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 Six Wives of Henry VIII The Wives of Henry VIII By Jennifer Dague The six wives were very complicated and very different women, but each was portrayed simply and to the point, in the film titled The Wives of Henry VIII and narrated by David Starkey. The film is a biographical film based on historical facts with little artistic freedom taken and little embellishment. All the characters in this film were historically based with seemingly no fictional characters. The film mainly depicted the lives of these women once they had met Henry VIII and/or lived in his castle and thus the film mostly depicted scenes of court life with some private conversations, but not much outside of the royal court. The first of Henry’s queens was Catherine of Aragon, a strong woman and definitely the most politically valuable of all of Henry’s wives. Catherine of Aragon was first married to Prince Arthur, Henry’s older brother, but Arthur died shortly after their marriage. In order for England to maintain the political alliance that had been formed with Arthur and Catherine’s marriage, Henry became Catherine’s next groom. According to the film, their marriage was not always a very happy one and one that was filled with many disappointments.

The result after twenty years of marriage and many pregnancies was only one daughter, no male heir for the Tudor dynasty. Eventually Henry became more and more uninterested in their marriage and began to fall in love with one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting, Anne Boleyn. When Henry was refused a divorce by the Catholic Church, and for other religious reasons such as wanting power over the church, he broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and granted himself a divorce claiming that the marriage was never valid. The second of Henry’s wives was Anne Boleyn. It is mentioned in the film that Anne’s sister Mary had previously had an affair with Henry, but had been tossed aside afterwards. Anne would not allow this to be her end. Anne was sexy, smart, sharp tongued, and crafty. Anne knew how to get what she wanted and when she saw that the King was very unhappy with his marriage, she swooped in and stole Henry’s heart. She was very clever to withhold sex until she was guaranteed marriage. If she had done anything else the history books might have been very different.

When, yet again, Henry did not receive a son, but instead only one surviving daughter (Elizabeth) after many tries with Anne, he started looking for a way out of that marriage. Henry created charges that Anne had cheated on him and thus, she would be executed and he would be free to marry his new mistress. His new mistress had been another Lady in Waiting for his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Like Catherine, his new wife, Jane Seymour was a strong Catholic. Though Catherine was one of Henry’s more influential wives she still could not undo many of the reforms in the church that Anne had helped Henry introduce. When Jane tried to suggest undoing some of the reforms to the church Henry is quoted to have said, “Don’t meddle in my affairs. Remember Anne Boleyn.” According to the film, Jane was probably the best wife for Henry overall. She was submissive, obedient, and she produced a healthy son, but she died only a few days after giving birth to their first child. Henry was actually very saddened by Jane’s death and he even removed himself from court, allowing Cromwell to take charge of affairs of the state, while he was in mourning.

Henry’s fourth wife was a German princess; her name was Anne of Cleves. This marriage, like Henry’s first, was a politically arranged marriage. After Jane died, Henry was crushed and did not want to remarry. Eventually Cromwell persuaded Henry to get married again. According to the film, many proposals were offered , but no princess would accept (knowing Henry’s history with women). Finally they found a woman, Anne of Cleves, but Henry insisted that his new wife would be beautiful and demanded proof of her beauty. A portrait was made of her (that mainly focused on the dress) and Henry agreed, based on that image, to marry her. They did eventually get married, but not for long. Anne was 25 and very naïve as to what was going on. The truth was her husband could not stand her body. Henry wanted a divorce and eventually got one, due to lack of consummation. Henry’s fifth wife was only a teenager when they married. Catherine Howard was young and promiscuous, though Henry believed she was a virgin. It was not long before Catherine’s past caught up with her and rumors began circulating about the Queen’s infidelity.

When Henry discovered she had not been a virgin when they married and that she had even had an affair with a trusted associate in the court, Thomas Culpepper, he demanded that their marriage be tried, so that he might be able to obtain a divorce. Not only did Henry get his divorce but he also got Catherine Howard’s head, as well as those of her lovers. In the film the last wife was Catherine Parr, a twice widowed woman with no children. According to the film when Henry VIII became interested in her and proposed to her, Catherine Parr said yes not because she wanted to be his wife (as the others had), but because she felt God wanted her to. In the film, she was portrayed as a good mother to her stepchildren, as a good wife to Henry, and also as a intellectually curious woman, especially about religion. She would be Henry’s last wife, for he would die in a few years after they had wed. This film was primarily historical and set entirely in sixteenth century England. As has been reviewed earlier the film discussed the lives of Henry’s queens, how they came to power, how they acted as queen, and how they each left that role.

