Catherine of Aragon, ca. 1860, by Richard Burchett
We can easily remember them: “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” We think we understand them: Catherine of Aragon was a dedicated wife, Anne Boleyn was a home wrecker, Jane Seymour was a doormat, Anne of Cleves was ugly, Catherine Howard was a whore, and Katherine Parr was a saint. But who were these women who had the misfortune of being married to one of the most difficult husbands in history? They sat beside the king during a time of political and religious upheaval with wars abroad, and at home and their marriages and children shaped the future of England and Europe.
Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd Stanger considers each of Henry’s queens, examining their personalities, motivations, influence and strengths, and why they continue to capture our imagination and, often, our sympathy.
9:30–10:45 a.m. Catherine of Aragon: The Wife of Henry’s Youth
Both dutiful and courageous, Catherine of Aragon was Henry’s wife for nearly 25 years, more than half his time on the throne. Her refusal to agree to a divorce reverberated throughout his reign.
11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Anne Boleyn: The Woman Who Changed Everything
Charismatic and beguiling, Anne Boleyn enchanted the king away from his first wife and promised him a son. Like her predecessor, she failed to provide Henry a male heir and paid the ultimate price, earning the nickname “Queen Anne sans tete” (lack head).
12:15–1:30 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own)
1:30–2:45 p.m. Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves: Henry’s Favorite and Least- Favorite Wife
Jane Seymour managed to do what none of Henry’s other wives could: she gave him a son and then died quickly to ensure her place as his favorite wife. Henry was not happy with wife number four, and Anne of Cleves’ quick agreement to end their short marriage was his favorite thing about her.
3–4:15 p.m. Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr: The Fountain of Youth and the Final Chapter
Teenage Catherine Howard seemed a dream come true to her aging husband, but past and present scandals caught up with her and she ended in the Tower. Final wife Katherine Parr was an intelligent companion for the king and an excellent step-mother to his children, whom she helped shape into the future of the dynasty.
Stanger is former manager of visitor education at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
