The First Five Catherines: A Short History

Since the announcement of Prince William's engagement to his longtime girlfriend Catherine Middleton, it has come to my attention, that one day, if the monarchy in England continues past the current Queen, Catherine will be the sixth woman of that name to be Queen of England.  So, I thought for fun, I would give brief histories of the first 5 Queens of England named Catherine.

The first Catherine to marry a King of England was of course Catherine de Valois (1401-1437), younger daughter of Charles VI of France.  Catherine's older sister had already been married to a King of England, Richard II, before his untimely death.  Catherine was married off to Henry V of England as part of the treaty between the two countries, which acknowledged that Henry as heir to the throne of France.  Most of you have seen either the movie or the play HENRY V, no doubt remember the charming wooing scene between Henry and Catherine as he tries to speak French to her.  Catherine and Henry were married on June 2nd 1420.  After her arrival in England, Catherine was crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey in February of 1421.  Before long, Henry had left his new bride to continue to wage war in France, leaving Catherine several months pregnant. 

After giving birth to the future Henry VI of England in December of 1421, but Henry never saw his son.  He died during the seige of Meaux in August of 1422, leaving Catherine a widow at 20. During the years of her widowhood, there were rumors of the Queen remarrying which concerned the King's uncle, Henry Duke of Gloucester who was serving as Protector. Catherine eventually found love again in the most unlikely of places, with Owen Tudor, a handosme Welshman, who served as the keeper of the Queen's wardrobe.  The relationship apparently began while Catherine was living at Windsor Castle. Nobody knows where or when the two were married. The couple eventually went on to have at least five children, four who lived to adulthood, Edmund, future father of Henry VII, Jasper, Owen and a daughter Margaret. Catherine died at Bermondsey Abbey in early 1437 from an unknown illness. She is buried in Westminster Abbey next to Henry V. After her death, their enemies had Owen arrested for violating the law of remarriage for the Dowager Queen. Although he was acquitted of those charges, he was arrested again and his possessions seized. Eventually he was released, and was in the Household of the King at least until he was arrested and executed by the Yorkists after the Battle of Mortimer's Cross. 

I've always found the love story of Catherine and Owen to be incredibly romantic, two star-crossed lovers who marry secretly and found a dynasty!

Our next three Queen Catherines were all lucky enough or unlucky to be married to that serial monogamist Henry VIII.  Above we have his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (1485 - 1536). Raised to be Queen of England, widowed at 16, forced to endure years of poverty and humiliation before marrying Henry VII, this determined and pious woman finally after years of disappointment gave brith to a healthy daughter, the future Mary I. You have to admire her nerves of steel as she fought to hold onto her crown when Henry was determined to divorce her.  I always found it so harsh cruel that Henry denied her access to her daughter, keeping them apart as punishment. Poorly done Henry!

Here we have pretty, silly Catherine Howard (1524-1542) who lost her head barely two years after marrying Henry VIII after he discovered that he wasn't the first man to enjoy her charms nor the last as the case may be.  Sigh, the poor girl should have lived a long life as the wife of some minor nobleman if it hadn't been for the ambitions of her uncle Thomas, Duke of Norfolk who saw a chance of putting another niece on the throne. I've always admired the fact that she asked for the block to be brought to her at the Tower so that she could practice laying her head down with dignity. Still, 18 is too young to die.

Finally, Catherine Parr (1512-1548), the one who outlived Henry VIII. This twice-widowed, highly intelligent woman didn't want to marry the King.  She had her heart set on Thomas Seymour as her third husband, finally getting a chance to marry who she wanted, but fate stepped in and she spent 4 years playing nursemaid to a cranky old man, and giving her stepchildren a loving home. However, she did get to be the first Queen consort of Ireland, and she managed to turn things around when it looked like she might end up like wives 2 and 5. Finally with Henry's death, she was able to marry the man she loved.  Unfortunately she didn't get much of a chance to enjoy her happiness. Her husband turned out to be a jerk, spending his time playing slap and tickle with the teenage Princess Elizabeth who lived with them.  Catherine died soon after giving birth to a daughter.

