Profile of Catherine Parr - Sixth Wife of Henry VIII Sixth Wife of Henry VIII Catherine Parr. Hulton Archive/The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images Married Henry VIII of England on July 12 , 1543 Widowed January 28, 1547 Known for: Sixth wife of Henry VIII Religion: Protestant leanings Also known as: Katherine Parr, Katharine Parr, Catharine Parr Catherine Parr Biography When Henry VIII of England noticed the widowed Catherine Parr, he had just had his fifth wife, Catherine Howard , executed for deceiving him. He divorced his fourth queen, Anne of Cleves , because he was not attracted to her. He'd lost his third wife, Jane Seymour , after she gave birth to his only legitimate son. Henry put aside his first wife, Catherine of Aragon , and split with the Church of Rome to divorce her, so that he could marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn , only to have Anne executed for treason for betraying him. Knowing that history, and apparently already engaged to Jane Seymour's brother, Thomas Seymour, Catherine Parr was both reluctant to marry Henry, and aware that refusing could have serious consequences for herself and her family.

continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge So Catherine Parr married Henry VIII of England on July 12, 1543, and by all accounts was a patient, loving, and pious wife to him in his last years of illness, disillusion, and pain. Catherine Parr was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, who served as Henry's Master of the Household, and Maud Green. She was educated well, including in Latin, Greek, and modern languages, and she also learned theology. Catherine was first married to Edward Borough until he died in 1529, and then to John Neville, Lord Latimer, who died in 1542. Catherine Parr helped reconcile Henry to his two daughters, Mary , daughter of Catherine of Aragon, and Elizabeth , daughter of Anne Boleyn. Under her influence, they were educated and restored to the succession. Catherine Parr also directed the education of her stepson, the future Edward VI. Catherine was sympathetic to the Protestant cause -- and could argue fine points of theology with Henry, occasionally infuriating him so much that he threatened her with execution. She probably tempered his persecution of Protestants under the Act of the Six Articles.

Catherine herself narrowly escaped being implicated with Anne Askew. Catherine Parr served as Henry's regent in 1544 when he was in France but, when Henry died in 1547, Catherine was not made regent for Edward. Catherine and her former lover, Thomas Seymour -- he was Edward's uncle -- did have some influence with Edward, including obtaining his permission to marry, which they did on April 4, 1547. Catherine gave birth to her only child, a daughter, in August 1548, and died a few days later of puerperal fever. There have been suspicions that her husband poisoned her to marry Princess Elizabeth. Lady Jane Grey was a ward of Thomas Seymour until his execution for treason in 1549. Catherine Parr left two devotional works that were published after her death. She wrote Prayers and Meditations (1545) and Lamentation of a Sinner (1547). Bibliography Divorced, Beheaded, Survived: A Feminist Reinterpretation of the Wives of Henry VIII, Karen Lindsey, 1996.

One of the best accounts of the strange marital history of one of England's most memorable monarchs. (compare prices) [0201408236] Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII, David Starkey, 2003. Katherine is portrayed quite sympathetically in this account. (compare prices) [069401043X] The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir, 1993. (compare prices) [0802136834] The Wives of Henry VIII, Antonia Fraser, 1993. (compare prices) [067973001X] More women's history biographies, by name: 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 Tudors" Sixth and the Final Wife (TV Episode 2010) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.

Error Sixth and the Final Wife TV-MA | After leaving wife Catherine as regent, a bellicose Henry invades France and lays siege to Boulogne in an attempt to regain his French provinces. Director: Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence. a list of 614 titles created 08 Aug 2012 a list of 659 titles created 06 Jan 2014 a list of 2711 titles created 26 Nov 2014 a list of 38 titles created 07 Jan 2015 a list of 38 titles created 1 month ago Title: Sixth and the Final Wife (23 May 2010) 8.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Add Image Add an image Do you have any images for this title?

Edit Storyline A bellicose Henry eagerly sets out on an invasion of France as an ally to the Emporer Charles V. The King is motivated by his desire to reinvigorate himself in the face of failing health as well as his ambition to regain his French provinces. He confirms the line of succession with new wife Catherine Parr and entrusts her with the regency in his absence. Richard Rich and Bishop Gardner is unhappy with the choice of someone so inexperienced, and Gardner is especially suspicious of Catherine, believing she has Lutheran sympathies, especially after she appoints Reformationist ex-clergyman Hugh Latimer, as her personal chaplain. Henry and his 40,000 man army lay siege to the walled city of Boulogne, believing their artillery sufficient to overcome resistance. When the city continues to hold out, tunnels are dug as a wave of dysentery begins to assault the English army. Written by duke1029@aol.com Did You Know? Trivia Henry actually conducted three wars against the French: 1512-14, 1522-23, and the one depicted here, 1543-46.