All the characters in this film were historically accurate figures who really did live in that time period and really were involved in these events of Henry’s life. Though the film revolved mainly around the lives of Henry VIII’s wives, it also discussed at some length the religious conflicts going on in the country as well as in the royal courts. The country was split between Catholic base and the Protestant opposition. Eventually even the King, called the Defender of the Faith, broke away from the church when Rome would not grant him a divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon. All of Henry’s wives were religious women with agendas except for maybe Catherine Howard. There were many real historical characters in this film, but there were about ten figures who stood out in this story. First and foremost was Henry VIII himself. He was portrayed as a womanizer and a quick-tempered man. The next important character was Catherine of Aragon. She was presented as a pious Spanish princess. Her successor and another important figure was Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn was portrayed in this film as very different from Catherine. Anne was shown as fiery, sexy, smart, and sharp tongued. Anne knew how to get what she wanted, and she was very good at it.

All of Henry’s wives were important characters in this film, but for Henry at least Jane Seymour was probably the most important since the film portrayed her as the perfect wife for Henry. Jane was presented as a deeply pious woman, who was submissive, and knew when to be obedient. The next wife was perhaps one of the minor wives, since she was Queen for less than a year. Anne of Cleves was portrayed as a naïve, unappealing (physically) German princess. After Anne came another Catherine. Catherine Howard was portrayed as young and flirtatious. Henry’s last wife, Catherine Parr was portrayed as a pious and an intellectually curious woman, who would seem at times to be a radical reformer. Three more important characters, but fairly minor in comparison were Cromwell, Gardner, and the Duke of Norfolk. One of the most important religious figures in this film was Cromwell, the king’s chief minister. He was portrayed as pious and conniving (to obtain what he wanted, for example Henry’s marriage to Anne of Cleves). Another important figure was Stephen Gardner, a Catholic cleric who was portrayed as very pious. Lastly, there was the Duke of Norfolk (both Anne Boleyn’s and Catherine Howard’s uncle).

The Duke was represented as a conniving man who would do whatever it took to gain power and influence for his religious beliefs, including even using his own nieces. In the film The Wives of Henry VIII everyday court life was depicted, but not much was shown about the average Englishman’s everyday life. The film showed the fancy dress of the women in the royal court, and the extravagant architecture and interiors of the palace. The film showed in great detail the dresses and jewelry of the various queens who reigned at one time or another while married to Henry. Only a few minor functionaries were shown, such as ladies in waiting and ministers (no common “downstairs” jobs were shown). What is done particularly well is mainly the costuming: the outfits of these important historical figures; much else was left to the imagination in this film. I learned a lot from this film and would readily recommend it to anyone. Before this film I knew some things about Henry VIII, but the only wife I could have named and described was Anne Boleyn. With this film I was able to gain so much knowledge about what it was truly like to be a wife of Henry VIII. I also learned how strong most of these women were.

I learned that although they were considered the lesser sex, they still held some power and influence, and maintained some control over their lives. I was particular ly impressed with both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr. I knew of Anne Boleyn before this film but I did not know to what extent she used her sex appeal and “sass” to get what she wanted. I did not know she was so clever and at times conniving. With Catherine Parr, I did not know who she was before this film. I was particularly impressed by her because she was a very strong woman like Anne Boleyn and was also a reformer, but that is where the similarities end. Catherine was twice a widow, who had taken care of two sick husbands before Henry and she even gave up love to fulfill her duty to God and marry the king. The one characteristic of both these women (but also of Catherine of Aragon and Jane Seymour) was their strength. The strength and intellect of these women was really quite impressive, in a time where women weren’t considered as important and valuable as they are today. Every part of that film promoted historical knowledge. Each scene was based upon a real conversation or situation that had actually occurred at some point in the history of England.

Although the actors did little actual audible talking, one could easily tell what was on their mind, by the actors’ actions and by the wishes of the church told through the narrator. Overall there is little one would wish to change about the film; perhaps more dialogue by the actual characters and less of the narrator, as well as more views of other palaces and churches where some of the important events took place could add texture. Although there is little about the everyday life of the common man, more authentic background would have been appreciated, but the film does portray what it set out to do, the lives of Henry’s wives. Watching this film brings to mind another movie The Other Boleyn Girl which is not just about Anne Boleyn’s relationship with the king, but also about her sister’s life (as lover of Henry VIII). Between this movie (The Wives of Henry VIII) and the movie The Other Boleyn Girl, one can learn a lot about what it was like to be a woman in Henry VIII’s life. There are also a number of books that should be recommended on this topic.

These books include “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” by Alison Weir “Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey (who is actually the narrator of this film, and Henry VIII: Court, Church, and Conflict by David Loades. Anyone who enjoys learning about history will enjoy this film. One truly learns a lot in only a little over three hours. Henry VIII’s wives in the film and in reality were strong, mainly pious women whose individual legends would stand the test of time. Henry VIII's wives 1. Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) The first wife of King Henry VIII of England. The refusal of Pope Clement VII to annul Henry's marriage to Catherine triggered the break between Henry and Rome and led to the English Reformation. Catherine was the youngest daughter of the Spanish rulers Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. In 1501 she married Prince Arthur, eldest son of King Henry VII of England. Arthur died the following year, and shortly afterward she was betrothed to Prince Henry, the second son of Henry VII.