And finally we come to our last Catherine of Braganza (1638 - 1705), the wife of the Merry Monarch Charles II. This Portugese Princess who could trace her lineage back to John of Gaunt, was not popular at first, being Catholic and unable to speak English. She also left a lot to be desired in the fashion stakes, arriing in England with an unfortunate hairdo like batwings.  No sooner had she set foot on English soil then she was confronted by the revelation that not only did her husband have mistress, the beautiful and sensuous Barbara Palmer, but that Catherine was forced to accept her as one of her ladies. Quelle horreur!

It can't have been easy for Catherine, she was madly in love with her husband, but she had to share him with many mistresses who seemed to give birth every few minutes, while Catherine suffered at least two miscarriages. Charles was fond of her, and insisted that she be treated with respect. Despite not being able to bear the much needed heir, he refused to divorce her. Over time, Catherine managed to win over her subjects by her quiet demeanor and her loyalty to the King. As part of her dowry, Catherine brought Tangiers and Bombay to British control. She also introduced the custom of tea-drinking to England, which had been popular in Portugal for some time, as well as introducing the use of the fork to English dining tables.  After her husband's death, Catherine initially remained in England, living at Somerset House. She tired to intervene with James II for the life of James, Duke of Monmouth, her huband's illegitimate son after his rebellion but to no avail.

She returned to Portugal in 1692, when anti-Catholic sentiment made life uncomfortable in England, where she acted as a regent for her brother Peter II. She died in 1705 and is buried in Lisbon.

Hopefully the future Princess William's life as a member of the royal family won't be quite as dramatic as the lives of these 5 women!

Interview with Diane Haeger, author of the Queen's Mistake

Scandalous Women is pleased to welcome Diane Haeger to the blog.



Welcome, Diane, to Scandalous Women. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started writing?



Sure. Well, I have been writing historical fiction for almost 20 years, beginning with Courtesan, a novel based on the true, epic love story of Henri II and Diane de Poitiers—who was the unofficial Renaissance queen of France. It was a story that changed my life since I was driven to tell it to an American audience to such an extent that I gave up the final portion of a doctoral degree in psychology in order to go to France and finish the story. That is probably a good thing since I have been blessed enough to say that The Queen’s Mistake is my 11th historical novel and I have never looked back. But I like to believe that my books perhaps encompass the two worlds of psychology and fiction, bringing to life characters, their troubles and their triumphs, in a human and believable way. At least that has always been my goal.



What led you to choose Catherine Howard as the heroine of The Queen's Mistake?



Because I began my writing career in the Renaissance, I think I have a special fondness for those stories. It is most definitely my favorite period in which to immerse myself and spend a year. Catherine Howard’s story was a challenge because it is not one that ends well, obviously, and also if one read only the most basic information about her, it would be easy to see her as simply an empty-headed girl who got what she deserved. So there was my challenge! When I began to research her, that was not my take at all and, as with so many of my other characters, I was driven to make Catherine human, and to bring her to life in a 21st Century manner, painted across a 16th Century backdrop, since many of her struggles (love, promiscuity, commitment, honor) are things young women struggle with even today.



Tell us about the research. Was there anything you learned about Catherine that you didn’t know before?



I always do my research both in the U.S. and, in this case, in England, but always whatever country in which the book is set; France, Italy, Scotland. I need to be able to see the places about which I write, see some of the actual clothing if possible, furniture, tapestries, just really get a sense of how my characters lived in order to be able, hopefully, to bring them to life for readers. That was an early lesson I learned directly from the late icon Irving Stone, author of The Agony and The Ecstasy.



