anne of cleves? catherine parr? - Henry VIII (2004) Discussion

[–] EmpressEmily 19 years ago

I agree. The woman who played Anne of Cleves could have done a wonderful job- if she'd had more screen time (and some lines). I don't even remember Catherine Parr, probably, as you said, because she was just squished into the end as filler.

We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place and we'll not fail.

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[–] Dolly_Wildstar 19 years ago

I know what you mean, but really Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr did not spend as long with the King as some of the (arguably) more prominent first three wives.

Remeber, Anne Boleyn spent almost 10 years flirting with the King before he married her. And he was married to Catherine of Aragon for almost 20 so there is bound to be more shown on these Queens.

Katherine Howard, although only married to him for 2 years (??) was very well represented I thought. I guess Cleves and Parr were a little boring really.

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[–] EmpressEmily 19 years ago

I really must agree with you- Katherine Howard was very well portrayed; she really stood out, in my opinion.

Anne Boleyn was enormously important in Henry's life, causing him to create the Church of England and all that, and eventually turning him into the tyrant, of sorts, he is somewhat wrongly remembered as. Katherine of Aragon was important too, of course, and Catherine Parr was able to bring Henry and all of his three children together into some semblance of a family for the first time. I think that could be seen as something important, but then, time is always an issue in movies. Hence Catherine Parr was portrayed in a very lacklustre way, unfortunately.

Ah, there should be a really really good film about Henry's life, one that gives each of his wives the screen time they ought to have. Yes, I know it would be incredibly long, but I know I for one would enjoy it. . .

We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place and we'll not fail.

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[–] gboleyn 19 years ago

I completely disagree with your comments about Anne turning Henry into a tyrant. He was already very dictatorial and brutal before he met her - his reign began when he executed his father's two unpopular (but innocent) chief tax-collectors on false charges of treason in 1509 and he did the same to his cousin, the duke of Buckingham, in 1521 (who, incidentally, was probably innocent and never attempted the reckless military coup shown in the film.) Anne was a victim of her husband's cruelty - perhaps the greatest victim of them all.

I definitely agree, however, that she was quite well represented by Helena Bonham-Carter and that Emily Blunt did a magnificent job as Anne's cousin, Queen Catherine Howard.

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[–] tovef 18 years ago

There is considerable evidence that Anne Boleyn attempted to have Bishop Fisher poisoned. Three other men dining with Fisher died as a result of her actions, and she had the gall to taunt Fisher about the poisoning shortly afterward. She had much to do with the mistreatment of Katherine of Aragon and Princess Mary, even commanding that Mary be "beaten for the bastard she is". She was not in any way the saint that the Protestant faction of the time (largely Cranmer) and afterwards, tried to make her out to be. She was well documented, even by people who were sympathetic to her advancement (her uncle, father and friends) as a vicious shrew with a hysterical temperament and a taste for vengeance. Quite a bit of new evidence has come to light corroborating the more negative picture of Anne Boleyn popular up until the modern era, where feminists decided that she had been an early feminist and was a pathetic and innocent victim of an evil man.

Henry was dictatorial and brutal as ALL absolute monarchs of the time were. Anne Boleyn interested Henry in the New Learning, and he took the ball and ran with it. Once he broke free, mentally, of the bonds of having the Emperor and Pope as superiors, and considered himself the head of not only the government, but the Church of England and therefore the mouthpiece of God in his own country, the genie was literally out of the bottle and there was no stopping him. His whims became the will of God, and as he became more and more mentally erratic, his whims became more bizarre.

