Post by Kathryn Howard on Jun 16, 2010 20:01:02 GMT 1
Daughter of Lord Edmund Howard, a younger brother of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and first cousin to Anne Boleyn whose mother was Katherine's father's sister. She was the 4th of ten children in her family & from the age of 9 or 10, Katherine was brought up in the household of her step grandmother, Agnes Tilney, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Her mother had died young and her father, though a nobleman, was constantly in debt. She came to King Henry VIII's court as a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. Like her predecessors, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, Katherine caught the king's eye while she served the current queen when it is thought she was merely 16 years old and Henry was 49. After Henry quickly dispatched Anne of Cleves, he married Katherine sixteen days later. Henry was greatly taken with his lively new queen, who amused him as his weight and the wound he received from a joust in his earlier days bothered him more and more.
"On 24 November [1541], Katherine Howard -- whom the Council had formally demoted from the title of Queen two days earlier-- was indicted for having led 'an abominable , base, carnal, voluptuous life' before marriage ' like a common harlot with divers persons ... maintaining however outward appearance of chastity and honesty'. So she had led the King 'by word and gesture to love her' and thus 'arrogantly coupled herself with him in marriage'. She had also concealed the contract she had had with Dereham 'to the peril of the King and of his children to be begotten 'by her' (who might have found themselves bastards). After marriage she had again shown Dereham 'notable favour', while inciting Culpepper to carnal intercourse, telling him she loved him above the King...
She never confessed to adultery -- and nor had Culpepper or Dereham. Culpepper had actually been put to death for intent to commit adultery (as Buckingham had been put to death for intent to commit treason). The whole question of the precontract [with Dereham] remained a delicate one. It was however the King's will that Katherine should suffer under an Act of Attainder which proved her treason. So Katherine too was condemned to die for the 'violent presumption' that she had committed adultery.
On the Sunday, Katherine was informed that she was going to die. Perhaps the horror of the clumsy death of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury had communicated itself to her. She asked to have the block brought to her in advance 'that she might know how to place herself' and make trial of it'."
~ Antonia Fraser The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Gentility: Nobility; granddaughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, cousin to Queen Anne Boleyn
Position: Queen Consort of England, lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves
Personality type:
The youngest of Henry's wives, she was not known for her maturity. The young queen delighted in amusements, and was altogether described as a flirtatious and lively queen. Unfortunately for her, her vivacious spirit landed her in trouble with other men, and as a result, landed her on the block.
Signature look:
Petite & pretty, she enjoyed beautiful clothes, dancing and music. According to French ambassador Marillac, she was "a young lady of extraordinary beauty" and of "superlative grace."
"Sparkling eyes set far apart, with whitened skin unmarred by freckles and tinted with a high and contrasting colouring, were regarded as the epitome of feminine loveliness. Both Katherine and her cousin, Anne Boleyn, had these characteristics, and although the Venetian Ambassador was not captivated by Anne's charms, he admitted that her eyes were black and beautiful and that these more than anything else pleased the King. Katherine Howard was not unlike her cousin, and legend has it that she was Henry's most beautiful queen. What ever the truth, all her critics agree that she had auburn hair, was small, plump and vivacious overflowing with so much vitality that Marillac could write that he had nothing to report except a continuous round of banqueting and dancing at court " ~ Lacey Baldwin Smith
Nickname: "Rose without a thorn"
Endearing trait(s):
Sweet & kind natured. She brought Princess Elizabeth forward, befriending her and calling her "kinswoman", though there was danger in angering the King with the reminder of Anne Boleyn. When she learned of Margaret Pole, Lady Salisbury, once Princess Mary's governess, who had been imprisoned in the Tower for years after Katherine of Aragon's banishment from Court, she risked Henry's anger once again by sending warm clothing and bonnets to the old woman, though she did not even know her. Later, at Princess Mary's request, she pled with Henry for the Countess of Salisbury's life, to no avail, earning herself nothing but a vicious reprimand.
Katherine successfully pleaded for the pardon of Thomas Wyatt who was in the Tower. He was subsequently released.
Annoying trait(s):
Some say she was empty headed and frivolous, and in intellect and experience, she certainly was no match for the people and intrigues surrounding her. She was very young and impulsive and was used remorselessly by the very people who should have protected and guided her -- her family.
CHARACTER CONNECTIONS
Family members:
Father : Lord Edmund Howard, third son of the 2nd Duke of Norfolk
Mother : Joyce Culpepper
Brother: Sir Charles Howard
Brother: Henry Howard
Brother: Sir George Howard
Sister: Lady Mary Howard
Sister: Lady Margaret Leigh Howard
Half siblings: Isabel, Margaret, Joyce, John, and Ralph Leigh from her mother's first marriage to Sir Ralph Leigh Esq
First cousin: Anne Boleyn on Howard side of family
First cousin: Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
First cousin: Mary Fitzroy, Duchess of Richmond ( sister of Henry Howard and wife of Henry's illegimate son Henry Fitzroy)
Uncle: Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
Aunt: Lady Margaret Bryan
Aunt: Elizabeth Howard (mother of Anne Boleyn)
Romance(s):
-Francis Dereham, a secretary in her grandmother's (and later her own) household. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered for treason for his pre-marital relationship with Katherine.
-Thomas Culpepper, a distant cousin and favourite courtier of the king. Jane Boleyn, George Boleyn's wife and Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law, arranged their secret meetings. He was also beheaded for treason for his relationship with Katherine.