I discovered a great many things about Catherine Howard in the process of writing the book, mainly about her true care and concern for her husband during their short marriage, in spite of his dissipated condition and his violent mood swings and fits of temper at the time.



The perception of Catherine Howard is usually that of a silly, flighty, not very bright young woman. David Starkey refers to her as the ‘sexy teenager.’ Do you think this reputation is justified?



Initially, probably yes in some ways. There is little doubt that she was promiscuous. But I think through the course of her life she changed and matured. She most certainly worried about Henry and his health and tried, in her way, to be a good wife to him.



Catherine Howard was remarkably promiscuous at an early age, having consensual relationships with a variety of partners. Was that unusual for the time? And how was she able to get away with it without getting caught?



Not unusual for one in her circumstance, raised with a certain amount of privilege then left in boredom often to her own devices. As The Queen’s Mistake shows, she was able to get away with the behavior because she was left largely unattended by her uninterested grandmother.



Catherine Howard is very young when she marries Henry VIII who was fifty years old and had already been married four times. Do you think that Catherine ever loved Henry?



As I researched the story and began to write, I came to believe that, yes, Catherine did love Henry, in a way. There is certainly evidence that she took tender care of him and worried after his health. The likelihood of that being a passionate love however is certainly diminished by his physical condition at the time, as well as his turbulent history with wives-- which would have frightened any young woman who felt the potential for being next in line. Add to that, that I believe her heart was given over to Thomas Culpeper before she married Henry, and I think a more loyal love mixed with friendship and conern is likely.



What do you think Catherine’s fatal mistake was? Do you think that her fate was inevitable or was there something that she could have done to change things?



Great question! I don’t know however if it was one fatal mistake that she made, or rather a series of them that led to her sad end. In some ways, I do think it was inevitable because Henry was bound to discover her love for Culpeper, thanks to the jockeying for position at court by so many ambitious rivals to her power, and that there was little she could do about that once she had been presented to him as a virgin and she chose to allow that ruse. Naturally, having no contact at all with Culpeper would likely have helped. But considering their daily proximity and love for one another, that likely sealed her fate.



Both Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk and the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk claim that their actions are for their families. How much does ambition play a part in the story of Catherine Howard? Do you think that in some ways she was just a pawn?



I think it had everything to do with it and Catherine was a complete pawn. Add to that the poor thing was incredibly naïve--- not about human nature or men of course, but about the mature workings of the world, having been raised out in the country for much of the time, away from the complexities of court, where she could have gained some perspective and gravitas, in the way that other young maids of honor had, and I think it is a tragedy in the making right there.



The Tudors are wildly popular, it seems like every month more and more books are published during this time period. Why do you think the Tudors continue to be popular?



Another good question, one which I have asked myself. I think in part it is the American audience’s familiarity with the subject, the common language, as well as the notion of anyone who had six wives and many mistresses, just the notion of that is fascinating to people I think. And he was such a different character during his lifetime. For example, the Henry VIII of The Queen’s Mistake is an entirely different character from the younger, fit and handsome Henry of The Secret Bride, or my upcoming The Queen’s Rival.



You’ve also written a novel about Henry VIII’s sister, Mary Boleyn called The Secret Bride. I have to ask, have you watched The Tudors? And if you have what did you think of what they did to Mary’s story?



I did watch the first season, yes. While I enjoyed some of the elements of such a stylized, “current” representation of the subject, obviously trying to bring it to a broader market, there were just way too many inconsistencies and alterations of actual history for me.



What are you working on next?



Up next is The Queen’s Rival, the story of Henry VIII’s first official mistress, Elizabeth Blount, known as Bess, during the time of his first queen, Catherine of Aragon. Bess’s son, Henry Duke of Richmond, was the only illegitimate child Henry ever publicly acknowledged, one he overly indulged and provided for, and who quite well might have become his successor, had he not died a sudden and mysterious death… It’s a remarkable story I hope everyone will look for.



For more information about Diane and her books check out her web-site.