See more » Goofs Henry arrives to Boulogne wearing an armor and chain-mail, also his horse and Brandon's are covered in this chain-mail which seems clearly fake. In any case chain-mail was out of use at that time; having been replaced by plate armor, also it is very unlikely that a horse would have been fully covered this way. See more » Quotes Bishop Gardiner : [to Rich referring to the Queen] I think the King should be aware how perilous a matter it is to cherish a serpent in one's own bosom. >>> Review: The Last Wife - NOW Toronto Magazine - Think Free Home Stage Theatre >>> Review: The Last Wife >>> Review: The Last Wife Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth spouse, is a fascinating king- and queen-maker in Kate Hennig’s excellent Stratford play David Hou Joseph Ziegler and Maev Beaty THE LAST WIFE by Kate Hennig (Stratford Festival). At the Studio Theatre, Stratford. Runs in rep to October 7; see stratfordfestival.ca for schedule. $25-$195, stu from $18. 1-800-567-1600 .

Rating: NNNNN Kate Hennig’s splendid The Last Wife is a small-scale but intense domestic story, filled with stress, power trips, love, fights and manipulation. But hers isn’t your usual family. The characters are the king, queen and future rulers of Tudor England. At its centre is Katherine Parr (Maev Beaty), the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII (Joseph Ziegler), who outlived her husband and married her lover, Thom (Gareth Potter), within months of Henry’s death. In Hennig’s feminist tale, Parr – one of many C/Katherines in Henry’s life – attempts to share in running his kingdom and, just as importantly, convinces the impulsive, volatile ruler to accept his previous wives’ daughters, Mary (Sara Farb) and Elizabeth (Bahia Watson), as family and part of the chain of Tudor succession. Of course, in this patriarchal court, they rank below the young prince, Eddie (Jonah Q. Gribble).

Told in a series of short, filmic scenes, the action moves quickly from Henry’s “courting” – read demanding – of Katherine, her success in reinstating the young women Henry considers bastards, taking some control of the country when Henry goes to war in France, and the misstep she makes in thinking she can retain that control. Though the material is historically accurate, the play’s tone and some of its language are contemporary. We could be watching a dynastic family in today’s business world, but the stakes are much higher and played out on a national stage. Alan Dilworth’s expert direction rightly focuses on the domestic story, eschewing grandeur for the human element of shifting relationships. It’s matched by Yannick Larivée’s intentionally simple set, lit by Kimberly Purtell – a multi-use table and some chairs, a curtain upstage that parts to show the back of a throne, suggesting we’re mostly in private rather than public quarters – which is literally topped by an upside-down model of Hampton Court; the male world of the palace is turned on its head by the possibility of women in power.

The script, filled with humour and passion, offers one powerful confrontation after another as well as the tenderness and trust that grows between Katherine and her newfound daughters. Even the bullying Henry has a protective side, revealed when he talks about Jane Seymour, his third wife, who died giving birth to Eddie. You couldn’t have a better cast, including the charming Gribble, whose Eddie can’t stand to listen or watch when his parents fight at the dinner table, and Potter’s initially flirtatious and open but later worldly-wise Thom. Farb’s rebellious, acerbic Mary, dressed in goth black, and Watson’s girlish, instinctively intelligent Elizabeth are first-rate. Ziegler’s mercurial Henry is never predictable; he occasionally reveals a sensitive side that surprises his wife and the others around him. Still, when Henry says to Katherine, “if you tell anybody, I’ll have to kill you,” we’re not sure – nor is she – whether he’s joking. But it’s Beaty who burnishes this production, her Katherine always aware of walking on a sword’s edge yet never hesitant to forward an agenda for herself, her husband and her kids.

