Catherine Howard

born 1520
Married 8th august 1540
Executed in 1542

Of all the death and tragedy within Henry VIII's reign, His ill fated fifth wife and supposed "love of his life" Catherine Howard, was
indeed the saddest.

Born to Lord Edmund and Jocasta Culpepper Catherine came from a strong lineage, as her father was the third son of the second duke of norfolk, the third Duke of Norfolk was her uncle and she indeed was cousin to Anne Boleyn.

Catherine was braught to court as a lady in waiting to Anne of cleves and was beleived to have been thrown in the kings way by her relatives particulary the Duke, seeing this as another opportunity to advance by using the vivacious and very caring, attractive Catherine to play on the kings needs. A love affair between the king and her (although whether she loved him is highly disputed) had erupted by the late spring of 1540.

They were married at hampton court, the same place Jane Seymour was married to Henry just four years prior.

Catherine was only in her late teens while Henry was a fifty year old, overweight man who's leg had became so bad he had to walk on a stick. He was no longer the fit and agile boy king he once was. Catherine was named by henry to be his "Rose without thorn" for she was able to help him feel young, entertained and delighted him, bedded him when he had the stamina and saught favour with all three of Henrys children.

Speculation into Catherines virtue was soon questioned when she admitted one of her admirers and alleged old flame "francis derenhem" to court. She later confessed to under accusation to not being "Pure" (in a virginal state) when she married Henry. Henry was so smitten he himself did not want to beleive it but as the evidence supposedly poured out, Henry fled never to see Katherine alive again. When Lady rochford (Jane boleyn) testified that Thomas Culpepper one of the kings most respected young noblemen was seen in Catherines bed chamber repeatedly, he was later braught down for Questioning. Francis derenhem was also suspected of continuing an affair with the queen after she allowed him into court, for why would one allow an old flame back in to their lives? Catherine was said to have confessed to meetings with Culpepper and many beleive she indeed did have an affair however in Starkeys book he puts that Thomas and Catherine had a close platonic relationship catherine was forced to admit to private meetings and liasons however this does not mean they shared a sexual encounter, according to catherine the realtionship was encouraged by the not quite sane Lady rochford jane boleyn.

both Francis and Thomas were beheaded and Catherine was sent to Syon abbey where she must have awaited her fate so anxiously. The duke of norfolk delivered Catherines summons to the tower where she was to executed, another family member sent to the scaffold, another failed attempt at rising higher than he already was in Henry's court. Jane Boleyn was executed and was beleived to have admitted her statement against her husband george and sister in law anne were indeed false. She had shown symptoms of maddness until the very end when she was executed after a very weak Catherine howard.

The ambassador Chapuys (starkey, 2003) had witnessed the kings reaction to Anne boleyns exectuion and Jane seymours death, but he had never seen him behave as he did over Catherine Howard. He continued to say
"He has certainly shown greater sorrow and regret at her loss that at the faults, loss of divorce of his preceding wives"

So why did he have her executed? did he really beleive his rose without thorn had an affair?
in his young day ,Henry had mistresses and was known to cheat on his wives. When the shoe was supposedly on the other foot it was a different story.

Katherine was too young to die and i beleive most innocent.
He mourned her so dearly and cried but there is no sympathy for the selfish old fools own doing!