Amy Ruttan

 This is all for a good cause, I swear it is. I’m researching for a potential new plot for a new book that will have to go on the back burner until my series is finished, but still I’m having a great time researching about the Tudor time period. I knew a bit about it, but now I’ve been poking my nose in further and I’m loving this.

 Catherine of Aragon, the youngest child of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. She was originally married to Henry VIII’s older brother Arthur, who was supposed to take over the crown. Less than 6 months married to Arthur she found herself a widow. When Henry VII died, the new King Henry VIII married his brother’s widow. Catherine had a stillborn daughter, gave birth to a son who only lived 52 days, miscarried and finally gave birth to her only surviving child, Mary, who would later return Catholicism to England. King Henry’s eye began to wander as is lust for a son increased. He petitioned the Pope for an annullment based on the texts of Leviticus which states if a brother takes his brothers wife they will be childless. Their marriage was annulled in 1533 and Catherine died in 1536 at the age of 48.

 Anne Boleyn, the ill fated wife of King Henry VIII. She was a lady in waiting to Catherine of Aragon and caught the eye of Henry. She was known as the concubine by the Pope because Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon was not annulled in the Vatican’s eyes. Anne’s date of birth is disputed between 1500 and 1509. Little is known about her earlier life. Still she attended court while her family arranged her marriage, a arrangment that fell through. She caught the kings eye, but refused to give in. Still she did evetually and fell pregnant with Elizabeth I, though everyone believe Elizabeth would be a boy. Henry married Anne in a secret ceremony even though the vatican hadn’t granted his annulment. Such a mess.  After Elizabeth Anne fell pregnant but miscarried, she became pregnant again and miscarried once more, the child giving all signs of a son.

Henry’s attentions began to rove to Jane Seymour. On May 2, 1536 Anne Boleyn was arrested on charges of treason and incest and on May 19, 1536 she was executed by a single sword stroke to the neck. She was buried in an arrow chest. During Victorian times her unmarked grave was unearthed and she was identified. Her grave now is marked.

  Jane Seymour born in 1509 she was gentle and mild. A big contrast to Anne’s aggressive intelligent demeanor. In early 1537 she became pregnant and on October 15 1537 Henry and Jane’s son Edward was christened. Mary, Catherine of Aragon’s daughter was Godmother and Elizabeth had a role in the Christening. On October 24th 1537 Jane Seymour succumbed to prenatal complications, probably an infection and she died. She was never crowned as Queen because Henry waited until he was sure she would give him a son. Still, she was buried in King Henry’s tomb and he was buried next to her. His true wife. Some say she delivered the prince via C-section, but she wouldn’t have survived a fortnight after a C-section back then. C-section patients rarely survived.

 TOMORROW is another Decandce contest day!! WOOT! Thursday I’ll post about the final 3 wives of Henry VIII.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 8th, 2008 at 9:06 pm and is filed under Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.