Tag Archives: Catherine of Aragon

Life

Frolic Friday – Curious Case of King Henry VIII, himself

Image September 12, 2014 jcisnowjs 9 Comments

King Henry VIII, was the second Monarch of Tudor dynasty. He was King of England from 21 April, 1509 until his death by 28 January 1547. King Henry was famous for two main reasons – one for separating Church of England from Roman Catholic Church; and second reason, he was most notoriously famous for, was his Six Wives and their fate bestowed by King Henry. Earlier posts were dedicated to Six Wives of King Henry VIII. Today, we are giving King Henry a chance to put forward his version of story.

I am King Henry VIII, The King of England. Actually, I was the King, now I have heard there is a Queen ruling My England. :O

I was born to Henry VII of England, and Elizabeth of York, on 28^th June, 1491. I was second in line to the throne, having my elder brother Arthur, but Arthur demise changed the equation and I became the King, after my father King Henry VII, died in 22^nd April, 1509. I don’t want to gloat much but I was the best King, England has ever seen…. 😎

You may or may not have anything else to do, but I have some important business to attend to (have to play execution with my graveyard friends), so I will directly come to point. I am disgusted by the way, my Six Queens have described me, in earlier posts. So, here I am clearing everything, once and for all… although I know there is no such need, because I am a King. 😛

Catherine of Aragon, my first wife. I married her out of pity, she was my brother’s widow, and was 6 years elder to me. Actually, it was easier for me to marry her and keep the political alliance intact, and also, she was pretty. ❤ I loved her. It was a happy marriage. We loved each other. She was a perfect wife, and a perfect Queen. Coming to think of it, I still love and respect her. I would not have married anyone else, if I would have been an ordinary person, not a King. A king needs heir. A male child. This was the only problem with my marriage to Catherine. She didn’t gave me a male child. Now, when I think of it, my two daughters Mary and Elizabeth have proved a better monarch than my son Edward. Alas, at that time, Mary was not sufficient for me. I wanted to have a son, and I decided to marry second time. One other factor, I fall in love with someone else – Anne Boleyn. Now, tell me, was it my fault that a king must have a prince a heir, which Catherine didn’t gave me. I left her, only because of that. It’s not my fault, you see. Even if it was my fault, well, I was The King, and a King can do no wrong. 😉

Anne Boleyn, my second wife, and my second love too. I loved Catherine, but when I first laid my eyes on this graceful, elegant dancer in my court, my jaw dropped. My God, she was beautiful. Who could not be smitten by her raw beauty? I was. Most importantly she knows how to flirt and keep her man on toes? I was blown away. I proposed and she put condition. She wanted to be Queen, and I wanted to be her King. I divorced Catherine, although it took almost 6-7 years, but it did happened finally. Only problem, she failed just like her predecessor, in giving me a male heir. Also, she used to interfere a lot in my kingly affairs. How could I tolerate that? I wanted to get rid of her. My courtiers helped me in maligning her and later in executing her for high treason. 😦 I feel bad about this now, but a king has to do, what he has to do. Also, I was in love again, with my, to be third wife. So, Anne has to go, no matter what. 😐

Jane, dear Jane…. Oh My Jane. Love of my life. I loved you Jane and still do. Jane was my third wife, and only one who gave me what I was longing for from decades – a male heir, Edward, my son. She was as plain as her name, but she was pretty enough for me to fall in love with her. She was an ideal wife. She was quiet, never interfered in my affairs. Never even objected when I courted other ladies. Above all, gave birth to my only son, Edward. Pity, she died soon after that. Some say, that I didn’t take care of her. What the hell am I supposed to do? She was a Queen, had all the maids, servants to help her. Why the hell, she would have needed me? I was the King. A King don’t have time to take care of his wife. He has to take care of his realm, you know. If she died within days of giving birth to my son, than it must have been her poor genes, not my carelessness. 😎

Anne of Cleves, my fourth wife. She was my one and only arranged marriage bride. Clearly, arrange marriage was not for me. I didn’t even had the privilege of seeing her in person before signing up marriage contract, can you believe that? 😡 but, believe me when I say, that she was nothing like her portrait that Holbein made of her. She was plain. Didn’t knew to play music, or to sing, knew no card games, not even knew how to flirt…. 😮 Moreover, she didn’t liked me either. For her, I was this ill, smelly, old man. I was not the handsome young King, anymore. How could I bear that? I despised her. I was feeling suffocated in that marriage, didn’t even consummated my marriage. How could I? 😡 I asked her for divorce, and she readily agreed to it. Guess, she was also eager to move out of this marriage. It was a happy ending for both of us. So, happy, that I declare her my Sister, and gave her all the money and status to fulfill all her needs. She was the only wife of mine, who stayed happy. 😀