Complex in weaving that agenda, she allows various emotions to wash across her face as Katherine considers different courses and chooses one over another. What Katherine wants, and arguably gets, is a real partnership with her older husband: a sense that he acknowledges her use and power in his realm and his life. Still, the play ends on a note of tension among the remaining characters. And that’s a good thing – Hennig has plans for more scripts based on these fascinating characters. Tags Dec 31, 2016 9:00 PM - Tudor romance: Did Henry VIII love his last wife Katherine Parr? | History Extra Directory Did Henry VIII love his last wife Katherine Parr? Linda Porter looks at Henry VIII’s often misunderstood relationship with his last wife, Katherine Parr, and questions whether it was, indeed, a case of true love. Tuesday 14th February 2012 BBC History Magazine - 5 issues for £5 16th-century portrait of Katherine Parr.

(Photo by Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images) On 12 July 1543, as plague began to take hold in London, two dozen guests crammed into a small chapel at Hampton Court to see Henry VIII marry for the sixth time. The wedding, a low-key affair, took the diplomatic community in London by surprise. It was noted that “the king espoused the queen privately and without ceremony”. The bridegroom was, however, enthusiastic as he took his vows “with a joyful countenance”. Henry was 52 years old and ailing. His new wife, Katherine Parr, was not quite 31, twice-widowed and an experienced stepmother. Surely this was a marriage born of common sense, where passion would play little part? The Victorians depicted it as the union of an irascible tyrant with a worthy matron. The truth, however, was very different. Henry was looking for a wife, not a nurse or homemaker. He wanted a companion for his bed who might provide further heirs and could carry the role of queen consort impressively.

Katherine, who had given up another man to marry the king, was well aware that her duties would definitely run to more than polite conversation and soothing the royal brow. Her determination to be a success led to a deep bond of affection between the royal couple which may, in 1546, have saved her life. It is not surprising that Henry was drawn to the comely widow. She was a slim, attractive redhead whose unimpeachable reputation hid a sensual nature. Her other suitor, Sir Thomas Seymour (the king’s brother-in-law), had already realised this and probably Henry did, too. Until now, the curtains around the marriage bed of Henry VIII and his last wife have remained firmly closed. Yet theirs was undoubtedly a sexual relationship. Katherine took seriously her vows to be “bonaire and buxom in bed and in board”. She took milk baths to keep her skin soft and the day after her wedding, she ordered “fine perfumes” for her bedchamber at Hampton Court. She was clearly determined to make her body and her bedchamber as enticing as possible. Henry lumbering into view in his nightshirt must have been a daunting sight.

A year before his final marriage it had been noted that he was “already very stout and daily growing heavier… three of the biggest men to be found could get inside his doublet”. Pain and the disease in his legs had left their mark on him. Between 1543 and 1545 he got through 300 pairs of hose a year. This was the man that Katherine had taken as her third husband. Very soon he doted on her – but could she possibly have loved him? At the outset, almost certainly not. She married him for the advancement of her family and because he could not be refused. She was dutiful and keen to convince herself that her fate was God’s will. Yet Katherine was also a loving and optimistic woman, as well as intelligent. She knew the opportunity that had come her way and thought hard about how to turn it to her advantage. Developing a good relationship with all three of the royal children was certainly important but at the heart of Katherine’s strategy was the king himself. Henry was not simply an overweight monster but a lonely and unhappy man after the disaster of his marriage to the foolish Katherine Howard. Katherine Parr recognised his need for love and attention.

Circumstances permitted her to establish herself swiftly as a major influence in his life, as the plague kept them continuously outside the capital and in each other’s company for six months. It was an ideal foundation for their relationship.So the king showered her with jewels and beautiful clothes, entrusted the country to her regency while he fought the French one last time in 1544, and greatly hoped for children with her. Henry and Katherine shared many interests, from hunting and archery to music, masques and books. She was a graceful dancer and they both loved the Venetian Bassano brothers, musicians patronised by Katherine. Henry, a cultured man, was delighted to have a queen who commanded respect from ambassadors and with whom he could discourse. Both husband and wife were committed to the 16th-century belief in lifelong learning. Katherine brushed up her Latin and also began to edit and write religious books, as her commitment to advancing the cause of further reform grew. In 1545 she became the first queen of England to be published when copies of her Prayers or Meditations were produced by the king’s printers. Her influence over Henry seemed unshakeable.

