Anne of Cleves (1515-1557)

Succession to Jane

Holbein portrait

1540, Holbein workshop Henry VIII 1542, after Holbein

Mary de Guise m. James V

Louise de Guise

Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan, 1533

Holbein1538

Other Possible French Brides

Castillon, French Ambassador: Send yourself some person or persons whom you can trust, and act on their report.Henry: Par Dieu, I will trust no one but myself; marriage touches a man too nearly. I will have them sing to me a few times before I settle.Castillon (With a half smile): Your Majesty would, perhaps, like to try them all, one after the other, and keep the one that suits you best. It was not thus, Sire, that the Knights of the Round Table treated their ladies in old times in this country.

Anne The Cleves Sisters AmeliaHolbein

Cleves (also control of Jülich and Berg)

Anne of Cleves Qualities

• Could not sing or play an instrument but came from a court where music was appreciated

• Not a great drinker

– Contrary to warning that marrying a German princess would be going to bed with a ‘wine barrel’

– Not inclined to the ‘good cheer of the country’

Anne of Cleves Qualities

• Spoke and wrote only German

• Good at needlework

• Betrothal at age 12 to Francis of Lorraine discounted

– But later part of annulment

The Meeting

Cromwell (after surprise meeting): How ye liked the lady Anne

Henry: Nothing so well as she is spoken of

Henry: What remedy

Cromwell: I know none

Oak ceremonial bedhead made for the marriage of King Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves,, 1539

Marriage

Anne: When he comes to bed he kisses me, and taketh me by the hand and biddeth me “Good night, sweet heart”; and in the morning, kisses me and biddeth me “Farewell, darling.” Is that not enough”

Lady Rochford: I think your Grace is a maid still indeed . . . There must be more than that.

Conversations with Cromwell never take place

Decisions

Norfolk mission concludes that invasion by combined French and HRE forces was unlikely

July 9 Archbishops of Canterbury and York agree to annulment

– Pre-contract

– Henry’s lack of information needed for consent

– Non-consummation

July 11, 16 Anne accepts judgment

July 12 Act of Annulment

Married, Jan. 6, 1540; June 24, Moved to Richmond Palace

Anne’s future

• Pension of £4,000

• Life possession of Richmond Palace, Bletchingley Manor– Later given Kemsing, Seal, and Hever

– [Edward VI's council confiscated Richmond and Bletchingley, and granted her the manor of Penshurst and Dartford Priory in Kent.]0

• Title of The King’s Honored Sister– Continued welcome at Henry’s Court

Dartford Manor (Bletchingley) Gatehouse, Surrey built from material from priory

Tomb Westminster Abbey

Jane Seymour (1508-1537)

“Bound to Obey and Serve”

Seymour and Tudor families

Early Life

• Educated at home, Wiltshire

– Read & write, some French

• Lady-in-waiting for Catherine and Anne

• Offered a purse by Henry she told the messenger to return it and “reserve it for such a time as God would be pleased to send her some advantageous marriage”

Qualifications

• From a family of ten children; father from a family of eight

• Needlework, hunting

Nicholas Carew (1495-1540)

• Jouster with young Henry

• Ambassador to France

• MP in Reformation Parliament

• Supporter of Mary and Catherine

• Ally of Cromwell against Anne Boleyn

• His wife advises Mary to submit to Henry’s wishes

Carew, Holbein

Carew and Jane Seymour

Rebuilt early 18th C.

Tudor great hall

Manor in Beddington where Henry and Jane were guests

1527, Horenbout Henry VIII 1536, Holbein

Marriage

• May 19 Dispensation to marry May 19 Execution of Anne Boleyn

• May 30 Marriage in private ceremony

Queenship

• Repeatedly asked Henry to restore Mary

– Mary gave her cucumbers to satisfy her craving

• Begged the king to save the abbeys during the Pilgrimage of Grace but was warned not to meddle in politics.

Henry VIII and Hampton Court

1529-30 Kitchen range; King’s private lodging; Council chamber; gallery for the Queen

1530-32 Great Hall; tennis courts

1533-36 Queen’s lodgings

1535-36 Upgraded King’s lodgings; watching chamber; chapel

1537-38 Queen’s long gallery; King’s new lodgings; Prince’s lodgings

Kitchen Wing

• Video of kitchens and Great Hall

Great Hall

Abraham Tapestry Layout

Watching Chamber

Watching Chamber – Jane Seymour (wings)

Watching Chamber Tapestries

Triumph of Fame

Catherine Howard(1523?-1542)

Non autre volante que la sienneNo other will than his

Last Tournament May 1540

Background

• Father , Edmund Howard, 3rd son of family of 23 (10 living to adulthood)

• Mother, Jocasta Culpepper, widow

• One of six children of this marriage

Education

• Household (Horsham and Lambeth) of her step-grandmother, the dowager Duchess of Norfolk

• Conversant in French

• Dance, lute, virginal

• Lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves

Other ‘education’

• Sexually abused by her music teacher, Henry Manox

• Affair with alleged promise to marry with Francis Dereham

OatlandsBuilt for Anne of Cleves

Marriage place of Henry and Catherine

Marriage

• French Ambassador : He “had never seen the King is such spirits or in so good a humor.”

• Recurrences of leg ulcer

The Howard Queenship

• Jobs for many Howards

• Francis Dereham, private secretary

• Romance with Thomas Culpepper

• John Lascelles, whose sister had known Catherine at Horsham

– Communication w. Cranmer

– Cranmer communication w. Henry

Indictment; Katherine Howard

led an abominable, base, carnal, voluptuous, and vicious life, like a common harlot, with divers persons . . . , maintaining however the outward appearance of chastity and honesty.

That she led the King by word and gesture to love her and . . . arrogantly coupled herself with him in marriage.

Indictment

[Katherine and Francis Dereham] excused themselves by alleging that they were contracted to each other before the marriage with the King; which contract at the time of the marriage they falsely and traitorously concealed from the King, to the peril of the King and of his children to be begotten by her and the damage of the whole realm.

Indictment: Katherine

did so retain the said Francis, and . . . in her secret chamber and other suspect places, spoke with him and committed secret affairs to him both by word and writing

falsely and traitorously held illicit meeting and conference to incite the said Culpeper to have carnal intercourse with her; and insinuated to him that she loved him above the King

Henry VIII Executions

• 72,000 for criminal activities (according to John Stow)

• 330 political executions between 1532-40