Katherine of Aragon
Queen consort of England
Born	16 December 1485(1485-12-16)
Birthplace	Laredo Palace, Alcala de Henares,Spain
Died	7 January 1536 (aged 50)
Place of death	Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire
Consort	June 11, 1509 - May 23, 1533
Consort to	Henry VIII
Issue	Mary I 2 sons named Henry 3 other children
Royal House	Trastámara
Father	Ferdinand II of Aragon
Mother	Isabella I of Castille

Catherine of Aragon (also know as Catharine, Katherine or Katharine) (16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536), Castilian Infanta Catalina de Aragón y Castilla, was the Queen of England as the first wife of Henry VIII of England. A queen consort is the title given to the wife of a reigning king. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Kimbolton Castle in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, is best known as the final home of King Henry VIII 's first queen Catherine of Aragon. History Cambridgeshire is noted as the site of some of the earliest known Neolithic permanent settlement in the United Kingdom, along with sites at Fengate Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Mary I (18 February 1516 &ndash 17 November 1558 was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death Henry Duke of Cornwall was the name of two sons of King Henry VIII of England and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. The House of Trastámara was a Dynasty of kings in the Iberian Peninsula, which governed in Castile from 1369 to 1504, Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental See also List of English monarchs. The English royal consorts were the spouses of the reigning monarchs of the Kingdom of England The six wives ( queens consort) of Henry VIII of England were in order Catherine of Aragon (annulled Anne Boleyn (beheaded Jane Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Henry's attempt to have their twenty-four-year marriage annulled set in motion a chain of events that led to England's break with the Roman Catholic Church. Annulment in the Catholic Church See also Annulment (Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church, a marriage is considered to be a valid contract Henry was dissatisfied with the marriage because all their sons had died in childhood, leaving only one of their six children, Princess Mary (later Queen Mary I) as heiress presumptive, at a time when there was no established precedent for a woman on the throne. Mary I (18 February 1516 &ndash 17 November 1558 was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death An heir presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne peerage or other hereditary honor but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir apparent When Pope Clement VII refused to annul the marriage, Henry defied him by creating the Anglican Church so that he could marry Anne Boleyn anyway, in the hope of fathering a male heir to the Tudor dynasty. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536 was the Queen of England as the second wife of Henry VIII of England. The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was an English royal Dynasty that lasted 118 years from 1485 to 1603 a period known as the Tudor period

Early life

Catherine was the youngest child of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón Her older siblings were Isabella, Princess of Asturias Queen of Portugal; John, Prince of Asturias; Joanna of Castile; and Maria of Castile and Aragon, Queen of Portugal. Infante don Juan de Trastamara de Aragon y de Trastamara de Castilla, ( 28 June 1478 in Seville&ndash 4 October 1497) Prince of She was an aunt, among others, of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, John III of Portugal and their wives, Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Henry I of Portugal. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was John III ( Portuguese: João III ʒuˈɐ̃ũ ( June 7, 1502 &ndash June 11, 1557) nicknamed o Piedoso Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor ( Alcalá de Henares (near Madrid) Kingdom of Castile (now Spain) 10 March 1503 &ndash For the Count of Portugal see Henry Count of Portugal; for the Prince see Henry the Navigator Henry Cardinal-King of Portugal or She was a granddaughter of both John II of Castile and John II of Aragon. John II ( March 6 1405 &ndash July 20 1454) was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454 John II the Great ( June 29, 1397 &ndash January 20, 1479) was the King of Aragon (1458&ndash1479 and Jure uxoris She was descended from the English royal house through her great-grandmother Katherine of Lancaster and her great-great-grandmother Philippa of Lancaster, both daughters of John of Gaunt and granddaughters of Edward III of England. Katherine of Lancaster (also known as Katherine Plantagenet and as Queen Catalina of Castile and Leon) (1372-1418 &ndash was the daughter of John of Gaunt Princess Philippa of Lancaster, LG ( 31 March, 1360 Leicester Castle &ndash July 19, 1415 Odivelas) was an English John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster (second creation 1st Duke of Aquitaine (6 March 1340 &ndash 3 February 1399 was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third Edward III (13 November 1312 &ndash 21 June 1377 was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. She was thus a third cousin of her father-in-law, Henry VII, and a fourth cousin of her mother-in-law Elizabeth of York. Elizabeth of York (11 February 1466 &ndash 11 February 1503 was the Queen Consort of King Henry VII of England, whom she married in 1486