But in 1546, the last full year of the king’s life, Katherine’s position came under threat. Henry’s health declined alarmingly and the negative attributes of his personality, his capriciousness, cunning and imperiousness, were amplified by the reluctant acknowledgement of his own mortality. A power struggle for the future of England was fought out over his diseased frame and his loyal wife, who had felt secure in his affection and returned it with devotion, found herself at the centre of the struggle. A bitter fight The story of plots against the queen was recounted dramatically by John Foxe nearly two decades later. By the time Foxe was writing, almost all of those who had been close to Katherine Parr were dead, so the detail cannot be verified. Katherine never spoke of such things herself. But it is certain that the bitter fight between the forces of religious reform and conservatism came close to Katherine. The ladies of her bedchamber were targeted in the search for banned books, and an outspoken reformer, Anne Askew, was tortured to get her to reveal links to those who served the queen. Anne was later burned at the stake without divulging anything.

But Katherine hastily hid many items in her own book collection, changed locks on trunks and coffers and summoned her sick uncle to support her at this difficult time. Henry must have known his wife’s views and interests. If Foxe is to be believed he found them progressively irritating, not so much for their content as for the fact that she presumed to contradict him in public. Nor had she conceived, and time was passing. Henry’s tendency to become bored with his wives after a couple of years may also have been a factor. Yet whatever happened in the summer of 1546 did not destroy their marriage. Perhaps Henry did, as Foxe claimed, take a penitent Katherine on his knee and reassure her of his love. In fact, he seems to have been eager to make amends by ordering “all manner of jewels, pearls and precious stones… skins and sable furs… for our dearest wife, the queen”. She, however, knew that her position had changed. After a second honeymoon in the autumn, they parted before Christmas. Henry needed to put his kingdom in order and prepare for death. There is no evidence that Katherine ever saw him again.

Her New Year’s gift to Prince Edward was a portrait of herself with his father, a telling clue that she hoped to cling on to the influence she had once enjoyed. Henry died on 28 January 1547. Katherine’s hope that she would be made regent for the boy-king was dashed when Edward Seymour took power. In the spring of 1547 Katherine secretly wedded Edward’s younger brother, Thomas, whom she certainly loved, though the pair hoped also to regain control of the royal children through their union. The marriage was stormy. Katherine suffered considerably during a difficult pregnancy as her husband flirted with Princess Elizabeth, who lived under her care. She died of childbed fever on 5 September 1548 after giving birth to her only child, a daughter. It was a tragic end for this remarkable woman, who had found that marriage to Henry VIII was perilous but brought great rewards. She set out to win his heart and amply succeeded. Henry’s first five wives 1. Henry’s first wife, Katherine of Aragon, was an able consort. She adored him and for some years they seemed happy.

But the lack of a male heir and the temptation of Anne Boleyn made Henry decide to end their marriage. 2. Anne Boleyn waited six years for Henry but his passion for her did not long survive their wedding. Proud, sensitive and hot-tempered, Anne was a difficult spouse. By 1536 Henry could not abide her. Anne was accused of adultery and executed. 3. Henry married Jane Seymour ten days after Anne’s beheading. Her blonde submissiveness pleased the king but Jane’s true feelings for Henry are unknown. She died shortly after the birth of her son, the future Edward VI, in 1537. 4. Anne of Cleves married Henry in 1540. The king had been entranced by her portrait but was repelled by the real woman. He failed to consummate the marriage and divorced her after a mere six months. She was, however, reluctant to be cast aside. 5. Katherine Howard had already caught Henry’s eye. He was besotted by her vivacity, youth and sexuality. She wanted only to be queen. The discovery of Katherine’s steamy past and secret liaisons devastated Henry. She went to the block in 1542.

Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr by Linda Porter (Macmillan, 2010) Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey (Vintage, 2004) The Last Days of Henry VIII by Robert Hutchinson (Phoenix, 2005) Edward VI by Chris Skidmore (Phoenix, 2008) Linda Porter is the author of Mary Tudor: The First Queen and Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr. Katharine / Catherine / Katherine Parr - Facts & Information Contact Katherine Parr – Facts, Information, Biography & Portraits Katharine Parr was the sixth and last wife of King Henry VIII, destined to outlive the mercurial ruler. She was already twice-widowed and childless when they wed in 1543; she was also in love with Thomas Seymour, the brother of Henry’s third queen Jane. But the king’s will was law and Katharine bowed to his demands with grace. She was an admirable wife to Henry and a loving stepmother to his two youngest children, Elizabeth and Edward. She was also the most intellectual of Henry’s wives, caught up in the turbulent religious climate of the times.