It is also essential to remember that Henry had circulatory problems which led to early degeneration of his brain, which was further exacerbated by several injuries, two strokes and his excessive imbibing. By the time his marriage with Anne Boleyn was over, he was well on his way to being crackers, and it just got worse as time went on. He also suffered from periods of extreme depression and paranoia, as did his daughter Elizabeth, and his sister, Margaret, who was absolutely bananas by the time she died. In these days, such a person would not be considered entirely responsible for his actions. Unfortunately for many, Henry was the King, and nothing short of death would remove him from the throne.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] katie9918 16 years ago

Why should Mary have even looked at Anne Boleyn, after the cruelties the woman had contributed to inflicting on her and her mother, Henry's true wife, Katherine of Aragon? Mary should have spat in her face, as anyone would do if forced to cohabitate with the woman who'd stolen their father away and turned him into a vicious monster.

Henry may have been a self-indulgent, spoiled little rich boy long before Anne Boleyn came on the scene, but it was the tempering hands of Queen Katherine and Cardinal Wolsey that kept him in check for the most part and for many, many years, he trusted both of them unfailingly, except for the periods when he and Ferdinand of Spain were at odds, and those periods of estrangement never extended to Wolsey, just to Katherine.

But once Anne Boleyn got her filthy claws in Henry and convinced him that he should be God in his own realm, Wolsey and Katherine were both treated as if neither of them had been with Henry every step of the way for twenty years. Katherine was banished, her daughter abused by Anne, Wolsey finally succumbed to Anne's vicious harrassment and dropped dead before Anne could parade him before a kangaroo court (much like the one she later faced, oh the delicious irony) and have him murdered as a traitor. Sir Thomas More, another one of Henry's most trusted friends and allies? What happened to him because of Anne Boleyn? And John Fisher?

The bare facts speak for themselves. As to Mary, Henry may never have regained the close relationship he had with her before he banished Queen Katherine, but as soon as Jane Seymour was crowned, he started making arrangements to have Mary brought back to him. Which means it was Anne who was stopping the reconciliation from happening.

I don't believe that Anne's trial and execution were in any way legal, but with the way she lived, I'm not surprised she came to that end.

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[–] ceebeegee 16 years ago

But once Anne Boleyn got her filthy claws in Henry

Er, what? Do you mean after Henry pursued Anne relentlessly? After he had her engagement to Percy ended? After he had maneuvered into a position where her options were to succumb or be ruined?

Put the blame where it belongs--on the man. Anne did what she had to do to survive, especially with her male relatives pressuring her. It saddens me that you seem to enjoy her downfall and place all the responsibility for Henry's behavior ("stolen him away" ?? Please. Was he a puppet? A toy? A child? Of course not. He did what he chose to do, what he *wanted* to do. Don't fall into the stereotypical trap of blaming he "other woman" for the man's behavior.)

She didn't deserve what happened to her. All she wanted was to marry Percy.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] DanceswithPeeps 15 years ago

Henry was not expected to be king, so he was not trained in the same way as his older brother. Their schooling was similar, but their personalities were different, and Henry's weaknesses were not treated in the same way as his brother's. It was possible the Henry would have entered the Church, becoming a bishop, at least, once his brother was safely on the throne and had had a son to secure the line. In the meantime, he was the spare.

Suddenly, at his brother's death, he becomes the king in waiting. He is told to marry Katherine, his brother's widow, to secure the alliance with Spain against France. Katherine was pretty enough, but she certainly wasn't Henry's type. She was quiet and pious, focused on her duties to God and her husband. Her failure to deliver a healthy son led her to believe that she was failing both God and her husband, a horrible burden for her to bear. The hair shirt shown in the movie was a tiny reference to the lengths she went to in her religious devotion, in her desire to please God and thereby bear a son to her husband.

Anne Boleyn was a complete change from Katherine. Her sister, Mary Boleyn, had already suffered as Henry's mistress, possibly being left pregnant, and also in a marriage of convenience. Anne spent time in the Netherlands and France as a lady in waiting to various queens, gaining a lot of worldly knowledge, developing her wit and intelligence, and gaining a special worldliness and polish not necessarily shared by the other women of the court. She was also quite different from her sister, as Mary was blonde and quite pretty, and Anne was dark, petite, and not pretty. Anne was, however, clever and charming, things Katherine was not. Her father pushed her toward making a good marriage. It is likely that she was not in a great hurry to marry, as she seemed to enjoy court life. Marriage would probably have meant a life in the country, far from court, bearing one child after another until she died of puerperal fever or worn out from bearing children and maintaining a household.