She was born at Laredo Palace in Alcalá de Henares (30 km from Madrid) on the night of 15-16 December. Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. At an early age, she was identified as a suitable wife for Arthur, Prince of Wales, first son of Henry VII of England and heir to the throne. Arthur Tudor (19 or 20 September 1486 - 2 April 1502 was the first son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and therefore heir to the throne They were married by proxy, and corresponded in Latin until Arthur turned fifteen and it was decided that the time had arrived for them to be married in person. A proxy marriage is a Marriage in which either the bride or the groom is not physically present for the wedding She arrived in England in the autumn, with a retinue including George de Athequa, and the couple met at last on November 4, 1501, at Dogmersfield in Hampshire. George de Athequa was a Bishop of Llandaff in the early days of the Reformation. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Dogmersfield is a small village between Fleet and Hartley Wintney located in Hampshire, England. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Little is known about their first impressions of each other, but Arthur did write to his parents-in-law that he would be 'a true and loving husband' and he later told his parents that he was immensely happy to behold the face of his lovely bride. Ten days later, on 14 November 1501, they were married at St. Paul's Cathedral. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London.

Katherine as a young widow, by Henry VII's court painter, Michael Sittow, c. Michael Sittow, also Michel Sittow or "Michiel" (b and d 1502

Princess of Wales

As Prince of Wales, Arthur was sent to Ludlow Castle on the borders of Wales, to preside over the Council of Wales and the Marches, and his bride accompanied him. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom Ludlow Castle is a large now partly ruined non-inhabited Castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. See also the Council of Wales for the advisory council established in 1948 A few months later, they both became ill, possibly with the sweating sickness which was sweeping the area. Sweating sickness, also known as the "English sweate" (sudor anglicus was a mysterious and highly virulent disease which struck England and later He died of it on April 2, 1502, and she nearly died; she recovered to find herself a widow. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of

At this point Henry VII was faced with the dilemma of how to avoid returning her dowry to her father. To avoid complications, it was agreed that she would marry the king's second son, Prince Henry, who was more than five years younger than her. The marriage was delayed until the prince was old enough, and the king procrastinated so much that it looked doubtful whether the marriage would ever take place. She lived, almost as prisoner, at Durham House in London. Durham House, or Durham Inn, was the historic London residence of the Bishop of Durham in the Strand, with its gardens descending to the Thames London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[1] Some of her letters to her father, complaining of her treatment, have survived.

Marriage to Arthur's brother depended on the Pope granting a dispensation because of the close relationship. Katherine testified that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated. The matter was considered of minor importance at the time, as the Pope had the power to overrule any objections to the marriage, whether or not they were forbidden by religious law.

Queen Consort of England

The wedding took place on 11 June 1509, seven weeks after the death of Henry VII, and was followed by a lavish double coronation on 24 June. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place ^[2] Both as Princess of Wales and as Queen Consort, she was extremely popular with the English people. Princess of Wales is a Courtesy title held by the wife of the Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283 A queen consort is the title given to the wife of a reigning king. She governed the nation as Regent when Henry invaded France in 1513. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor

The Six Wives of King Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Jane Seymour
Anne of Cleves
Catherine Howard
Catherine Parr

