A woman who, like her mother, knew how to stay in her place, being the queen of England as a foreigner and Spanish should not be easy, especially when the king was who he was. Nevertheless Catherine of Aragon, she won the love and trust of the English, who supported her to the end and for whom she never ceased to be their queen. If you find it interesting, wait until you discover her exciting story in Catherine of Aragon – Queen of England.
Biography of Catherine of Aragon
December 16, 1485born in Alcala de Henares, Catherine of Aragon. An infanta from Madrid who became Queen of England (1509-1533), when she married King Henry VIII. She was the mother of another Queen Mary I of England and the widow of a Prince of Wales such as Prince Arthur. Catherine of Aragon died on January 7, 1536, at Kimbolton Castle, England. A life that is not easy and that we are now going to detail more briefly.
Infanta of Aragon and Castile
The Infanta Catalina was born in Alcalá de Henares on December 16, 1485, specifically in the Archbishop’s Palace, daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. She was one of the girls, the smallest and received Catherine’s name in honor of her maternal great-grandmother Catalina de Lancastar, who in turn was the daughter of Juan de Lancaster and Constanza, daughter of Pedro I of Castile. This means that somehow both houses maintained certain blood ties.
Catalina was educated as what she was, an infanta of Castile and daughter of kings. A highly educated woman, since he received all kinds of studies from civil and economic law to theology or heraldry. She daughter of the Catholic kings, his religious formation made him develop a faith and convictions that would mark their decisions in the future.
During his childhood he was formed so exceptionally that when he reached youth She was considered one of the most cultured women and prepared at the time. What Infanta of Aragon and Castilewas a front-row witness to the taking of grenade with only 6 years old.
But Her future was already marked by marriage alliances that their parents were already agreeing, so the marriage was agreed of Catherine with prince arthur, Prince of Wales and therefore heir to the crown of England. We must not forget that the Trastámara house one of the oldest in Europe and besides, the one with the most prestige and the Trastámara belonged to Catalina.
The Tudors was a practically new houseillegitimate children later recognized, little ancestry and above all the Tudor house was little appreciated in the rest of Europe. The marriage with Catherine reaffirmed them more on the throne, for being related to Catherine’s lineage and made Europe give her a vote of confidence.
The couple they were married by proxy in May 1499, neither Arturo nor Catalina knew each other but they were already married. The only relationship they had was by letter and in Latin. When it was decided that Arthur had reached maturitythat is to say with 15 years, the marriage was allowed to consummate it.
Catherine leaves Spain for London in order to impress, being accompanied by a group of African men and women, something that caused a great impression positive, gaining the admiration of the people.
Wale’s princess
Catherine arrived at Plymouthwas received by the Bishop of Bath and it would not be until she arrived in Hampshire, when she saw for the first time the Prince with whom, years before, she had married by proxy. The first meeting seemed to be a success or so Prince Arthur put it in a letter to his in-laws.
The marriage was validated on November 14, 1501at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, moving his residence to Shropshirewhere shortly after they would both get sicknot being able to overcome the disease Prince Arthur dying shortly after, on April 2, 1502.
But Arturo and Catalina had not consummated the marriagethis put his father-in-law, King Henry VII, in a bind, who was forced to return the dowry that he needed so much, so much so that he even offered himself in marriage. At last, both houses reached an agreementbeing the chosen suitor, the king’s second son, Prince Henry5 years younger than Catalina.
Henry VII, with the death of Queen Isabella of Castile, sees the aspirations to the throne of Castile, now in the hands of Catalina’s older sister, Juana, receding. So her haste to unite both houses seemed to have dissipated, after various pressures at last papal dispensation requested, so that both young people could get married. canon law prohibited marriage between a man and his brother’s widow. The dispensation was signed by Pope Julius II.
Queen of England
When Henry VII diedin the year 1509, his son Henry becomes the new king of England and will do so under the name of Henry VIII. He quickly prepares his wedding which took place in the Greenwich Church on June 11, 1509. The coronation took place June 24, 1509 at Westminster Abbeyas tradition dictates.
the now queen of england katherine, is obsessed with giving Enrique offspring, especially a son. After 4 pregnancies where the babies were stillborn or lived a few days, Catalina gives birth to a healthy baby girl. This girl receives the name of Mariaafter a last delivery this time also failed.
But Enrique had among his plans have a male child to succeed to the throne. Already then the King had noticed Anne Boleyn, a woman belonging to the reduced circle of the queen. When Henry VIII, I consider that his wife was not able to give him sons and already in love with Anne Boleyn, petitioned Queen Catherine for a divorce.
The divorce that would allow him to remarry was the ecclesiastical one and for that he had to request a permit from the ecclesiastical authorities. The reason she alleged is nullity because it was his own sister-in-law. Catalina on her part, defended the non-consummation of that marriage.
Before the pressures that the Spanish emperor and nephew of Catherine, Carlos Iexerted on the pope and given that he needed the support of the Spanish Emperor, the ecclesiastical divorce was denied. This event provoked fury and estrangement with the church of Rome. Given the papal refusal, Henry asked different theologians for their opinion and in all cases, they were in favor of granting it.
The fact that Catherine was disowned by her husband and King Henry VIII, especially for love affairs, angered a town already if, quite unhappy. Catherine had amply proven her courage, courage and determination, she had supported the English against the Scots and that had made her the people adore her Y did not recognize another queen other than Catherine.
Banishment and death of Catherine of Aragon
Finally, Henry breaks Not only the relationship with his wife Catherine in 1531but also breaks all relationship with Rome, creating a new church, the church of england, where the highest representative would be the king himself. That’s how it was created the Anglican Churcha new church that would make Henry leave Catherine, marry Anne Boleyn and completely abandoned the Church of Rome, even reaching failing to recognize the ecclesiastical power of the pope himself.
The popularity of Henry VIIIplummeted, the situation was not easy, a dissatisfied people, far from Europe and with an entire empire waiting for a justificationthis situation advised Henry VIII preserve life of which until then had been his wife, Queen Catherine. Her punishment was to live in seclusion the rest of his life at Kimbolton Castlewhere would die in 1536. That if, she never gave up the title of queen of her.
Biography of Catherine of Aragon – Image Gallery
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