Henry saw her and wanted her. She did not pursue him, probably not wishing to be stuck as her sister was in a marriage of convenience and/or to become pregnant by Henry and then banned forever from court.

Anne told him she would not be his mistress. Henry pursued her for years. He was fixated. At some point, she decided that he wasn't going away and she wanted to be queen. Henry would have used any excuse. The new religion was pushed by many in the court, both by those who believed it and by those who looked on it as an opportunity to separate England from the influence of the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. Anne did not do this. She could not have done this on her own. Henry would have used anything to end his marriage to Katherine. The timing was perfect. Her father pushed her in the pursuit of Henry. As a woman, she was limited in her choices. Failing to make a good marriage would probably have resulted in her joining a convent, as that would be the only way to secure her future. She could not inherit property. She was entirely dependent on the men in her family. Her father pushed the alliance, as he had apparently pushed Mary's affair with Henry. Her family received land, titles, and property as a result of Anne's involvement with Henry. She was a cash cow. She became a sacrifice.

Catherine Howard was also pushed by her family to become involved with the king. She was certainly not interested in marrying Henry, although she enjoyed the attention and power of being Queen of England.

None of the women in Henry's life truly chose to marry him. Katherine of Aragon was the typical royal wife, married off as an alliance. Anne Boleyn was pushed to continue the alliance by her family; her later behavior possibly resulting from her unhappiness and the stress involved. Jane Seymour was also pushed by her family to become involved with Henry; she bore him his son and died as a result. Anne of Cleves was another royal marriage of alliance; a German alliance was chosen as a result of Henry's breaking from the Catholic Church. Catherine Howard was also pushed into the marriage by her family; she was a pretty party girl. Katherine Parr was twice-widowed, and engaged, or close to engaged, to Thomas Seymour; Henry wanted her, so Thomas backed off.

None of these women left writings that were passed down to us. Everything about them is filtered through those who loved and hated them. Too bad, as their autobiographies would be fascinating reading.

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[–] DanceswithPeeps 15 years ago

Henry was not expected to be king, so he was not trained in the same way as his older brother. Their schooling was similar, but their personalities were different, and Henry's weaknesses were not treated in the same way as his brother's. It was possible the Henry would have entered the Church, becoming a bishop, at least, once his brother was safely on the throne and had had a son to secure the line. In the meantime, he was the spare.

Suddenly, at his brother's death, he becomes the king in waiting. He is told to marry Katherine, his brother's widow, to secure the alliance with Spain against France. Katherine was pretty enough, but she certainly wasn't Henry's type. She was quiet and pious, focused on her duties to God and her husband. Her failure to deliver a healthy son led her to believe that she was failing both God and her husband, a horrible burden for her to bear. The hair shirt shown in the movie was a tiny reference to the lengths she went to in her religious devotion, in her desire to please God and thereby bear a son to her husband.

Anne Boleyn was a complete change from Katherine. Her sister, Mary Boleyn, had already suffered as Henry's mistress, possibly being left pregnant, and also in a marriage of convenience. Anne spent time in the Netherlands and France as a lady in waiting to various queens, gaining a lot of worldly knowledge, developing her wit and intelligence, and gaining a special worldliness and polish not necessarily shared by the other women of the court. She was also quite different from her sister, as Mary was blonde and quite pretty, and Anne was dark, petite, and not pretty. Anne was, however, clever and charming, things Katherine was not. Her father pushed her toward making a good marriage. It is likely that she was not in a great hurry to marry, as she seemed to enjoy court life. Marriage would probably have meant a life in the country, far from court, bearing one child after another until she died of puerperal fever or worn out from bearing children and maintaining a household.

