The Conclusion of the Tudor Wives
Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr
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This conclusion is long overdue, but life was busy kicking my ass.
Wife #5: Catherine Howard
Henry’s fifth wife was chosen quickly following the annulment from Anne of Cleves. Henry wanted a youthful bride and as always expected virgins even though he probably carried a shit ton of STDs and didn’t wash his crack. But Katherine, (her name has been continuously spelled both ways) was plucked from the Howard family and nicknamed “A Rose without a Thorn.” What’s all the MORE shocking about this alliance to me is the fact that Katherine is the cousin of Anne Boleyn and had known her. The fact that they are both the only Tudor wives who were beheaded makes that knowledge even more horrifying. I have often wondered if there is curse on that family tree.
Katherine’s birth date is unknown. Her family sent her to Chesworth House where poor aristocrat children were placed to learn social graces in hopes of landing a position at court. She was one of many siblings and often overlooked. 5 of Pentacles Reversed ruled her life and made her an unwilling pawn to reduce her families poverty.
During this time, Katherine was living out the 3 of Cups; involved with older girls in the house who taught her to drink and sneak around with men. Katherine read and wrote well, but was not studious and easily distracted. She was very pretty and vivacious which caught the eye of many predatory men.
Katherine was undoubtedly groomed by her music teacher, Henry Mannox who was in his late 20s. Other men were to follow and Katherine had to admit non-consensual sexual abuse in court many years later. She later met Francis Dereham, a secretary of the Dowager Duchess who ran the house Katherine lived in. Katherine wanted to marry Francis and they addressed each other as "husband" and "wife". Many of Catherine's roommates among the Dowager Duchess's maids of honour and attendants knew of the relationship and it wasn’t long till Dowager Duchess found out. She ordered Francis back home to Ireland, but despite this, Catherine and Dereham were intending to marry upon his return from and pre-contracted themselves as such.
While Francis was away, Katherine’s uncle, Thomas Howard secured her a place in the household of Henry's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves (there is always a pattern isn’t there) where she caught the King's interest. I feel for her, as it wasn’t like a woman could say no to a King at that time. We don’t really know what her feelings were, but we do know she quickly moved on from Francis to Thomas Culpeper who was Henry’s favorite young maid courtier. 3 of Swords much? Yikes? They were meeting in secret and planned to marry until poor Katherine was betrothed to Henry.
Katherine Howard married King Henry on 28 July 1540, just 19 days after the annulment of his marriage to Anne. He was 49, and she was somewhere between 15 and 19 years old. A middle-aged man with a child bride. Disgusting no? It was unfortunately all too common, especially since the life expectancy during the medieval period was short. Their marriage would only last 18 months. Katherine was blackmailed by various courtiers who knew about her sexual history and those determined to unseat the Howards from power made sure the King found out about it. For failure to disclose her sexual history before the marriage, Katherine was dragged to the Tower. It was reported she screamed and tried to run away from the soldiers, but when she died she did so with grace and dignity. While it has not been proven, Katherine is often quoted as saying: “I die the wife of a King, but would rather the wife of Culpeper.”
History (men) paint Katherine to be a wanton empty headed whore. The Pamela Anderson of the Tudor Saga. What she truly was? An abused and neglected child looking for comfort and love. Her story ends with Judgement and Death, as we bear witness… that both are often unfairly projected onto those who don’t deserve it.
Wife #6: Catherine Parr
Catherine is the final of Henry’s wives and a walking miracle to put up with him and to also OUTLIVE him before he found fault with her. We know she was born in August, but the date is unknown. I am positive my girl Cat is a Virgo because the strategy and scholarly pursuits she focused on to keep her sharp and helping maintain Henry’s kingdom since he was usually ill is something only an earth sun can pull off. Catherine stood apart and wasn’t afraid to either. She was no slouch either being the ONLY English Queen to have 4 husbands (and the most any English Queen ever has had).
