Henry VIII (1491-1547) and Wives

[An Ard Ri]

Interesting that Anne changed her religion several times. Wonder if that had more to do with who was the reigning monarch at the time rather than religious beliefs.

As did her brother Wilhelm ,duke of Jülich-Cleves.
He was raised Catholic ,became Lutheran and re embraced Catholicism to marry the Archduchess Maria of Austria!
Anne with her brother Wilhelm ,duke of Jülich-Cleves and sister ,Amalia of Cleves .

 

[CyrilVladisla]

An illustration of King Henry VIII with three Queens and the royal children

King Henry VIII and his three wiives and children 11008081

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In 1507 Queen Catherine of Aragon held the position of ambassador for the Spanish Court in England. She was the first female ambassador in European history.

 

[Maryrose]

In 1507 Queen Catherine of Aragon held the position of ambassador for the Spanish Court in England. She was the first female ambassador in European history.

Very strategic role her father placed her in. She was already there in England waiting to marry so why not use her diplomatic skills.

 

[Mirabel]

Interesting that Anne changed her religion several times. Wonder if that had more to do with who was the reigning monarch at the time rather than religious beliefs.

Probably; some people are very pragmatic when it comes to religion (Vicar of Bray?)

 

[An Ard Ri]

Probably; some people are very pragmatic when it comes to religion (Vicar of Bray?)

Anne was obviously on good terms with the queen and her religious policies.

Anne of Cleves was given a splendid Roman Catholic funeral by Queen Mary and it was officiated by the Bishop of London and Abbot of Westminster Abbey.
The Funeral of Anne of Cleves, 1557

 

[Blog Real]

The reconciliation of King Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I wonder is that Cardinal Wolsey in the background?

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Was an Act of Parliament necessary to proclaim King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England?

 

[anonymousnoble]

Mary Boleyn is my 17th great grandmother via some female descendants leading up to the Rich family, who were Earls of Warwick and then passes through a mixed matrilineal and patrilineal line to me, in fact. So Anne Boleyn is my 17th great grandaunt. And so Edward I is my 26th great grandfather.

 

[Maryrose]

Was an Act of Parliament necessary to proclaim King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England?

The first Act of Supremacy 1534 I would think gave him the legitimacy he needed but according to the wording Parliament did not officially bestow the title.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The first Act of Supremacy 1534 I would think gave him the legitimacy he needed but according to the wording Parliament did not officially bestow the title.

It was followed in 1537 by the Irish Act of Supremacy but outside Dublin and the Pale this was largely ignored by the Anglo-Norman and Gaelic nobles.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

What could the Roman Catholic Church have done to prevent King Henry VIII becoming Head of the Church of England?

 

[An Ard Ri]

What could the Roman Catholic Church have done to prevent King Henry VIII becoming Head of the Church of England?

Had the Pope annulled his marriage to Katherine of Aragon the king may have remained in union with Rome.

 

[Maryrose]

Had the Pope annulled his marriage to Katherine of Aragon the king may have remained in union with Rome.

I agree. I think for Henry viii it was all about having a male heir and after so many years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon that was not going to happen. An annulment would have let him remain in good standing with Rome. Maybe his marriage to Anne Boleyn would have ended differently too.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I agree. I think for Henry viii it was all about having a male heir and after so many years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon that was not going to happen. An annulment would have let him remain in good standing with Rome. Maybe his marriage to Anne Boleyn would have ended differently too.

I think history would must certainly have taken a different course
If Clement VII was not imprisoned by the Emperor in 1527 and granted the annulment ,Henry would most probably have remained with Rome ,Cardinal Wolsey wouldn't have fallen and so on.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

After King Henry VIII was declared the head of the Church of England, why would he use a title Defender of the Faith he had been given when he was Catholic?

 

[Alison H]

The title was granted again to Henry and his successors by Parliament, although not for over a decade after Henry married Anne Boleyn. Whether or not the English Parliament had the right to grant religious titles is a moot point, but never mind!

I think it was mainly an ego thing. The Spanish monarchs were "most Catholic kings" and the French monarchs were "most Christian kings". So Henry, being Henry, had to have a similar title!

 

[An Ard Ri]

After King Henry VIII was declared the head of the Church of England, why would he use a title Defender of the Faith he had been given when he was Catholic?

The Papal title was revoked by Pope Paul III but the English Parliament then declared "Henry the VIII by the Grace of God King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England'.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The British Museum is trying to secure a gold pendant linked to King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon which was discovered in 2019.
In October the British Museum launched an appeal to raise the purchase price of £3.5 million by the deadline of April 2026.
Is the British Museum's attempt to save a Tudor-era pendant with links to Henry VIII proof that the institution is on the up?

 

[Maryrose]

To think that this piece was found by a metal detectorist is pretty amazing. I like that they are giving the museum the opportunity to purchase it before they look to sell it maybe to a private collector.

 

[Elly C]

The British Museum is trying to secure a gold pendant linked to King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon which was discovered in 2019.
In October the British Museum launched an appeal to raise the purchase price of £3.5 million by the deadline of April 2026.
Is the British Museum's attempt to save a Tudor-era pendant with links to Henry VIII proof that the institution is on the up?

What an amazing piece of jewellery. I hope the funds are raised. Would hate to see it either leave the country and/or end up in someone’s private collection,

 

[An Ard Ri]

What an amazing piece of jewellery. I hope the funds are raised. Would hate to see it either leave the country and/or end up in someone’s private collection,

I do hope the funds are raised and that it stays in the UK!

 

[Maryrose]

The actor Damien Lewis has lent his support to the campaign. He portrayed Henry VIII in the Wolf Hall series.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Henry VIII decreed that his former wife the Princess Anne of Cleves was to have precedence over all the ladies in England after the new Queen Catherine Howard and the King's daughters. She was assigned Richmond and the manor of Bletchingley as her residences.

 

[An Ard Ri]

What an amazing piece of jewellery. I hope the funds are raised. Would hate to see it either leave the country and/or end up in someone’s private collection,

The British Museum is trying to raise the last £100,000 in order to buy the Tudor Heart Pendant which was found in found in a Warwickshire field.
British Museum £100k away from Henry VIII pendant target

 

[Maryrose]

The only existing letter from Catherine Howard to her lover will go on display at the National Archives in an exhibit called Love Letters. This is an exhibition I would love to see.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The only existing letter from Catherine Howard to her lover will go on display at the National Archives in an exhibit called Love Letters. This is an exhibition I would love to see.

Here's a little more on the letter from Catherine Howard to Thomas Culpeper.
The treasonous love letter that damned a Tudor queen

 

[Maryrose]

Has anyone read The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr? I read biographies of Henry viii's wives by Antonia Fraiser and Alison Weir many years ago but I don't recall Katherine Parr's tragic death. She married Thomas Seymour and they had a daughter Mary who somehow disappeared either she died not long after her mother or maybe was sent away to obscurity. I always think of her as Henry's last wife and companion and not what became of her after his death.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Has anyone read The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr? I read biographies of Henry viii's wives by Antonia Fraiser and Alison Weir many years ago but I don't recall Katherine Parr's tragic death. She married Thomas Seymour and they had a daughter Mary who somehow disappeared either she died not long after her mother or maybe was sent away to obscurity. I always think of her as Henry's last wife and companion and not what became of her after his death.

I have often wondered what became of her daughter Mary who simply vanished!