Prince of Wales

Katherine of Aragon: First Wife of Henry VIII

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When we think of Henry VIII we often think of his sixth wives – the end of his first marriage was quite controversial and took many years to achieve…that’s the marriage we are looking at today. Katherine of Aragon and whether or not the marriage between Arthur, Prince of Wales and his bride was consummated. We’ll also look at what happened during her marriage with Henry and how she never allowed Henry to have the upper-hand. In her mind, she was his true wife and queen. I [More]

Clearing up the Portrait Confusion: Arthur and Henry

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Arthur and Henry Tudor were brothers, so inevitably they looked alike. Today's topic is clearing up the confusion between which portrait is Arthur and which is Henry. The question really circulates around one portrait, the one of young Henry VIII at the beginning of his reign. This is the one that many people, when posted or shared online will say, "That's a portrait of Arthur, not Henry!" I usually follow those comments by sharing the confirmed portrait of Arthur and [More]

Henry VIII turns on Katherine of Aragon

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When Henry VIII believed that Katherine of Aragon would no longer be able to give him a male heir he began to look for ways out of the marriage. Whether he truly believed his own statements, or if he was just looking for a way out, only he and his closest advisers would know. Henry's biggest concern was that Katherine's marriage to his older brother Arthur must have been consummated and that is why he had not been able to conceive a surviving son and male heir with [More]

Arthur and Katherine Sent to Ludlow Castle

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Merely three months after their marriage, Arthur and Katherine, Prince and Princess of Wales were sent to Wales to reside at Ludlow Castle to preserve ancient customs (as the letter states). Here is a letter from Henry VII to Katherine's parents (Ferdinand and Isabel) letting them know that Arthur and Katherine were sent to Wales to reside at Ludlow Castle. The young couple were married on the 14th of November 1501 - this letter was dated the 20th of Februa [More]

Prince Arthur and Katherine of Aragon

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This letter from Arthur Tudor was dated 1499, nearly two years prior to Katherine arriving in England and wedding her prince, however they were just married by proxy. At the time this letter was written, Arthur was only thirteen years old. In her new book, Katherine of Aragon - The True Queen, Alison Weir stated that Arthur did not write the letter himself and that someone else assisted him or wrote it for him. After reading the letter I have to agree - I believe he was [More]

Wolsey’s Mistress and Children

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It was the Spring of 1509, King Henry VII lay dying in his bed surrounded by his most intimate courtiers and household. His son, the seventeen year old Prince of Wales would soon become the next King of England. King Henry VIII. Henry, however, was never supposed to be heir apparent to the throne. He was raised as a ‘spare heir’ with his sisters, and his education was that of a second son and not that of someone who would someday become King. In the Spring of 1502 [More]

Arthur: The Man Who Would Be King

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Parents of Arthur When we examine the date of marriage for Henry and Elizabeth of York, along with the birth of their first child, it's evident that Arthur was either premature one month, or Henry and Elizabeth consummated their relationship prior to marriage. While looking through my own family history I have discovered how common it was for the wife to be pregnant prior to marriage but not to announce the pregnancy until some time after the marriage. Let's be honest, it [More]

The Redemption of Elizabeth of York

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Part 1: Elizabeth of York, mother of Arthur, Margaret, Henry, Elizabeth, Mary, Edmund & Katherine Tudor In 1485 Henry Tudor took the throne of England from Richard III on the battlefield -- with this win he successfully ended the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth Woodville, the mother of Elizabeth of York, and Henry Tudor's mother, Margaret Beaufort, had made an arrangement for Elizabeth of York to wed Henry if he won at the Battle of Bosworth against Elizabeth's [More]

Katherine of Aragon: Princess of Wales

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Infanta Katherine of Aragon Birth: 15/16 December 1485, Palace of Bishop of Toledo Parents: Ferdinand II of Aragon & Isabella l of Castile Katherine of Aragon was named after her great-grandmother, Katherine of Lancaster - daughter of John of Gaunt and his second wife, Infanta Constance of Castile. Henry VII also descended from John of Gaunt and his third wife. John of Gaunt was son of Edward III. Technically speaking, Katherine of Aragon had a stronger claim [More]

Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales

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Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales Guest Article by Susan Abernethy Website: The Freelance History Writer Henry Tudor’s Lancastrian claim to the throne of England was weak at best. In August of 1485, he defeated the Yorkist King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field and established the Tudor dynasty as King Henry VII. To cement his claim he married the eldest daughter of King Edward IV, Elizabeth of York. They were to have four children who survived infancy. Arth [More]