But subsequent rivalry between England and Spain and Ferdinand's refusal to pay the full dowry prevented the marriage from taking place until her fianc� assumed the throne as Henry VIII in 1509. For some years the couple lived happily. Catherine matched the breadth of her husband's intellectual interests, and she was a competent regent while he was campaigning against the French (1512-14). Between 1510 and 1518 Catherine gave birth to six children, including two sons, but all except Mary (later queen of England, 1553-58) either were stillborn or died in early infancy. Henry's desire for a legitimate male heir prompted him in 1527 to appeal to Rome for an annulment on the grounds that the marriage had violated the biblical prohibition against a union between a man and his brother's widow. Catherine appealed to Pope Clement VII, contending that her marriage to Henry was valid because the previous marriage to Arthur had never been consummated. For seven years the Pope avoided issuing the annulment because he could not alienate Catherine's nephew, the Holy Roman emperor Charles V. Finally Henry separated from Catherine in July 1531.

On May 23, 1533 - five months after he married Anne Boleyn - he had his own archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, annul the marriage to Catherine. Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy repudiating all papal jurisdiction in England and making the king head of the English church. Although Catherine had always been loved by the English people, Henry forced her to spend her last years isolated from all public life. 2. Anne Boleyn (1507-1536) The second wife of King Henry VIII of England and mother of Queen Elizabeth I. The events surrounding the annulment of Henry's marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and his marriage to Anne led him to break with the Roman Catholic church and brought about the English Reformation. Anne's father was Sir Thomas Boleyn, later Earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde. After spending part of her childhood in France, she returned to England in 1522 and lived at Henry's court and drew many admirers. A desired marriage with Lord Henry Percy was prevented on Henry's order by Cardinal Wolsey, and at some undetermined point the king himself fell in love with her.

In 1527 Henry initiated secret proceedings to obtain an annulment from his wife, the aging Catherine of Aragon; his ultimate aim was to father a legitimate male heir to the throne. For six years Pope Clement VII, under pressure from Henry's rival Charles V, refused to grant the annulment, but all the while Henry's passion for Anne was strengthening his determination to rid himself of his queen. About January 25, 1533, Henry and Anne were secretly married. The union was made public on Easter of that year, and on May 23 Henry had the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, pronounce the marriage to Catherine null and void. In September Anne gave birth to a daughter, the future queen Elizabeth I. Anne's arrogant behaviour soon made her unpopular at court. Although Henry lost interest in her and began liaisons with other women, the birth of a son might have saved the marriage. Anne had a miscarriage in 1534, and in January 1536 she gave birth to a stillborn male child.

On May 2, 1536, Henry had her committed to the Tower of London on a charge of adultery with various men and even incest with her own brother. She was tried by a court of peers, unanimously convicted, and beheaded on May 19. On May 30 Henry married Jane Seymour. That Anne was guilty as charged is unlikely; she was the apparent victim of a temporary court faction supported by Thomas Cromwell. 3. Jane Seymour (1509-1537) The third wife of King Henry VIII of England and mother of King Edward VI. She succeeded - where Henry's previous wives had failed - in providing a legitimate male heir to the throne. Jane's father was Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall, Savernake, Wiltshire. She became a lady in waiting to Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and then to Anne Boleyn, who married the King in 1533. Henry probably became attracted to Jane in 1535, when he visited her father at Wolf Hall, but, though willing to marry him, she refused to be his mistress.

That determination undoubtedly helped bring about Anne Boleyn's downfall and execution (May 19, 1536). On May 30, 1536, Henry and Jane were married privately. During the remaining 17 months of her life Jane managed to restore Mary, Henry's daughter by Catherine of Aragon, to the King's favour. Mary was a Roman Catholic, and some scholars have interpreted Jane's intercession to mean that she had little sympathy with the English Reformation. The future Edward VI was born on October 12, 1537, but, to Henry's genuine sorrow, Jane died 12 days later. Jane's family enjoyed Henry's favour until the end of his reign. On the accession of Edward VI to the throne, Jane's brother, Edward Seymour, earl of Hertford, became regent as lord protector with the title duke of Somerset. Another brother, Thomas Seymour of Sudeley, was lord high admiral from 1547 to 1549. 4. Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) The fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England.

Henry married Anne because he believed that he needed to form a political alliance with her brother William, duke of Cleves, who was a leader of the Protestants of western Germany. He thought the alliance was necessary because in 1539 it appeared that the two major Roman Catholic powers, France and the Holy Roman Empire, were about to join together to attack Protestant England. That threat prompted Henry's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, to arrange the marriage to establish ties between England and the Lutheran enemies of the Holy Roman emperor, Charles V. On Jan. 1, 1540, Anne arrived in England to meet her fianc� for the first time. Five days later the wedding took place. Henry was keenly disappointed, Anne being less attractive than he had been led to expect, and he soon came to resent her lack of sophistication and limited command of the English language. When the alliance between the Catholic powers failed to materialize, the marriage became a political embarrassment and was annulled by an Anglican convocation (July 9, 1540). Anne acquiesced and was rewarded with a large income, on the condition that she remain in England.