The marriage seems to have been a happy one until Henry became seriously worried about producing a male heir to his throne as the years went past. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536 was the Queen of England as the second wife of Henry VIII of England. Jane Seymour (1508– 24 October 1537) was Queen Consort of England and the third wife of Henry VIII. Anne of Cleves Queen of England (22 September 1515&ndash16 July 1557 ( German: Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg) was the fourth wife of Henry VIII For other Catherine Howards see Catherine Howard (disambiguation Catherine Howard (between 1520 and 1525 – 13 February 1542 also called Catherine Parr ( c 1512 &ndash 5 September 1548 also known as Katherine or Katharine Parr(e, was the last of the six wives of Henry Their first child, a daughter, arrived stillborn on 31 January 1510. A stillbirth occurs when a Fetus which has died in the Uterus or during labor or delivery exits a Woman 's body Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Prince Henry, Duke of Cornwall was born on 1 January 1511, but died 52 days later. Henry Duke of Cornwall was the name of two sons of King Henry VIII of England and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC In November 1513, she gave birth to another son named Henry, but he only lived a few hours. Her next pregnancy produced a stillborn daughter, in December 1514. On February 18, 1516 at the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich, London, she gave birth to a daughter named Mary (later Mary I of England) - the only child to survive infancy. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy The Palace of Placentia was an English Royal Palace built by Humphrey Duke of Gloucester in 1447 in Greenwich, on the banks of the Greenwich ( ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ GREN-itch /ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ/ GREN-idge or /ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ/ GRIN-idge is a district in south-east London, Mary I (18 February 1516 &ndash 17 November 1558 was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death Her final pregnancy ended with another stillborn daughter, on 10 November 1518. Events 1444 - Battle of Varna: The crusading forces of King Vladislaus III of Varna (aka Ulaszlo I of Hungary and Wladyslaw

Henry considered a male heir essential. "Heir" and "Heiress" redirect here For the men and women fragrances endorsed by Paris Hilton see Heiress (fragrance. The Tudor dynasty was new, and its legitimacy might still be tested. The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was an English royal Dynasty that lasted 118 years from 1485 to 1603 a period known as the Tudor period The last time a female had inherited the English throne (Henry I of England's daughter, the Empress Matilda), a long civil war (1135–1154) had been fought. Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Matilda of England (sometimes Maud or Maude; 7 February 1102 &ndash 10 September 1167 was the daughter and dispossessed Heir of Henry I of England The Anarchy or The Nineteen Year Winter refers to a period of English history during the reign ( 1135 &ndash 1154) of the Norman King The disasters of civil war were still fresh in living memory from the Wars of the Roses (1455–1485). The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485 were a series of dynastic Civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York

In 1520 Catherine's nephew Emperor Charles V paid a state visit to England, and she urged Henry to enter an alliance with Charles rather than with France. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Immediately after his departure, May 31, 1520, she accompanied the king to France on the celebrated visit to Francis I, the so-called Field of the Cloth of Gold. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 The Field of Cloth of Gold, also known as the Field of Golden Cloth ( French: Le Camp du Drap d'Or) is the name given to a place in Balinghem Within two years, war was declared against France and the Emperor was once again made welcome in England, where plans were afoot to betroth him to Princess Mary.

Henry's annulment

Aragonese, Valencian and Sicilian Royalty
House of Trastámara

Ferdinand I Children include    Alfonso (future Alfonso V of Aragon, III of Valencia and I of Sicily and Naples)    John (future John II of Aragon, Valencia and Navarre and I of Sicily)    Eleanor, Queen of Portugal Alfonso V (III of Valencia and I of Sicily and Naples)    Ferdinand I of Naples (natural son) John II (I of Sicily and II of Navarre) Children include    Eleanor, Queen of Navarre    Ferdinand (future Ferdinand II of Aragon, Valencia and Sicily, III of Naples, IV of Castile and V of Leon)    Blanca    Joan, Queen of Naples    Charles IV of Navarre Ferdinand II (III of Naples, IV of Castile and V of Leon) Children include    Isabella, Queen of Portugal    Joan, Queen of Castile    Juan, Prince of Asturias    Mary, Queen of Portugal    Catherine, Queen of England Grandchildren include    Miguel da Paz, Crown Prince of Portugal and Spain    Charles (future Charles I of Spain and V of the Holy Roman Empire)