Catherine Howard, my rose without thorns, my fifth wife. She was everything that any old man wish for in a woman. She was young, almost 17, when I fall in love with her. I immediately married her. She was sexy, young and a novice girl. Yes, a girl she was, not a Queen. That was my mistake. Everything should have been alright, if I would just have treated her like a girl, and used her, rather than making her Queen of England. She was young and wild, not to be tamed, and she did just what girls of her age do – fall in love over and over. She was the Queen, still she couldn’t resist the charm of young love, and fall for my young groom, Thomas Culpeper. She cheated on a King. How could anyone in the world survive this? She didn’t. I executed her. She deserved it. I still remember the way she came running towards me, screaming from the top of her lungs for forgiveness, but she had cheated on me, how could I ever forgave her? Never. Not as a husband, never as a King. 😡

Catherine Parr, my sixth and final wife. I got married to her, nor because it was love, neither it was arranged, but rather because I needed a wife like her. She was twice widowed, without any kids, but a caring soul. She was half of my age, but still she was a lady of grace, not a silly girl, like Catherine Howard. She was gentle and polite. She was like a nurse to me. She nursed me well and nurture my kids too. She also handled my realm as a regent in my absence. She was just perfect for me at that time. But, foolishness seems to be the trait of all the girls I married. This one too, took the liberty with her life, by debating me in religious matters. It was necessary to show her place to this woman, and thus I issued warrant against her. She would have gone the same way her predecessors went, if she hadn’t came to her senses and apologized for her unwisdom. I was not only her husband but her King too, she had to treat me like a God and not debate with me. Foolish girl. She survived my wrath. 😐

Those were my six wives, I could have married more… I would have loved to, but my illness prevented me. I was a man longing for love and solace. I found it somewhat in Jane, but like each time, my happiness were always short lived. I was always alone. A lone King. Although I married six times, but I was never satisfied in love. I may have loved my wives or maybe it was just an illusion, I wonder. If given a chance, I think, I would prefer to be a loving husband, than to be an insecure and tyrant King.

Life

Frolic Friday – Curious Case of King Henry’s Wives : Wife # 2 – Anne

Image August 1, 2014 jcisnowjs 3 Comments

King Henry VIII, was the second Monarch of Tudor dynasty. He was King of England from 21 April, 1509 until his death by 28 January 1547. King Henry was famous for two main reasons – one for separating Church of England from Roman Catholic Church; and second reason, he was most notoriously famous for, was his Six Wives and their fate bestowed by King Henry. These posts are dedicated to Six Wives of King Henry VIII. It’s not a historical fact or document, rather a conversational satirical viewpoint of ill-fated Queens.

Wife # 2 – I am Anne Boleyn, Second wife of King Henry VIII

A smart and intelligent woman outweighs any beautiful face or body, and even Men; but only problem in being a sharp woman is, that it’s hard to find a husband whose ego doesn’t get hurt when he unsuccessfully attempts to tame his wife. 😎

Me, Anne Boleyn, was born to Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard. I don’t even remember my birth date now. Guess it happens when you were dead for centuries. 😳

Anne Boleyn, before marriage

I was not beautiful as per the English standards of that time, but I did compensated it with my personality and charming etiquette. My olive skin and dark eyes accentuated my medium stature. My neck was long and thin, which actually turned out to be quite useful in my time of death. 😆 But, whatever you may have heard of, I never had a sixth finger. I was not deformed in any way, as some of the contemporary writers tried to falsely put forward. Why were they so fascinated to prove me a devilish woman, I may never know, or maybe I was devilish? Who Knows?? 😈

Anne Boleyn - Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 2 — Anne Boleyn – second wife of King Henry VIII

I belonged to a high class family, and the only dream that I had, was to marry into the same high blood. To live a life of luxury and dignity. Maybe, to some extent, I have dreamt of becoming a Queen. What’s wrong with that? Every girl treats herself as a princess, and wants to be married to a King. Coming to think of it, I not only wanted to be a Queen, I also wanted to give birth to a future King. 💡