She lived at Richmond or Bletchingley, with occasional visits to court, until her death. 5. Catherine Howard (died 1542) The fifth wife of King Henry VIII of England. Her downfall came when Henry learned of her premarital affairs. Catherine was one of 10 children of Lord Edmund Howard (died 1539), a poverty-stricken younger son of Thomas Howard, 2nd duke of Norfolk. Henry VIII first became attracted to the young girl in 1540, when he was seeking to end his politically motivated marriage to Anne of Cleves, to whom Catherine was a maid of honour. He had his marriage to Anne annulled on July 9, and on July 28 Henry and Catherine were privately married. He publicly acknowledged her as queen on August 8. For the next 14 months Henry appeared to be much enamoured of his bride. But in November 1541, he learned that before their marriage Catherine had had affairs: Henry Mannock, a music teacher; Francis Dereham, who had called her his wife; and her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, to whom she had been engaged.

After her marriage to Henry, Catherine had made Dereham her secretary, and it is probable - though still unproved - that she had committed adultery with Culpepper. The King, initially incredulous, became incensed with these revelations. On February 11, 1542, Parliament passed a bill of attainder declaring it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king. Two days later Catherine was beheaded in the Tower of London. 6. Catherine Parr (1512-1548) The sixth and last wife of King Henry VIII of England. She was a daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendall, an official of the royal household. Catherine had been widowed twice - in marriages to Edward Borough (died c. 1529) and to John Neville, Lord Latimer (died 1542 or 1543) - by the time she married Henry on July 12, 1543. Her tactfulness enabled her to exert a beneficial influence on the King during the last years of his reign. She developed close friendships with the three children Henry had by previous marriages and devoted herself to their education.

A Humanist, she was friendly with Protestant reformers. Timely access to the King saved her from conservatives, especially Stephen Gardiner, who were bent on her destruction in 1546. After Henry's death in January 1547 she married a former suitor, Thomas, Lord Seymour of Sudeley, who was admiral of England from 1547 to 1549, but she died shortly after giving birth to a daughter. A learned and deeply religious woman, she wrote A Lamentacion or Complaynt of a Sinner in the last year of her life. The Six Wives Of Henry VIII - By Tales Of Curiosity Contact Search Site If you enjoyed this, then why not tell your friends? It also shows us the most popular subjects. So we can make more like them, just for you!! The Six Wives Of Henry VIII Running Time:5:32Release Date: 30 Dec 2009 We travel back to the time of the Tudor's and meet probably the best known king of all time, Henry VIII. Apart from his large size he is famous for having six wives.

In this video we find out the reasons for each marriage, meet each of his wives and learn of their fate. About The Video Introduction In England, on the 21st April 1509, a young prince became a King. He was the son of Henry Tudor, who reigned as Henry VII. The young prince was determined to create a Tudor dynasty. His name was Henry VIII. Henry VIII As A Young Man Catherine Of Aragon Died: 5 September 1548 Although, not the best known of Henry VIII's wives, Catherine Parr was probably the most influential. Henry first noticed Catherine when she was working in the household of his daughter Mary. Catherine was a widow and was in a relationship with Thomas Seymour (1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley). But after Henry VIII proposed to her, she was obliged to marry him. Catherine had good relations with all three of Henry VIII's children and helped to reconcile Henry with his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. Catherine Parr From July to September 1544 Catherine was made regent by Henry and effectively ruled the country. This was whilst Henry was on his last military campaign.

It has also been speculated that Catherine's character and religious beliefs were a great influence on her stepdaughter, who became Elizabeth I. Portrait Of An Elderly Henry VIII Henry VIII was very sick and Catherine Parr was more of a nurse than a wife. Henry VIII died on the 28th January 1547. He was buried in Windsor next to his third wife, Jane Seymour. Resting Place Of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour Later in the year, Catherine Parr married Thomas Seymour, who apparently was not a good husband. She sadly died a year after, from childbirth complications. Tomb Of Catherine Parr The End Of Our Tale Thus ends our tale of Henry VIII's wives. There were no offspring from his children and the death of his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I meant the end of the Tudor Dynasty. Curious Facts ★ After her execution, Anne Boleyn's body was buried in an old arrow chest under the floor of the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. This was only found in Victorian times, after which a plaque on the floor now marks the spot. ★ Jane Seymour was the only one of Henry's VIII six wives to receive a Queen's funeral.

★ When Henry VIII was on a campaign in France he made Catherine Of Aragon regent. The Scots then invaded England and Catherine addressed the army, and rode in full armour with the troops, despite being heavily pregnant. ★ After their divorce, Anne of Cleves was given the title "The King's Beloved Sister", and was given precedence over all women in England, after Henry's wife and two daughters. ★ Anne of Cleves appeared to have enjoyed life after her divorce. She became very fond of English beer. ★ Anne Boleyn was executed with a sword and not an axe. Execution by an expert swordsman meant a cleaner cut. ★ The two wives of Henry VIII that were executed, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, were cousins. ★ When she was queen, Anne Boleyn had over 250 personal servants. ★ Legend says that Anne Boleyn had six fingers, no one knows if this is really true. ★ Catherine Parr was the most-married English queen, she had four husbands. ★ Catherine Parr's mother was a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon and named her daughter after her. ★ The chapel where Catherine Parr was buried fell into disrepair and over time her grave became desecrated.