And it was this passionate interest in theology which nearly ended her life, for the king was old and sickly but still capable of destroying those closest to him. Katharine saved herself and earned Henry’s respect enough to be appointed Regent of England during his military campaign in Boulogne. Upon his death in 1547, she married Seymour with indecent haste, the only one of four husbands she had chosen herself. Her greatest achievement was the popularity of her devotional works; they were 16th century bestsellers and capture Katharine’s complex and abiding piety. ‘Lord, hearken to my words. Consider the thought of mine heart. Behold, how loud I cry unto thee. Let my just prayer enter into thine ears, which unfeignedly cometh from mine heart. Hear me, Lord, for I am poor and destitute of man’s help. Take care for my soul. Save me, thy servant, which wholly trust in thee.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I will never cease crying to thee for help.’ a prayer written by Katharine Parr Biography After the debacle of his fifth marriage to a girl thirty years his junior, Henry VIII found himself in a novel position. For the first time in his tangled marital career, a future wife was not waiting to be claimed. The king turned fifty-one the year Catherine Howard was executed; he was obese, often bedridden and in great pain. His moods grew dark and vengeful. The Tudor court vacillated between the opposing factions of Catholicism and the reformed faith; they waited expectantly for Henry to choose his next wife, knowing she would tip the balance in favor of one party. But which? And was there a woman at court who would risk marrying the elderly king? The position of Queen was the greatest honor for an Englishwoman; but in the last years of Henry’s reign, it was also the most dangerous honor. After the humiliation of Catherine Howard’s infidelity, Henry was determined his next wife would not dare cuckold him. And so there was an interesting clause in the Act of Attainder which had condemned Catherine to death.

It stated that ‘to avoid doubts for the future’, anyone who knew anything ‘incontinent’ about the queen must reveal it – or be condemned for treason. And if the king chose to marry a woman whom he ‘took to be a pure and clean maid’ and she turned out to be otherwise, the charge of treason would apply to both the woman and ‘all who knew it and did not reveal it’. In other words, you must speak up – either before or after the royal marriage – or die. This new law was enough to frighten even the most seasoned courtier. Before, the chance to parade a young girl before the king was a chance to make a family’s fortune; now, it was merely a chance to risk death. For who could be completely certain of a young woman’s chastity? Furthermore, who could trust the old king’s judgment on the matter? Henry had declared he ‘somewhat suspected’ the virginity of Anne of Cleves, but he had believed Catherine Howard to be a virgin when she was not. If one was relying solely upon the king’s word….. What if a chaste young woman did marry Henry and he then mistakenly declared she was ‘incontinent’?

No one could impugn the word of the king, nor escape his wrath. Understandably enough, the mood at court was hesitant and frightened. And so when the king’s eye turned favorably to one Lady Latimer, thirty-one years old and twice-widowed, courtiers breathed a sigh of relief and her family could safely encourage the royal interest. After all, a widow need not prove her nebulous virginity to a credulous monarch. Portrait of Katharine Parr by William Scrots, c1546 Katharine Parr, Lady Latimer, had many other admirable qualities which attracted the king. She has the historical reputation of a doting stepmother and devoted scholar, but she was also a woman as dedicated to finery and amusements as any of Henry’s previous wives. And though twice-widowed, she was still twenty years younger than the king. She was tall, vivacious and witty, with a kindly and sensible nature. She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendal and Maud Greene; Katharine was the eldest of three children, born probably in 1512, followed the next year by her brother William and a year later by her sister Anne.

Thomas and Maud were courtiers during the early years of Henry VIII’s reign. Thomas was knighted at the king’s coronation in 1509 and Maud was a lady-in-waiting to his first queen, Katharine of Aragon. But Thomas died unexpectedly in 1517, and Katharine’s mother dedicated herself to securing good marriages for her children. Katharine was raised in Northamptonshire in the household of her uncle Sir William Parr. Her education was good, but not comprehensive. Later in life, she would undertake the difficult task of learning Greek and Latin; this was indicative of her genuine love and respect for scholarship, particularly with regard to women. It was Katharine Parr who encouraged Elizabeth I’s education, thus creating the most learned monarch in English history. She also made John Cheke and Roger Ascham tutors to young Prince Edward; the influence of these Cambridge ‘reformers’ upon both Elizabeth and Edward was profound. Katharine’s first marriage was in 1529; her mother died two years later. Her first husband was young Edward Borough, son of a minor lord in Lincolnshire.