In 1525, Henry VIII became enamoured with Anne Boleyn, a maid-of-honour to the Queen, and began his pursuit of her. The House of Trastámara was a Dynasty of kings in the Iberian Peninsula, which governed in Castile from 1369 to 1504, Ferdinand I (Ferran - Catalan (Medina del Campo Castile 27 November 1380 &ndash Igualada Catalonia 2 April 1416) called of Antequera Alfonso the Magnanimous (also Alphonso; Catalan: Alfons) (1396 &ndash 27 June 1458) was the King of Aragon (as John II the Great ( June 29, 1397 &ndash January 20, 1479) was the King of Aragon (1458&ndash1479 and Jure uxoris Alfonso the Magnanimous (also Alphonso; Catalan: Alfons) (1396 &ndash 27 June 1458) was the King of Aragon (as Ferdinand I of Naples should not be confused with Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, a latter king of Naples John II the Great ( June 29, 1397 &ndash January 20, 1479) was the King of Aragon (1458&ndash1479 and Jure uxoris Eleanor of Aragon (Leonor ( Olite, Navarre (now Spain) 2 February 1426 &ndash Tudela Navarre (now Spain) 12 February 1479 Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón Blanche II (1420-1464 was the daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre. Charles Prince of Viana, ( May 29 1421 &ndash September 23 1461) sometimes called Charles IV king of Navarre, was the son Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón Infante don Juan de Trastamara de Aragon y de Trastamara de Castilla, ( 28 June 1478 in Seville&ndash 4 October 1497) Prince of The Infante Miguel da Paz Prince of Portugal and Prince of Asturias ( Portuguese: Miguel da Paz de Trastâmara e Avis; Spanish: Miguel de la Paz Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536 was the Queen of England as the second wife of Henry VIII of England. ^[3] By this time Katherine was not in a physical condition to undergo further pregnancies. Henry began to believe that his marriage was cursed and sought confirmation from the Bible, which says that if a man marries his brother's wife, the couple will be childless. ^[4] If she had lied when she said her marriage to Arthur had not been consummated, it meant that their marriage was wrong in the eyes of God. It is possible that the idea of annulment had suggested itself to the King much earlier than this, and it is highly probable that it was motivated by his desire for a male heir. Before Henry's father Henry VII ascended the throne, England had been beset by civil warfare over rival claims to the English crown and Henry wanted to avoid a similar uncertainty over the succession. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485 were a series of dynastic Civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York ^[5]

It soon became the one absorbing object of the King's desires to secure an annulment. ^[6] He set his hopes upon a direct appeal to the Holy See, acting independently of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, to whom he at first communicated nothing of his plans. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (c1470–1471 – November 28 or November 29 1530 who was born in Ipswich Suffolk England was an English Statesman and a cardinal William Knight, the king's secretary, was sent to Pope Clement VII to sue for the annulment of the marriage, on the ground that the dispensing bull of Pope Julius II was obtained by false pretences. William Knight (1475/6 – 1547 was the Secretary of State to Henry VIII of England, and Bishop of Bath and Wells. For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. Pope Julius II (5 December 1443 &ndash 21 February 1513 born Giuliano Della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513

