Today, I wanted to write about the movie I watched this weekend, but the moment I sat down to write, I heard the sad news of Robin Williams demise. Couldn’t write anything else now.
It feels unbelievable and shocking, how can a person who was making us laugh for decades, has suddenly gone away, leaving us in tears. Indeed it’s true, those who can make us smile are the same ones, who can make us cry too.
Wherever he is now, I wish that he will be happy and peaceful.
Genies don’t die, they just change their lamps. 😦
So many roles you have played… now playing for the true showman
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 # 3 – I am Jane Seymour, Third wife of King Henry VIII
A Perfect Wife??? ⭐
If you can, then do ask that man, who had the privilege of having the company of six wives and numerous mistresses; what is a Perfect Woman? Who is your Perfect Wife?
Jane Seymour.
This is what my husband and King of England, The Henry VIII, would have said.
Now, if you want to know, what exceptional quality I possessed to become the perfect wife of a tyrant King, then do read on.
Jane Seymour
I, Jane Seymour was born to Sir John Seymour and his wife, Margery Wentworth, in 1508, at Wittshire. I did not had, as high and royal lineage as of Henry’s previous Queens, but it was sufficient enough to bring me to court as maid of honor to Queen Catherine of Aragon and of Queen Anne.
I was not educated, or to say in modest terms, I was educated in fulfilling the roles desired from a woman of my time, i.e. doing housework and some needle work. By the way, my needlework and embroidery was quite famous, you know. 😎
Jane Seymour
I was not beautiful, atleast not as beautiful to become a Queen. Just a Plain Jane. You must have guessed this now, from some of my portraits. LOL. But who needs beauty when a king is looking for a lamb, as his wife?
Jane Seymour
Ladies, always remember one thing, that men like change. So, they will look out for the complete opposite of what they currently have. That’s how I got lucky. 💡 My predecessor, both Queen Catherine and Queen Anne, were beautiful, educated, and strong ladies with vibrant personalities. In contrast, I was a docile woman, always obedient, of few words, no temper, and certainly no opinion of my own. I was a lamb, you see. 😐
Wax Statue of Jane Seymour
This is what attracted King Henry to me. I didn’t thought of it, not even in my dreams, that King of England would fall for me. Actually, he didn’t fall in our very first meeting, but it was a step. He first took notice of me when he visited my home, and got smitten by my simplicity and quiet nature. I could have been his next mistress, only if I was not self trained by the tactics used by me predecessor Queen Anne. 😉
Jane Seymour
So when King Henry laid his eyes on me and started showering me with expensive gifts, I declined his favors. Resisting his attempts saying that ‘I would rather die a thousand times, than tarnish my honor‘. It worked. Henry thought of me as a modest woman of honor. See ladies, don’t be easy. Maintain your class and virtue, and you will be respected.
Jane Seymour
Soon Queen Catherine died, and Anne got executed. Poor Anne!! 😥
I got married the very next day. 😛 Lesson ladies – grab the opportunity as soon as it knocks at your doorstep.
King Henry with Jane Seymour
I was The Queen. Didn’t got the chance of coronation, but still, I was the Queen of my King Henry. I loved him, but I was also scared of him. Seldom in our marriage, I have opened my mouth. Never want to displease a king who can behead you in matter of seconds. I did tried to persuade him to make peace with his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. Succeeded too, for some extent. Nothing more than that. I was too docile to change anything else in my realm. Let alone realm, I was not even able to stop Henry from having new mistresses. It’s easier to tame a wild horse, than to bind Henry to a single woman. 😮
Jane Seymour
Still, Henry loved me. For Forever. As, I gave him what he desired most – his heir – his son, Edward.
Now, you see, why I was a perfect wife? ⭐
I never spoke. I was a lamb.
I never resisted him having other women in his life.
I gave him his heir, Edward.
I died in few days, after delivering my baby boy. I didn’t gave Henry any chance (actually not enough time together), to fall out of love from me, and thus, I was his favorite Queen. His most beloved wife, with whom he took rest in the grave.
Jane Seymour
To tell you frankly, I don’t think Henry had the capabilities to love anyone, other than himself. I was just lucky, that he didn’t hated me. 😐
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 # 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.
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. 😀
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.
Catherine of Aragon
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.”
Catherine of Aragon
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.
Prince Renne with Princess TishaPrincess Tisha Singh in my Crocheted CrownMy Young Prince – Renne SinghA Yawning Prince – Renne SinghTisha happy with her Crown 🙂
Do you know that there are 25 windows in the Statue of Liberty Crown?
Do you know that in ancient Egypt, Royal women used to wear the Royal Vulture crown, having a falcon with wings folded?
Do you know that Gold Crown that Queen Elizabeth donned during her coronation in 1953, does not belong to her, but rather was a property of state?
I was watching a television series yesterday, where the dethroned Queen asks one of her Knight, “People of my Land must be waiting for me to return”. Knight replied “My Lady, People do not care about who is ruling them and who is not? What they care about is that do they have enough to eat, or shelter, and safety”.
What Kind of Government We Want?
We say all big things like corruption, world peace, global warming, woman empowerment, while choosing our governments but the basic reality does not change. We all want our basic necessities to be met first, only after that, we would care about global warming and world peace.
No Electricity
Recent posts that I am seeing on facebook, from my friends belonging to U.P(Uttar Pradesh), India, makes me realize that those who were fighting before elections taking sides are now all on one side.
No Electricity
One side which is complaining about huge Power cuts. In the scorching heat of Delhi and U.P, there is no relief whether you are outside or inside home, due to power cuts. Now some may ask what it’s got to do with politics?
What Kind of Government We Want?
Actually few days back when I was debating with a friend about the scene of Indian Politics, this point arise where he said that “I can not believe that an educated person can say that people of Amethi are more concerned about the basic things like roads and power, and not see the corruption done by Congress party over the years. How can they choose Rahul Gandhi over and over again?”
He was right, but to some extent. Point that I made was, people of Amethi are not bothered about corruption as they do not see it directly affecting their lives. What is affecting them more is poverty and lack of infrastructure. They are not electing a party, they are electing an individual, Rahul Gandhi, Golden Prince. Why they are electing him?
If you visit Amethi, and could be able to chat honestly with the people there, they will say, “we know congress didn’t do anything here, but last year they gave a government job to my little brother. Our whole family is feeding because of it.” Or, “my old mother is getting pension because of them”, or, they gave me quota work for making this road, which I may or may not make”. Congress has not taught them fishing, but they are provided with Fish to eat, from time to time.
My point being they are feed only that much, which is enough to fill their stomach but not for long, so they will come asking for it again. Their desires are simple. Their needs are limited. Lets take a totally different scenario now. Lets ask a person living in USA, what does he need from his government?
Will he say that he wants power supply, or good roads? No, he doesn’t need them, because he already have them.
A girl living in Delhi, may or may not say about better roads, but she will sure say safety on roads as her biggest concern. A small businessman may say less tax on his business, or a youth for more job opportunities, or a housewife managing her household on a minimum budget may say, ability to buy more in less.
Each one of us has different priorities and these change based on what we already have and what we aspire to have next. So, basically we want our government to give us everything, but we need all the basic necessities first.
Wants and Needs
As they say in hindi “Bhooke Bhajan Na Hoye Gopala”, meaning “You can not pray on an empty stomach”.
My Journey So Far.... 