She refused to acknowledge Anne's place in the monarchy, going so far as to refuse to send the crown jewels to Henry's second wife. Having King Ferdinand as an ally against the French was extremely useful for England. The object of his affections was the quick-witted Anne Boleyn, who had returned to England in 1522, after nearly seven years living at the French court. This unique concert which will only ever be performed this evening will feature music Catharine would have heard at court, and also a piece reputedly written especially for her by Henry VIII. Claire is going live on YouTube on 11 February! The previous series' protagonists, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Woodville, don't near a battlefield. Cowie describes the wedding of Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon on November 14th, 1501. Files Welcome Pack of 5 goodies, 7th January 1536 Death of Catherine of Aragon, 7 January 1536 Death of Catherine of Aragon, Catherine of Aragons Funeral 29 January 1536, 7 January 1536 The Death of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs first wife, 7 January 1536 Catherine of Aragon dies at Kimbolton Castle, The Katherine of Aragon Festival 2011 webpage, Catherine of Aragon: The Spanish Queen of Henry VIII, The Tudors Season 4 on BBC UK This Month January 2011, Henry VIII Books livestream YouTube 18 February 2023, February 13 A queen and her lady-in-waiting are beheaded. Catherines grown up believing she will be the Queen of England, a promise made to her as a child. When Catherine failed to produce a male heir, Henry divorced her against the. Catherine won and lost her case. She asks how has she offended him? There's a common misconception that the marriage went south almost immediately. Prince Arthurs stunned to hear about these letters, demanding to know if she replied. The marriage was annulled and he went on to marry Anne Boleyn, a favorite mistress. Elizabeth informs her oldest son hes to meet Catherine as she makes her way to Westminster. Catherine led an effort to recruit soldiers across England; allocated money for supplies; and planned a battlefield strategy. There's the science of it: the simple fact that miscarriage most often happens as a result of an issue with the embryo's chromosomes, and then there's the stigma of it: the deeply ingrained and false idea that it was something the pregnant person did wrong. Giles Tremlett writes of how Mara had rushed up from London on hearing the news of Catherines illness and that she acted out an elaborate charade to force her way into the house, claiming the letter licensing her to enter was on its way and pretending that she had been thrown from her horse and was in urgent need of shelter. She felt somewhat grateful for lockdown because it gave her time to cleanse, spend time with her mom, and process the trauma of playing the role. That grit and hope was something Charlotte also found in many of the women she talked to in researching her role. In 1513, Henry VIIIs first queenacting as regent in her husbands absencesecured a major triumph at the Battle of Flodden. And while Catherine expresses her desire to participate in the battle, her warrior mother reminds her she needs to remain safe and protect Spain by fulfilling her duties and becoming Englands Queen. The daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile, she was betrothed to the future King of England, Arthur, eldest son of King Henry VII, and moved to England to marry him when she was still a teenager. In fact, they were married for about 23 years before Henry, frustrated with their inability to produce a male heir, decided to break with the Catholic Church and thereby have his marriage annulled. And when she actually comes to the divorce question, she sees it as a battle. Catherine asks the location of the church and is told its nearby. Any misstep in that bestowed task is culturally taboo.. Whereas Margaret of Anjous seizure of power made her deeply unpopular, Catherines regency cemented her already sterling reputation. King Henrys beside himself with worry over Englands finances. Catherine of Aragon's marriage to Henry VIII lasted for 24 years. Additionally, Catherine would not budge from her position that she was his wife and queen in the eyes of both God and Man. Words like crippling and failure come to Charlottes mind to describe how Catherine feels. Leading up to the much-anticipated meeting of Prince Arthur and Princess Catherine, the future King and Queen of England have been exchanging love letters. In addition it is quite curious why Catherine prayed for hours, practiced penance and wore a hair shirt as a form of self-punishment. She was also concerned about the impact the annulment would have on their only living child, Mary. Princess Catherine doesnt care about the semantics; she isnt fond of so much water raining down from the heavens. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Many a queen would have quite simply hotfooted it to the Tower of London, pulled up the drawbridge and sat there fairly safely, says Fox. Elizabeth believes Margaret would be aware of any plots against their family. When she is left as regent, she is in her element, says Julia Fox, author of Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile. Both of Catherine's parents were part of the Trastmara dynasty. Catherine, however, is stuck on her dislike for the rain. "Facts About Catherine of Aragon." In 1501 she married Prince Arthur, eldest son of King Henry VII of England. "We are all very glad to be busy with the Scots. But the new evidence suggests that the queen intended to travel further north, if not directly into battle like Joan of Arc, then at least into the vicinity of combat. Alone, Catherine warms herself by the fire and retrieves a gold compass. Lina reminds Lady Margaret the soldiers were brought to England as part of Princess Catherines dowry. She wonders what people would pick to do if they were told 50% of people didnt have children, but she knows she still feels pressure, and is more afraid of her biological clock than her PCOS. King Henrys relieved Catherine of Aragon is now on English soil. Instead, she assumed an active role in the governingand protectionof England. According to contemporary historian Peter Martyr, Catherine really did address English troops ahead of the Battle of Flodden, wearing armor to accommodate her pregnant body, as she does in The Spanish Princess. Charlotte explains that initially . Catherine suffers from seasickness; however, Lina remains able to care for her mistress. She was older and sassier than Henry. Katherine was the daughter of the powerful couple Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon, whose own marriage had united Spain. She declares this is no way for a king to act and threatens to write her mother about his disrespectful behavior toward both her and Spain. She reminds him it doesnt matter if shes ugly because shes there for the purpose of making a treaty. That anxiety helped fuel her role and riveting performance. For more ways to live your best life plus all things Oprah, sign up for our newsletter! Background, Family of Catherine of Aragon. She wants Catherine to meet Prince Arthur immediately after she changes her clothes. Princess Catherine and Queen Elizabeth have their first face-to-face meeting. passionate marriage between Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope) and King Henry VIII (Ruari O'Connor) seen here with their first son, Henry, who later tragically dies. Catherine was ready to fight herself, if need be. She had died not in some sumptuous palace surrounded by her loved ones, but in a small, dark, cold castle with her faithful staff in attendance. 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Shes embarrassed she shared her heart and passion with the letter-writer. After King Henry makes his exit, Lady Margaret confides to Elizabeth that Catherine is arrogant and over-privileged. When Maggie demurs, Elizabeth gets to the point she demands to know if Maggies heard of any traitors rising up against King Henry. However, Graham and Emma Frostthe duo behind Starz's The White Princess and The White Queen, which focus on Tudor England from the perspective of its womencouldn't pass up an opportunity to finally stage a battle scene. Three days after the battle, Catherine penned a letter to her husband, who had successfully captured Throuanne and was now besieging Tournai. Oviedo stops the assault and then accompanies her to search for herbs. As Henry and his troops besieged the French town of Throuanne, Catherine and her council readied for a clash closer to home. He, of course, already figured out his brother is the one who penned the love letters. They walk down the aisle as Catherine quietly recites, Daughter of Spain, wife to Prince Arthur. The episode ends as she adds, and soon, Queen of England.. b. (Ambassadors correspondence indicates that the queen delivered a premature son who died shortly after birth in October 1513, but the pregnancys veracity remains a point of contention; in Sister Queens, Fox argues, [I]it seems unlikely that she would have risked a much-wanted child by accompanying the army from London.), Tremlett deems the speech almost certainly invented but points out that this doesnt mean it [didnt] reflect the spirit of the moment. Fox, meanwhile, says Catherine probably made a speech, but whether it was quite as rousing or as wonderful, I dont know.. She was betrothed since she was about four years old to the future king of England. Known for: first queen consort of Henry VIII; mother of Mary I of England; Catherine's refusal to be put aside for a new queenand the Pope's support of her positionled to Henry's separating the Church of England from the Church of Rome, Occupation: queen consort of Henry VIII of England. We are talking about it now with Amy Coney Barretts confirmation to the court and with the loss of Chrissy Teigen and John Legends son Jack. In the show, she allows Margaret (Georgie Henely) to take her husband's body home, but insists on taking the armor herself. Catherine is often portrayed as a dowdy, overly pious, stubborn old woman who refused to yield her position for the good of the kingdom. It is unclear exactly why Katherine lost so many of her children. She did penance and refused to leave her room, except for prayer. The queen eventually gave birth to Princess Mary (who would be later known as Bloody Mary, due to her violent reign) on February 18, 1516, according to the same report. For my part I pardon you everything and I wish to devoutly pray to God that He will pardon you also. Neither Henry nor Anne attended her funeral, and he forbade Mary to attend. Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) was the youngest of the siblings Marriage, Children husband: Arthur, Prince of Wales (betrothed in 1489, married 1501; Arthur died 1502) no children; Catherine asserted consistently at the end of her marriage that the marriage had not been consummated Charlotte says, I wanted to make sure that we were telling a story about Catherine, that was about a woman in Tudor England, but was also as much a study of the modern female condition because the stuff that she's going through is still stuff that we're going through today., And that stuff that she is talking about is infertility, pregnancy loss, and the blaming and shaming of women when it comes to reproduction. Shocked, she reminds him theyre in service to Princess Catherine and Spain. You can find out more about this programme of events at The Katherine of Aragon Festival 2011 webpage. Lina and Rosa talk about Edward, and Lina reminds her its an honor to attend Princess Catherine. The couples loving relationship, however, eventually deteriorated due to a lack of a male heir and the kings infatuation with Anne Boleyn. Here's what really happened at the pivotal Battle of Flodden, which resulted in the death of Scotland's King James VI. Advertising Notice While very rare, recurrent pregnancy loss is incredibly tragic and traumatic for pregnant people. Henry appointed Catherine as "regent and governess of England, Wales and Ireland, during our absence to issue warrants under her sign manual for payment of such sums as she may require from our treasury". Henrys desire for a legitimate male heir prompted him in 1527 to appeal to Rome for an annulment on the grounds that the marriage had violated the biblical prohibition against a union between a man and his brothers widow. But Arthur died shortly after the pairs wedding, leaving his 16-year-old widow in a precarious position. He gave her the gold compass she now cherishes. She said as a result she kind of lived with this fear for most of my early to mid-20s that I really needed to hurry my shit up and get married and have kids. That was balanced by the fact that she was working as an actor, traveling all of the time, and not in any stable long-term relationships. "There wasn't even a discussionMatthew just said, 'I know what the poster is," Frost recalls, adding that the image was inspired by Demi Moore's Vanity Fair cover, in which she posed nude while pregnant. Throughout the battle's proceedings, Catherine was more a "director of events" than "passive figurehead" managed by Henry's counselors, according to an archivist who unearthed new papers about her pivotal role in 2020. In 1501 she married Prince Arthur, eldest son of King Henry VII of England. Edward interrupts to inform Catherine the Queen has asked to see her. Breaking a peace treaty signed with England in 1502, James IV of Scotland traveled south to the English border with an army of 30,000 men. Prince Henry was by her side escorting her. Today, historians debate whether Catherine was really pregnant during the battle, butfor reasons of sheer narrative potentialThe Spanish Princess goes with the legend. Princess Catherine and her ladies, along with Lady Margaret and the Poles, take a walk around the grounds. https://www.thoughtco.com/catherine-of-aragon-facts-3528153 (accessed March 5, 2023). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. And with her husband, Henry VIII (Ruairi O'Connor), away in France on a military campaign, she ruled England . She knows most people with PCOS get pregnant, shell just have to take hormones, but that does not scare her. Yet, while she enjoyed her non-traditional life, she regularly questioned, Am I gonna be able to have kids? As for why she did not leave to return to Spain: she was a virtual prisoner, first at the More in Hertfordshire and then at Kimbolton. Updates? The English army lost around 1,500 men, whereas the Scottish army up to 17,000, according to the Scotsman. Instead, she settled with bringing Henry a bloody piece of the Scottish king's armor. She had Thomas Howard, Earl of Surreya combat-hardened, 70-year-old veteran of the 1485 Battle of Bosworthand his army of around 26,000 mount a first line of defense near the border with Scotland and asked Sir Thomas Lovell to lead a secondary force in Englands Midlands. Charlotte explains that initially Catherine has it all and in the first season, if anything, had all of the power. In 1513, the queen, then 27 years old, was entrusted with command of the kingdom while her 22-year-old husband waged war against Frances Francis I. Henry left behind a small group of advisors, but as newly discovered documents demonstrate, Catherine didnt simply defer to these elderly mens counsel. As Prince Arthur prepares for his