How many children did kathryn howard

Gardiner considered Cromwell a heretic for introducing the Bible in the native tongue. He also opposed the way Cromwell had attacked the monasteries and the religious shrines.

Gardiner pointed out to the King that it was Cromwell who had allowed radical preachers such as Robert Barnes to return to England. The French ambassador reported on 10th April, , that Cromwell was "tottering" and began speculating about who would succeed to his offices. Alison Weir pointed out that at this time Henry was not in good health: "It had already therefore occurred to her that she might become queen of England, and this was no doubt enough to compensate for the fact that, as a man, Henry had very little to offer a girl of her age.

He was now nearing fifty, and had aged beyond his years. The abscess on his leg was slowing him down, and there were days when he could hardly walk, let alone ride. Worse still, it oozed pus continually, and had to be dressed daily, not a pleasant task for the person assigned to do it as the wound stank dreadfully. As well as being afflicted with this, the King had become exceedingly fat: a new suit of armour, made for him at this time, measured 54 inches around the waist.

She was young, graceful and pretty, and Henry was entranced. The first documented indication of Henry's feelings for Catherine Howard was the granting of lands, confiscated from a convicted felon, on 24th April, The following month Henry began to investigate the possibility of divorcing Anne of Cleves.

Cromwell suggested that he should arrange a divorce from Anne. The most obvious reason was the question of non-consummation, in itself this was the clearest cause of nullity by the rules of the church, but it was one that was difficult to establish. On 10th June, Cromwell arrived slightly late for a meeting of the Privy Council. Thomas Howard , the Duke of Norfolk, shouted out, "Cromwell!

Do not sit there! That is no place for you! Traitors do not sit among gentlemen. Cromwell was charged with treason and heresy. Norfolk went over and ripped the chains of authority from his neck, "relishing the opportunity to restore this low-born man to his former status". Cromwell was led out through a side door which opened down onto the river and taken by boat the short journey from Westminster to the Tower of London.

Thomas Cromwell was convicted by Parliament of treason and heresy on 29th June and sentenced him to be hung, drawn and quartered. He finished the letter with the plea, "Most gracious prince I cry for mercy, mercy, mercy. Anne of Cleves feared that her life was in danger. However, Henry made it clear that he was willing to accept an annulment of his marriage based on his inability to consummate the relationship.

This was because he feared that she was the wife of another man, Francis, Duke of Lorraine. This was often put down to witchcraft. But publicly the annulment was justified by reference to Henry's decision to refrain from consummation until he had ascertained that Anne was free to marry him, to Anne's contract with the son of the duke of Lorraine, and to Henry's reluctance to wed her.

After she made a statement that confirmed Henry's account, the marriage was annulled on 9th July , on the grounds of non-consummation. In return, Anne agreed that she would not pass "beyond the sea" and became the King's adopted "good sister". It was important for Henry that Anne remained in England as he feared that she might stir up trouble for him if she was allowed to travel to Europe.

The historian David Starkey , has attempted to explain the reasons for the marriage: "Physically repelled by Anne of Cleves, and humiliated by his sexual failure with her, he sought and found consolation from Catherine. We can also guess that sex, which had been impossible with Anne, was easy with her.

And it was easy because she made it easy. Henry, lost in pleasure, never seems to have asked himself how she obtained such skill. Instead, he attributed it all to love and his own recovered youth. Henry VIII showered her with "magnificent jewels, gold beads decorated with black enamel, emeralds lozenged with gold, brooches, crosses, pomanders, clocks, whatever could be most splendidly encrusted in her honour". Soon after the wedding he gave her a habiliment containing "eight diamonds and seven rubies" and a necklace of "six fine table diamonds and five very fair rubies with pearls in-between" and a muffler of black velvet with thirty pearls on a chain of gold.

Historians have only been able to identify one portrait, painted by Hans Holbein , that is definitely of Catherine of Howard. But the identification of the jewels settles the issue once and for all. It also establishes, for the first time, her exact appearance. She had auburn hair, pale skin, dark eyes and brows, the rather fetching beginnings of a double chin, and an expression that was at once quizzical and come-hither.

Richard Hilles saw Catherine in the summer of He described her as "a very little girl". Alison Weir has suggested that this may refer to her diminutive stature, it could also refer to her age, as it conveys a distinct impression of extreme youth. The French ambassador, Charles de Marillac , rated her beauty as only "middling" but did praise her gracefulness, and found "much sweetness in her expression". Antonia Fraser points out that as she immediately attracted Henry "she must have considerable prettiness and obvious sex appeal" Both men had been close friends of Thomas Cromwell and were seen as religious reformers.