A Queen, I wanted to be, but never a mistress. My pride was too high to accept the second position. When King Henry, laid his lustful eyes on me, I was so unsure of my future. I was not the one who can be used and then thrown away, like the way Henry used my sister Mary. Poor Mary…. 😥

I made myself very clear to King Henry, that I can not be his mistress; his toy, something to play around. Maybe Henry was rejected first time by a lady, and that’s what made him more eager to want me; to have me. Tip to all ladies out there – Play hard to get, but not too hard. 😎 Henry used to write love letters to me. Beautiful poetry and romantic words written himself by the King. Who won’t be mesmerized? I was. Baffled, by his love, his attention. A king going crazy to want me, in his arms. ❤

“Wishing myself…in my sweetheart’s arms, whose pretty dukkys, I trust shortly to kiss…” lol…..

Many blamed me for breaking marriage of Henry and Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. But, tell me is it my fault, solely(some of it I can take 😛 ), if a king wants me desirable; or if I do not oblige him by giving him my virtue before marriage? I think it only made me a better and dignified lady to stand for my virtue. I do condemn that I became the reason of Catherine’s misery. Now, when I am thinking of it, I do believe that it was my karma, which came back to me eventually. Sigh!!!

Henry got his marriage to Catherine annulled, and after 7 years of courtship, me and Henry finally took our vows. Yes, we waited for seven years, who do that now a days? Another tip to all the ladies – Don’t give up too easily. 💡 It was worth it. We had the best of our time. We danced, romanced, partied. It was just a long honeymoon, our marriage. Till I delivered my first baby, Elizabeth, a girl.

Henry and all of England was so impatient to have a male heir, that they were disappointed by the birth of my lovely child, Elizabeth. Never did they dreamt of, that she will become the most successful monarch of England. I am proud of her. Afterall she got my brains and learnt from my fate, that marriage is the only way a woman can loose or gain every sense of her being. She never married. 😐

I got pregnant two more times, but both were stillborn, one was a son. My sole survivor, and I could not save him, in my own womb. I was never loved by the realm, but this was the last nail in my coffin. All that My King longed for, was a Son, and I couldn’t give it to him. But, was it my fault? As far as I know, Henry was also responsible. Isn’t it? 😮

I could never understand, how a wife is just confided to fulfill only one duty, to give birth to his husband’s successor. I was much more than that. But Henry was not in the mood to attribute anything more to my status, than me being his wife. By cheating on me, he devoid me of having that satisfaction too. 😥 How can I allow him to cheat on me? When I have done all required to fulfill his needs? I don’t want to be another Catherine. I struggled with him, argued with him, showed him all the tantrums; but to no avail. He was the king. A king can do whatever he wants.

I supported him in every good or bad decision of his (sometimes I even took decisions for him 😛 ). Whether it would be of severing ties with Roman Catholic Church, and declaring himself as the supreme head of England’s Church, or executing Thomas Moore, Fisher and many more. I supported him, infact, I planned some of it… just to make sure that all the prospective enemies of Henry’s authority are eliminated.

What did I get in return?

A charge for adultery, treason and incest. Adultery, with so many men, including my own baby brother?? 👿 I loved my brother, but, he was my brother. Every sister loves his brother. I was loyal to a cheating husband, that was my only crime. Actually, my crime was that I was married to The King; a king who no longer desired me, because he had found someone else. Another young courtesan who wanted to be The Queen – Jane Seymour. What I did with Catherine, came back to me; and in what way? 😥

I was charged on baseless stories and was executed. First Queen, to be executed publicly. Ironically, in the same Tower of London, where once my coronation was done with all the pomp, now my execution was happening.

That was my fate. I feel happy and relieved now, when I am no longer a Queen, for now I am free.

My only regret with life being, that it gave me brains and wits to attract a suitor but not the patience and obedience to be a good behaved quiet wife, of a King. 😐

Life, Random

Frolic Friday – Curious Case of King Henry’s Wives : Wife # 1 – Catherine

Image July 25, 2014 jcisnowjs 7 Comments

King Henry VIII, was the second Monarch of Tudor dynasty. He was King of England from 21 April, 1509 until his death by 28 January 1547. King Henry was famous for two main reasons – one for separating Church of England from Roman Catholic Church; and second reason, he was most notoriously famous for, was his Six Wives and their fate bestowed by King Henry. These posts are dedicated to Six Wives of King Henry VIII. It’s not a historical fact or document, rather a conversational satirical viewpoint of ill-fated Queens.

Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 1 - Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 1 — Catherine of Aragon

Wife # 1 – I am Catherine of Aragon, First wife of King Henry VIII

William Shakespeare called me “the Queen of earthly Queens”, now when I am in earth, I think of only that moment when I became The Queen of England.

I was just three-year old, when my parents finalized my marriage. Yes, just three, only a child, and my fate was sealed, as the future Queen of England, and to be wife of Prince Arthur Tudor.

Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 1 - Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 1 - Catherine of Aragon — Catherine of Aragon

Commoner may think, how lucky we Queens are, but just think of it, I was not even asked about my opinion for marriage. Infact, even if they would have asked me, what would a three-year old child, will say about her marriage. 😕

I was happy. Too happy. I was going to be future Queen of England. I danced, learnt all possible languages I can, history, religion, civil, philosophy… there was nothing I had not read about. I was very lucky in that sense, as many of my contemporaries were not allowed to read at that time. Some even said, that I was educated more than my Husband King Henry. 🙄

You must be thinking, how come I was contracted to marry Prince Arthur, and married Henry instead? Well, I did married Prince Arthur, but that pale looking fellow, died in just five months of marriage. We didn’t even consummated our marriage. Urggh…

I should have returned to my home, but how could I have returned to my homeland as a widow, and just a princess, not a Queen. All I was raised-up to be, was to be a Queen. This was the only thing that I knew of – to be a Queen.

I married Henry, younger brother of Arthur, and six years younger to me.

Actually, he married me. 😉 I didn’t had any say, remember. Henry and his father didn’t wanted to return my dowry (I have bought with me 200,000 crowns as dowry, along with African servants, which I was the first to do so), and to top it all, I was beautiful, way beautiful. 😀

Curious Case of King Henry's Wives : Wife # 1 - Catherine of Aragon — Catherine of Aragon

I had fair skin and red-golden flowing hair, short height but beauty like that even Thomas Moore said that “There is nothing wanting in her that the most beautiful girl should have.” Told Ya 😆

But I was not just an eye candy, I have also fought a war for my King Henry, and won.

Henry was the love of my life. I have only loved my God, other than Henry. Even Henry could not deny my love to him. Only thing that was denied, was a male heir to England’s throne.

I had six pregnancies, but only one, Mary, my daughter survived. None of my son lived. With them, Henry’s love for me, died too. 😥

Why it’s so important to have sons? Why can’t a girl is enough, to carry on your family genes and be your rightful heir? I could never have accepted this undignified ideology towards my daughter Mary. She was the rightful heir, and I told my wishes to Henry also, quite clearly.

Guess what? It was not the question of heir, which was keeping Henry away from me. It was that b#$@h, Anne Boleyn. She was my lady-in-waiting, at my court; and she bewitched my dear husband, to fall in love with her. 👿

Not that Henry was innocent, he had 3-4 mistresses before, but this time it was different. He asked me for divorce, and for me to go to nunnery. What??? After 18 years of marriage and one beautiful child, how could he? He even forgot that divorce was not allowed in Catholicism? I will be his wife, till death do us apart.

He was not my sweet Henry anymore. I didn’t even recognized this new Henry, which he had turned into. One who rose against the Roman Catholic Church, and declared himself above the church itself. He was out of control. Killed everyone who believed in Catholic Church and Jesus, burnt them, executed them, hanged them. For what? To marry Anne Boleyn, or to have a male heir, or just to get rid of me? 😐

He divorced me. Got the marriage annulled, saying it was invalid, as I was his brother’s wife, first.

Punished me, by not allowing me to see my only child, Mary. He kept me in his castles, closed, with nearly no help and money. But, I was always a Queen and never signed to his will of declaring my child a bastard. I didn’t, and will not say, ever, that my marriage was invalid. I was born to be a Queen, and I died, on January 7, 1536, as a Queen.

I just said this to my Dear Husband, as my last words – “Lastly, I makes this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things.”

I don’t know if I am “The Queen of Earthly Queens”, as Shakespeare had put it, but I was certainly Queen of England, and will always be remembered as Queen.