Her current tomb was built during Victorian times. The Tudors - The Six Wives of Henry VIII | HistoryOnTheNet The Tudors The Tudors - The Six Wives of Henry VIII Last Updated: 01/17/2017 - 11:37 For more information on counter-intuitive facts of ancient and medieval history, see Anthony Esolen's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization . Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Kathryn Howard, Katherine Parr Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced beheaded survived This popular rhyme tells of the fate of Henry VIII's six wives Catherine of Aragon - Henry VIII's first wife and mother of Mary I Catherine was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and she came to England in 1501 at the age of 16 to marry Henry VII's eldest son and heir to the throne, Arthur. By 1527 Henry was having serious doubts about his marriage to Catherine. He believed that he had no sons because God was punishing him for having married his brother's wife. He had found a passage in the Bible that backed this belief.

He had also fallen for Anne Boleyn, the daughter of Thomas Boleyn, who had recently returned to England from the French court. Catherine refused to grant Henry a divorce or retire to a convent . Henry therefore began the Reformation in England so that he could divorce Catherine without the Pope 's permission and marry Anne Boleyn. Catherine was divorced by Henry in 1533 and died in 1536. Anne Boleyn - Henry VIII's second wife and mother of Elizabeth. Anne Boleyn was born in 1501. At the age of fourteen she was sent with her sister, Mary, to the French court as a maid to Queen Claude. She returned to England in 1522 and attracted many admirers. Her sister, Mary managed to attract the King's attention and became his mistress. In 1526 Henry asked Anne to become his mistress, but she refused because he was a married man. Henry was determined to win Anne Boleyn and became determined to divorce Catherine and marry Anne. The couple eventually secretly married in 1533 after Anne became pregnant. The King's second marriage was not popular.

Many people believed that Anne was a witch and had cast a spell on Henry. When the baby was born in September 1533 Henry was cross that the baby was a girl. She was called Elizabeth. Henry and Anne began arguing. Although Anne became pregnant twice more each time the babies were stillborn. Henry was by now tired of Anne and wanted rid of her. He had no intention of waiting for a divorce so his ministers invented evidence showing that Anne had been unfaithful and had plotted the death of the King. She was found guilty and was executed in May 1536. Jane Seymour - Henry VIII's third wife and mother or Edward VI. Jane Seymour was a quiet shy girl who attracted Henry because she was so different to his first two wives, Catherine and Anne. Henry married Jane Seymour just 11 days after the death of Anne Boleyn. He was 45 years old, Jane was 28. Although Henry became concerned when Jane did not become pregnant immediately, he was delighted when she gave birth to a son, Edward, in October 1538. Henry was very upset when Jane died a month later. On his deathbed, Henry requested to be buried next to Jane.

Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's fourth wife. She was divorced after six months. After the death of Jane, Henry remained single for two years. He had the son that he had wanted for so long and although Edward was weak and sickly, he continued to live. Having broken free from Rome in the 1530s England was isolated from much of Europe and Henry's advisers thought it would be a good idea for him to marry a German princess and make an alliance with the other great Protestant nation in Europe - Germany. Two suitable princesses were chosen and Hans Holbein was sent to paint their portraits. The girls were sisters and daughters of the Duke of Cleves. Henry chose the older daughter, Anne, to be his fourth wife. The 24 year old German Princess arrived in England in December 1539, However, Henry was horrified when he saw her and demanded that his ministers find him a way out of the marriage. Unfortunately for Henry they could not and the marriage went ahead in January 1540. Henry was unable to consummate the marriage and the couple divorced amicably six months later. Anne was well provided for and lived out her days in England in comfort.

She outlived Henry and died in 1557. Kathryn Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife. She was executed for adultery after two years of marriage. Henry had chosen his fifth wife before his divorce to Anne was finalised. The lady in question was the 15 year old daughter of Edmund Howard, Kathryn, cousin of Anne Boleyn. The marriage took place in July 1540. Henry was 49 years old, overweight and unable to walk far due to his weight and an injury to his leg that festered and refused to heal. Kathryn was young, lively and flirtatious. She was bored with having an old husband and sought out young friends among the courtiers. Unfortunately for Kathryn one of the courtiers in question was a man named Francis Dereham who had known Katherine before her marriage. He knew that she had had affairs before her marriage and used this to bribe her into giving him a good position at court. Katherine's actions led to her being accused of adultery and subsequently executed in 1542. Katherine Parr Henry VIII's sixth wife. She outlived Henry and died in 1548.

