Katherine Parr Buried: 5 September 1548 St Mary's Chapel, Sudeley Castle Katherine Parr was the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife Maud Green, both of whom were at the court of Henry VIII in his early reign. Maud was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon and named her daughter, born in 1512, after her. So, Henry VIII’s last wife was named after his first. Thomas Parr died in November 1517, leaving his three children, William , Katherine and Anne in the care of their mother. Maud managed the children’s education and the family estates and must have left an impression on her daughter of the greater role an independent woman could have in society. The education that Maud arranged for the children was similar to that of other noble figures of the time and at least in the case of Katherine, it ignited a life-long passion for learning. She was fluent in French, Latin and Italian and began learning Spanish when she was Queen. Katherine Parr’s first marriage was to Edward Borough, the son of Thomas, third Baron Borough of Gainsborough in 1529 when she was 17 years old.

Edward died only a few years later, probably in early 1533. It was during this marriage that Katherine’s mother Maud died, in December 1531. Katherine’s second marriage was to John Neville, third Baron Latimer of Snape Castle in Yorkshire, whom she married in the summer of 1534 when he was 41 and she was 22. Latimer had two children from his previous marriages so Katherine also became a stepmother for the first time. During the Pilgrimage of Grace a rebel mob forced Latimer to join them and later took Katherine and her stepchildren hostage at the castle. Latimer was able to eventually secure their freedom and managed to escape arrest for his associations with the rebellion after it was finally put down. Katherine’s ailing husband died in March 1543, leaving her a widow for the second time, now at the age of 31. It was around this time that Katherine was noticed by not only the King, but also Thomas Seymour , brother of the late Queen Jane Seymour . Katherine expressed her desire to marry Thomas Seymour after Latimer’s death, but the King’s request for her hand was one that Katherine felt it was her duty to accept.

Katherine and Henry VIII were married on July 12th in the Queen’s closet at Hampton Court Palace in a small ceremony attended by about 20 people. Katherine was interested in the reformed faith, making her enemies with the conservatives of Henry’s court. It was Katherine’s influence with the King and the Henry’s failing health that led to a plot against her in 1546 by the conservative faction. Katherine and her ladies were known to have had banned books which was grounds for arrest and execution on charges of heresy. To gain evidence against the Queen, Anne Askew , a well-known and active Protestant, was questioned and tortured, but refused to recant her faith or give evidence against Katherine and her ladies. However, there was enough other evidence against the Queen to issue a warrant for her arrest. The warrant was accidentally dropped and someone loyal to the Queen saw it and then quickly told her about it. This is a well-documented incident that has made its way into many historical fiction accounts. Sometimes the history itself is the best drama! After learning of the arrest warrant, Katherine was said to be very ill, either as a ruse to stall or from a genuine panic attack.

Henry went to see her and chastised her for her outspokenness about the reformed religion and his feeling that she was forgetting her place by instructing him on such matters. Katherine’s response in her defense was that she was only arguing with him on these issues so she could be instructed by him, and to take his mind off other troubles. Playing to Henry’s ego no doubt helped and Katherine was forgiven. Katherine was close with all three of her stepchildren as Henry’s wife and was personally involved in the educational program of the younger two, Elizabeth and Edward . She was also a patron of the arts and music. Katherine’s own learning and academic achievements, as alluded to previously, were impressive, and in 1545, her book “Prayers or Meditations” became the first work published by an English Queen under her own name. Another book, “The Lamentation of a Sinner”, was published after Henry VIII’s death. Henry VIII died in January 1547 and Katherine had probably expected to play some role in the regency for the new nine-year-old king, Edward VI, but this was not to be.

