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Queen Katherine of Aragon |
Version 212 - view current page
See also: The Tudors Cast | The Tudors Episode Guide
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Profile of:
Katherine, Queen of England as played by Maria Doyle Kennedy
Infanta of Aragon & Castile
Motto: "Humble & Loyal"| Want to edit this character profile? Click EasyEdit to update this page! | ||
| Born December 16th, 1485 Crowned June 25th, 1509 Divorced & banished January 1533 - died January 7th, 1536 Character's backstory: Infanta of Spain, headed for England at the age of 15 to wed Arthur, Prince of Wales. After Arthur’s death Katherine lived in abject poverty for many years while her father and her father-in-law argued over what was to become of her, because the notoriously miserly Henry VII did not want to have to return Katherine and her dowry to Spain; at one point he even considered marrying her himself after the death of his wife Elizabeth of York. At first, she was betrothed to Henry VIII when he was a boy, but he later repudiated her at his father's instigation so Henry VII could perhaps find a more advantageous marriage for his son. With the death of Ferdinand - Isabella had passed sometime before - , the balance of power in Europe had shifted away from Spain and Katharine had lost her status as a desirable match. While she awaited her fate, Katherine led an isolated, lonely, poverty-stricken, and miserable life because Ferdinand withheld the balance of her dowry, and Henry VII kept Katherine's household on a very tight financial budget; she often went without all but the most basic necessities. However, upon the death of Henry VII his son, the 18-year-old Prince Henry, who had fallen in love with his pretty Spanish sister-in-law who was six years his senior long before, but had been subject to the will of his father, rescued her from her plight and crowned her his Queen. Gentility: Princess, daughter of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon , Queen of England. Position: Infanta of Spain, Princess of Wales, Princess Dowager of Wales, Queen of England. Personality type: She had a more reserved character than her husband and blushed at his ribald jests, but she entered into the spirit of frivolity which pervaded their court. Strong willed and always aware of her royal heritage & role in life. Chastised Henry regularly but still knew her "place". Henry openly sought her advice and opinion. It was clear that they loved and respected one another in the early years which made his eventual disinterest all the more painful for the queen to bear. She was a deeply pious woman, growing more so as she aged.She would pray the entire time that Henry was "with" her. She also wore hair shirts and prayed for hours on end. She raised Mary to be the same way. She thought Wolsey far too worldly to be a man of the church. She was also peeved that her role as Henry's confidante and adviser was slowly stolen away by Wolsey. Katherine was jealous of the Cardinal's influence with her husband, particularly since it meant a subsequent decline in her own influence. Katherine was also resourceful. When a deputation headed by Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham and Dr. Lee Bishop of York came to her at Buckden to demand that she and her servants swear to the Oath of Supremacy, she told her trusted servant, Francisco Felipez to instruct the rest of her servants to appear to take the Oath by a ruse involving a play on the Spanish language which was all most of them spoke. Instead of saying that they swore that "El Rey sea hecho" (the king should be made) head of the Church of England, they were instructed to say that they swore that "El Rey se ha hecho" (has made himself) Head of the Church of England. In spoken Spanish, both sentences sound almost exactly the same, but there is a world of difference in the meaning. The commission none the wiser, departed satisfied that they had accomplished their purpose. [Luke, "Catherine the Queen pg 494] Signature look: Dignified,formal in demeanor, light and strawberry blond in complexion (unlike most motion picture portrayals) Katherine had English ancestry in John of Gaunt and her maternal grandmother and namesake, Catherine of Lancaster and was more of an English, than a Spanish complexion. She wore the formal attire of the Spanish court and the old-fashioned gabled hood; Anne Boleyn would popularize the French hood. Although Katherine was attractive in her youth, the years and repeated childbearing were not kind to her. Negative feature:. Blind unwavering affection for Henry Endearing trait(s): Compassion, courage, intelligence, devotion to her daughter Mary, loyalty, patronage of education, tenacity, (her strength in adversity!) A devoted & pious catholic. Annoying trait(s): She blames the wrong person (Anne Boleyn) for the alienation of Henry's affections. She believes unquestioningly in Henry's blamelessness and thinks that he has been led astray by an evil woman. In reality, as usual, Henry who has none who dare say him nay is following his hormones. |   (Catalina de Aragon) 'My tribulations are so great, my life so disturbed by the plans daily invented to further the king's wicked intention, the surprises which the king gives me, with certain persons of his council, are so mortal, and my treatment is what God knows, that it is enough to shorten ten lives, much more mine.' Katherine of Aragon to Charles V, November 1531
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CHARACTER CONNECTIONSFamily members:Father: Fernando II de Aragon (Ferdinand II of Aragon) Mother: Isabel de Castilla Sister: Juana the mad, Queen of Castille after he mother's death and wife to Philip the Beautiful Brother: the Infante Juan Nephew: Charles V,Holy Roman Emperor (also known as Charles I of Spain) Great-nephew: Philip II Great grandmother: Katherine of Lancaster. Marriage(s): Arthur Tudor -Prince of Wales - married 14 November 1501 - 2 April 1502 - Arthur died of the sweating sickness King Henry VIII in 1509. | Children: Daughter - still born 31 January 1510 Prince Henry, Duke of Cornwall born 1 January 1511 - died 52 days later Henry Born November 1513 - died a few hours later Daughter - stillborn - December 1514 Princess Mary Tudor - born 18 February 1516 Daughter - still born 10 November 1518 Friends: Ambassador Mendoza, Ambassador Chapuys. Enemies: The Protestant & Reformer Faction. The Boleyn and Howard Factions. |
UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES
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DEFINING EPISODES | MEMORABLE UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES
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| More on Katherine of Aragon - click links |
PHOTOS & PICTURES
| Portraits of the Real Katherine of Aragon  C. 1525 | Katherine of Aragon   |
 c.1502 aged 16-17 approx. |  |
| Miniature by Lucas Horenbout / Horenbolte. |  Promotional still of the Tudors, with Maria Doyle Kennedy as Katherine of Aragon |
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 The tomb of Katherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral Note gold lettering spelling 'Katharine Queen of England'. | Short history of Katherine in words & pictures. |
| See alsoThe Tudors Cast | The Tudors Episode Guide | |
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