Beheadable Catherine Howard

Imagine being courted by someone who is not only far older than you, but also incredibly fat, smelly, and has previously disposed of four previous wives.  Not only that, but imagine if you had to marry the man.

Poor young Catherine Howard, became the 5th wife of Henry VIII when she was somewhere between the ages of 15 and 19.  Her birth date is not known for certain.  Catherine was actually the first cousin of Henry's 2nd wife, the beheaded Anne Boleyn.  Catherine was serving as a lady in waiting for Anne of Cleves, when Henry became infatuated with her. They were married nearly as soon as his annulment from Anne of Cleves became final. Henry called her his "rose without a thorn".  Catherine was understandably less than happy with her marital circumstances. Considering the pressure that would have been placed upon her by her family, seeking to improve their wealth and relation with the throne, Catherine would have had no choice but to seek out or at least succumb to Henry's advances.  Despite her lack of attraction to him, and expected fears over marrying someone with such a volatile marital past, she would have had no choice but to become queen.  They were married less than two years before she was discovered to have been unfaithful to Henry.  To cover her indiscretions, Catherine attempted to buy the silence of knowing parties by hiring them into her household.  Eventually though, Henry was convinced of her adultery, and Catherine was arrested for treason.  According to legend, Catherine briefly escaped the guards in the Tower, and ran to the chapel where Henry was taking mass.  She banged on the doors and screamed his name, but she was recaptured by the guards. Catherine never confessed her extramarital affairs, even within the final hours of her life.   Catherine was beheaded on February 13, 1542.  The two men accused of being her lovers were executed on an earlier date, and their heads were displayed on the London Bridge.

Comments

[Pockafwye]

Your work is so inspired and beautifully executed...

[Monda]

I love having this history lesson as well as seeing what you have been creating.
Seems like us Brits were really a brutal lot back then.

I can't wait to see the whole family together (so to speak).

Monda
x

[Ananda]

Very nice! I've been impressed with your turn out of knitted dolls/toys (?).