Henry married for the sixth time in 1543. The lady in question was Katherine Parr who had been twice widowed. She was a kindly lady and proved a good stepmother to the King's three children. She was also an excellent nursemaid and bathed Henry's leg wound and comforted him when he was sick. She came close to being tried for treason in 1546 when her enemies at court attempted to prove that she was a committed Protestant. However, she managed to convince Henry that she was loyal to him and his Church and was spared. After Henry's death she married Edward's uncle, Thomas Seymour. Katherine Parr died in childbirth in 1548. For more information on counter-intuitive facts of ancient and medieval history, see Anthony Esolen's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization © 2008. You can find it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can also check it out by clicking on the buttons to the left. Quiz: The Six Wives Of Henry VIII - YouTube The Six Wives Of Henry VIII Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content.

Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 21, 2013 For more information and images about this video please visit is abridged text from our site: England, Apr 21 1509, Henry VIII became King. He was determined to create a Tudor dynasty. Catherine Of Aragon - 1st Wife Born: Dec 16 1485 Divorced/Annulled: 1533 Died: Jan 7 1536 Catherine was born in Madrid, Spain, daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon & Queen Isabella I of Castile. She married Henry's older brother Arthur, Nov 14 1501, but Apr 2 1502 he died of "sweating sickness". Henry VII did not want to return Catherine Of Aragon's dowry, so arranged for her to marry Henry. He was 5 years younger than her. Henry VII, then left it on hold, keeping the dowry. After Henry VIII was crowned, he married Catherine. Although she bore Henry 6 children, only 1 survived.

She would become Queen Mary, known as "Bloody Mary". Henry believed the reason for the lack of a male heir was a cursed marriage as Catherine of Aragon was his brother, Prince Arthur's widow. After 24 years of marriage, he declared it illegal. Catherine was banished from court dying 2 years later. Anne Boleyn - 2nd Wife Divorced/Annulled: 1536 Executed: May 19 1536 When Henry VIII noticed Anne, her sister was his mistress. Anne was stylish & an accomplished musician. Henry attempted to seduce her, but she rejected him. His solution was to annull his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, & wed Anne. Pope Clement refused to grant this, so Henry broke the church in England away from Rome. He granted his own annulment & married Anne. She gave birth to a girl who would reign as Queen Elizabeth I, followed by 3 miscarriages. Anne Boleyn had a bad temper, argued with Henry & made enemies at court. Henry became impatient with her behaviour & lack of a male heir. He also wanted to marry Jane Seymour. Henry said he had been seduced into marriage by sorcery.

Anne was sent to the Tower of London, accused of adultery & plotting the king's death. Found guilty she was beheaded on Tower Green. Jane Seymour - 3rd Wife Married: 30 May 1536 Died: 24 Oct 1537 A day after Anne Boleyn's execution, Henry VIII became engaged to Jane Seymour, who had served in Anne Boleyn's household. They married 10 days later. Jane was very different to Anne Boleyn. She was fair & her household was strictly run. Oct 12 1537, Jane gave birth to a boy. Henry was overjoyed. He had a male heir! The boy would become King Edward VI, but die aged just 15. Jane died 12 days later from an infection. Henry mourned her death & did not remarry for 3 years. Jane Seymour was Henry VIII's favourite wife. He is buried next to her.

Anne of Cleves - 4th Wife Born: 1515 Divorced: July 1540 Died: July 16 1557 After Henry VIII decided to marry again, Anne of Cleves & her sister Amelia were considered. Hans Holbein the Younger, was sent to Germany to paint them & told to make the paintings realistic. Marriage was agreed, however Anne was not as described, looking old for her age. Henry called her a "Flanders Mare". The feeling was mutual. But the marriage went ahead to preserve England's relations with Germany. After just six months it was annulled. In gratitude to her consenting to the annulment, Henry gave Anne land & property. They became good friends. Catherine Howard - 5th Wife Married: July 28 1540 Executed: February 13 1542 Catherine Howard was a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. Henry married her a few weeks after his divorce. She was frivolous, a dangerous trait to have being married to Henry VIII. He showered Catherine with expensive gifts.

However, he was 30 years older & she found him unattractive beginning an affair with Thomas Culpeper, a favourite of Henry VIII. Soon news reached Henry. After being shown a love letter, Catherine was charged with treason, adultery & for not informing Henry VIII of affairs she had before the marriage. She was executed aged either 20 or 21. Catherine Parr - 6th Wife Widowed: Jan 28 1547 Died: Sept 5 1548 Catherine, probably the most influential of Henry VIII's wives, worked in the household of his daughter Mary. She was a widow in a relationship with Thomas Seymour (1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley). After Henry VIII proposed, she was obliged to marry him. Catherine had good relations with all of Henry VIII's children, helping to reconcile him with daughters, Mary & Elizabeth. July-Sept 1544 Catherine was made regent effectively ruling the country. This was whilst Henry was on his last military campaign. It has been speculated Catherine's character & religious beliefs were a big influence on her stepdaughter Elizabeth I. Henry VIII was sick & Catherine was more nurse than wife.