Only a few months after Henry’s death, Katherine secretly married Thomas Seymour, but the quickness and secret nature of the union caused a scandal. Katherine was still able to take guardianship of Princess Elizabeth and Seymour purchased the wardship of the king’s cousin, Lady Jane Grey . It was during this time that the rumors of a relationship between Elizabeth and Seymour arose and Elizabeth was sent to another household in the spring of 1548. After three previous marriages and at the age of 36, Katherine was pregnant for the first time and in June 1548, she moved to Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire to await the birth of her child. On August 30th she gave birth to a daughter named Mary. Katherine soon fell ill with puerperal fever, which was to claim her life in the morning hours of September 5th. Katherine was buried, with Lady Jane Grey as the chief mourner, in the chapel at Sudeley Castle, where the tomb can still be visited today.

Jane Seymour: Facts About the Third Wife of Henry VIII | Primary Facts Jane Seymour: Facts About the Third Wife of Henry VIII Posted on Here are some facts about Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII . Jane Seymour was born in about 1508 at Wulfhall, Wiltshire. Her father was John Seymour and her mother was Margery Wentworth. She was distantly related to Henry VIII and she shared a great-grandmother with Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn . In 1532, Jane was maid-of-honour to Henry’s first Queen, Catherine of Aragon , and she went on to serve Anne Boleyn. King Henry married Jane Seymour at the Palace of Whitehall in London. The ceremony took place on 30th May 1536 – just eleven days after the beheading of Anne Boleyn. Jane formed a very close relationship with Mary Tudor (later Mary I), the daughter of Henry and his first wife, Catherine. She played a part in restoring a relationship between Henry and Mary. Jane Seymour became pregnant in 1537. She gave birth to the male heir so desired by Henry.

Edward (later Edward VI) was born on 12th October 1537. Jane Seymour attended Edward’s christening, but died on 24th October 1537. It is thought that the cause of death was related to complications following on from the birth of Edward. Jane Seymour was buried on 12th November 1537 in st George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. She was the only one of his wives to receive a Queen’s funeral, and she was the only one to be buried with the King – he was buried next to her, at his request, when he passed away in 1547. Find out about the other wives of Henry VIII by clicking here . Learn All About The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, Their Lives & Deaths | Historic Royal Palaces Find out more about the lives (and deaths) of Henry VIII's six wives Katherine of Aragon Divorced The first of Henry VIII's six wives, Katherine of Aragon (1485-1536) was a Spanish princess who was married to Henry for 18 years before he began divorce proceedings in his desperation to re-marry and produce a male heir.

Katherine had been pregnant six times but only one daughter, Princess Mary, later Mary I , had survived. Dying in 1536, Katherine wrote to Henry: 'Lastly, I make this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things. Farewell.' Anne Boleyn Beheaded The second of Henry VIII's six wives, Anne Boleyn (c1501-1536) was married to the King for only three years from 1533-1536. Instead of the sought after male heir, Anne was pregnant with another princess, Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I ). Anne was supported by religious reformers but was also hated by many at court. After a miscarriage, her fate was sealed and she was arrested (and later executed at the Tower of London) for adultery and incest. Jane Seymour Died Jane Seymour (c1509-1537) was the third of Henry VIII's six wives and the only wife to provide the King with the much longed for son and male heir. Having married Henry in May 1536, she gave birth to Prince Edward (later Edward VI) at Hampton Court Palace in 1537 but died soon afterwards.

Henry had his son but grieved: 'Providence has mingled my joy with the bitterness of the death of her who brought me this happiness.' Anne of Cleves Divorced Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) was the fourth of Henry VIII's six wives and at 24 was half Henry's age when they married in January 1540. Henry first saw Anne of Cleves in a painting by Hans Holbein but in the flesh, Henry found Anne unattractive and began pursuing one of her maids of honour, Catherine Howard. After six months the marriage was annulled yet Anne remained in England and on good terms with Henry VIII. He commanded that she be treated as 'the king's sister' Catherine Howard Beheaded Henry VIII's fifth wife was an alluring teenager named Catherine Howard (c1522-1542). Married three weeks after his second divorce, rumours of Catherine's past and present love affairs reached a furious Henry. She was arrested at Hampton Court Palace and later taken to the Tower of London where she was beheaded in February 1542, aged about 21.