Henry saw her and wanted her. She did not pursue him, probably not wishing to be stuck as her sister was in a marriage of convenience and/or to become pregnant by Henry and then banned forever from court.

Anne told him she would not be his mistress. Henry pursued her for years. He was fixated. At some point, she decided that he wasn't going away and she wanted to be queen. Henry would have used any excuse. The new religion was pushed by many in the court, both by those who believed it and by those who looked on it as an opportunity to separate England from the influence of the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. Anne did not do this. She could not have done this on her own. Henry would have used anything to end his marriage to Katherine. The timing was perfect. Her father pushed her in the pursuit of Henry. As a woman, she was limited in her choices. Failing to make a good marriage would probably have resulted in her joining a convent, as that would be the only way to secure her future. She could not inherit property. She was entirely dependent on the men in her family. Her father pushed the alliance, as he had apparently pushed Mary's affair with Henry. Her family received land, titles, and property as a result of Anne's involvement with Henry. She was a cash cow. She became a sacrifice.

Catherine Howard was also pushed by her family to become involved with the king. She was certainly not interested in marrying Henry, although she enjoyed the attention and power of being Queen of England.

None of the women in Henry's life truly chose to marry him. Katherine of Aragon was the typical royal wife, married off as an alliance. Anne Boleyn was pushed to continue the alliance by her family; her later behavior possibly resulting from her unhappiness and the stress involved. Jane Seymour was also pushed by her family to become involved with Henry; she bore him his son and died as a result. Anne of Cleves was another royal marriage of alliance; a German alliance was chosen as a result of Henry's breaking from the Catholic Church. Catherine Howard was also pushed into the marriage by her family; she was a pretty party girl. Katherine Parr was twice-widowed, and engaged, or close to engaged, to Thomas Seymour; Henry wanted her, so Thomas backed off.

None of these women left writings that were passed down to us. Everything about them is filtered through those who loved and hated them. Too bad, as their autobiographies would be fascinating reading.

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[–] kidreader411 18 years ago

I personaly think that though he was a shown to be rude and all that being with anne helped him realize the power he had so i do think that she helped him along with that

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[–] crfulton 19 years ago

Ah, but Catherine Parr was Henry's consort for four years, almost three years longer than Jane Seymour. She acted as his regent in one war, and came very near to being charged with heresy.

So she's really not boring, she's just not "sexy" the way the whole Catherine of Aragon/Anne Boleyn/Jane Seymour thing played. I mean, for boring, I give you Jane Seymour. She gave birth to a son and died. End of story. Catherine Parr survived a marriage with a man who had near-absolute power and an increasingly capricious temper. She helped to reconcile him to his two daughters, helping to pave the way for the ascension of Elizabeth I to the throne. She was an intelligent woman in a difficult position, and I'd love to see her done great justice.

If you want to see a nice, even treatment of Henry VIII's six wives, find the series THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY THE EIGHTH that starred Keith Mitchell and aired back in 1970. It gave 90 minutes per wife, and was awesomely well done!

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[–] hripsime_miranda 19 years ago

There's something like that in color only it was a documentary. It was called "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" and portrayed Annabelle Douler as Catherine of Aragon, Julia Marsen as Anne Boleyn, Charlotte Roach as Jane Seymour, Catherine Siggins as Anne of Cleves, Michelle Abrahams as Katheryn Howard, and Caroline Lintott as Katherine Parr. Every wife was explained in a 30-40 minute time. Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn were in one episode that lasted an hour and a half or so and the second episode had the rest of the wives in about double that time. I feel like seeing it again!