Also remember there are still 3 more days to enter to win a copy of Diane's book. Just leave a comment, and you will be entered to win. If you are not already a follower, and you sign up to follow the blog, that's an extra entry. And if you twitter about the giveaway, that's two more entries!

Welcome Guest Blogger Alisa M. Libby, author of The King's Rose

I came across Catherine’s story when I was nearly done with my first book, The Blood Confession – a historical fantasy inspired by the legend of Countess Bathory, who believed that bathing in the blood of virgins would preserve her youth and beauty for eternity. I had been working on this book for a while and I was feeling a little lost at the thought of being finished. I started casting around for some other wayward girl in history that I could write about, and that’s when I found Catherine Howard.

Catherine was a teenager when she first arrived at court, to be a part of the new queen’s household. While Henry was disappointed with his new bride, Anne of Cleves, he “cast a fantasy” to Catherine from the moment he saw her. She was young, pretty, petite, and vivacious—just Henry’s type. Less than a year after her arrival at court she was married to the King of England and awaiting her own coronation as queen. After over a year of marriage, she was accused of having an affair while married to the king. This was the same charge given to Henry’s second bride years earlier, which lead to her execution. That queen, Anne Boleyn, was Catherine’s own cousin.

Even though Catherine’s story is completely different from Countess Bathory’s, I had a similar reaction to it: “What was she thinking? Why did she do it?” These questions made me want to write about Catherine in her point of view, to come up with an internal logic to explain her illogical actions.

I found it fascinating to research Catherine and observe the different approaches to her story: she was simple-minded, greedy, whorish, and immature. Somehow I had to create empathy for her, to connect with her and find her voice. I didn’t want to make her too much a victim, especially since her bad choices are what drew me to tell her story in the first place. Certainly she was greedy, and not at all well-versed in court etiquette and politics, but at the core of her story I found her to be woefully, fatally naïve. And that, as I see it, lead to her downfall. The Tudor court was a fascinating but brutal place to live, filled with people each with his own agenda, and families willing to sacrifice their own young for a chance at power.

When my husband and I went to England, we visited the Tower of London on February 13, the anniversary of Catherine’s execution. She is buried in the chapel beside her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn. A bouquet of roses was draped over Anne’s crest that day, and the guard showed us how the white stone is now discolored because of all the flowers she has received over the years. It made us feel sorry for Catherine that she never gets such attention. While she did not have nearly the impact on history that Anne did, her story is still a fascinating one. I left a small stone on her crest as a mark of our visit, and I can only hope that she knows that we came a long way specifically to visit her.

Please head on over to Alisa's web-site: www.alisalibby.com more information on both her wonderful books. Also any one who leaves a comment will be eligible to win a copy of Alisa's book.

Coming Soon: Alisa M. Libby, Author of The King's Rose

Tomorrow, Alisa M. Libby will be blogging about her new historical young adult novel, The King's Rose about Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Here's a sneak peek at the book:



Appointed to the queen’s household at the age of fourteen, Catherine Howard is not long at court before she catches the eye of King Henry VIII. The king is as enchanted with Catherine as he is disappointed with his newest wife — the German princess Anne of Cleves. Less than a year from her arrival at court, Catherine becomes the fifth wife of the overwhelmingly powerful, if aging, King of England.

Caught up in a dazzling whirl of elaborate celebrations, rich gowns and royal jewels, young Catherine is dizzied by the absolute power that the king wields over his subjects. But does becoming the king’s wife make her safe above all others, or put her in more danger? Catherine must navigate the conspiracies, the silent enemies, the king’s unpredictable rages, as well as contend with the ghosts of King Henry’s former wives: the abandoned Catherine of Aragon, the tragic Jane Seymour, and her own cousin, the beheaded Anne Boleyn. The more Catherine learns about court, the more she can see the circles of danger constricting around her, the threats ever more dire.

Check out the book trailer for The King's Rose!