Born 1485  Married 1509  Divorced 1533  Died 1536

Catherine of Aragon. 

 First wife 

Henry's  marital career began in what was the normal manner for royal persons in his day. He was betrothed, while still a boy, to a girl-princess. The arrangements were handled exclusively by the parents of either side, and the main purpose of this marriage was to be diplomatic. The only slight unusual feature in this case was that Catherine of Aragon, the chosen bride, was already at the age of 17 the widow of her fiancé's elder brother Arthur.  Arthur died within less then six months of their marriage.  After the dead of Henry the V11 in 1509, young Henry, a brisk and vigorous 18-year-old, now master of his own life and future, insisted that he should marry Catherine, and that the marriage should take place as soon as could be arranged. Was this because he felt a sense of obligation to the dignified young woman, or was he acting in obedience to his father's deathbed wish?   What-ever Henry's spur to this marriage, we don't know . but accounts make it clear that he was greatly taken by his bride. And his devotion and affection were frequent in the early years of their marriage. Catherine was not a great beauty, but she was attractive in her own regal way. She was intelligent, accomplished, and spirited : A suitable companion for a young king. Henry's court was as gay as his father's had been grave, and at the centre of all gaiety Catherine held her own court. Of course the prime duty of any queen was to bear her husband children, and Catherine did her best.  In the first nine years of her marriage she conceived at  least six times. twice she miscarried . Once she was delivered of a still born girl. Two sons died in early infancy. Only one child survived,  the princess Mary.  Henry was increasingly frustrated and disappointed, and yet... for 18 years he remained a devote husband. Henry of course did have affairs with other woman, but for a monarch of his day. surrounded by courtiers eager to humour every royal whim and satisfy every royal fancy, he was a comparatively virtuous husband, and in no way Catherine's position as Henry's wife and queen was endangered.  Very different was the matter in  1527. Catherine, now aged 42, was past childbearing, while Henry at 36 was still in his physical prime. It was also clear that Henry had become anxious about the succession, which depended  on Catherine's sole surviving child, the princess  Mary, now aged 11.   And, Henry had also fallen victim to the charms of Anne Boleyn, who seems to have made it clear that she would not yield to his advances until she was assured of status as his wife. These were the circumstances which combined to persuade Henry to take a close look at his marriage to Catherine, and to "discover" that text in Leviticus which seemed so directly to point at him. "If a man shall take his brother's wife it is an unclean thing... they shall be childless."   Henry and Catherine were not of course entirely childless, but a daughter was little use to a king. And none of Catherine's sons had survived , so therefore they were childless, and had no hope of further issue.  God knew the needs of England and yet denied the king a son.  This, thought Henry could only be the divine judgment of his incestuous marriage.   And so began the long and sordid story of the attempt to secure the annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine, by alleging the inadequacy of the bull of pope Julius the 11 upon it rested. For six years the legal and political battle raged.  For six years, Catherine sought be every means to defend her name, her marriage, and the legitimacy of her child.   She lost.  She no longer could use the title of queen. Princess dowager of Wales she was called, as if she had never been Henry's wife, but always had been the widow of Arthur. Separated from her daughter, banished from court, and obliged  to live in damp and unhealthy castles, deprived of all but a handful servants, she spend her last years in sorrow. She died in 1536. 3 weeks after her 50th birthday. The king did not attend the funeral.   

  Princess Mary. Daughter of Catherine and Henry