This document provides biographical information about Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Jane Seymour - three of Henry VIII's wives. It discusses their backgrounds, educations, court positions, marriages to Henry VIII, and eventual fates. For Anne of Cleves, it summarizes her German upbringing, portrait by Holbein, short-lived marriage to Henry that was later annulled, and life after as the "King's Honored Sister." For Catherine Howard, it outlines her family connections and sexual abuse as a young lady-in-waiting, secret relationships prior to marrying Henry, and indictment on charges of adultery. For Jane Seymour, it notes her English upbringing, role as lady-in

1. Anne of Cleves (1515-
1557)
Succession to Jane
Holbein portrait

2. 1540, Holbein workshop Henry VIII 1542, after Holbein

3. Mary de Guise m. James V

4. Louise de Guise

5. Christina of Denmark,
Duchess of Milan, 1533
Holbein
1538

6. Other Possible French Brides
Castillon, French Ambassador: Send yourself some
person or persons whom you can trust, and act on
their report.
Henry: Par Dieu, I will trust no one but myself;
marriage touches a man too nearly. I will have them
sing to me a few times before I settle.
Castillon (With a half smile): Your Majesty would,
perhaps, like to try them all, one after the other,
and keep the one that suits you best. It was not
thus, Sire, that the Knights of the Round Table
treated their ladies in old times in this country.

7. Anne The Cleves Sisters Amelia
Holbein

8. Cleves (also control of Jülich and Berg)

9. Anne of Cleves Qualities
• Could not sing or play an instrument but came
from a court where music was appreciated
• Not a great drinker
– Contrary to warning that marrying a German
princess would be going to bed with a ‘wine
barrel’
– Not inclined to the ‘good cheer of the country’

10. Anne of Cleves Qualities
• Spoke and wrote only German
• Good at needlework
• Betrothal at age 12 to Francis of Lorraine
discounted
– But later part of annulment

11. The Meeting
Cromwell (after surprise meeting): How ye liked
the lady Anne
Henry: Nothing so well as she is spoken of
Henry: What remedy
Cromwell: I know none

12. Oak ceremonial bedhead made for the marriage of King
Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves,, 1539

13. Marriage
Anne: When he comes to bed he kisses me, and
taketh me by the hand and biddeth me “Good
night, sweet heart”; and in the morning, kisses
me and biddeth me “Farewell, darling.” Is that
not enough”
Lady Rochford: I think your Grace is a maid still
indeed . . . There must be more than that.
Conversations with Cromwell never take place

14. Decisions
Norfolk mission concludes that invasion by
combined French and HRE forces was unlikely
July 9 Archbishops of Canterbury and York agree
to annulment
– Pre-contract
– Henry’s lack of information needed for consent
– Non-consummation
July 11, 16 Anne accepts judgment
July 12 Act of Annulment

15. Married, Jan. 6, 1540;
June 24, Moved to Richmond Palace

16. Anne’s future
• Pension of £4,000
• Life possession of Richmond Palace,
Bletchingley Manor
– Later given Kemsing, Seal, and Hever
– [Edward VI's council confiscated Richmond and
Bletchingley, and granted her the manor of
Penshurst and Dartford Priory in Kent.]0
• Title of The King’s Honored Sister
– Continued welcome at Henry’s Court

17. Dartford Manor (Bletchingley) Gatehouse, Surrey
built from material from priory

18. Tomb Westminster Abbey

19. Jane Seymour
(1508-1537)
“Bound to Obey
and Serve”

20. Seymour and Tudor families

21. Early Life
• Educated at home, Wiltshire
– Read & write, some French
• Lady-in-waiting for Catherine and Anne
• Offered a purse by Henry she told the
messenger to return it and
“reserve it for such a time as God would be
pleased to send her some advantageous
marriage”

22. Qualifications
• From a family of ten children; father from a
family of eight
• Needlework, hunting

23. Nicholas Carew (1495-1540)
• Jouster with young Henry
• Ambassador to France
• MP in Reformation Parliament
• Supporter of Mary and Catherine
• Ally of Cromwell against Anne Boleyn
• His wife advises Mary to submit to Henry’s
wishes

24. Carew, Holbein

25. Carew and Jane Seymour
Rebuilt early 18th C.
Tudor great hall
Manor in Beddington where Henry and Jane were guests

26. 1527, Horenbout Henry VIII 1536,
Holbein

27. Marriage
• May 19 Dispensation to marry
May 19 Execution of Anne Boleyn
• May 30 Marriage in private ceremony

28. Queenship
• Repeatedly asked Henry to restore Mary
– Mary gave her cucumbers to satisfy her craving
• Begged the king to save the abbeys during the
Pilgrimage of Grace but was warned not to
meddle in politics.

29. Henry VIII and Hampton Court
1529-30 Kitchen range; King’s private lodging;
Council chamber; gallery for the Queen
1530-32 Great Hall; tennis courts
1533-36 Queen’s lodgings
1535-36 Upgraded King’s lodgings; watching
chamber; chapel
1537-38 Queen’s long gallery; King’s new
lodgings; Prince’s lodgings

30. Kitchen Wing

32. • Video of kitchens and Great Hall

42. Great Hall

44. Abraham Tapestry Layout

45. Watching Chamber

46. Watching Chamber – Jane Seymour (wings)

47. Watching Chamber Tapestries
Triumph of Fame

48. Catherine Howard
(1523?-1542)
Non autre volante que la sienne
No other will than his

49. Last Tournament
May 1540

50. Background
• Father , Edmund Howard, 3rd son of family of
23 (10 living to adulthood)
• Mother, Jocasta Culpepper, widow
• One of six children of this marriage

51. Education
• Household (Horsham and Lambeth) of her
step-grandmother, the dowager Duchess of
Norfolk
• Conversant in French
• Dance, lute, virginal
• Lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves

52. Other ‘education’
• Sexually abused by her music teacher, Henry
Manox
• Affair with alleged promise to marry with
Francis Dereham

53. Oatlands
Built for Anne of Cleves
Marriage place of Henry and Catherine

54. Marriage
• French Ambassador : He “had never seen the
King is such spirits or in so good a humor.”
• Recurrences of leg ulcer

55. The Howard Queenship
• Jobs for many Howards
• Francis Dereham, private secretary
• Romance with Thomas Culpepper
• John Lascelles, whose sister had known
Catherine at Horsham
– Communication w. Cranmer
– Cranmer communication w. Henry

56. Indictment; Katherine Howard
led an abominable, base, carnal, voluptuous,
and vicious life, like a common harlot, with
divers persons . . . , maintaining however the
outward appearance of chastity and honesty.
 That she led the King by word and gesture to
love her and . . . arrogantly coupled herself
with him in marriage.

57. Indictment
[Katherine and Francis Dereham] excused
themselves by alleging that they were
contracted to each other before the marriage
with the King; which contract at the time of
the marriage they falsely and traitorously
concealed from the King, to the peril of the
King and of his children to be begotten by her
and the damage of the whole realm.

58. Indictment: Katherine
did so retain the said Francis, and . . . in her
secret chamber and other suspect places,
spoke with him and committed secret affairs
to him both by word and writing
falsely and traitorously held illicit meeting and
conference to incite the said Culpeper to have
carnal intercourse with her; and insinuated to
him that she loved him above the King

60. Henry VIII Executions
• 72,000 for criminal activities (according to
John Stow)
• 330 political executions between 1532-40