Your favourite of Henry VIII's Wives?

[iowabelle]

How interesting. You might have expected that Elizabeth would have been interested in the upbringing of this child and brought her to court, sort of paying back Katherine's interest in the young, neglected princess, if Mary had survived.

 

[doudi]

hi,for my point of view i find catherine of aragon is my favourite henry's wife because even if he wanted to divorce she refused for she was still in love with him.and that's enough for being the best

 

[Patra]

I simply vote for Ann, for without her, we wouldnt have my favorite Queen which was Elizabeth I!

 

[HM Queen Catherine]

I voted for Catherine Parr.

After two arranged marriages and twice being widowed, then finding passionate love with Thomas Seymour, Catherine did her duty to her country and married the King of England.

By all accounts, she was a very intelligent and prudent woman who set aside her own happiness for the sake of duty. And although I'm sure she cared for Henry, it was by no means the sort of love she felt for Thomas.

I'm sure the thought of marriage to Henry at that stage of his life was not pleasant, but she made a gracious queen that all of Henry's children were fond of.

The woman was a survivor, and she brought Henry and his children together as no previous queen had done.. so she deserves my vote.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Charles and Henry conspired against the Francois, the King of France, but they also conspired against each other. Charles was known for his Hapsburg jaw, his appetite for food, like Henry, and his appetite for women, like Francois. Pity he could not wield greater influence on behalf of his aunt, Catherine of Aragon.

 

[Renata4711]

I agree with #124 - Catherine Parr probably wasn't the prettiest of Henry's queens, but she had staying power and knew how to perform the balancing act of being married to an impossible man.

Full marks to her for outliving him and the other queens.

 

[redrose_2121]

Full marks for her intelligence too. I believe she was the first queen of England to be a published author.

 

[princess gertrude]

Love, love, love Anne of Cleves. IMO, she's the only one that stayed alive and lived out her life in the style she was accustomed to. She definately made the most of what the King gave her.

 

[Anne-fan]

I agree with #124 - Catherine Parr.

Well, I agree with both of you!
Anne Boleyn would have been my second choice, not only because she was the mother of my beloved Elizabeth

 

[redrose_2121]

Anne Boleyn is definitely my favorite! She's just so captivating, and I can't really explain why. It's funny how she was described that way in life, and she's still viewed that way hundreds of years after her execution.
What's the best biography of the wives collectively, or for each one individually, in your opinion?
I personally love Starkey's "Six Wives", and also Eric Ives's Anne Boleyn bio. I was also reading Hester W. Chapman's the other day (not the best, but quite interesting), and I saw that she used a source called, "Extracts from the Life of the Virtuous, Christian, and Renowned Queen Anne Boleyn" by Wyatt. I'm not sure if it was Wyatt the Older or Younger, but has anyone read/heard of this?

 

[NoorMeansLight]

Catherine of Aragon. First, only and real wife of King Henry VIII.

I agree. My vote goes to Catherine of Aragon.

 

[Ladygodiva]

I prefer Catherine of Aragon, although I was fascinated by Ann.

The problem with her though is that she wasn't smart enough. Which is why Catherine gets my vote. She humiliated both Henry and Ann repeatedly yet still kept her head, she was strong and courageous and fought for the rights of her daughter, she also maintained the love of her people (Catholic and protestant) throughout her life. Her dignity was unquestionable.

I also think Elizabeth was more like Catherine Parr, whom she was basically raised by. Ann was far too impulsive and had Elizabeth had any of her qualities then she wouldn't have lasted. Ann also favoured religous unsettlement (which we still have 500 years on) whereas Elizabeth was a peacekeeper (sort of)

I love Ann of Cleaves too! Another very smart queen who made the absolute best of a bad situation.

 

[American Queen]

Katharine of Aragon. Who can deny the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand?

 

[Dralcoffin]

I voted for Catherine Parr. I liked the way she took a firm hand with the children to get them educated. I liked her style with the feather. She was shrewd to know about all the plots against her yet vulnerable to get sucked up into Henry's drama. She had her own things in her own right and had no ax to grind at the court. I am just sorry she died in child birth married to a man she thought was her great love and he didn't feel the same about her.

This is very similar to my opinion. I especially like Catherine's intelligence and savviness, being able to discuss sensitive topics like religion with the old King without angering him. I also feel bad about her tragic fate.

 

[Cheallaigh]

Anne Boleyn's always been my favorite, but lately I've taken a big interest in Katherine Howard. She was so young and foolish and I just wish there was more history about her.

 

[cmbruno]

My favorite is Catalina de Aragón. Henry had had tender feelings, if not love, for her for more than 20 years. During the first year of their marriage, he admired her for her intellect and for her beauty – she was very pretty when she was young, according to Thomas More . She has learned French, Latin and Greek and counted among her friends Erasmus of Rotterdam. She was Ambassador (the very first woman to have this position in Europe) for the Spanish Court in England during her time as Dowager Princess of Wales. Catherine addressed the English army in full armour while pregnant when acting as regent at the time of Battle of Flodden. I can only think that besides his wish/need to have a male heir, Henry went through a midlife crisis (like many men do) and decided to start a “new life” with a younger woman. He was cruel, childish, selfish and deranged. It’s no surprise that the most handsome and intelligent prince of Europe ended up his life with his body showing all the ugliness he carried within.
Anne Boleyn, imo, was despicable, though cunning. And she would never mind England’s interests as Katherine did. While Katherine always led her life by courage, all the other wives led theirs by fear, egoism and/or shallowness.