Kateryn Parr The Six Wives of Henry VIII The Six Wives of Henry VIII Welcome to the Henry VIII historical paper doll web page! This site features paper dolls of King Henry the Eighth of England and his six Queens. A short biography and a set of paper images is provided for Henry and each wife. To complete the package, a Henry doll is included. Each of the Queen dolls except Catherine of Aragon has three costumes, plus a doll wearing undergarments that you can dress. Catherine of Aragon has four costumes. Since she spent the longest time as Queen of any of Henry's wives, there are two Catherine of Aragon dolls to represent both youth and middle age. Some people might like a fully-dressed doll for display or educational purposes, while others might prefer a traditional paper doll to dress. Both types of dolls are provided on each Queen's paper doll page. The picture above shows King Henry VIII, surrounded by his various wives. Henry's wives are, clockwise from the top of the portrait: Catherine of Aragon , Henry's first wife. Catherine, a Princess of Spain, was married to Henry for many years.

Her determination to stay married to Henry, in the face of his desire for Anne Boleyn, would change the course of history forever. Anne Boleyn , Henry's second wife, and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. Henry fell passionately in love with Anne while married to Catherine of Aragon. He waited several years to marry Anne, but, ironically, lost his desire for her once she became his Queen. Jane Seymour , Henry's beloved third Queen. Gentle, capable Jane gave Henry his long-awaited male heir after one year of marriage. Sadly, she gave her life to do so. Anne of Cleves , Henry's fourth wife. This German princess served as Queen for only a few months before she and Henry agreed to divorce by mutual consent. Katherine Howard , Henry's fifth wife. Henry's marriage to this sensuous teenager brought him brief happiness, but ended in tragedy. Katherine Parr , Henry's sixth Queen. This intelligent, loyal, forward-thinking Renaissance woman outlived three husbands, including Henry, and went on to finally marry the man of her choice.

To visit a particular Queen's paper doll page, or Henry VIII's page, you may do any of the following: Click on the portrait above whose paper doll page you would like to visit, or, Click on the navigation bar at the left of the screen to access the paper doll and biography you want, or, Click on any of the links below for the Queen or King paper doll page you want to see. King Henry VIII I hope you enjoy these dolls and biographies. You are welcome to print these paper images free of charge for your own personal enjoyment and education. Any other use, including commercial use, and reproduction or publication in other works, is not allowed. New!! Now Introducing A unique new line of gifts, clothing, drinkware & collectibles, featuring Henry VIII & his wives! The six wives of King Henry VIII are now featured on an exciting new line of merchandise, available from !

Now you can enjoy colorful images of Henry VIII & all of his Queens, created by Laurie Sebastian, on: T-shirts & tank tops Coffee cups, mugs, steins & coasters Mouse pads & note cards To see everything we offer at our Royal Universe shop, click on the picture above, or on the link below: Here are some great links to other Tudor and Renaissance England Web sites: Tudor England at Suite 101.com : A wonderful Web site by Wendy Dunn that contains very interesting and useful information, articles and links about Tudor England. This is one of the best-organized sites I've ever seen. You'll find lots of good Web sites about Henry VIII and the Tudor dynasty listed here. Renaissance England : A fantastic, multifaceted Web site with exciting graphics and tons of fascinating information about the people and events that shaped the Renaissance period of English history. Lots of great articles, links and fun items of interest about King Henry VIII, the Tudors, the Stuarts, and other famous people of the time. British History for Kids : A great resource about British history for kids and adults alike. An enjoyable way to introduce young folks to history, and a great place to find homework information sources.