Catherine was very involved with Henry’s children and the only time Edward, Mary and Elizabeth ever had any semblance of a mother figure and normal family life. Another point for Team Virgo; Catherine personally oversaw Edward and Elizabeth’s education. She seems to have pushed Elizabeth the most, probably seeing her brilliance, but also wanting to arm her for what was to come. Catherine did not miss the plotting that Mary poorly concealed regarding taking the throne from her siblings. There was too much bad blood between Mary and Elizabeth’s mothers and Mary’s cruel neglect while Elizabeth’s mother had power. It wasn’t Elizabeth’s fault, but Mary would never get past it. Catherine tried to heal this, but I think she knew deep down it wasn’t going to ever happen. Queen of Wands as well as the 4 of Wands/Cups describe her well as well as her relationship with her stepchildren. They were a peaceful foursome and when Henry was in a good mood, all the merrier.
Catherine was very strategic, and I think ahead of her time. She was the driving force behind Henry's passing of the Third Succession Act in 1543 that restored his daughters Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession to the throne.[4] When Henry was on a military campaign in France, she was to rule as Regent until Edward came of age. However, Catherine was not put in Henry’s will (I’m not sure why), so she could not remain Queen after his death. She assumed the role of guardian to her stepdaughter, Elizabeth until her own death a year and half after Henry’s.
Catherine is the first woman in England to PUBLISH their own work in English!! I really admire how she used her position to further her own ambitions. I wonder if she would have written about other topics besides prayers, but being a woman, publishing your own writings was only tolerated when it had to do with being a dutiful wife or the Church.
Whilst Catherine can be considered most fortunate of the Tudor wives, she did have her own brush with death at Henry’s hand. Her sympathy for the Protestants was used by those who sought to turn the King against her. Henry was fed ideas that Catherine was “telling him how to do his job” essentially. 7 of Swords trickery was afoot. All is not as it seems. Catherine thankfully, was a step ahead. Rumour has it she went to Henry directly in the garden, knelt in front of him and his courtiers humbly beseeching him for forgiveness and basically acting like a helpless dumb woman..batting her eyelashes.
Misdirection.
Women have been entrancing men with Venusian power for a millenia. And well, Henry has a humiliation kink.
They made up instantly, and Catherine lived. Four months after Henry’s death she secretly wed her longtime love Thomas Seymour and shockingly became pregnant. To be 35 and pregnant at that time was highly unlikely and dangerous. During her confinement, Catherine suffered the ultimate betrayal that I think led to her death in some ways. Her husband was found embracing her stepdaughter Elizabeth like this is some real 10 of Swords shit rn:
And for poor Catherine it was. This caused a scandal within the court and Catherine had to send Elizabeth away. They would never meet again. Elizabeth did send her a letter that was clearly one of sorrow. No one will ever know if Catherine forgave her.
Giving into her grief, Catherine delivered her only child, Mary and passed away from infection a few days after. Her daughter was raised by her best friend the Duchess of Suffolk, but history is unclear on if she survived past childhood.
The Wheel of Fortune had turned + the Crucifixion of the Tudor Wives was at an end.
June Announcements:
$5.00 off any readings if you are a part of the LGBTQ+ Community! Sliding scale options are always available and you can always gift a reading to someone else.
On a personal note, here’s my sexuality which is common knowledge by now…I think???
Crazy to realize two years ago I came out publicly on all socials. I am really proud of myself for that. Recently, Ren and I were playing the card game Lets Get Deep on the Gemini New Moon. Right now, with Gemini season and Mercury leaving the RX we are feeling our chests crack open a tiny bit with relief. It’s a good time to begin acting out new intentions and habits you want to get into or break that have come up since the retrograde. Speak your intentions and actions it is EXTRA important by now.
Ren pulled a card: “What are you most proud of?”
Me: “That I got out.”
Read how below:
Talk soon. If you want recs on Tudor films, articles, docus or films to watch hmu. Yes, I am an Enneagram 5. - Cat