Anne of cleves

Anne of Cleves (Anna duchess of cleves)

BORN: 1515
MARRIED: 6 JANUARY 1540
DIVORCED: JULY 1540
DIED: 16 JULY 1557 (MY birthday...btw)

Could be considered the luckiest of all Henrys Wives, for she was the one who lived the longest aside from Katherine parr who died in childbirth from her last marriage to Thomas Seymour. could it have been that the wive whom was most despised by the king for shallow reasons was also the one who survived and was regarded "sister" to the king at Henry's court?

Henry's first marriage had been a foreign alliance of sorts, although it is almost certain that the two were truly in love for some time. His next two brides were love matches and Henry could have had little or no monetary or political gain from them.

It was infact Thomas Cromwell who proposed the idea of a foreign marriage (and alliance) as the split from Rome had left england very much isolated. It was these circumstances that led henry to direct his minsiters to look at the possibility of a foreign bride, much to Cromwells delight.

Henry did also want to be sure he was getting a desirable bride, so he had agents in foreign courts report to him on the appearance and other qualities of various candidates. He also sent painters to bring him images of these women.

Hans Holbein, the most famous of the Tudor court painters, was sent to the court of the Duke of Cleves, who had two sisters: Amelia and Anne. When Holbein went in 1539, Cleves was seen as an important potential ally in the event France and the Holy Roman Empire (who had somewhat made a truce in their long history of conflict) decided to move against the countries who had thrown off the Papal authority. England then sought alliances with countries who had been supporting the reformation of the church. Several of the Duchys and principalities along the Rhine were Lutheran. Holbein painted the sisters of the Duke of Cleves and Henry decided to have a contract drawn up for his marriage to Anne.

Although the King of France and the Emperor had gone back to their usual state of animosity, Henry proceeded with the match. The marriage took place on January 6, 1540. By then, Henry was already looking for ways to get out of the marriage, as their was beleived to have been a disasterous meeting between them just days before the intended date on which Henry surprised Anne in her chamber, surprising her in disguise. She was mortified and screamed aloud in German, this too horrified the king, but what was worse for Henry was when he laid eyes on the woman he was to marry.

His very words "I like her not"

Anne of cleves was reffered to as "the flanders mare"

Both Cromwell and Holbein were scolded for allowing this and promoting anne of cleves as she appeared in Holbeins portrait, quite attractive.

Anne was ill-suited for life at the English court. Her upbringing in Cleves had concentrated on domestic skills and not the music and literature so popular at Henry's court.

In addition to his personal feelings for wanting to end the marriage, there were now political ones as well. Tension between the Duke of Cleves and the Empire was increasing towards war and Henry had no desire to become involved. Last but not least, at some point (beleived to be around The new year season of 1540 Henry had become attracted to young Kathryn Howard. lady in waitng to the New Queen Anne

Anne was most likely informed by her ambassador that she would only be making trouble for herself if she raised any obstacles to Henry's attempts to annul the marriage. She testified that the match had not been consummated and that her previous engagement to the son of the Duke of Lorraine had not been properly broken.

After the marriage had been dissolved, Anne accepted the honorary title as the 'King's Sister'. She was given property, including Hever Castle, formerly the home of Anne Boleyn. Anne was also present at the Twelfth night festivites in 1541 during Henrys happy period of marriage to Kathryn Howard. Anne was beleived to have befreinded Mary Tudor, the kings eldest Daughter, and was a kind towards Elizabeth and little Edward.

Anne lived away from court quietly in the countryside until 1557 and attended the coronation of her former step-daughter, Mary I.

She is buried in a somewhat hard to find tomb in Westminster Abbey.

Thomas Cromwell was executed in 1540, as the king was not only angry at Cromwell for insisting on this marriage for his own gain (Anne of cleves was heavily influenced by her brother the Duke of cleves, to sway the king to things Protestant as was Martin Luthers influence in Germany vastly spreading.) The king had also become aware of Thomas Cromwells "Secret" plans for a supposed "Reformation", The king listened to Cromwells enemies on this particular occasion as he did when he was swayed into dislike for people who were once so influencial in the realm, IE Thomas Wolesy.

when Cromwell was executed it was beleived to have taken several attempts from the rather inept Executioner to severe his head. The death would have been a very painful experience.