This Web site has a wide variety of articles, stories, book lists, links, learning tools, and fun things about England's past. There is a lot of good information about the Tudors here. I really enjoyed my visit to this site. Tudor History : This site contains biographical information on people during the Tudor period (1485-1603) of English history, as well as calendars, glossaries, maps, genealogical trees, information on life during the period, Tudor architecture and more. There are also pages on Tudor history in today's world, such as recent discoveries in the news, new books and movies. Connect to others with similar interests through the mailing list and pen pal pages. The About Women's History Guide: Tudor Queens and More Women of Tudor England : This Web site is a great place to find interesting links about the lives of Henry VIII's wives, children and ancestors. You will also find good information about the Tudor royal marriages, the Tudor family tree, and succession issues related to the Tudor dynasty.

The Tudor House: Fine English Furniture : This web site is a wonderful resource featuring fine hand made reproductions of traditional English furniture from the early Tudor to the late Georgian periods of history. A great place to find out more about how the Tudors really lived. This site also has a great Links page. To read more about Henry VIII and his wives, and about the British monarchy and Tudor history, please click on this link: BBC History - Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn was the second wife of Henry VIII and the mother of Elizabeth I. Henry's desire to divorce his first wife and marry Anne helped bring about the English Reformation. She was the first English queen to be publicly executed. Image: Anne Boleyn by unknown artist (Getty Images) Introduction Who exactly was Anne Boleyn, the young woman who took the Tudor court by storm? Who exactly was Anne Boleyn, the young woman who took the Tudor court by storm? More information about: Anne Boleyn There is some dispute over the year in which Anne was born – most likely between 1501 and 1507.

Anne's father was the courtier and diplomat, Sir Thomas Boleyn and her mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. Childhood Anne spent some of her childhood and teenage years in Europe she was a lady-in-waiting to Archduchess Margaret in the Netherlands. In 1514, Anne's father arranged for her to be a lady-in-waiting at the French court to Queen Mary, King Henry VIII's younger sister. She later served Queen Claude of France for almost seven years. Henry VIII On her return to England in 1522, Anne was appointed as lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII's wife Catherine of Aragon. Anne's striking looks and sophisticated manners earned her many admirers at court and by 1523 she was betrothed to Lord Henry Percy. However this relationship was cut short by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Before pursuing Anne, Henry VIII had already had an affair with her sister, Mary. Henry showered Anne and her family with titles and gifts. Anne's ambitious father was created Earl of Wiltshire and her brother, Lord George Rochford, was appointed to the Royal Privy Chamber.

Henry VIII had grown tired of his wife, as she had not produced a male heir. He appealed to Pope Clement VII for an annulment to his marriage so that he could marry Anne. The Pope refused to annul the marriage as he was afraid to go against the will of Catherine's nephew Charles V, The Holy Roman Emperor. Marriage Although she resisted Henry VIII's advances, by 1533 Anne was pregnant with her first child. Henry was forced into action. In January 1533 Henry VIII and Anne were married in a secret ceremony and Henry broke with the Catholic Church. He passed the Act of Supremacy, declaring that he was the head of the English church. In June 1533 Anne was crowned Queen of England in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Henry and Anne's daughter Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth I) was born in September 1533. Two more pregnancies ended in miscarriage, in the summer of 1534 and in January 1536. When Henry discovered the second baby had been a boy, he became convinced the marriage was cursed. Henry was still desperate for a male heir and he blamed Anne for this misfortune.

He took on Anne’s lady-in-waiting Jane Seymour as his mistress and looked for a way to end his marriage. Downfall In April 1536, Sir Francis Weston, William Brereton, Mark Smeaton, Sir Henry Norris and Anne's brother Lord Rochford were arrested on suspicion of having had relations with the Queen. Anne was investigated by a secret commission which included her father, her uncle the Duke of Norfolk and Thomas Cromwell . On 2 May 1536 Anne was arrested on charges of adultery with five men including her own brother, Lord George Rochford. At the trial, presided over by the Duke of Norfolk, Anne was accused of adultery and witchcraft. She was convicted and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Death On 19th May Anne was led from her quarters to Tower Green where, spared the axe, she was granted the 'mercy' of beheading by a French swordsman. Anne was the first English queen to be publicly executed.

