princess not a Queen

## Early Life

Catherine of Aragon was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand II and Isabella I. Her siblings were, Joanna of Castile, Maria of Aragon, Isabella of Aragon, and Juan, Prince of Asturias. Catherine was known for being the prettiest daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand. Catherine was called Catalina in Spain because Catherine was Spanish.

Catherine was very smart and educated. She was being prepared to become the next Queen of England because her future husband was Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales. Catherine had white skin and blue eyes, Catherine was tall and had red hair. Catherine was beautiful indeed. Catherine looked very much like her older sister Joanna of Castile.

Catherine had always been faithful to everyone she met, even her mentally ill sister Joanna.

## Marriage

At age 14 Catherine was sent to England to marry her husband Arthur. Catherine and Arthur's marriage was rather strange because Catherine spoke fluent Spanish and Arthur was fluent at English. After there marriage Catherine became Princess of Wales because her husband was "Prince of Wales". Catherine often could not understand Arthur's fluent English.

Arthur was somewhat handsome but not as handsome as his younger brother Henry. Arthur was the son of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII. Catherine and Arthur were sent to Ludlow Castle, Both Catherine and Arthur caught sweating sickness. Catherine survived but Arthur died, Catherine was left widowed. Arthur's father still wanted to keep the aliance with Spain so he promised Catherine of Aragon and her family that Catherine would marry Henry VII's son Prince Henry.

But Catherine would have to wait 6 years because Henry was only 10 years old.

## Marriage to Prince Henry

6 years after Arthur's death Catherine married the handsome Prince Henry. Henry was one of the first royal's to marry for love. Catherine adorred Henry, Henry said that Catherine and him were the happiest creatures ever.
But some nobles were not keen on the union. Henry was still marrying his brothers widow even if the pope agreed on the union. But Catherine was happy and that was what Prince Henry wanted. Catherine kept her title as "Princess of Wales" and the future Queen of England.

## Catherine's sister arrives in England

Catherine's sister Joanna made an unexpected arrival in England along with Joanna's husband Phillip of Burgundy. Joanna meant to head for Spain, but a storm pushed them west to England.

Henry was rumored according to the popular show "The Spanish Princess" to have an affair with Joanna, but those rumors were most likely false, Joanna and Phillip stay in England is un-talked about and no one really know's what actually happened. But Joanna's husband Phillip of Burgundy or famously known as "Phillip the Handsome" had an affair with some lady from windsor, Joanna was furious and wen't back to Spain.

Phillip had a friendly relationship with Prince Henry and was amazed by how Pious Henry was. Henry's father admired Joanna and did not understand why people thought Joanna was crazy.

But there stay in England was short.

## Queen

Henry's father died on April 21, 1509, Prince Henry, now King Henry VIII became King, Catherine became his Consort. Henry spent buckets of money on Catherine. Henry gave Catherine jewles, crowns, dresses, and necklaces. Catherine knew Henry loved her and she was loyal to her husband. Catherine's popularity in England grew.

Catherine as Queen had more duties then a Princess, she was expected to give birth to a healthy male heir to succeed Henry, Catherine knew she could do so so she did the honors and wen't to bed with Henry.
Catherine was not the only Queen expected to give birth to a son, her sister Joanna of Castile had already given birth to 2 sons, Joanna's other sister Maria of Aragon gave birth to Prince John, Luís of Portugal, Duke of Beja, Ferdinand of Portugal, Duke of Guarda, Cardinal-Infante Afonso of Portugal, Henry, King of Portugal, Duarte of Portugal, and Infante Antonio. Catherine needed to keep up with her sisters records for having many children, that way Catherine's place as Queen would be very strong.

## Death and Birth of a Son

Catherine gave birth to her first child on January 1, 1511 on New years day, Henry celebrated his son's birth. Henry and Catherine named there child Henry Tudor, Duke of Cornwall, Henry's birth was celebrated all across England, fountains of beer were displayed, cannons were shot, Henry had gotten what he wanted. Catherine's place was secure.

Catherine's son was name "Prince of Wales" and "Duke of Cornwall". But Catherine's son would not last, her son's health failed and he died 53 days after his birth, Catherine and Henry were devastated, Catherine's place as Queen was very weak again. Catherine promised Henry she would give birth to a son again. Henry felt better as he started moving on.
But Catherine needed to give Birth to a son quickly before her husband becomes a reckless, horrific, madman over having a male heir.

## Regent of England

Henry dealt with his son's death by declaring war on France, Henry was going to fight King Louis XII. Louis was the husband of Henry's sister Mary Tudor. Henry would be engagering his younger sister by warring with France. But Henry did not care, Henry wen't to fight the battle of the spurs. Catherine acted as Regent of England ruling in Henry's name. Catherine cared about her people even more then her home people. So she wanted to please them by defeating England's other enemy Scotland. Catherine led army's in Scotland crushing the scottish worriers. Things got better as Catherine won the battle against the Scots, and Henry won the Battle of the Spurs.

Catherine and Henry's popularity grew, so did Henry's pleading for a healthy son, but Catherine got pregnant again. Henry's hopes for a son grew.