As the pope was at that time the prisoner of Katherine's nephew, Emperor Charles V, Knight had some difficulty in obtaining access to him. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was In the end the king's envoy had to return without accomplishing much. Henry had now no choice but to put his great matter into the hands of Thomas Wolsey, and Wolsey did all he could to secure a decision in the King's favour. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (c1470–1471 – November 28 or November 29 1530 who was born in Ipswich Suffolk England was an English Statesman and a cardinal ^[7] How far the pope was influenced by Charles V in his resistance, it is difficult to say, but it is clear Henry saw that the Pope was unlikely to give him an annulment from the Emperor's aunt. ^[8] The pope forbade Henry to proceed to a new marriage before a decision was given in Rome. Wolsey had failed and he was dismissed from public office in 1529. He then began a secret plot to have Boleyn forced into exile and he began communication with Katherine and the Pope, to that end. When this was discovered, Henry ordered Wolsey's arrest and had it not been for his death from a terminal illness in 1530, he might have been executed for treason. In Law, treason is the Crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or Nation. ^[9] A year later, Katherine was banished from court and her old rooms were given to Boleyn. When Archbishop of Canterbury William Warham died, the Boleyn family's chaplain, Thomas Cranmer, was appointed to the vacant position. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the William Warham (c 1450 &ndash August 22 1532) Archbishop of Canterbury, belonged to a Hampshire family and was educated at Winchester ^[10] In November 1531, Katherine wrote to her nephew: "My tribulations are so great, my life so disturbed by the plans daily invented to further the king's wicked intention, the surprises which the king gives me, with certain persons of his council, are so mortal, and my treatment is what God knows, that it is enough to shorten ten lives, much more mine".

Later years

Upon returning to Dover in England, Henry and Boleyn went through a secret wedding service. Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. ^[11] The King's second wife soon became pregnant and, as was the custom with royalty, there was a second wedding service, which took place in London on 25 January 1533. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Events now began to move at a quick pace. On 23 May 1533, Cranmer, sitting in judgment at a special court convened at Dunstable Priory to rule on the validity of the king's marriage to Katherine, declared that marriage null and void. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne The Priory Church of St Peter with its monastery ( Dunstable Priory) was founded in 1132 by Henry I for Augustinian Canons in Dunstable Five days later, on 28 May 1533, Cranmer declared the marriage of Henry and Anne to be good and valid. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling ^[12]

Until the end of her life Katherine would refer to herself as Henry's only lawfully-wedded wife and England's only rightful Queen Consort; her faithful servants continued to address her by that title. Henry refused her the right to any title but "Dowager Princess of Wales" (in recognition of her position as his brother's widow). In 1535 she was transferred to the decaying and remote Kimbolton Castle. Kimbolton Castle in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, is best known as the final home of King Henry VIII 's first queen Catherine of Aragon. Confining herself to one room, leaving it only to attend Mass, she prepared to meet her end. While she was permitted to receive occasional visitors, she was forbidden to see her daughter Mary. She was also forbidden to communicate with her, but discreet sympathizers ferried secret letters between mother and daughter. Henry offered them both better quarters and the company of one another if they would acknowledge Anne Boleyn as his new Queen. Neither did.

In late December 1535, sensing death was near, she made out her will, wrote to her nephew the Emperor Charles V asking him to protect her daughter, and penned one final letter to Henry, "my most dear lord and husband"^[13]:

My most dear lord, King and husband,

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

Katharine the Queen.

She died at Kimbolton Castle, on 7 January 1536. Kimbolton Castle in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, is best known as the final home of King Henry VIII 's first queen Catherine of Aragon. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental The following day, news of her death reached the King and he reportedly decked himself in bright yellow clothing, a color often seen by the English as signifying joy. Henry called for public displays of joy regarding her death. Rumours then circulated that she had been poisoned by Anne and/or Henry. The rumours were born after discovery during her embalming that her heart was blackened. ^[14] Modern medical experts are in agreement that her heart's discolouration was due not to poisoning, but to cancer, something which was not understood at the time. ^[15] She was buried in Peterborough Cathedral with the ceremony due to a Princess Dowager of Wales, not a Queen. Peterborough Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter St Paul and St Andrew, is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, is dedicated to Saint Peter Princess of Wales is a Courtesy title held by the wife of the Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283 Henry did not attend the funeral, nor did he allow Princess Mary to do so. She would be the only one of his wives to see her fiftieth birthday.