Rather than deny her guilt, she used her final moments to deliver a speech praising King Henry VIII, stating that, "a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord." Jane Seymour Jane Seymour Third Wife of Henry VIII Jane Seymour, from a 1537 painting.

Hulton Fine Art Collection/Imagno/Getty Images By Jone Johnson Lewis About Jane Seymour: Known for: third wife of King Henry VIII of England; Jane bore a much-wanted son as heir (the future Edward VI) Occupation: queen consort (third) to England's King Henry VIII; had been a maid of honor to both Catherine of Aragon (from 1532) and Anne Boleyn Dates: 1508 or 1509 - October 24 , 1537; became queen by marriage on May 30 , 1536, when she married Henry VIII; proclaimed queen on June 4 , 1536; never crowned as queen Jane Seymour Biography: Brought up as a typical noble woman of her time, Jane Seymour became a maid of honor to Queen Catherine (of Aragon) in 1532. After Henry had his marriage to Catherine annulled in 1532, Jane Seymour became a maid of honor to his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

In February of 1536, as Henry VIII's interest in Anne Boleyn waned and it became apparent that she would not bear a male heir for Henry, the court noticed Henry's interest in Jane Seymour. Marriage to Henry VIII: Anne Boleyn was convicted of treason and executed on May 19, 1536. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Henry announced his betrothal to Jane Seymour the next day, May 20. They were married on May 30 and Jane Seymour was pronounced Queen Consort on June 4, which was also the public announcement of the marriage. She was never officially crowned as queen, perhaps because Henry was waiting until after the birth of a male heir for such a ceremony. Jane Seymour's court was far more subdued than Anne Boleyn's. She apparently intended to avoid many of the errors made by Anne. During her brief reign as Henry's queen, Jane Seymour had worked to bring peace between Henry's eldest daughter, Mary, and Henry. Jane had Mary brought to court and worked to get her named as Henry's heir after any of Jane and Henry's offspring.

Birth of Edward: Clearly, Henry married Jane Seymour primarily to bear a male heir. He was successful in his when, on October 12, 1537, Jane Seymour gave birth to a prince, Edward, the male heir Henry so desired. Jane Seymour had also worked to reconcile Henry with his daughter Elizabeth, and Jane invited Elizabeth to the prince's christening. The baby was christened October 15, and then Jane fell ill with puerperal fever, a complication of childbirth. She died on October 24, 1537. The Lady Mary (future Queen Mary I ) served as chief mourner at Jane Seymour's funeral. Henry After Jane's Death: Henry's reaction after Jane's death lends credence to the idea that he loved Jane -- or at least appreciated her role as mother of his only surviving son. He went into mourning for three months. Soon after, Henry began searching for another appropriate wife, but he did not remarry for three years, when he married Anne of Cleves (and shortly thereafter regretted that decision). When Henry died, ten years after Jane's death, he had himself buried with her.

Jane's Brothers: Two of Jane's brothers are noted for using Henry's ties to Jane for their own advancement. Thomas Seymour, Jane's brother, married Henry's widow and sixth wife, Catherine Parr . Edward Seymour, also a brother of Jane Seymour, served as Protector -- more like a regent -- for Edward VI after Henry's death. Both these brothers' attempts to exercise power came to bad ends: both were eventually executed. Jane Seymour Facts: Background, Family: Mother: Margery Wentworth, a direct descendant through her father of Edward III of England (making Jane a fifth cousin twice removed to her husband Henry VIII) Father: Sir John Seymour, Wiltshire Jane's great-grandmother, Elizabeth Cheney , was also great-grandmother to Anne Boleyn , Henry's second wife, and to Catherine Howard , Henry's fifth wife. Marriage, Children: husband: Henry VIII of England (married May 20, 1536) children: Anne Boleyn: Facts About the Second Wife of Henry VIII | Primary Facts Anne Boleyn: Facts About the Second Wife of Henry VIII Posted on by James • 7 Comments Here are some facts about Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.