trip, Queen Elizabeth asks what he and Aunt Maggie discuss. King Henry asks that she come and meet his son and let him also lay his eyes upon her. She was also concerned about the impact the annulment would have on their only living child, Mary. Catherines wedding day arrives and she refuses to rise from her bath to prepare. Ultimately, Catherine spent seven years mired in uncertainty over her future. To fulfill her destiny, Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope) makes the difficult journey from Spain to England, knowing she may never see Spain again. Queen Elizabeth assures her its true and that shes revealing this secret so that Catherine realizes whats at stake with her marriage to Prince Arthur. Was this because she was lying? After Henry VIII returned to England after six months, Catherine's time as regent queen came to a close, and so too did her power. See Photos of Her Baby, Jane Fonda Regrets the Type of Mother She Was, Al's Facial Expressions on 'Today' Are Everything. Catherines lady-in-waiting Lina de Cardonnes (Stephanie Levi-John) assures her its fine to fall in love with a man shes never met based solely on his letters. Often in fiction or depictions of history, Catherine of Aragon is depicted with dark hair and brown eyes, presumably because she was Spanish. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine He wonders why shes wearing a veil, thinking it might be to keep his brother, Arthur, from kissing her. Catherine was well-beloved by the people of the kingdom Anne wasn't and Henry tried to remove her from the public eye and acclamation by essentially banishing her to a series of castles and estates. Stands had been erected in the nave for the most important guests; and for the . On the 29th January 1536, Catherine of Aragon was laid to rest at Peterborough Abbey, now Peterborough Cathedral. She notes, They were crowned together, she was there for all of the kind of political tacticslike they really ruled side by side. 59, Letter from Chapuys to Charles V regarding Catherines illness and death, dated 9th January 1536. Talking to all of them, and processing it all existentially and at times fatalistically, highlighted the diverse experience of womanhood. She was allowed in. Intricately tied up in her miscarriages is the loss of her relationship with Henry, the love between them, and the power that comes with it. Catalina de Aragn, daughter of the great Catholic Reyes, Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, was dead. He asks that she remove her veil and Princess Catherine refuses, determined to wear it until she is wed. In the mid-1520s, when Henry first raised the question of divorcing his wife, he found that public opinion was firmly on the queens side. Princess Catherine makes King Henry chuckle when she states England needs Spain more than Spain needs England. Margaret tells Prince Arthur hell make a handsome groom, but Arthurs in a foul mood. ||sitemap_index.xml "For the first time, we could show a battle with the woman in the middle of it, which was a huge thing," Frost says. Legend has it that Catherine of Aragon rode into battle while pregnant. The Battle of Flodden was especially devastating for Scotland, which lost much of its nobilityas well as King James IV himself, marking the last time a British king died in battle. When Catherine says King Henry was rude to her, Elizabeth disagrees. Lady Margarets confused by the supplies and flabbergasted when Lina says Princess Catherine will bathe every day. When Catherine of Aragon realized that a mere mistress was trying to take her place, she tried to use her power as queen to keep her rival, Anne, in her place. When she questions him about being a Muslim and drinking, he explains its because theres nothing else safe to drink. Elena Nicolaou is the former culture editor at Oprah Daily. These were the questions preying on her mind during her last days. Women who were moms and women who also had chosen not to have kids and lived amazing lives that they might not have been able to if they had families. Richard Pole breaks the tension, introducing himself and his wife. Henry VIII, her husband of four years, had led a huge army across the Channel to attack the French king Louis XII. Catherine of Aragon's arrival in England. Starzs limited series The Spanish Princess, the networks third series based on the critically acclaimed novels by Philippa Gregory, premiered on May 5, 2019. By Elena Nicolaou Published: Oct 11, 2020. Tremlett writes of how Catherine then prayed, asking God to set Henry back on the right path and forgive him for wronging her before asking her Fathers pardon for her own soul. Lady Margaret tries to squash that idea, saying they dont sleep in the afternoon. According to 17th-century chronicler William Drummond, the pregnant Scottish queen pleaded with her husband to desist, noting that he was poised to fight a mighty people, now turned insolent by their riches at home and power abroad. But James, buoyed by the possibility of conquest (and of dealing a blow to his egotistical brother-in-law), refused. It is also said that she wrote a letter to her former husband, Henry