Her tomb in Peterborough Cathedral can be seen and is frequently decorated with flowers. It bears the title 'Katharine Queen of England. ' Peterborough is twinned with the Castilian city of Alcalá de Henares, her birthplace. Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage

Historiography

Catherine has remained a popular biographical subject to the present day. The American historian Garrett Mattingly was the author of a popular biography Catherine of Aragon in 1942. Garrett Mattingly ( May 6 1900 &ndash December 18 1962) was a professor of European history at Columbia University who In 1966, Catherine and her many supporters at court were the subjects of Catherine of Aragon and her Friends, a biography by John E. Paul. In 1967, Mary M. Luke wrote the first book of her Tudor trilogy, Catherine the Queen which portrayed her and the controversial era of English history through which she lived.

In recent years, the historian Alison Weir covered her life extensively in her biography The Six Wives of Henry VIII, first published in 1991. Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British Writer of History books mostly in the form of biographies about British royalty Antonia Fraser did the same in her own 1992 biography of the same title; as did the British historian David Starkey in his 2003 book Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII. Lady Antonia Fraser, CBE (born 27 August 1932 née Pakenham, is an English author of history and novels best known as Antonia Fraser for writing Not to be confused with David Starkey (maritime historian. David Robert Starkey CBE (born 3 January 1945)

Grave of Katherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral

Spelling of her name

"Catherine" is the most common modern English spelling of her name. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography states that her name should be spelled "Katherine" in a professional publication. The Dictionary of National Biography ( DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history published from 1885 In most official documents, her name is spelled with a K, and she herself signed her name "Katharine" and "Katherina". Loveknots built into his various palaces by her husband, Henry VIII, display the initials "H & K". Her tomb in Peterborough Cathedral is marked "Katharine Queen of England". Peterborough Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter St Paul and St Andrew, is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, is dedicated to Saint Peter The Spanish spelling is "Catalina", and in Catalan, which was the language spoken in Aragon, the spelling is "Caterina". Catalan ˈkætəˌlæn ( català kətəˈla or) is a Romance language, the national and official language of Andorra, and a co-official Aragon ( Spanish: "Aragón") is an autonomous community of Spain.

Legacy in fiction, film and television

Although Catherine is often portrayed in film and on stage as having possessed the Hollywood stereotypical Spanish traits of dark hair and an olive complexion, she was in fact a grey or blue-eyed, fair-skinned woman with reddish-blonde hair, not too unusual for many Spaniards such as those from her father's land of Aragon. Furthermore, she herself was part English, through her two English great-grandmothers, Katherine of Lancaster and Philippa of Lancaster, who were both daughters of Prince John, Duke of Lancaster. Katherine of Lancaster (also known as Katherine Plantagenet and as Queen Catalina of Castile and Leon) (1372-1418 &ndash was the daughter of John of Gaunt Princess Philippa of Lancaster, LG ( 31 March, 1360 Leicester Castle &ndash July 19, 1415 Odivelas) was an English John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster (second creation 1st Duke of Aquitaine (6 March 1340 &ndash 3 February 1399 was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third