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[–] karmarae 18 years ago

I just thought I'd point out that it was Jane Seymour who brought Mary back to court, so if anyone should be credited with bringing Henry and his children back together, it should be her, not Catherine Parr, although he spent the most time with his children when married to her.
Also, Anne of Cleves did not please the King as a wife, but she was apparently very bright and fun, and when the marriage was dissolved she was given the title of "King's Sister", and allowed to remain in England with huge wealth and comfort. They spent a lot of time together, playing games and talking about politics, and he is said to have enjoyed her company very much.
"The Six Wives of Henry VIII" was I believe a documentary by David Starky, and it is the most accurate and interesting documentary on his life that I have ever seen.

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[–] krusej 18 years ago

I thought that Henry had told people that he thought she (Anna of Cleves) looked like a horse and smelled funny? Anyone else notice that there weren't very many variations in names back then? Or was it Henry's planning? Three Catherines (different spellings though) and two Annes. Jane was the only original one and apparently she was "plain Jane" as well. I don't really think Anne B was a victim, she saw what it was like to be a wife to Henry and how he treated Katherine of Aragon after their marriage was over, she knew what she was getting into at the time and her temper rivaled Henry's. Unfortunately that temper carried over to her daughter too.

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[–] angelicme_ 18 years ago

Anne Boleyn was an amazing woman, if you ask me. She risked everything, including life itself, to get what she wanted. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and she knew how to get it. She was good to those who were good to her. She loved her daughter and cursed on people who cursed her... She was great. She was a victim cause Henry was a brute, he sexually abused her when she discouraged his feelings for her, it was only when he said he'd marry her that she thought "Oooo, that's an idea!"

Jane Seymour was a push over and of very little interest to me, though she brought Mary back to court it didn't do much for the other kids in the long run. In other words, to me, Jane is one of the least remarkable women to play her part in history. She had a son and died, that's all there is to her. The actres who played her in this was far too pretty to play Jane too. Elizabeth was on that back shelf with no clothes that fit her, it was Kat Ashley --her nanny-- who petitioned to the king to at least get her some clothes that fit her. It had been Anne to looked after the welfare of Elizabeth. It was Katherine Parr who got back Elizabeth and finally reunited the family, not Jane.

I'm Delilah... what do you think when you hear my name?

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[–] tovef 18 years ago

Don't confuse movies with history.

In reality, Anne Boleyn was an adventuress, and indeed, risked everything to become queen. She had a lot to do with the eventual mistreatment of Katherine of Aragon and Princess Mary, and she liked to try to get people who opposed her out of her way with poison too. Katherine of Aragon was never anything but polite and "good" to Anne Boleyn - Anne Boleyn wanted her put out of the way and her needs not to be provided for. And in truth, a woman who sets out to take another woman's husband, no matter what the cost, is NOT a nice person.

Her love for her child is doubtful. Katherine of Aragon endured years of ill treatment and threats of death and never gave up fighting for her daughter's rights - Anne Boleyn signed away her child's rights without a moment's argument when she thought it would get her off the hook.

Henry probably never sexually abused Anne Boleyn, except in this bodice ripper of a movie. On the contrary, he held off having sex with her for seven years, because she protested that she would not have sex with him unless they were married. He was the king - he could have forced her or ordered her to put out, and nobody would have said a word.

Kat Ahsley did not approach Cromwell for clothing for Elizabeth, Kat Ashley was not around at the time, it was Margaret Bryan, who had also been Pricess Mary's and later was one of Prince Edward's nursemaids who did - and it was Princess Mary who actually provided the clothing. Kat Ashley never caused anything but trouble for Elizabeth, because she was a gossip and incredibly indiscreet and stupid.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] tovef 18 years ago

The two later Catherines were named after the first Catherine, Catherine of Aragon. People forget that Henry was married to Catherine of Aragon for twenty years, many of them quite happily.

Anne was a very common name at the time, after Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary. It was probably the second most common name after Mary!