VIII, although Tremlett believes that the letter is almost certainly fictitious:-, The hour of my dear now drawing on, the tender love I owe you forceth me, my case being such, to commend myself to you, and to put you in remembrance with a few words of the health and safeguard of your soul which you ought to prefer before all worldly matters, and before the care and pampering of your body, for the which you have cast me into many calamities and yourself into many troubles. Catherine of Aragon was born into a family of kings and queens and was destined to become one herself. She's both warrior and queen, fulfilling her desire to be a military leader and her duty to bear an heir. More recently, Henry VIIIs grandmother Margaret Beaufortan uncrowned queen, in the words of historian Nicola Tallishad acted as regent in the brief period before the young king came of age. Charlotte explains, Its not just about Catherine cant produce an heir and that's devastating for her, it's also devastating for Henry and ultimately what tears apart these two people who completely love each other. She also warns her against engaging in a relationship with Edward. This article was most recently revised and updated by, Behind the Scenes: 12 Historical Figures in, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-of-Aragon, Catherine of Aragon - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Catherine of Aragon - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Unfortunately, just a year into the marriage, Arthur died before ascending to the throne. She says, All of the fears that Catherine has about not being able to have children, or not being able to produce a male heir are anxieties that I've lived day in day out. She used it for an acting technique where she related the character to her personal life and though in the past that has been hard for her, in this case, it was easy as she wants to be a mother and have kids and to think about not being able to do so, could easily drive her emotional portrayal. He tells Elizabeth that Catherine has her spirit and is beautiful. She could empathize with the pain. She emphasizes that stress is too often and incorrectly blamed for miscarriages and so people historically (and still do) suffer in silence for fear of being blamed for being too stressed (or, perhaps, in Catherines case, fighting in a battle). Richard and Margaret Pole finally reunite with their young children, the only people who truly bring a smile to Margarets face. At the same time, England needs an infusion of cash to fend off France and Scotland invasions. Shes also unhappy Princess Catherine is arriving soon, going as far as to wish her dead. ThoughtCo. Ferdinand and Isabellas reconquest of Spain culminated in the January 2, 1492, fall of Granada, which marked the end of 780 years of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Just over a month into the queens regency, Frances ally, Scotlands James IV, had declared war on England, bringing a period of peace between the neighboring nations to an end. The refusal of Pope Clement VII to annul Henrys marriage to Catherine triggered the break between Henry and Rome and led to the English Reformation. She was, in the words of historian John Edwards, Henry VIIIs greatest queen. But though Catherine of Aragons marriage to the Tudor king lasted 24 yearscollectively, his five other marriages spanned just 14 yearsshe has long been overshadowed by her successors. Lewis, Jone Johnson. Henry must have feared that if she returned to Spain she would become a focus for those who opposed his religious policies. Henry had another reason for wishing to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon: he had fallen in love. The frequency of her pregnancies and the tragic loss of each infant took its toll upon the Queen and after November 1518 she had no more children. Catherines missive then took a rather unexpected turn. That second part frequently wins out when processing of a miscarriage, and in no small part because of misogyny. Dr. Angela Lawson, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, adds that talking about it can help normalize that it is not easy to conceive and so if you have a loss, you did nothing wrong. Linas on her own when a soldier approaches and grabs her. The challenges of fertility poison the once. Catherine reluctantly allows Lina to dry and dress her. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Though she sent 70-year-old Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey and 26,000 soldiers to the Scottish border, Catherine also rode north with troops herself. A stunning Catherine of Aragon makes her way down the carpet lined with soldiers outside the church. Its circumstance, and, the circumstance is infertility. Dr. Jane Van Dis, board certified OB-GYN emphasized, Any loss, whether miscarriage, stillbirth or the loss of a child can have profound effects on relationships. In many ways, this feels like the loss of a power couple to Charlotte. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. Categories: Six Wives, Tudor EventsTags: Catherine of Aragon, Katherine of Aragon, Copyright 2023 The Anne Boleyn Files