The marriage was childless and Edward, who had a history of lingering illness, died in 1532. Katharine’s next husband, John Neville, Lord Latimer, was forty years old, twice Katharine’s age and with a son and daughter. They wed in late spring 1533; Katharine was his third wife. Latimer was a wealthy northern landowner and Katharine quickly adapted to her new lifestyle as mistress of a large household. She also became – at the young age of twenty-one – the beloved stepmother of Latimer’s daughter. The most trying time of their marriage was the infamous Pilgrimage of Grace, which forced the conservative North against Henry VIII’s religious policies. Poor Latimer was torn between the demands of the rebels (who kidnapped him and, later, his wife and daughter) and those of his angry king. Called to London to explain himself, Latimer was eventually cleared of complicity. But his health was broken from the stress and never recovered. Katharine began to spend more time in London, nursing her husband and visiting with her younger sister Anne.

Anne Parr had married William Herbert, the illegitimate grandson of the powerful earl of Pembroke, and was also a lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII’s fourth and fifth wives. Katharine was still a young woman, and this time at court opened her eyes in many ways. First, she was at last in the presence of healthy, dynamic men her own age; unlike her invalid husbands, these men were flirtatious and charming. There was never a hint of impropriety in Katharine’s actions, and she continued to nurse the ailing Lord Latimer with notable care and compassion. But she would have been less than human if she did not notice the contrast between her life in northern England and the glittering, challenging court of Henry VIII. She became increasingly interested in the theological debates of the court, but she also enjoyed its less intellectual pleasures – dancing, music, banquets, grand costumes. When she became queen, this love of clothes and jewels would be indulged on the grandest scale. While Lord Latimer lingered on his deathbed throughout 1541 and 1542, Katharine realistically assessed her future.

She would soon be a very wealthy widow, finally free to make her own choices and with the youth to enjoy them. Soon enough, she had fallen in love with the charming Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane and uncle to Henry VIII’s only male heir. But she had also caught Henry VIII’s jaded eye. His first gifts to Katharine were delivered on 16 February 1543, a year after Catherine Howard’s execution. On 2 March, her husband Lord Latimer at last passed away. Katharine looked to Seymour as her future husband, to a life of passionate fulfillment rather than one of duty. Seymour, meanwhile, took note of the king’s interest and wisely stepped back. And so Katharine Parr once again followed a dutiful course, entering into a third marriage with an older, sickly husband. But though she followed her duty, it was not an easy choice. She wrote to Seymour, ‘As truly as God is God, my mind was fully bent…. to marry you before any man I know.’ But the will of God was different than her own, she continued, and after a great spiritual struggle, she had no choice but obedience.

She and Seymour parted with some promises for the future (after all, the king was ill and failing) and their feelings undiminished. The ascendancy of the Parr family had now begun. Events moved quickly. She and Henry were married by Stephen Gardiner in the ‘Queen’s closet’ at Hampton Court Palace on 12 July 1543, with all the royal children present. The marriage was an immediate success. Katharine chose as her motto ‘To be useful in all I do.’ And she had a truly endearing personality, as proven by the genuine affection which a variety of people felt for her. To the king, she was the perfect companion and nursemaid; to his children, she was a loving stepmother. As queen, she attracted those courtiers sympathetic to the reformed faith. Her rooms became famous for their theological debates, a fact which soon incensed Stephen Gardiner and other Catholics. When the king left for France on yet another expensive military campaign in July 1544, Katharine – his ‘most dearly and most entirely beloved wife’ – was made Regent of England. The only other wife accorded this honor had been Henry’s first, Katharine of Aragon.

Henry returned in October to find his affairs in good order. Their marriage had its physical side as well. Though occasionally impotent, the king did consummate their marriage and Katharine was fond of ordering black satin nightdresses. She would often sit with the king’s sore leg in her lap, or in his lap herself. The king enjoyed her dancing and they both loved music; they also exchanged rich gifts. It was only when Katharine waded into the complicated morass of Tudor theology that she roused Henry’s temper. The king’s religious beliefs remain confusing centuries later; one can only sympathize with his contemporaries who had to guess at them and hope for the best. Raised a Catholic, Henry was forced to repudiate the papacy in order to marry Anne Boleyn; for several years afterwards, Protestants and Catholics alike were struck down by the king. To lean too far one way or the other risked certain death. As the king grew older, he came to appreciate the mess he had created. Where did he stand? Was he an ally of the Lutheran princes? Or did he miss the faith of his youth? It is probable that even Henry did not know the answer.