-Henry Manox, a music teacher to Katherine employed by her grandmother Agnes Tilney. During Katherine's trial, both Katherine and Manox confessed to having a sexual relationship that did not include intercourse.
Friends:
Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford (formerly Jane Parker, widow of George Boleyn)
Enemies:
Thomas Cranmer & the Protestant Faction
(From The Tudors Wiki)
"On 24 November [1541], Katherine Howard -- whom the Council had formally demoted from the title of Queen two days earlier-- was indicted for having led 'an abominable , base, carnal, voluptuous life' before marriage ' like a common harlot with divers persons ... maintaining however outward appearance of chastity and honesty'. So she had led the King 'by word and gesture to love her' and thus 'arrogantly coupled herself with him in marriage'. She had also concealed the contract she had had with Dereham 'to the peril of the King and of his children to be begotten 'by her' (who might have found themselves bastards). After marriage she had again shown Dereham 'notable favour', while inciting Culpepper to carnal intercourse, telling him she loved him above the King...
She never confessed to adultery -- and nor had Culpepper or Dereham. Culpepper had actually been put to death for intent to commit adultery (as Buckingham had been put to death for intent to commit treason). The whole question of the precontract [with Dereham] remained a delicate one. It was however the King's will that Katherine should suffer under an Act of Attainder which proved her treason. So Katherine too was condemned to die for the 'violent presumption' that she had committed adultery.
On the Sunday, Katherine was informed that she was going to die. Perhaps the horror of the clumsy death of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury had communicated itself to her. She asked to have the block brought to her in advance 'that she might know how to place herself' and make trial of it'."
~ Antonia Fraser The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Gentility: Nobility; granddaughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, cousin to Queen Anne Boleyn
Position: Queen Consort of England, lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves
Personality type:
The youngest of Henry's wives, she was not known for her maturity. The young queen delighted in amusements, and was altogether described as a flirtatious and lively queen. Unfortunately for her, her vivacious spirit landed her in trouble with other men, and as a result, landed her on the block.
Signature look:
Petite & pretty, she enjoyed beautiful clothes, dancing and music. According to French ambassador Marillac, she was "a young lady of extraordinary beauty" and of "superlative grace."
"Sparkling eyes set far apart, with whitened skin unmarred by freckles and tinted with a high and contrasting colouring, were regarded as the epitome of feminine loveliness. Both Katherine and her cousin, Anne Boleyn, had these characteristics, and although the Venetian Ambassador was not captivated by Anne's charms, he admitted that her eyes were black and beautiful and that these more than anything else pleased the King. Katherine Howard was not unlike her cousin, and legend has it that she was Henry's most beautiful queen. What ever the truth, all her critics agree that she had auburn hair, was small, plump and vivacious overflowing with so much vitality that Marillac could write that he had nothing to report except a continuous round of banqueting and dancing at court " ~ Lacey Baldwin Smith
Nickname: "Rose without a thorn"
Endearing trait(s):
Sweet & kind natured. She brought Princess Elizabeth forward, befriending her and calling her "kinswoman", though there was danger in angering the King with the reminder of Anne Boleyn. When she learned of Margaret Pole, Lady Salisbury, once Princess Mary's governess, who had been imprisoned in the Tower for years after Katherine of Aragon's banishment from Court, she risked Henry's anger once again by sending warm clothing and bonnets to the old woman, though she did not even know her. Later, at Princess Mary's request, she pled with Henry for the Countess of Salisbury's life, to no avail, earning herself nothing but a vicious reprimand.
Katherine successfully pleaded for the pardon of Thomas Wyatt who was in the Tower. He was subsequently released.
Annoying trait(s):
Some say she was empty headed and frivolous, and in intellect and experience, she certainly was no match for the people and intrigues surrounding her. She was very young and impulsive and was used remorselessly by the very people who should have protected and guided her -- her family.
CHARACTER CONNECTIONS
Family members:
Father : Lord Edmund Howard, third son of the 2nd Duke of Norfolk
Mother : Joyce Culpepper
Brother: Sir Charles Howard
Brother: Henry Howard
Brother: Sir George Howard
Sister: Lady Mary Howard
Sister: Lady Margaret Leigh Howard
Half siblings: Isabel, Margaret, Joyce, John, and Ralph Leigh from her mother's first marriage to Sir Ralph Leigh Esq
First cousin: Anne Boleyn on Howard side of family
First cousin: Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
First cousin: Mary Fitzroy, Duchess of Richmond ( sister of Henry Howard and wife of Henry's illegimate son Henry Fitzroy)
Uncle: Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
Aunt: Lady Margaret Bryan
Aunt: Elizabeth Howard (mother of Anne Boleyn)
Romance(s):
-Francis Dereham, a secretary in her grandmother's (and later her own) household. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered for treason for his pre-marital relationship with Katherine.
-Thomas Culpepper, a distant cousin and favourite courtier of the king. Jane Boleyn, George Boleyn's wife and Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law, arranged their secret meetings. He was also beheaded for treason for his relationship with Katherine.
-Henry Manox, a music teacher to Katherine employed by her grandmother Agnes Tilney. During Katherine's trial, both Katherine and Manox confessed to having a sexual relationship that did not include intercourse.
Friends:
Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford (formerly Jane Parker, widow of George Boleyn)
Enemies:
Thomas Cranmer & the Protestant Faction
(From The Tudors Wiki)