The following month, Sir John Wallop , the conservative former ambassador to France, was also arrested. Charles de Marillac predicted a civil war in England: "There could be no worse war than the English carry on against each other For after Cromwell had brought down the greatest of the realm All three men were eventually released.

Eustace Chapuys claims "the Queen took courage to beg and entreat the King for the release of Mr. Wyatt, a prisoner of the Tower. But she also displayed leadership, resourcefulness and independence, which are qualities less commonly found in headstrong young girls True, she was a good-time girl. But, like many good-time girls, she was also warm, loving and good-natured. She wanted to have a good time. But she wanted other people to have a good time, too. And she was prepared to make some effort to see that they did Catherine, in short, had begun rather well.

She had a good heart, and a less bad head than most of her chroniclers have assumed. She had been considered one of the leading Roman Catholics in England. However, the only evidence against her was that she had forbidden her servants to read the English Bible, and had once been seen burning a letter.

She therefore had a valid claim to the throne. On 28th May, , Henry gave orders for the year-old Countess to be executed. It has been called one of the worst atrocities of Henry's reign. Faced with such a prisoner, he panicked, and struck out blindly, hacking at his victim's head, neck and shoulders, until he had finally butchered her to death.

During this period Catherine appointed her former lover, Francis Dereham , as her secretary and usher of the chamber. However, according to Retha M. Warnicke , it was possible she was being blackmailed: "It was probably intended to silence him, too, about their former relationship.

She could reasonably hope for success in this, for Dereham later confessed that on two occasions she bribed him to hold his tongue.

Although he had been power for 32 years he had not visited this part of England that made up a third of his kingdom. He took with him an army of 5, men. Progress was slow as it was a very wet summer.

Charles de Marillac reported that "the roads leading to the North They did not reach Lincoln until 9th August. The royal couple stayed at the Bishop of Lincoln's little manor house at Lyddington. On 11th August, Catherine committed the first of her indiscretions. She knew Thomas Culpeper , was in the area and she wrote him a letter: "Master Culpeper, I heartily recommend me unto you I never longed so much for thing as I do to see you and to speak with you It makes my heart to die to think what fortune I have that I cannot be always in your company Come when my Lady Rochford is here, for that I shall be best at leisure to be at your commandment Yours as long as life endures.

Catherine's biographer, Retha M. Warnicke , has argued: "It is possible, however, to put a different interpretation upon Catherine's letter, that its emotional tone was fuelled less by sexual ardour than by the desperation of a young woman who was seeking to placate an aggressive, dangerous suitor, one who, moreover, as a member of the privy chamber had close contact with the king.

The promise she mentioned could have concerned the Dereham affair. Culpeper, it may be suggested, had established some form of threatening control over the queen's life, and although he - as he admitted - was seeking sexual satisfaction with her, Catherine was trying to ensure his silence through a misguided attempt at appeasement.

The route of the Royal Progress turned inland towards Yorkshire the scene of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion a few years previously. Henry spent a few days hunting at Hatfield Chase.

It contained ponds and marshes as well as scrub and woodland. Men in boats went on to the water where others hunted in the woods. It is estimated that over stags and deer were killed as well as "a great quantity of young swans, two boats of river birds and as much of great pikes and other fish.

According to the French ambassador who accompanied Henry, the castle was visited by the nobility and gentry who lived in Yorkshire: "Those who in the rebellion remained faithful were ranked apart and graciously received by the King and praised for their fidelity.

The others who were of the conspiracy, among whom appeared the Archbishop of York, were a little further off on their knees One of them, speaking for all, made a long harangue confessing their treason in marching against the sovereign and his Council, thanking him for pardoning so great an offence and begging that if any relics of indignation remained he would dismiss them. They then delivered several bulky submissions in writing. He arrived back at Hampton Court on 29th October.

He told him a story that came from his sister, Mary Hall , who had worked as a maid at Chesworth House. Cranmer had never approved Henry's marriage to Catherine. He did not personally dislike her but he was a strong opponent of her grandfather, Thomas Howard , 2nd Duke of Norfolk.

If Lascelles's story was true, it gave him the opportunity to discredit her supporters, the powerful Catholic faction. With her out of the way Cranmer would be able to put forward the name of a bride who like Anne Boleyn favoured religious reform. We recommend. Katherine Howard Buy. Tudor Women Buy. Sex in Elizabethan England Buy. Discover more about the Tudors Show more books. Woodsmoke and Sage Buy. King and Collector Buy. The Tudors and Europe Buy. The Little Book of the Tudors Buy.