But even if he didn’t know what he believed, he did know heresy when he heard it – or so he thought. Encouraged by Gardiner and other Catholic councilors, he was soon persuaded that Katharine Parr was a heretic. Katharine was coming dangerously attracted to evangelical Protestantism. Her companions were of a younger generation than the king, having grown up in the decades following Martin Luther’s triumph in Germany. Theology was no longer only the province of churchmen; the laity – and women especially – could now question and debate the most important issues for themselves. As an intelligent woman with a deep love of scholarship, this new faith appealed to Katharine. There was no room for her in Catholicism, but she could be a guiding light for the reformers. And so she was, attracting Mile Coverdale, John Parkhurst, Anthony Cope and others. She had also become close friends with Thomas Cranmer, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Catherine Willoughby, the duchess of Suffolk, another young wife of an elderly husband. Both she and Katharine used their youthful energy in defense of the new faith. Katharine Parr or Lady Jane Grey?

Perhaps the central belief of this new faith was the need for everyone to personally study the Bible. This was a truly revolutionary idea; it also lessened the power of Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church of England since it encouraged his subjects to think for themselves. Conservatives argued that reading the Bible only encouraged heresy. But as Katharine wrote angrily, ‘Is it not extreme wickedness to charge the holy sanctified word of God with the offenses of man? To allege the Scriptures to be perilous learning because certain readers thereof fall into heresies?’ In May 1543, the king’s council felt sufficiently alarmed by this permissive climate to pass the Act for the Advancement of the True Religion. It was directed against the ‘lower sort’ who wished to study the Bible in English, either alone or in public. It was later amended to allow noblewomen the right to read the Bible but they must do so alone and not engage in religious debate. Katharine, however, seemed content to ignore this warning. The king was openly affectionate; foreign ambassadors wrote home in praise of her kindness; her stepchildren loved her. She was secure in her position and unaware of any danger.

As patroness, she favored the reformers and also sought to protect those who fell from favor. But in 1546, Baron Thomas Wriothesley was made Lord Chancellor; he was a conservative especially interested in stamping out heresy. On 24 May 1546, the reformist Anne Askew was arrested and horribly tortured. She had ties to court, particularly to the duchess of Suffolk. But she refused to implicate the queen despite repeated questioning; Wriothesley and his secretary Richard Rich were personally involved in her torture. On 16 July she was burnt at the stake for heresy. Only a few days before, the Privy Council had ordered Katharine’s estate books seized, presumably because she would soon be arrested and her property confiscated. This indicates that her Catholic enemies felt confident the king would follow their lead in disposing of his sixth wife, much as he had destroyed Thomas Cromwell four years before. And since the king possessed the disturbing quality of acting well to those he was about to destroy, his continued affection for Katharine did not worry them. Katharine, however, was still lulled into a feeling of safety.

In response to Anne Askew’s execution, she hurriedly threw out her most evangelical books – but that was all. Around this time, Henry VIII was in a more irritable mood than usual. His ulcerated leg had grown worse, as had the recurrent headaches. Katharine made the mistake of engaging the king in theological discourse while he was physically unwell and under the influence of his conservative courtiers. It nearly cost her her life. Shortly after Anne Askew’s execution, the royal couple were sitting in their usual position – the king’s sore leg resting upon his wife’s lap. As she nursed him, Katharine began to lecture her husband on religion. The king was in no mood for what he considered heresy, nor to be lectured by his wife. It seemed Katharine’s enemies had won. But then the old king threw all into confusion, possibly on purpose. He told his doctor, Thomas Wendy, that Katharine was about to be arrested and soon enough an anonymous courtier dropped a copy of the warrant outside Katharine’s rooms. The queen was devastated and immediately in fear for her life.