Henry VIII died Jan 28 1547 & was buried in Windsor next to his third wife, Jane Seymour. Catherine Parr then married Thomas Seymour, but soon died from childbirth complications. Category King Henry VIII English Bible History King Henry VIII It was not that King Henry VIII had a change of conscience regarding publishing the Bible in English. His motives were more sinister… but the Lord sometimes uses the evil intentions of men to bring about His glory. King Henry VIII had in fact, requested that the Pope permit him to divorce his wife and marry his mistress. The Pope refused. King Henry responded by marrying his mistress anyway, (later having two of his many wives executed), and thumbing his nose at the Pope by renouncing Roman Catholicism, taking England out from under Rome’s religious control, and declaring himself as the reigning head of State to also be the new head of the Church. This new branch of the Christian Church, neither Roman Catholic nor truly Protestant, became known as the Anglican Church or the Church of England. King Henry acted essentially as its “Pope”. His first act was to further defy the wishes of Rome by funding the printing of the scriptures in English… the first legal English Bible … just for spite.

King Henry VIII (June 28, 1491- January 28, 1547) was the second son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He reigned as King of England from April 22 (crowned on June 24), 1509 until his death on January 28, 1547. He was accorded the title King of Ireland by the Irish Parliament in 1541, having previously been styled Lord of Ireland. Henry – from Prince to King Henry was created Prince of Wales after the death of his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales. A dispensation from Pope Julius II was necessary in order to allow him to marry his brother's widow Catherine of Aragon, and this was obtained on the basis of non-consummation. They contracted a marriage on June 11, 1509. Following difficulties with Rome over his divorce from Catherine (which was not sanctioned by the Pope, who was under pressure from Catherine's nephew, Charles V at the time), Henry split from the Roman Catholic Church, seized many of the Church's assets, and formed the Church of England.

This became final with the passing of the Act of Supremacy 1536. Henry VIII greatly improved English seapower and instituted an efficient navy. Throughout his life he was an avid gambler playing at dice, tables and cards. The other major achievement of Henry's reign was the Act of Union of 1536, which effectively brought Wales under English government, with the result that the first Welsh members of parliament were elected in 1542. Henry was proud of his own Welsh blood. In 1533 Henry introduced the first legislation against homosexuals with the Buggery Act, making “buggery” punishable by hanging, a penalty not finally lifted until 1861. The Many Wives of King Henry VIII Henry is also famous for his six wives. While he was still legally married to Catherine of Aragon he married Anne Boleyn in secret on January 25, 1533 (his marriage to Catherine had to be annulled by a special act of Parliament on May 23 of the same year). Anne bore Henry a female child Elizabeth but she did not give him the male heir he so desperately wanted.

For this reason he had his marriage with her annulled, had her executed on trumped up charges of adultery, and married Jane Seymour. Seymour gave Henry a male child, but she died shortly after doing so. The boy was sickly, and Henry reluctantly remarried, on the advice of his chancellor, Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell, like his predecessors, More and Wolsey, fell from favour and was charged with treason. His fourth wife was the German Protestant Anne of Cleves. Henry disliked her from the beginning, and had their marriage annulled after only a few months. He proceeded to marry Catherine Howard, a young cousin of Anne Boleyn, who, like Anne, was found guilty of adultery and executed for treason. His last wife was Catherine Parr, a more mature woman who had been twice widowed. None of his last three queens bore him any children. The Death and Children of King Henry VIII It is well known that, in later life, King Henry VIII was grossly overweight, and possibly suffered from both gout and syphilis. In his younger days, however, he had been a very active man. His increased size dates from a jousting accident in 1536.

He suffered a thigh wound which not only prevented him from taking exercise but which gradually became ulcerated and may have indirectly led to his death. Henry died in 1547 at Whitehall in London and was buried at Windsor. At his death King Henry VIII left three children, each of whom had a turn on the English throne: Edward VI, Mary I (“Bloody” Mary), and Elizabeth I. Henry VIII Six Wives - YungHistory YungHistory The Six Wives of King Henry VIII 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. Portraits of The Six Wives of King Henry VIII: Katharine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Katharine Parr The six wives of King Henry VIII were a disparate group of women united only by their marriages to Bluff King Hal.

There is a famous rhyme describing their various ends - 'Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived'. Henry's first wife, Katharine of Aragon, was the youngest child of the 'Catholic Kings' of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella; she and Henry were married for over twenty years. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, was the daughter of an ambitious knight; she was executed after three years of marriage. His third wife, Jane Seymour, died after less than two years of marriage, having finally produced a son and heir for Henry. His fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, was divorced mere months after the wedding, for Henry found her unattractive and was already courting his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Catherine was executed after less than two years of marriage and the king settled upon the twice-widowed Katharine Parr as his sixth wife. She outlived the mercurial king. If I know the current location of a portrait, it is listed within the commentary. The National Portrait Gallery in London has the most comprehensive selection of Tudor portraits. You may visit their website to learn of special exhibitions, or purchase prints. I certainly recommend viewing the original portraits if you can.