Very little is known about the early years of Anne Boleyn’s life. Historians can’t even agree when Anne was born. Some think she was born in 1500 or 1501, whereas others think a year of 1507 to be more likely. She was probably born at Blickling Hall in Norfolk. Apparently, Anne was not particularly pretty. Contrary to legend, she probably didn’t have a sixth finger on one of her hands. She was, however, stylish, intelligent and quick-witted. Anne spent time in the household of Henry’s sister, Mary Tudor, who was married to the French King, Louis XII. Anne learned to speak French fluently. Anne’s sister Mary Boleyn was a mistress of Henry VIII. After Henry VIII took an interest in Anne, it was thought that she too would become one of his mistresses. However, this was not the case, and from 1527 onwards, Henry sought to get his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled so he would be in a position to marry Anne. In 1533 Anne and Henry were secretly married. It is thought that Anne was pregnant with Henry’s child at this point.

Henry and Catherine were still officially married, but Archbishop Cranmer proclaimed the marriage to be null and void. Henry’s desire to annul the marriage between himself and Catherine in order to marry Anne, led to the break with Rome. Anne gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, on August 26th 1533. Anne Boleyn fell pregnant again in 1534 but it either ended in miscarriage or the child being stillborn. In 1535 Anne suffered a miscarriage. King Henry VIII desperately desired a male heir and he started to spend time with one of Anne’s ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Anne’s enemies at court, particularly Thomas Cromwell, began to plot her downfall. On May 2nd 1536, Anne was arrested at Greenwich, accused of committing adultery, incest and high treason. It was also said that she plotted to kill the King. She was taken to the Tower of London . On Monday 15th Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother were put on trial. Anne was found guilty of committing adultery, despite a significant lack of evidence, and she was executed on the morning of May 19th 1536.

Anne’s head and body were placed in an arrow chest and buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. Find out about Henry VIII’s other wives by clicking here . You can also check out more of our Tudor resources by visiting this page . The Six Wives The Six Wives of King Henry VIII by Allison Hendee, Jackie Williams, and Karen Williams To King Henry VII of England, a second son, Prince Henry,was born at the Greenwich Palace, London, on June 28, 1491. After Arthur, his older brother, died, Henry was left heir to the throne. He went on to become the most formidable and famous king who ever reigned in England. His handsome physical appearance&emdash; very tall with broad shoulders, strong athletic limbs, and fair skin&emdash; added to his popularity. Throughout his reign King Henry VIII was married six different times. He married for both political and formal reasons. Henry married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, in June, 1509. Anne Boleyn became his second wife in secret in January, 1533.

Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, provided him the much desired heir to the throne in October, 1537. Henry married Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife, under political terms with Western Germany in 1540. Henry's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was Anne of Cleves's maid of honor. She married Henry in 1540 also. Finally, Catherine Parr helped to bring his family together when they married in July, 1543. Catherine Parr outlived King Henry VIII when his glorious reign ended with his death on January 28, 1547. Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was the widow of King Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur. Catherine was left widowed after a year of marriage when Arthur died in 1501. It was King Henry VII's dying wish for his son, Henry, to marry Catherine of Aragon. It was important for Henry to keep the alliance between England and Spain. Between the years 1510 and 1518, Catherine gave birth to six children, including two sons, but all except one daughter, Mary, were stillborn or died in early infancy.