• She was first portrayed on the silver screen in 1911 by Violet Vanbrugh in a short film production of William Shakespeare's play Henry VIII. Violet Vanbrugh (1867 - 1942 was an English actress She was the sister of Irene Vanbrugh and the wife of Arthur Bourchier. The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth is a history play by William Shakespeare, based on the life of Henry VIII of England.
• Nine years later, the German actress Hedwig Pauly-Winterstein played her in the film Anna Boleyn.
• Actress Rosalie Crutchley played her in The Sword and the Rose an account of Mary Tudor's romance with the Duke of Suffolk in 1515. Rosalie Crutchley ( January 4, 1920 - July 28, 1997) was an English actress The Sword and the Rose, (first released on July 23, 1953) is a United States family and adventure film produced by Disney and directed This article is about Mary Queen consort of France. For her niece and namesake Mary Tudor Queen regnant of England, see Mary I Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk (c 1484 &ndash 22 August 1545) was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn Crutchley later played Henry's sixth queen Catherine Parr in The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Catherine Parr ( c 1512 &ndash 5 September 1548 also known as Katherine or Katharine Parr(e, was the last of the six wives of Henry Not to be confused with The Six Wives of Henry VIII (documentary, a more recent Channel 4 documentary series on the subject by David Starkey
• It was not until 1969, in Hal B. Wallis's acclaimed movie Anne of the Thousand Days that she appeared again. Hal B Wallis, CBE ( September 14, 1899 &ndash October 5, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American Background and production The play Anne of the Thousand Days, the film's basis was first enacted on Broadway in the Shubert Theatre on 8 December This time she was played by the Greek actress Irene Papas. Irene Papas ( Greek Ειρήνη Παππά born September 3 1926) is a Greek actress and occasional Singer, who has starred
• In a 90-minute television drama produced by the BBC, British actress Annette Crosbie played the most historically-accurate version of Katherine in a piece simply entitled Catherine of Aragon as part one in the channel's series The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Annette Crosbie, OBE (born 12 February 1934 is a Scottish character actress. Not to be confused with The Six Wives of Henry VIII (documentary, a more recent Channel 4 documentary series on the subject by David Starkey The drama began on the night she arrived in England and followed through until her early marriage to Henry VIII. It re-commenced almost a decade later, with Henry's manoeuvres to get an annulment in order to marry Anne Boleyn. The play, which co-starred the Australian actor Keith Michell as Henry VIII, Dame Dorothy Tutin as Anne Boleyn and Patrick Troughton as the Duke of Norfolk, then chronicled her life until her death in January 1536. Keith Michell (born 1 December 1928) is an Australian Actor. Early life He was born in Adelaide and raised in Dame Dorothy Tutin DBE, ( 8 April, 1930 &ndash 6 August, 2001) was a highly-regarded English Actor of stage Patrick George Troughton (25 March 1920 – 28 March 1987 was an English Actor most widely known in his role as the second incarnation of the
• In 1979 Claire Bloom played her in another adaptation of Shakespeare's play. Claire Bloom (born Patricia Claire Blume; 15 February 1931) is an English Film and stage Actress.
• In the 1973 film Henry VIII and his Six Wives, Frances Cuka played her, and Keith Michell reprised his role as Henry VIII. Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972 is the only feature-length film to deal with all six of King Henry VIII's wives (television productions have divided the story A scene was incorporated between Frances Cuka and Charlotte Rampling (playing Anne Boleyn) to show their quiet, glacial enmity. Charlotte Rampling, OBE (born February 5, 1946) is a highly acclaimed European Film Award and Honorary Cesar Award winning English
• It was not until 2001 that she again appeared on the screen. This time it was in Dr. David Starkey's documentary series on Henry's queens. Not to be confused with David Starkey (maritime historian. David Robert Starkey CBE (born 3 January 1945) She was portrayed by Annabelle Dowler, with Julia Marsen as Anne Boleyn. Annabelle Dowler is an English actress She was born and grew up in Formby, Merseyside.
• In 2003 she appeared twice on British television. In January, Spanish actress Yolanda Vasquez made a brief appearance as the character in The Other Boleyn Girl, opposite Jared Harris as Henry VIII and Natascha McElhone as Mary Boleyn. Jared Francis Harris (born 24 August 1961 in London) is a British Actor. Natascha McElhone (born Natascha Taylor on 14 December 1971 in Hampstead, London) is an English Actress of Mary Boleyn (c 1499/1500&ndash July 19 1543) was a member of the Boleyn family which enjoyed considerable influence during the reign of Henry VIII In October, the ITV 2-part television drama, Henry VIII starred Ray Winstone in the title role and Assumpta Serna as the Queen. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone Jr (born 19 February 1957) is an Emmy Award -winning English film and television actor Assumpta Serna (born 16 September 1957) is a Spanish actress She is known for her roles in I The Worst of All portraying famous Mexican religious Part 1 chronicled the king's life from the birth of his bastard son, Henry Fitzroy until the execution of Anne Boleyn (played by Helena Bonham Carter) in 1536. In Common law, legitimacy is the status of a Child that is born to parents who are legally married to one another or that is born shortly after the Henry FitzRoy 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset ( 15 June 1519 &ndash 23 July 1536) was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966 is an Oscar and Golden Globe -nominated English actress. David Suchet co-starred as Cardinal Wolsey. David Suchet (pronunced "soo-shay" /ˈsuːʃeɪ/ OBE (born 2 May 1946 is an English Actor, known for his work on British Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (c1470–1471 – November 28 or November 29 1530 who was born in Ipswich Suffolk England was an English Statesman and a cardinal