## Failure to produce a son.

Catherine gave birth to a daughter on February 18, 1516. Henry was upset it was not a son. Catherine did love her daughter though, she was upset that her husband did not though. Catherine's daughter was named Mary.

Catherine was unable to bare any male heir's . Catherine's looks also failed Catherine's hair turned grey. Catherine no longer looked Beautiful, she looked like a grandmother and Henry looked like her son.

## Royal affair

Henry started dating all of Catherine's friends. One of the most beautiful woman at the court Lady Elizabeth Blount caught the eye of Henry. Henry and Elizabeth started an open affair that made Catherine furious. Elizabeth Blount gave Henry an out of wedlock son named Henry, Duke of Somerset. Henry started to think that god was punishing him for marrying his brother's widow. Catherine was formally the wife of Henry's elder brother Arthur Tudor.

Henry Continued to have affair's 2 very wealthy woman Anne Boleyn and Mary Boleyn caught the eye of Henry. Henry's affair with Mary was short but he never let go of Anne. Anne was everything Catherine was not, Anne was very tall with a youth structure, she had beautiful thick raven hair with brown eyes. Anne was witty and sexy and she knew all the arts of love.

Anne grew very popular at court because of her wittines and sexiness. Anne was formally a lady-in-waiting to Claude of France whom was one of the most powerful woman in Europe. Anne was also connected to other powerful families, one of her friends Renée, Duchess of Ferra married Ercole II, Duke of Ferra. Ercole was the son of Lucrezia Borgia, Lucrezia was the daughter of Pope Alexander. So Anne had connection's to the powerful but infamous Borgia's.

Anne did not fear Catherine, even when Catherine threatened to banish her. Catherine was annoyed with Anne and removed her from her court, but Anne quickly joined Henry's court which was bigger then Catherine was furious. It was obvious Henry loved Anne out of all woman in the world. Henry gave Anne the Marchioness of Pembroke which were lands that were worth a lot of money. Anne was also gifted necklaces that belonged to Catherine.

Anne was a supporter of the Protestant movement in Germany and in Europe. At the time the Roman Catholic faith was the main faith of Christianity, but Protestant's in England in the 1530's were harassed and not accepted. Anne would never be supported as Queen of England. But Anne certainly acted like she was the Queen.

## Debate over Divorce

It did not take long for Henry to announce he wanted Anne as his wife and Queen. This was to much for 47 year old Catherine and her 16 year old daughter Mary. Catherine was devastated, but she did not give up; Far from it. She had a powerful niece named Charles. Charles supported Catherine's claim of staying married, but Anne Boleyn's best friend Claude supported Anne in marrying Henry. Anne's father Thomas Boleyn was a powerful Council member of Henry, Thomas Boleyn gave his reason's why Henry Should marry Anne Boleyn.

Charles however needed to make sure Anne would not become Queen. So he sent a Cardinal wrecked with gout. The Cardinal could not help Henry and he was sent back.

Henry said he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn because Catherine was his brother's widow and in the bible you cannot marry your brother's widow. The pope refused to grant Henry a divorce and he dismissed the case.

Henry however was tired of having to explain his reasons over and over again, so he made a very very unpopular move to split the church. Henry installed the Church of England and declared England a Protestant country. Henry made himself the supreme head and divorced Catherine once and for all. Catherine's daughter was taken from Catherine, and Catherine was sent to a nunnry.

## Imprisonment

Henry would not let Catherine grab popularity by leaving England. Catherine was very popular in England and the people refused to accept Anne Boleyn as Queen. Everyone though Catherine was rightful. Anne was crowned in Early June as Queen of England. Catherine was stripped from her title as Queen and her jewles were taken from her.

Catherine was devastated her life had fallen apart. Her enemy won. Catherine was called Dowager Princess of Wales. If Catherine called herself Queen bad things happened to her daughter. Catherine remained hopeful and never stopped loving Henry, even though Henry had dumped her, Catherine remained pure to her beloved husband.

## Death

Catherine was in her 50's. Catherine fell ill, very ill. Catherine may have had cancer, but it was also possible that Catherine was poisened by Anne Boleyn. Catherine wrote to her daughter Mary, Catherine begged to see her but Anne Boleyn and Henry made sure that did not happen. Catherine soon died of an unknown cause, her last letter to Henry was:

"*My most dear lord, king and husband,*
*The hour of my death now drawing on, the tender love I owe you forceth me, my case being such, to commend myself to you, and to put you in remembrance with a few words of the health and safeguard of your soul which you ought to prefer before all worldly matters, and before the care and pampering of your body, for the which you have cast me into many calamities and yourself into many troubles. For my part, I pardon you everything, and I wish to devoutly pray God that He will pardon you also. For the rest, I commend unto you our daughter Mary, beseeching you to be a good father unto her, as I have heretofore desired. I entreat you also, on behalf of my maids, to give them marriage portions, which is not much, they being but three. For all my other servants I solicit the wages due them, and a year more, lest they be unprovided for. Lastly, I make this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things."-Katharine the Quene.*

Catherine was burried at Kimbolton Castle. Catherine today is fondly remembered as a loving woman who never gave up!