A History of the Tudors in Objects Buy. The Lost Kings Buy. Tudor Folk Tales Buy. Fayke Newes Buy. The Cardinal's Court Buy. The Oldest House in London Buy. Discovering Tudor London Buy. But he was not immune to illness and in the spring of , the king fell low with a serious fever and Catherine was sent away for her own safety.

It was around this time that she began her affair with Culpeper, the handsome young man who had caught her fancy two years before; as evidence, we need only read her only surviving letter, written to Culpeper in April When the king recovered, he took Catherine on a royal progress through the north of England and again the French ambassador reported rumors of her pregnancy.

It was even suggested that, should the condition be confirmed, Catherine would be crowned at York Minster. These rumors prove that Henry still made love to his wife on a somewhat regular basis. He and Dereham both traveled in the progress as members of the royal household. And since the king would be happy as long as he was ignorant, all would be well.

And the king was ignorant for a surprisingly long time. He had been pardoned by the king, but it is one of the few facts we know about Culpeper and not a pleasant one. If the king died, then the queen dowager would maintain some influence and power at court. Before that inevitable day, she could give him as many expensive gifts as he desired. Did Catherine love Culpeper? She undoubtedly did, at least as much as her immature view of love allowed.

He was handsome, very charming, if only in a superficial manner, and he complemented and cajoled her. She became increasingly open in her affection, enough to worry Culpeper himself. But there were others at court who knew of the relationship, and they would not keep quiet. She had been safe enough during the northern progress, for a traveling court was not nearly as gossip-ridden as a settled one; there were, after all, far more practical matters to attend to as the king moved from city to city.

However, the past was not necessarily a danger to the queen; most young women could not withstand scrutiny of their early flirtations. They were perhaps not serious enough to warrant her execution. But she represented the conservative Catholic faction and, with her influence, they were growing more powerful and reactionary.

The precontract, of course, while ending her marriage, also excused her intimacy with Dereham. This was his first and thoroughly honest reaction; Catherine had deceived him well. He ordered Cranmer to keep the matter private and began an investigation.

An assortment of female servants were arrested and sent to the Tower, as was Dereham. Culpeper was then arrested, tortured, and confessed. He managed to blame everyone but himself for this latest marital catastrophe.

He wished for a sword to slay Catherine himself — a not uncommon reaction for a cuckolded husband, particularly one who had been so generous and trusting. Catherine was arrested on 12 November and her tearful pleas to see the king were ignored; she was locked in her rooms. Two days later, she was taken to Syon House. She would never see Henry again.

Cranmer was given the distasteful task of interrogating the terrified girl. She was hysterical, convinced she would be executed like her cousin; even the archbishop felt pity for her condition. Perhaps he suggested an option to Henry VIII that he had first proposed for Anne Boleyn — let Catherine admit her sins, annul the marriage, and send her away.

The Dereham precontract was the perfect excuse. Catherine need only admit its existence and her life would be spared. But Catherine, frightened and lacking any counsel, did not realize that the precontract would save her life.

Instead, she was convinced it would be used to condemn her. She and Cranmer wanted the same end but talked at odds. Indeed, with each day that passed, the king was less inclined to show mercy. She remained at Syon House for the next two months. Their heads were fixed on spears atop London Bridge and remained there as late as Catherine, meanwhile, continued in a state of suspended hysteria. Her various relatives were sent to the Tower, including the elderly dowager duchess. Only the duke survived, having sufficiently humbled himself before Henry.

Perhaps the executions of Dereham and Culpeper had brought a newfound maturity to Catherine. She was content to remain quietly at Syon House, though it was clear the king could not allow it. It was intended to answer the question vexing them all — of what exactly was Catherine Howard guilty?

If she had been precontracted to Dereham, then she was never married to the king — and thus not guilty of adultery. But in a speech on 6 February, Henry made it clear that the new Act could punish those who intended to commit treason or adultery, since adultery in a queen was treason.

The hysterical frenzy returned; she struggled and had to be forced aboard the barge. On Sunday night, she was informed that she would be executed the next day. Her uncle Norfolk was not among them, having wisely withdrawn to his country estates. Catherine was weak and frightened and had to be helped up the steps to the scaffold. The actual execution was over quickly. Catherine Howard did not have an impact upon English history. She bore no children and made no lasting impression upon those who knew her.

But it should be remembered that she was thirty years younger than her husband, a silly young girl who never understood the dangers of royal regard.