Catherine was unable to provide a male heir for King Henry VIII, which eventually led to the end of their marriage. Pope Clement VII refused to annul Henry's marriage to Catherine. Henry finally broke with the Roman Catholic church, and his new Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cromwell, had their marriage annulled. Soon after, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, making the king head of the English church. Although Catherine was loved by the English people, she was forced to spend the last years of her life isolated from all public life. Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VIII. They were privately married in January 1533, but the marriage did not become known until Easter of that year. Anne Boleyn was the mother of the future Queen Elizabeth I, born in September of 1533. During their marriage Henry quickly lost interest in Anne and began to have affairs with other women. All Anne had to do to save their marriage was provide a male heir for the King. After two attempts she failed. Committed to the Tower of London, Anne was charged with adultery and alleged to have been involved in several affairs.

On May 19, 1536, she was convicted by a unanimous vote and beheaded. According to many historians, it is very likely that Anne was innocent, but she was declared guilty because of a temporary court faction supported by Thomas Cromwell. Jane Seymour, the mother of King Edward VI, was the third wife of King Henry VIII. Jane was the daughter of one of the King's knights. In Henry's attempts to win Jane, he sent her a love letter and a purse. Jane sent the letter and the purse back unopened with a touching message about her family's honor. The King promised to defend the honor, and they were married May 30, 1536. Jane was the first and only wife to provide King Henry VIII with a proper male heir. However, Jane was unable to recover from the birth and died twelve days later. The fourth wife of King Henry was Anne of Cleves, a German princess. They were married for political reasons; in fact, Anne was chosen by Thomas Cromwell, the Lord Chancellor. This marriage was politically convenient, as Henry needed a strong political alliance with Lutheran Germany to establish ties between England and the other protestant countries so that England would not become totally isolated.

Their marriage soon became a political embarrassment when the alliance between the Catholic powers failed. The marriage was annulled on July 9, 1540. Anne was rewarded with a large income as long as she remained in England and was given the title of "King's Sister." Catherine Howard, one of ten children of Lord Edmund Howard, was Henry's fifth wife. Catherine had been a maid of honor in his previous marriage to Anne of Cleves. Henry's marriage to Anne was annulled on July 9, 1540, and he and Catherine were secretly married on July 28. Catherine had been previously engaged to her cousin, Thomas Culpepper. She was thought to have had affairs with him and two others&emdash; Henry Mannock, a music teacher, and Francis Dereham. In November 1541, the King learned of these supposed affairs and became irate. He allowed Parliament to pass a bill of attainder declaring it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king.

On February 14, 1542, two days after the bill was passed, Catherine was beheaded in the Tower of London for crimes of treason Catherine Parr was King Henry VIII's sixth and last wife. They were married on July 12, 1543. Catherine was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendall, an official of the King's royal household. She had been married twice before her marriage to Henry, having been widowed first by Edward Borough, who died in 1529, and then in 1542 when her second husband, John Neville, Lord Latimer, died. Catherine was a highly educated and deeply religious woman. She had a great influence on the king as his reign ended. She brought the family close together and developed close friendships with Henry's three children. After Henry died in January 1547, Catherine remarried a former suitor, Thomas, Lord Seymour of Sudeley. She died shortly after giving birth to a daughter in 1549. Works Consulted "Aragon, Catherine of." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. This source tells about the first wife of King Henry VIII.

There is information given on her family history. It also includes details of their relationship. "Boleyn, Anne." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. Details of the death of the second wife of King Henry VIII are given by this source. It also includes details about their relationship. There is information about why he broke his ties from the Roman Catholic church. "Cleves, Anne of." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. This is a summary about the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. It tells about her political ties through her family. It includes details about the annulment of their marriage. Dwyer, Frank. Henry VIII. USA: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. This book has great pictures and a time line. It is a great source for political details and information about struggles of the era. It includes in-depth details about Henry and his six wives. "Howard, Catherine." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. This source gives information about the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Details are given about her childhood in this summary.