If you have any questions or comments, please visit the Email page. -Marilee Katharine of Aragon, c1500 , by Juan de Flandes. This portrait was formerly titled 'Portrait of an Infanta'; most historians believed it portrayed Katharine's older sister, Juana (Joanna). However, it has recently been identified as Katharine. I'm rather skeptical about the new identification, but it is a lovely portrait - and it may be Katharine. If not, Juana is certainly worthy of inclusion as well. King Henry VII briefly considered marrying her after the death of Elizabeth of York in 1503. Katharine of Aragon, c1502 , by Michael Sittow. This beautiful portrait was made by King Henry VII's court painter, Michael Sittow. Katharine had arrived in England in 1501 to marry Prince Arthur Tudor, the son and heir of Henry VII. They were married in November 1501 and within six months Arthur was dead. This portrait was painted after their brief marriage.

Katharine appears solemn and pensive; she was homesick and lonely, and Henry VII was hardly a generous father-in-law now that she was a mere princess dowager. Read Katharine's letters to her parents to learn more about her early years in England. Katharine of Aragon with a monkey, c1525 , by Lucas Horenbout / Horenbolte. This is the largest miniature of Henry VIII's first wife. Three other miniatures exist, but two are circular copies of this original; the third is believed to be a companion piece to a miniature of the king. A unique feature of this work is that it includes Katharine's hands. All of Horenbout's other miniatures focused on the head and shoulders. All of his portraits have plain blue backgrounds and are traced with a gold line. Later artists such as Nicholas Hilliard inherited this style and continued it into the 17th century. Katharine of Aragon, c1525 , by Lucas Horenbout. This miniature portrait captures the queen around the time Anne Boleyn first appeared at the English court. Katharine of Aragon, c1530 , unknown artist.

This is the most recognizable portrait of Katharine, painted during the last years of her marriage to Henry VIII. It can be viewed at the NPG, London. Portrait of Anne Boleyn , c.1520s, by Lucas Horenbout / Horenbolte. This is a rare miniature portrait of Anne Boleyn in her mid-twenties, before she became queen of England. Horenbout also painted miniatures of Henry VIII's other wives. Several people have emailed over the years (some nicely, most not) to tell me that this cannot possibly be Anne Boleyn. They know it for a fact (apparently, they have a TARDIS and have traveled back in time to, oh, 1525 and have seen Anne in person) and I'm an idiot for stating otherwise. However, Sir Roy Strong, the preeminent authority on 16th century portraiture, has identified the sitter as Anne; note, for instance, that she wears Anne's falcon badge. Several of the emails argued that Anne looks nothing like she does in her most famous portrait. True. But that portrait was not painted from life.

It was made c1600, during the last years of her daughter's reign. Also, the hair peeking out from the hood does appear to be quite fair, but it was traditional for artists to endow subjects with popular appeal and fair hair was preferred to dark. The truth is that identification of many 16th century portraits is a tricky thing. Experts within the field often disagree; modern-day x-ray studies have also contributed to a reassessment of traditional attribution. I understand that many visitors have a definite 'idea', a fixed idea, of Anne Boleyn's appearance. But the truth is that no one knows what she looked like. Even the famous Holbein sketches cannot be definitively identified as Anne. All we can do is read contemporary descriptions, such as one by the Venetian ambassador in 1532: Anne was 'not one of the handsomest women in the world.

She is of middling stature, with a swarthy complexion, long neck, wide mouth, bosom not much raised, and in fact has nothing but the King's great appetite, and her eyes, which are black and beautiful - ' I wrote all of the above in the hope that it settles the issue, primarily by stating it can never be definitively settled. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with uncertainty. It makes the subject even more entertaining. Anne Boleyn, c1533 , unknown artist. This miniature portrait of Henry VIII's second wife is my personal favorite. She wears a golden necklace with the interlaced initials H and A. Anne Boleyn, c1600 , unknown artist. This is the most famous portrait of Anne, but it is not a contemporary portrait. It is supposedly a copy of a lost original, though I've never found attribution for this oft-repeated claim. It has become the definitive image of Anne and inspired later portraits. Anne Boleyn , 17th century, by Frans Pourbus. This portrait is a lovely interpretation of Elizabeth I's mother, painted a century after her death. It places great emphasis upon Anne's most celebrated feature, her beautiful eyes.

It seems that, with the exception of the disputed Holbein sketches, she looks quite different in every portrayal. The increasing romanticization of her image was largely the result of her daughter's phenomenal popularity. The attendant decline of Catholicism also gave Anne newfound status as Henry VIII's legitimate wife. By contrast, I've come across very few romanticized portraits of Katharine of Aragon during or after her daughter's reign; the ones I have found are black-and-white etchings. Yes, I'm still working on redesigning this page. And yes, it is taking a very very very long time. Until I finish, you can still visit the old Images page .

Question: Which of Henry VIII’s wives had twice been widowed when they married?
Answer: KATHARINE PARR