Jane is indeed the odd name out among Henry's wives, but was a very common name for women at the time too, as it is the feminine form of John, which is the most common man's name, and also the name of a very popular saint. People weren't given names that were not Christian, and looking at lists of people at court shows that there were many Catherines and Elizabeths, named after Henry's first wife and his mother. It was considered a compliment to name your child after the queen.

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[–] angelicme_ 18 years ago

They only spent like 5 minutes on his marriage to Catherine before they moved on to Anne. I think that Anne was the star of the wives cause he's the one everyone knows the name of long beofre they know who or what she was.

I'm Delilah... what do you think when you hear my name?

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[–] sophie_lou21 18 years ago

True, Anne is without a doubt the most interesting and well-known of Henry's wives cause she was one of the many things that led to Henry's break with the church. She was also the mother of Elizabeth. She certainly was an amazing woman because she had all the tact of a man.

-

Shooting Stars [HMC Site] - http://sophie-lou.tripod.com/

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[–] surrealsunshine-1 17 years ago

Eh. I don't think Anne is "amazing" as much as just very, very ambitious.

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[–] katie9918 16 years ago

If Anne is "amazing," then I don't see how anyone could want to be "amazing."

I find Katherine of Aragon much more fascinating than Anne Boleyn.

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[–] Liza-19 16 years ago

I find Katherine of Aragon much more fascinating than Anne Boleyn.

I second that. Catherine Howard is also very interesting - that poor girl put a lot of living in her short lifetime. I wonder why Anne is the most famous? She certainly wasn't liked by the people even after her daughter, Elizabeth took the throne. Throughout history, I think the only one of the wives that everyone seems to remember with respect is Katherine of Aragon.

I don't care about money. I just want to be wonderful. - Marilyn Monroe

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[–] little_miss_sunnydale 16 years ago

I second that. Catherine Howard is also very interesting - that poor girl put a lot of living in her short lifetime. I wonder why Anne is the most famous? She certainly wasn't liked by the people even after her daughter, Elizabeth took the throne. Throughout history, I think the only one of the wives that everyone seems to remember with respect is Katherine of Aragon.

Each person will obviously have a different reason as to why they find a person fascinating. However as someone fascinated with Anne Boleyn, for myself this is mainly due to her connections to England’s break from the Church in Rome, her fiery personality, her involvement in religious reform, her mysterious downfall and the fact that she was frequently reviled most of which was unfair. Personally I think she stands out from the rest of the wives, although each woman was interesting in their own right.

As for Anne Boleyn not being liked by many of her contemporaries, this is true, but their dislike doesn’t necessarily mean she is not fascinating. If anything it makes her the more controversial and hence more interesting and more famous. Henry VIII is not a fascinating notable figure because he was a saint, but because his personality and actions are so controversial. And in the case of Anne there is that slight mystery about her, particularly in regards to the causes of her downfall.

‘Noli me tangere; for Caesar's I am’

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[–] Liza-19 16 years ago

Each person will obviously have a different reason as to why they find a person fascinating. However as someone fascinated with Anne Boleyn, for myself this is mainly due to her connections to England’s break from the Church in Rome, her fiery personality, her involvement in religious reform, her mysterious downfall and the fact that she was frequently reviled most of which was unfair. Personally I think she stands out from the rest of the wives, although each woman was interesting in their own right.

As for Anne Boleyn not being liked by many of her contemporaries, this is true, but their dislike doesn’t necessarily mean she is not fascinating. If anything it makes her the more controversial and hence more interesting and more famous. Henry VIII is not a fascinating notable figure because he was a saint, but because his personality and actions are so controversial. And in the case of Anne there is that slight mystery about her, particularly in regards to the causes of her downfall.

This is all certainly true. I guess I just find there to be so much on Anne Boleyn, so many people are interested in her, and I haven't found nearly as many books about the other wives. I guess I personally am drawn to the ones who we still don't know as much about.

I don't care about money. I just want to be wonderful. - Marilyn Monroe

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[–] little_miss_sunnydale 16 years ago

I guess I personally am drawn to the ones who we still don't know as much about.

