A Her-story of the SIX Queens

• 

  Catherine of Aragon

  Birth and death
  December 15, 1485 – January 7, 1536

  Marriage
  One: to Arthur (Henry’s older brother), November 14, 1501 (aged 15)
  Two: to Henry VIII, June 11, 1509 (aged 23)

  Children
  Mary, born February 18, 1516 (later Queen Mary I).
  Catherine also had two other children who died as infants, three stillborn children, and several miscarriages.

  Interests
  Religion, sewing, dancing, a bit more religion.

  Cause of death
  Probably a type of cancer.

  Remembered for…
  Her refusal to accept that her marriage was invalid; her faith; her dramatic speech to Henry when he had her brought to court to seek the annulment of their marriage.

  Did you know?
  While Henry fought in France in 1513, Catherine was regent during the Battle of Flodden; when James IV of Scotland was killed in the battle, Catherine wanted to send his body to Henry as a present.

• 

  Anne Boleyn

  Birth and death
  c. 1501 – May 19, 1536

  Marriage
  January 25, 1533 (aged 31)

  Children
  Elizabeth, born September 7, 1533 (later Queen Elizabeth I).
  Anne also had at least two miscarriages.

  Interests
  Fashion, dancing, flirtation, collecting evangelical works.

  Queen Links
  Lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon.

  Cause of death
  Executed on Tower Green, London.

  Remembered for…
  Headlessness; bringing about England's break with the Pope; having a sixth fingernail.

  Did you know?
  Because she was fluent in French, Anne would have acted as a translator during the visit of Emperor Charles V to court in 1522.

• 

  Jane Seymour

  Birth and death
  1507 or 1508 – October 24, 1537

  Marriage
  May 30, 1536 (aged 28 or 29)

  Children
  Edward, born October 12, 1537 (later King Edward VI).

  Interests
  Religious faith, obedience.

  Queen Links
  Lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn.

  Cause of death
  Hemorrhage after the birth of Prince Edward, her child with Henry.

  Remembered for…
  Being the “only one he truly loved”; having two troublesome brothers who fought over the regency of the young Prince Edward after King Henry’s death.

  Did you know?
  While Anne Boleyn was still alive, Henry sent Jane a gift of money which she refused, apparently saying there “was no treasure in this world that she valued so much as her honor.”

• 

  Anna of Cleves

  Also known as
  Anne of Cleves (the Anglicisation of her name)
  She is referred to as Anna here to distinguish between the two Annes & to honor the name she would have called herself in her own language.

  Birth and death
  1515 – July 16, 1557

  Marriage
  January 6, 1540 (aged 24)

  Children
  None.

  Interests
  Staying alive.

  Queen Links
  Anna visited Katherine Howard once she became queen and bowed down to her.

  Cause of death
  Probably cancer.

  Remembered for…
  Being chosen from her portrait and then rejected when Henry met her.

  Did you know?
  When Henry first met Anna of Cleves, he disguised himself, possibly imagining some sort of a romantic reaction. According to a witness, when Henry kissed Anna, she turned away coldly from the hideous stranger molesting her. The witness, Lord Russell, observed that he “never saw His Highness so marvelously astonished.”

• 

  Katherine Howard

  Birth and death
  c. 1523 – February 13, 1542

  Marriage
  July 28, 1540 (aged 17)

  Children
  None.

  Interests
  Religious faith, obedience.

  Queen Links
  Lady-in-waiting to Anna of Cleves; cousin to Anne Boleyn.

  Cause of death
  Executed on Tower Green, London.

  Remembered for…
  Being completely used (and abused) by those with power over her.

  Did you know?
  From her arrest on November 8, 1541 until her execution three months later, Katherine stayed under house arrest at Syon House; in late January of 1542, an act was passed in Parliament that rendered it treason for a woman to become the king’s wife without “plain declaration before of her unchaste life,” meaning Henry could have her killed.

• 

  Catherine Parr

  Birth and death
  c. 1512 – September 5, 1548

  Marriage
  One: to Sir Edward Burgh, a courtier, 1529-1533
  Two: to John Neville, Lord Latimer, 1534-1543
  Three: to Henry VIII, July 12, 1543
  Four: in secret to Thomas Seymour, May, 1547

  Children
  A daughter (to Thomas Seymour) who died as an infant.

  Interests
  Writing books, encouraging education, the Reformation.

  Queen Links
  Catherine’s mother was lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon and Catherine was friendly with Aragon’s daughter, Princess Mary.

  Cause of death
  Childbirth.

  Remembered for…
  Surviving.

  Did you know?
  Catherine was the first woman in England to publish books under her own name and in English.