King Henry VIII’s first wife was Catherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess. Their marriage ended bitterly after 24 years due to Henry’s desire for a male heir and his love for Anne Boleyn. Catherine died in poverty, but remained popular with the people of England.
The first wife of King Henry VIII of England was the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon. Although their marriage is believed to have been initially happy, Henry’s attempts to divorce Catherine after 24 years of marriage left them bitter enemies and left the country forever altered. Catherine of Aragon is believed to have been brilliant, courageous and headstrong, even refusing in her death to accept her husband’s betrayal as just.
Catherine of Aragon was born in 1485, daughter of the powerful Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella. She was betrothed at an early age to Prince Arthur Tudor of England, the eldest son of King Henry VII. Arthur and Catherine were married in England in 1501, but their marriage was cut short when Arthur died of illness in April 1502. Catherine’s status at court was now precarious, she was widowed at the age of 17.
King Henry VII, desperate to avoid returning Catherine’s enormous dowry, immediately had Catherine of Aragon marry her second son, Henry. The second marriage required the Pope’s permission, as it was against church law to marry a widow to her husband’s brother. Catherine testified in court that the marriage had never been consummated and permission was granted. Even so, Catherine and Henry did not marry until June 1509, after seven years of political wrangling.
As Queen of England, Catherine of Aragon put her considerable brainpower to work arranging treaties between her husband and her native Spain. In 1511, Catherine was instrumental in an alliance between England and Spain to fight France, formalized in the Treaty of Westminster. Henry trusted her wife so much that he made her regent, allowing her to rule the country while she was at war. Catherine also acted as patroness of several universities and schools, and was an advocate for women’s education.
Catherine and Henry are said to have had genuine affection for each other, but Catherine’s inability to produce a live son strained the marriage. Despite the birth of Mary, who would one day become Queen Mary I, Henry became frantic for a male heir. Henry became convinced that their marriage was cursed by God due to Catherine’s previous marriage to Arthur. Furthermore, Henry fell passionately in love with Anne Boleyn, a young waiting woman in the employ of his wife.
The combination of Henry’s fear of God’s wrath and Anne Boleyn’s refusal to consummate their relationship outside of marriage prompted Henry to seek an annulment from the Church. Unable to obtain permission, Henry broke with the Catholics and founded the Protestant Church of England. The new Church was happy to grant a divorce which secured Henry’s marriage to the Protestant Anna.
The staunchly Catholic Catherine of Aragon did not accept the situation, insisting that Anne was not queen and refusing to enter a convent quietly as requested by the king. Also, she would not give the Queen’s jewels to Anna. Catherine had considerable public support, which infuriated Henry and his new queen. The king severely punished Catherine of hers for her stubbornness, banishing her to a dilapidated manor and denying her all contact with Maria of hers, her only daughter.
Catherine of Aragon died in near poverty in 1536 at the age of 51. Henry, still furious at her refusal to accept her authority, ordered feasts to celebrate her death. Despite the king’s disgust for her, Catherine of Aragon remained popular with the people of England, retaining their lifelong love of her intellect, her piety, and her principles.
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