The Six Wives of Henry VIII Test

[Such Irony]

Katharine Parr, followed by Anne Boleyn.

 

[Vasilisa]

Your result for The Six Wives of Henry VIII Test ...
Jane Seymour
Shy, Timid, Pure, Chaste, Familial, Warm, Obedient.
"Bound to Obey and Serve"​

Jane Seymour was born into a noble line, and served Katharine of Aragon as well as Anne Boleyn. Henry likely chose Jane because she was Anne's polar opposite- chaste, timid, submissive, shy. Jane was also manipulated into marrying the king by her ambitious father and brothers, but unlike Thomas Boleyn, John Seymour was not seeking to destroy anyone in the kings court (the Boleyns were angling to be rid of Cardinal Wolsey), they wanted only to advance in it. Using a daughter to get into a king's graces was fair play in the 1500s, and Jane was no exception.

Henry was still smarting over the controversy surrounding his very public romancing of Anne Boleyn, and courted Jane in a much different way. This was just as well- Jane was a quiet woman who did not want the attention, a pious girl who would not even dine alone with the king. He romanced her much as he did Anne, with poems, letters, and expensive jewels- she kept the letters, but returned every present he sent her. Jane was unassuming, guileless, and by all accounts, kind-hearted and good. When asked by Henry what she would most want to do as queen, Jane responded that she wanted to reconcile Henry with Katharine's daughter, the princess Mary.

As Anne was imprisoned, Henry and Jane planned a wedding. To Henry, this was essential to do quickly- Anne was never really accepted as queen by anyone outside of England, and was not even recognized until after Katharine of Aragon's tragic death. Even then, she was still considered to be no more than the king's concubine, the royal whore, and their daughter was an undesired betrothal. His relationship with his and Katharine's daughter Mary had been irreparably damaged by his isolation and deposing of Mary after the birth of Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, and Henry had not restored her as sovereign heir, despite his bastardization of Elizabeth. Effectively, Henry VIII had no heir to his throne, and no legitimate wife. By ridding himself of Anne and taking Jane Seymore as quickly as possible, he could produce a legitimate heir that could not be questioned.

The day after Anne Boleyn's beheading, Henry announced his betrothal to Jane. Ten days after, they were married. Jane did not have the lush coronation ceremony that Anne Boleyn had- in fact, Jane was never even crowned. Henry may have wanted to be sure she could give him an heir before he crowned her. In 1537, Jane did give him the heir he so desired- a healthy boy named Edward. True to her word, she had Mary stand godmother to the boy, and Elizabeth was present at his christening. Her son would overtake either of the girls' claim to the throne, but Jane was more interested in the welfare of the entire Tudor family than with succession to the throne.

Unfortunately, childbirth was a dangerous affair, and twelve days later, Jane Seymour died of complications.

She was one of Henry's most beloved, and he wore black until the end of 1538, in mourning. He would not marry again for two years- the longest time Henry VIII went without a wife. Her honorable position as mother of the male heir was never forgotten, and she was painted with Henry in pictures throughout the castle long after her death.

 

[Amargith]

Katherine of Aragon

 

[violet_crown]

Katharine of Aragon
Dutiful, Loyal, Loving, Dignified, Devout, Headstrong.

 

[Orangey]

Katherine of Aragon.

 

[EvangelineEmma]

Your result for The Six Wives of Henry VIII Test ...


Katharine of Aragon

Dutiful, Loyal, Loving, Dignified, Devout, Headstrong.


"Humble and Loyal"


Katharine the Queen was the first of Henry's wives, and one of the most beloved monarchs. A devout Catholic, Katherine was solemn, dignified, loyal, and stubborn, until the day she died. Previously married at 16 to Prince Arthur, Henry VIII's brother, Katharine steadfastly maintained her virginal status was true upon her marriage to Henry after Arthur's death. As Arthur was ill at the time he married Katharine, he likely was unable to consumate the union; Katharine well could have been a virgin on marrying Henry. Katharine was 23; Henry, 18.
Although it is quite probable that Henry did love Katharine when they were married, the betrothal would come to a tragic end. The bible states that a man who takes his brothers wife will never bear children, and the union would be unclean- and although Henry maintained this to be his reason for wanting to be free of her (and Henry may well have believed his own rhetoric- he was trained to enter church service, not to be king), the more likely reason was his infatuation with Anne Boleyn.
Katharine suffered many miscarriages, never giving him a son, only Princess Mary (who would grow to become Bloody Mary); Anne Boleyn promised him a son upon marriage. This cemented Henry VIII's resolve, and in 1533, he divorced Katherine, after a seven year battle with the Roman Catholic Church, leading to his excommunication and the Reformation.

Katharine fought Henry tooth and nail, maintaining her virtue was intact when she wed Henry, despite his assertion that she had had relations with Prince Arthur and was therefore unable to have been elligible for marriage. She refused to conceed, no matter what reason Henry appealed to. Even as Henry sent Princess Mary away, ostensibly to be educated as a princess, but really as a form of punishment for Katharine, she would not relent. Henry forbade Katharine contact with their daughter, and in his zeal to be rid of Katharine, inadvertently abandoned Mary.

In a last ditch attempt to be rid of her and free to marry Anne Boleyn, Henry demanded Katherine resign her throne and enter a nunnery. Katherine refused- she was the rightful queen and would not abdicate her crown.

Frustrated, Henry banished Katharine from the castle, sending her to live in isolation, with one lady in waiting and a meager stipend. Sent to a castle so shabby that it leaked water and was crusted in mold, Katherine lived just three years more. She had not seen her daughter Mary in more than five years, and was reputed to have had her daughters name on her lips when she finally died of heartache, stress, and the shabby conditions to which she was exiled.

She wrote a dying letter to Henry professing her love for him had not been changed, and forgiving him for his actions against her. It is unknown if Henry read the letter- he had been rejecting Katharine's mail for years- but her death had a profound effect, and was one of several events that marked the beginning of the end for his marriage to Anne Boleyn.

 

[zago]

I noticed no one has gotten Anne of Cleves yet. I was just reading about this crap yesterday. Anne of Cleves was ugly, smelly, and dumb LOL. Good for you guys.

 

[Redbone]

I noticed no one has gotten Anne of Cleves yet. I was just reading about this crap yesterday. Anne of Cleves was ugly, smelly, and dumb LOL. Good for you guys.

According to Henry...everyone else said she was fine, if uneducated. I was hoping to get her (got Katherine of Aragon). She was the only one who managed to make it out alive besides Catherine Parr.

 

[cafe]

LOL I got Anne of Cleaves but I knew a little of the history and that she ended up having a pretty nice life and did not have her head chopped off. There are times and places to keep your head down and I think that was one of them.

 

[zago]

According to Henry...everyone else said she was fine, if uneducated. I was hoping to get her (got Katherine of Aragon). She was the only one who managed to make it out alive besides Catherine Parr.

That's only because they were trying to sell her to him.

 

[Daenera]

Katharine Parr, followed by CatharineHoward, AnneBoleyn

Intelligent, Kind, Headstrong, Outspoken, Nurturing

I wonder if it gives your first result based on the quote you choose.