It includes details about their relationship and her beheading. Malvern, Gladys. The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Toronto: The Copp Clark Publishing Company, Ltd., 1972. This book profiles each one of Henry VIII's wives. It goes into great detail about the relationships with each. It also gives many personality traits of each wife. Morrison, N. Brysson. The Private Life of Henry VIII. New York: The Vanguard Press, Inc., 1964. King Henry VIII's life is discussed in great detail on this book. It is a great source for facts. This source gives information about his affairs. "Parr, Catherine." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. This is a summary about the sixth wife of Henry VIII. It tells about her previous marriages. Also included is information on her beneficial influence on the king. *Ridley, Jasper. Henry VIII. USA: R.R. Donnelley and Sons Co., 1964. This book gives an interesting history on King Henry VIII. It is a great source for information. A York and Lancaster family tree is included in this source.

"Seymour, Jane." Encyclopedia Britannica. Vers. 6.0. CD-ROM. 1996. This summary includes details about King Henry VIII's only son, provided by his third wife, Jane Seymour. Details about their relationship are given by this source. There is some family history revealed in the summary. Weir, Alison. The Six Wives of Henry VIII. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. This book profiles King Henry VIII's struggle for an heir to his throne. His trials with the court and Church are also shown in this book. It also has a great time line. Williams, Neville. Henry VIII and His Court. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971. This source is a depiction of everyday life, family and friends of King Henry VIII. There are many illustrations in color and black and white in this book. It is also a great source for details. Woodward, G.W.O. King Henry VIII. Great Britain: Pitkin Pictorials, 1991. The history of Henry VIII's life is given in this book. It explains the relationship with each wife. It gives his actions while being king.

*Woodward, G.W.O. The Six Wives of Henry VIII. London: Pitkin Pictorials, 1972. There are great pictures included in this source. It also gives a great summary of Henry VIII's six wives. It is a great resource for facts. *Source for visual Jane Seymour Buried: 13 November 1537 St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle Jane Seymour may have first come to court in the service of Queen Catherine, but then was moved to wait on Anne Boleyn as Anne rose in the King's favor and eventually became his second wife. In September 1535, the King stayed at the Seymour family home in Wiltshire, England. It may have been there that the king "noticed" Jane. But, it isn't until February of 1536 that there is evidence of Henry's new love for Jane. By that point, Henry's waning interest in Anne was obvious and Jane was likely pegged to be her replacement as Queen. Opinion is divided as to how Jane felt about being the new object of Henry's affections.

Some see Jane's calm and gentle demeanor as evidence that she didn't really understand the position as political pawn she was playing for her family. Others see it as a mask for her fear. Seeing how Henry's two previous Queens had been treated once they fell from favor, Jane probably had some trepidation, although Anne Boleyn's final fate had not been sealed at that time. One other view was that Jane fell into her role quite willingly and actively sought to entice the King and flaunt her favor even in front of the current Queen. How Jane actually felt, we will never know. Henry's feelings were pretty clear though. Within 24 hours of Anne Boleyn's execution, Jane Seymour and Henry VIII were formally betrothed. On the 30th of May, they were married at Whitehall Palace. Unlike Henry's previous two Queens, Jane never had a coronation. Perhaps the King was waiting to Jane to 'prove' herself by giving him a son. It wasn't until early 1537 that Jane became pregnant. During her pregnancy, Jane's every whim was indulged by the King, convinced that she, whom he felt to be his first 'true wife', carried his long hoped for son.

In October, a prince was born at Hampton Court Palace and was christened on 15th of October. The baby was named Edward. Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon, was godmother and Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, also played a role in the ceremony. There has been much written over whether or not Jane gave birth to Edward by cesarean section although it seems unlikely that if she had, she would have lived as long as she did after the birth. Jane was well enough to receive baby Edward after her son's christening so mother and father could formally bless the child. She was reported as very ill on October 23 and died on October 24th, two weeks after giving birth. Henry had already been preparing his own tomb at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which was where Jane was buried. In the end, she would be the only of Henry's six wives to be buried with him.

Question: Who was the third wife of Henry VIII?
Answer: Jane Seymour