Maria Doyle Kennedy as Katherine in The Tudors

• Maria Doyle Kennedy portrays the role in the 2007 Showtime television series The Tudors opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry and Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn. Maria Josephine Doyle (born 25 September 1964 in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actress and singer Showtime is a subscription television Brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United The Tudors is a historical fiction Television series created and entirely written by British screenwriter Michael Hirst. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O’Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish Film and Television Actor Natalie Dormer (born 11 February 1982 in Reading Berkshire, England, UK) is an English actress
• The 2007 film adaptation of the novel The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory stars Ana Torrent as Katherine, with Eric Bana as Henry, Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn and Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn. The Other Boleyn Girl is a Historical fiction novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn Philippa Gregory (born 9 January, 1954) is an English Historical novelist Biography Early life and academic career Ana Torrent Bertrán de Lis (born July 12, 1966) is a Spanish Film actress. Eric Bana (born Eric Banadinovich; 9 August 1968 is an Australian Film and Television Actor. Scarlett I Johansson (born November 22 1984 is an actress and Singer, of dual American and Danish citizenship Natalie Portman (נטלי פורטמן born Natalie Hershlag June 9 1981 is an Israeli American Actress.
• There have also been several fictionalized versions of her story, including Catharine of Aragon, by historical romance author Jean Plaidy, and The Constant Princess, by Philippa Gregory. Eleanor Alice Burford ( September 01, 1906 in Kensington, London, England – January 18, 1993 at sea somewhere The Constant Princess is a historical novel by Philippa Gregory, published in 2005 and is loosely based on the life of Catherine of Aragon. Philippa Gregory (born 9 January, 1954) is an English Historical novelist Biography Early life and academic career
• Also, for younger readers, her story is told in Patience, Princess Catherine by Carolyn Meyer.

Ancestry

See also

• List of English consorts

Notes

References

• Henry VIII and his Court by Neville Williams (1971).
• The Life and Times of Henry VIII by Robert Lacey (1972).
• Henry VIII by J. J. Scarisbrick (1972) ISBN 978-0520011304.
• Anne Boleyn by N. Lofts (1979) ISBN 0-698-11005-6.
• The Wives of Henry VIII by Lady Antonia Fraser (1992) ISBN 067973001X.
• English Reformations by Christopher Haigh (1993).
• Europe and England in the Sixteenth Century by T. A. Morris (1998).
• New Worlds, Lost Worlds by Susan Brigden (2000).
• Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey (2003) ISBN 0060005505.

Further reading

• The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (1991) ISBN 0802136834.
• Divorced Beheaded Survived: A Feminist Reinterpretation of the Wives of Henry VIII by Karen Lindsey (1995) ISBN 0201408236.
• British Kings & Queens by Mike Ashley (2002) ISBN 0-7867-1104-3.
• Henry VIII: The King and His Court by Alison Weir (2002) ISBN 034543708X.

External links

• tudorhistory.org - A good overview of her life, accompanied by an excellent portrait gallery
• englishhistory.net - An in-depth look at her life and times
• A geo-biography of the Six Wives of Henry the VIII on Google Earth
• Guardian unlimited, letter from her to Pope Clement VII