Anne of Cleves

Understanding Young Elizabeth Tudor

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Through my constant research of Thomas Seymour I've been led on an unexpected journey to discovering the young Elizabeth Tudor. From those who read my blog often you know that I tend to write mostly about the reign of Henry VIII because, well, that's where I started and there is so much to tell! This is why I've decided to write this piece about my current understanding of Elizabeth Tudor - undoubtedly a monarch I still have a lot to learn about. Born on the 7th of [More]

The Differences in the Wives of Henry VIII

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Raised as the second son, or "spare", Henry Tudor, Duke of York was never intended to be King of England. When his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales died unexpectedly in 1502 Henry was thrust into the spotlight as heir to the throne of England. His training began immediately and Henry despised the fact that his father controlled everything around him. He went from being raised with his sisters to being separated from the world. When there were discussions by Henry VII [More]

The Ladies Who Served: Anne of Cleves

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When Anne of Cleves came to England she had brought along a group of her own ladies to serve her as queen. The French ambassador at the time is quoted as saying: She brings in her suite twelve or fifteen damsels as maids of honor, all dressed in the same fashion and with same vestments which she herself wears - a thing which has seemed rather strange in this place. The ladies that Anne of Cleve brought with her were less attractive than Anne herself and dressed in what was [More]

The Fall of a Queen: Anne of Cleves

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After the death of his third wife, Henry VIII was in mourning for at least a couple of months. Once he came out of his very brief period of mourning it was time to consider a fourth bride - a foreign bride this time. Thomas Cromwell understood that is was important for Henry to have an alliance with a European nation. There were several attempts made for the king to consider a French wife and then there was the niece of Charles V, Christina of Denmark, dowager Duchess of [More]

Tudor Queens Come to Life with Portraits, Wax Figures and Descriptions of Appearance

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All six of Henry VIII's queens were beautiful in their own way. Whether it was their physical beauty or their nature, there was something about each of them that the King was attracted to. Here we take a look at some wax figures of his wives and descriptions of their appearance - we are attempting to bring the Tudor queens to life. -- Katherine of Aragon Just after her marriage to Henry in 1509, Katharine was described, perhaps somewhat partially, by her Confessor, [More]

The King’s Mistress: Letter from Anne Bassett to Lady Lisle

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This letter was written around 1539 and found in Lisle Paper, Vol. I. No 86. It states that Anne of Cleves had passed through Calais where Lady Lisle was to greet her. It is around this time (1538-1539) that Anne Bassett is first rumored as a mistress to King Henry VIII. Bassett was sent to court with her sister during the end of the reign of Queen Jane Seymour. The Queen had informed their mother, Lady Lisle, that she only had room for one lady - she chose Anne. It is [More]

Evidence Against the Marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves

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Here we look at all the King's men and their given depositions regarding the validity of the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves. It gives us an interesting insight into each of their statements. We recently looked at Thomas Cromwell: Downfall and Execution and the events of his decline - now we look at what happened after his execution. How Henry VIII wished to rid himself of his fourth wife with the help of his closest courtiers: Suffolk, Wriothesley, Audle [More]

Thomas Seymour: Prisoner to Greed

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Thomas Seymour had a way with women - his charisma so great and his looks so good that even Katherine Parr couldn't help but fall for him. He was described as "...fierce in courage, courtly in fashion, in personage stately, in voice magnificent."  Yet with all those wonderful attributes he did not marry until he was nearly forty years old. In 1547, after the death of King Henry VIII, his son Edward succeeded him as King Edward VI of England. Young Edward's mother, Jan [More]

Portraits of a Queen: Anne of Cleves

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  Anne of Cleves was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII and many say the most lucky of his six wives. Anne was born in 1515 to John III, Duke of Cleves and Maria of Jülich-Berg in Düsseldorf, Germany. She and her sister Amelia were both considered as a future wife to Henry VIII - Anne was the lucky one. Lucky in the sense that it got her out of Germany and into a more free life in England. After her marriage with Henry was annulled Anne stayed in England for the res [More]

The Letter that Saved Anne of Cleves’ Life

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Anne of Cleves is likely the most fortunate of all of Henry VIII's wives; She was only married to him for six months before their marriage was annulled and declared void and she never consummated their marriage with him - that alone would have been worth avoiding. Just imagine what Henry smelled like with that festering ulcer on his leg. Like rotting flesh. Eww. After reading this letter I believe it's what saved her from a worse fate. The more I think about it, I'm not so [More]