 

[Liriel]

Loving all ,but...
"Looking back over his life with the benefit of hindsight, it is likely that Henry himself would have said Jane Seymour.From a dynastic point of view, she was his only successful wife and the wife with whom he requested to be buried."Elizabeth Norton

"Jane Seymour is the only one to have given him a legitimate son, he included her on a family portrait long after her death, and he chose to be buried with her; this brings a dynastic element to his relationship with Jane that should not be overlooked."Dr Josephine Wilkinson

i agree

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Catherine of Aragon. First, only and real wife of King Henry VIII.

Her life was systematically stripped from her..she lost everything except her dignity and her Faith.

The noblest of Henry's wives by far.

I like Jane too, but she didn't live long enough for Henry to really grow weary of her. I am convinced he would have...I have read that he had already taken mistresses even before she became pregnant!

 

[lady of hay]

My favorite wife ? Catherine of Aragon. She was Henry's wife the longest and showed great courage during the lengthy divorce proccedings.
Henry , having obtained his divorce was only married to Anne Bolyn for about three years and we ( the English ) had years of religious turbulance because of it.
Catherine Parr would be my second choice, although I do think she was foolish not seeing through Thomas Seymour.
I read David Starkey's book "Six wives" and found this to be the best book I have read about any of these remarkable women, in my humble opinion they were remarkable. I think the one thing we should not forget is that all of these women were under the influence of the men that surrounded them , their lives in effect were sometimes not their own.

 

[Anne83]

Anne Boleyn is winningShe's my favorite

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I did not enjoy Starkey's book that much...it was way too slanted in favor of Anne Boleyn who he referrs to as a "great defender of the Gospel" at one point. Worse,he shows his bias by implying that Katharine of Aragon lied when she swore her first marriage to Arthur Prince of Wales was not consummated.

Antonia Fraser's study of the wives of Henry VIII is far superior to Starkey's. Fraser is an Englishwoman and an aristocrat, but she is balanced and sympathetic to each of Henry's wives...showcasing how each was special and interesting in her own way.

 

[Zonk]

I need to check out the Starkey book. I did enjoy the Fraser book.

I would have to concur about Catherine of Aragon and then Catherine Parr as my faves.

Catherine showed great courage despite being treated so horribly and Catherine Parr for trying to find love after being a pawn her entire life. Its a shame she didn't see thru Thomas Seymour.

I do feel for Catherine Howard she was so young and really ignorant and also used as a pawn. I feel no pity for Anne Boleyn. I hate to simplify it...but you do dirty you get dirty. And the way she treated Catherine and Mary was just horrible. I do, however, feel for the men who went down with her.

 

[georgiea]

My favorite wife ? Catherine of Aragon. She was Henry's wife the longest and showed great courage during the lengthy divorce proccedings.

Agreed lady of hay. Queen Catherine of Aragon is my favorite wife because of her love for her family and her great courage during the divorce. I think she showed King Henry VIII what a true Queen should act like.I think by the time King Henry VIII's third wife died he realized his mistake marrying Anne Bolyn

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Anne Boleyn was, for all her intelligence and charm, a very nasty piece of work. Her downfall is one of the most karmic I have ever read about.

However, she almost completely redeemed herself at the end. Her courage and composure at Henry VIII's kangaroo court where she was framed and condemned on trumped up charges was simply amazing.

 

[Russophile]

Even though The Tudors took MANY liberties with history, they did a good job with Anne's last days Russo thought it very well done.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

"The Tudors" was more camp than factual, dumbed down and sexed up to be more appealing to the masses.

But the depiction of the arrest, trial and execution of Anne Boleyn was very moving and even hauntingly accurate in historical detail.

The one problem I had was the way they had the doomed Queen going to her death all dolled up as if she was on her way to a ball, complete with humongous sapphire necklace! It looked soooo silly...she wore either grey or black with a scarlet underskirt according to most accounts...and definitely no jewelry!

 

[Russophile]

"The Tudors" was more camp than factual, dumbed down and sexed up to be more appealing to the masses.

Yes, I know, dear, we're watching it because Mr. Russo likes the sex. The swath of beheadings and tortures were a bit much for his sensitivities.
The way they depicted the arrest, trial and execution, I almost felt sorry for Anne Boleyn. Makes me wonder what really happened. Did she really have regrets? Dreampt of being a child again?

 

[auntie]

I actually really admire the way Anne of Cleves built herself up after the divorce. She did something very rare for those days, she was actully happy and succesful as a divorcee and outlived Henry and his wives.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Russo dear,

What did you think of the The Other Boleyn Girl? I'm referring to the trial and beheading of Anne Boleyn, not the entire movie, which clearly took liberties with history. And I don't think Mary intervened to save Anne, nor do I believe she was present at the execution, but nonetheless wondered what you thought of the movie's treatment of Anne (don't even go near the attempted seduction of her brother to leave her with an heir)

 

[Russophile]

It's enough to get Mr. Russo to watch The Tudors! I haven't ventured there at all! In fact Mr. Russo has not expressed ANY interest in watching the lovely Elizabeth R with phenomenal Glenda Jackson as QE. I was hoping we could go into The Lion in Winter after this or Anne of a Thousand Days. . . . *sigh*
Anybody have a good book on Anne and her beheading?