Katharine went to the king’s rooms and there he immediately began to discuss religion with her, in particular contradicting many of her reformist beliefs. Recognizing the test, Katharine agreed with it all, telling Henry that ‘women by their first creation were made subject to men’ and that ‘men out to instruct their wives, who would do all their learning from them’. The king was ‘a prince of such excellent learning and wisdom’ that she would gladly follow his counsel. But this appeal to Henry’s vanity was not enough. ‘You are become a doctor able to instruct us and not to be instructed by us,’ the king said, referring to her earlier lecture. But Katharine replied that he had ‘much mistaken the freedom she had taken to argue with him’, for she had only done it to learn from him and distract him from his illness. ‘And is it even so?’ asked Henry, with a smile. ‘Then Kate, we are friends again.’ Katharine Parr had escaped. But no one had told the king’s council. When Wriothesley and forty guards arrived to arrest Katharine the next day, the king himself beat them about the heads and shoulders, calling them foul names.

Katharine was thus saved in a most public and spectacular fashion, and was soon gifted with more jewels and plate than before. Her appeal to Henry’s vanity saved her life and it also allowed the king to remind everyone who was the real master. Wriothesley had sought to recreate the destruction of Wolsey and Cromwell, using the king’s temper to destroy his personal enemies. But Henry VIII was of a mind to do otherwise. He had long lamented the loss of Cromwell and he disliked any manipulation by his councilors. By saving Katharine in such a public manner, he forced his courtiers to recognize his omnipotence and mutability. But he was not indestructible. The king’s health began a decline in the spring of 1546 from which he only sporadically recovered. By the winter, he was dangerously ill. Katharine’s own position gained new prominence since upon Henry’s death she would be the dowager queen. She already had great influence over her stepson Prince Edward. She continued to nurse Henry assiduously, but was sent away to Greenwich Palace with Mary and Elizabeth for Christmas celebrations. She returned to London on 10 January but never saw the king again.

Henry VIII died in the early morning hours of 28 January 1547. After Henry’s death, Thomas Seymour’s elder brother Edward assumed the title Protector of the Kingdom, ruling in the name of his nine year old nephew. Katharine, meanwhile, married Thomas with what others (including her royal stepchildren) felt was indecent haste. The actual date is not known but Seymour referred to himself as her husband in a letter of 17 May. The wedding took place in the moonlit gardens of Chelsea Manor. Letters indicate that the ambitious Seymour pressed for a quick union. As a dowager queen, Katharine was expected to behave perfectly; also, it was theoretically possible she was pregnant by Henry VIII. For once, the always dutiful Katharine had acted impulsively. She had given up Thomas Seymour once and would not do so again. For the new king’s councilors, the marriage was a disaster. They recognized Seymour’s ambition even as Katharine fell even more deeply in love. Edward Seymour’s wife Anne Stanhope, now the duchess of Somerset, engaged in a petty battle of precedence with Katharine. Also, there were arguments over Katharine’s possessions, particularly jewelry which Henry VIII had given her.

Still, there was far happier news to distract her. In late November 1547, thirty-five years old and childless through three previous marriages, Katharine Parr became pregnant. However, her pregnancy was not the happy triumph she had expected. Her husband proved too forward with the young Princess Elizabeth and Katharine was forced to send her step-daughter away. This breach hurt them both deeply. The young Lady Jane Grey remained with the household, however, for Seymour had ‘bought’ her from her ambitious parents, hoping to marry her to Prince Edward. Katharine gave birth to a girl named Mary at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire on 30 August. Jane Grey stood as godmother to the infant, but the happy occasion took a quick turn for the worse. Katharine Parr soon fell victim to puerperal sepsis, or ‘childbed fever’, which had also killed Queen Jane Seymour. She suffered painful delusions before sinking into calm, able to dictate her will and final wishes. She died on 5 September, and Jane Grey acted as chief mourner at the funeral. She was buried at Sudeley in St Mary’s Church. Katharine’s Parr life was always one of duty and kindness.

She left behind a formidable tradition of scholarship and religious devotion, as evidenced by her own books. The great tragedy of her life was that, when finally able to marry for love, her happiness was all too brief. Read More English History Topics Link/cite this page If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. Hanson, Marilee. "Katherine Parr – Facts, Information, Biography & Portraits" <a href=""> January 31, 2015 Link will appear as Hanson, Marilee. "Katherine Parr – Facts, Information, Biography & Portraits" , January 31, 2015 More from Tudor 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. 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

Question: Who was the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII?
Answer: Catherine Parr