Henry VIII - My Sister, My Wife. Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves. - free Suite101 course

Lesson 1: Setting the Tudor Stage.

Lesson 2: Loyal Heart: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

Lesson 3: Without Male Heir. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

Lesson 4: Entirely Beloved. Henry VIII and Jane Seymour

Lesson 5: My Sister, My Wife. Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves.
- Henry the Widower
- Anne of Cleves - or a close shave with Henry.
- The six month Queen.

Lesson 6: The Blushing Rose Without a Thorn. Henry VIII and Katherine Howard.

Lesson 7: Surviving Henry. Henry VIII and Katherine Parr.

Lesson 8: The Legacy of Henry and his Wives.

Lesson 5: My Sister, My Wife. Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves.

The six month Queen.

This segment aims to provide students with a glimpse of the relationship between Henry and Anne of Cleves during their brief marriage.

The marriage of Anne of Cleves and Henry VIII went ahead despite a very disgruntled and self-pitying bridegroom. “For fear of making a ruffle in the world; that is to drive her Brother into the hands of the Emperor, and the French King’s hands, being now together,” (1) that is, for his country, Henry was willing to act the martyr, and he kept acting the martyr during all the day of the wedding and into the wedding night.

But that night, good intention or not, the royal stallion Henry found himself unable to service his ‘Flanders mare’ – saying to Cromwell the next day, “I liked her before not well, but now I like her much worse.” (2) Of course, the fault couldn’t be virile old Henry’s – he just found Anne too “disordered and disposed” and so flabby in the all the wrong places that her body could not ‘excite and provoke any lust in him.’ He told his ministers that he even doubted her virginity. (3)

And what did Anne think about her royal bridegroom? The man who was twice her age and no doubt twice her weight – the man who clutched and fumbled at her person that strange wedding night. Brought up strictly by her mother, it seems that Anne had little idea about what to expect once in bed with her royal spouse.

She emerged the next day thinking that Henry’s exploring hands and lack-lustred kissing equated to consummated sexual relations between husband and wife. Soon – encouraged by his doctors (4) – Henry only shared her bed to keep up appearances, and Anne continued to think a kiss goodnight and morning – and let’s not forget the adventurous holding of hands – was all her expected wifely ‘night-time’ duties. Later, she seemed surprised when her ladies enlightened her to the fact that there was more involved to begetting of another royal prince. (5)

In Anne’s brief time as Queen, she not only impressed Henry's subjects but also foreign dignitaries.(6) She made great efforts to adapt herself to her new country – learning quickly its language, its customs and developing a liking for English wine. Oblivious to the undercurrents at court about Henry VIII’s dissatisfaction with her, or that he had already tasted a fruit more to his liking, when Anne of Cleves finally realised that the King wished to change her role from royal wife to royal sister, she fainted in shock. (7) She probably feared for her life, knowing herself – like Catherine of Aragon famously once said - “a poor woman, and a stranger, born out of [the King’s] dominion.” (8)

But – in disentangling himself from her – what Henry offered Anne of Cleves wasn’t a bad deal: precedence over all English women (excepting for the King’s new wife and his royal daughters) and settlement of various estates, enough to make her a wealthy woman in her own right. All she needed to do was to bow out of the marriage and become an English subject, thus subject to the King’s commands. (9)

Anne soon showed that she was a sensible soul, understanding she had to make the best of her situation. As she said to her brother, “Only I require this of you: that you so use yourself in this matter, [that] I fare not the worse, whereunto I trust you will have regard.” (10)

Reference: The wives of Henry VIII, by Antonia Fraser. Although more than just one book will be referred to during this course, The wives of Henry VIII is the main reference 'text.' Written in a very readable manner, this book is a very sensitive account of the six women who became the consorts of Bluff King Hal. Antonia Fraser's research is always excellent.

Please note my edition (published in Australia) is called Henry VIII and his Wives