That is understandable. Personally I am intrigued by controversial figures (which is a main reason as to why I find Mary Tudor a fascinating figure). However there is something else that I quite like about Anne although I can’t seem to put my finger on it. Perhaps it is the sense of mystery that surrounds aspects of her life and her downfall.

‘Noli me tangere; for Caesar's I am’

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[–] Liza-19 17 years ago

In this version I thought the only queen they really spent time on was Anne Boleyn. I don't know why they did that. Sure she was important to him, but I think at the very least they should have done more with Jane Seymore. She was the one he requested to be buried next to. I think the producers were just so happy to have Helena Bonham Carter in it they gave her as much screen time as they could.

It's too bad, cuz all the other wives were really well cast. Emilia Fox was a perfect Jane Seymore and I can only remember her having maybe two good scenes. Katharine of Aragon had one that I can remember. I thought the woman who played Parr was a perfect choice, she just was barely there. Too bad. They spent way to much time on Anne Boleyn and should have saved some of it for the others.

I don't care about money. I just want to be wonderful. - Marilyn Monroe

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[–] girl-interrupted88 16 years ago

jane is very important as she is th only wife that henry actually loved out of all 6 of his wives. if she had of survived then he wouldnt need to go off finding a queen. she gave him everything that he asked for.

henry is a fasinating character but a rute as well, who to me just acted like a child who wanted what he couldn't have. and when he didnt get what he wanted he would spit out his dummy and have a paddy.

if, for example, these words reach you. you can rip out my vocal cords and throw them away

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] slatoza01 16 years ago

Henry was actually quite in love with Katherine of Aragon when they were younger. There was a reason he insisted upon marrying her even though she had been married to his brother beforehand. The only reason he was buried next to Jane Seymour was because he considered her his "true" wife; i.e. the only one he hadn't divorced or beheaded (or both). Plus, she gave him a son, something none of his other wives did. Few historians believe that Jane Seymour was anything more than the mother of his son to Henry, and definitely not the love of his life. Besides, his current wife (Catherine Parr) was still alive at the time of Henry's death, so he couldn't very well be buried next to her.

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[–] angelosdaughter 16 years ago

The main reason Henry considered Jane Seymour his most beloved and true wife was that she produced the long-sought male heir. If she had lived, there would not have been three more wives, although knowing Henry, there would have been mistresses. By producing the son, Jane cemented her position as Queen.

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[–] Tess_D 16 years ago

I think Anne has always got the most attention because she was the first of her kind. A king puts aside his marriage of twenty years (and tries to influence the law in doing so) to marry a wee girl.

Oh, Lady Margaret ~ you are naive

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[–] karellan 15 years ago

Catherine of Aragon: m. 1509, ann. 1533 (Almost 24 years with most glossed over in most adaptations.)

Anne Boleyn: m. 1533, ann. 1536 (Affair made their "time" together even longer than this [began in 1525] during final years with Catherine making their relationship about 11 years [with marriage just shy of three full years].)

Jane Seymour: m. 1536, dec 1537 (Queen Jane is significant in most tellings not ONLY for the fact that she gave Henry male issue, but also because of his love for her [marriage about 1.5 years]. Notice that he did not marry again for nearly some 3 years after her death.)

Anne of Cleves: m. 1540, ann. 1540 (Seven months and three days -- 'nuff said.)

Catherine Howard: m. 1540, ann. 1542 (Marriage about 1.5 years.)

Catherine Parr: m. 1543, wid. 1547 (About 3.5 years.)

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[–] DarcyBrandon 13 years ago

I always felt kind of bad for Catherine Parr because Henry seemed to forget about her in the end. Not only did he arrange to be buried next to Jane Seymour when he died, but he had Jane painted as his queen in one of his portraits long after Jane was dead but he was already married to Catherine. If that was me, I would have had total issues.

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