Henry VIII - Surviving Henry. Henry VIII and Katherine Parr. - 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.

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

Lesson 7: Surviving Henry. Henry VIII and Katherine Parr.
- Henry's Health
- Katherine Parr: 'Your Majesty is my Master.'
- Henry's death

Lesson 8: The Legacy of Henry and his Wives.

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

Katherine Parr: 'Your Majesty is my Master.'

I make like account with your majesty as I do with God for his benefits and gifts heaped upon me daily, acknowledging myself a great debtor to him, not being able to recompense the least of his benefits; in which state I am certain and sure to die, yet I hope in His gracious acceptation of my goodwill. Even such confidence have I in your majesty's gentleness, knowing myself never to have done my duty as were requisite and meet for such a noble prince, at whose hands I have found and received so much love and goodness, that with words I cannot express it. Lest I should be too tedious to your majesty, I finish this my scribbled letter, committing you to the governance of the Lord with long and prosperous life here, and after this life to enjoy the kingdom of his elect. From Greenwich, by your majesty's humble and obedient servant, Katharine the Queen.

This segment aims to introduce the student to Katherine Parr and her time as Henry's Queen.

This Katherine Parr painting is probably my most favourite painting of the six wives of Henry. The painting, believed by the painter John Scrott, depicts a woman with deep auburn hair, intelligent gaze and cute stubby nose. Her face is so ‘alive’ that I’m very tempted to describe it as like a ‘Cate Blanchett’ face – one of those faces impossible to gauge its actual attraction because it is just so arresting. You are just drawn to look at it again and again.

Born around 1512, Katherine Parr was the eldest of three children of the marriage between Maud Greene and Sir Thomas Parr. Katherine may have been named for Katherine of Aragon; her mother Maude served as one of her ladies-in-waiting and never gave up her loyalty to Henry’s first Queen. (1)Mary Tudor’s close relationship to Katherine Parr probably stemmed from her knowledge of Katherine’s mother’s devotion to her own mother. (2)

Katherine Parr’s father died whilst she was still in childhood. Maude – who Katherine clearly took after - then concentrated all her efforts on raising her children and ensuring that they took advantage of all the opportunities that their society gave them.

Antonia Fraser defuses the myth that Katherine Parr's first marriage at seventeen served to pattern her next two marriages – that is, a marriage to man much older than herself, needing Katherine to act the role of nurse. Katherine’s first marriage was to Edward Borough – the son of Lord Borough - a young man close to her own age. But perhaps this marriage did have similarities to her second and third – Edward was a sickly young man who soon bowed down to death’s hand. Marriage to Edward would have been Katherine’s first lesson as a wife as to her duties towards a sick husband.

A widow for the first time by twenty, Katherine soon married John Neville, Lord Latimer – a man twice her age. Latimer had been married twice before; Katherine cared for two step-children born from her husband’s prior marriages. The lessons learnt during this marriage included withstanding the threat to life and home; the Latimers were suspected of treason as a result of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion. The heavy cloud of suspicion was lifted from the Limiters only at the cost of the health of Katherine’s husband.(5)

The last months of their marriage were simply a wait for his death, whilst Katherine contemplated two other suitors wishing to take his place. One suitor was the man of her heart’s desire: Sir Thomas Seymour,(6) but the other suitor overshadowed him, if not in her affections, then in the knowledge that his word was her and her family’s command. Henry VIII decided that Katherine Parr would be his sixth wife, and Katherine knew she really had no other choice but to agree.

Henry’s choice of bride was popular with his family – the wedding ceremony, held in the Queen’s closet at Hampton court, ended to their loud applause.(7) A gifted homemaker, Katherine soon strengthened the bonds of family within this most broken of royal homes. Her three step-children (Mary was only four years younger than her) viewed her with great affection. Edward and Elizabeth had no problem addressing her as mother.

Yet another intelligent woman who Henry made his Queen, Katherine took advantage of the opportunities found in her marriage to the King to expand her own learning and indeed became a rarity in Tudor times: a woman author.(8) Katherine enjoyed the royal trappings of her Queen’s role; she was able to indulge herself with silks and her fetish for shoes. But as well as dressing the part of Queen, Katherine was able to act the part too. Showing how life could go full circle, Henry in the last years of his reign decided to play not too serious war games again with the French. Like that first time, he entrusted the regency of his country to his wife. Like the first time, he called his wife Kate.

But not all was smooth waters during Katherine Parr’s marriage to the King. Katherine’s religious beliefs swayed towards the Protestant faith and away from many strongly held views of the King. One time, these views clashed to such a degree that it almost resulted in Katherine’s death. She should have known better than argue too strongly with her husband; his illness and sore leg pushed him more to act the part of a bear with a sore head. If she hadn’t been warned and able to defuse the situation,(9) Katherine could have easily had become yet another of Henry’s cast aside wives –probably cast aside to her death.

Reference: Henry VIII and his Wives, by Antonia Fraser. Although more than just one book will be referred to during this course, Henry VIII and Wives 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.