Thomas Culpeper

Get Out of Jail Free Cards: The Many Annulments of Henry VIII (Guest Post)

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By Jillianne Hamilton Everyone knows Henry VIII was unlucky in love. Not nearly as unlucky as many of his wives, of course, but Henry would certainly have considered himself the most unfortunate man in England when it came to his married life. The excuses he used to get out of his marriage varied from wife to wife. But he and his advisors were able to come up with excuses that never put the king at fault. Ever. His first marriage was the most complicated to end [More]

Katheryn Howard: Part Four

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Along the way I’ve discovered that Katheryn Howard had a more interesting life than I had expected - very similar to what happened when I researched Jane Seymour. Once you go back and learn about Katheryn’s childhood, and understand her relationship with men, it gives you a better idea of how she got herself into hot water later on. She was too young to be queen - her lack of education and her immaturity were what made her reckless. I fear that even if she had only been [More]

Katherine Howard: The End of Her Story

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Most are drawn into the story of Katherine Howard because of her age and supposed naivety. She was the youngest of Henry's wives who made the aging King feel young again. Unfortunately, Katherine had a history with older men that Henry was not aware of when he married his "rose without a thorn." There were others involved that were aware of Katherine's past and did not inform Henry before their marriage. Today we look at those who knew and those who lost their heads...and [More]

The Manipulation of Catherine Howard

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Guest article written by: Catherine Hunt With minor edits by: Rebecca Larson A Tudor Fanatics Take on Catherine Howard Catherine's downfall at the hands of her uncle, Duke of Norfolk, was, metaphorically speaking, like a hangman's trap. He pulled the lever and down and she fell! Why was it so easy to do? Why was he so confident she would be pliable? One has to think of Catherine herself. She was in the care of her great-aunt, dowager Duchess of Norfolk, with a view t [More]

Rise & Fall: Katherine Howard

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"Rose without a Thorn" On 28 July 1540, Henry VIII married Katherine Howard at Oatlands Palace (see image). The ceremony was performed by Bishop Bonner in private. Their nuptials were kept secret for ten days before returning to the insanity of court life. The king, who was infatuated with his new bride, wanted to spend quality time alone with her before returning to his courtly duties. In Katherine, Henry found what represented the qualities that he admired most [More]