The Tudors Tragedy
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KING HENRY VIII:  HENRY VIII'S TROUBLES WERE MOST CERTAINLY BEGUN WITH HIS WIVES. DURING HIS MARRIAGE WITH HIS FIRST WIFE,QUEEN KATHERINE OF ARAGON,HENRY HAD TO DEAL WITH HER INABILITY TO PRODUCE HEALTHY MALE CHILDREN, SINCE ALL THEIR CHILDREN WERE MOST USUALLY DYING IN INFANCY.HENRY WAS ALREADY CONVINCED THAT HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FATHER ANY OTHER CHILDREN FROM KATHERINE BUT A SINGLE GIRL....WHEN IN HIS MISERABLE LIFE CAME ANNE BOLEYN , A YOUNG,VIVACIOUS AND PASSIONATE GIRL FULL OF LIFE..HENRY BEING ALREADY TIRED OF HIS OBESE ,WEAK AND ELDER WIFE, FELL DESPERATELY IN LOVE WITH ANNE. BUT THE STORY DOES NOT END HERE.ANNE WAS EXTREMELY CAREFUL NOT TO LOSE HIS AFFECTION AND INSISTED THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE HIS MISTRESS.HENRY BECAME MORE INFATUATED IN HER AND BEGAN HIS PURSUIT.WHEN SHE DEMANDED THAT SHE WOULD ONLY GIVE HERSELF TO HIM AS A WIFE HE DID HIS BEST TO GET RID OF KATHERINE. BUT THAT WASN'T SO EASY. IT COST HIM NOT ONLY HIS PEOPLE'S LOVE AND DEVOTION BUT ALSO A DIVORCE FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.THE POPE WOULD NOT GRANT HIM A DIVORCE AS HE WAS AKNOWLEDGING KATHERINE AS HENRY'S TRUE WEDDED WIFE.HENRY'S DEFIANCE TO THIS JUDGEMENT FORCED HIM TO BREAK ENGLAND FROM ROME AND INSTALL HIS OWN SUPREMACY OVER THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. THIS ALSO COST HIM AN EXCOMMUNICATION. HENRY FINALLY BECAME SUPREME HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND MADE ANNE HIS WIFE DESPITE THE PEOPLE'S DISAPPROVAL.BUT HIS PROBLEMS DID NOT STOP THERE.THE HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR WAS AGAINST HIM AND HIS BELOVED WIFE ANNE DELIVERED NOT THE LONG-WAITED SON BUT A DAUGHTER.THAT DISAPPOINTED HENRY GREATLY WHO DID NOT EVEN ATTEND HIS DAUGHTER'S CHRISTENING.THE TRAGEDY CAME WHEN HE BECAME CERTAIN THAT ANNE COULD NOT BARE ANY MALE CHILDREN SINCE SHE HAD ALREADY MISCARRIED TWICE AND TRIED TO GET RID OF HER. HIS CHANCELLOR FOUND PROOF WHICH CONDEMNED ANNE FOR ADULTERY AND A FURIOUS AND DESPERATE HENRY ORDERED FOR HER DEATH.HE NEVER FORGAVE HER. SOON AFTER ANNE'S EXECUTION HENRY REMARRIED WITH LADY JANE SEYMOUR,PREVIOUS LADY IN WAITING TO QUEEN ANNE.HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AND MADE HER HIS QUEEN.JANE BROUGHT CALM AND PEACE TO THE KINGDOM AND MADE HENRY RESPECT HER GREATLY.BUT HIS ENEMIES WERE STILL PREPARING TO DESTROY HIM.THOSE ENEMIES WERE THE PILGRIMS WHO WERE DESIROUS TO SEE HIM DEAD AND BRING THE TRUE RELIGION BACK.HENRY DESTROYED THEM UTTERLY WITHOUT ANY REMORSE.IN 1537 HE SUFFERED ANOTHER TRAGEDY.HIS BELOVED WIFE JANE DELIVERED A HEALTHY BOY WHICH MADE HIM THE MOST HAPPY.BUT SOON AFTER, SHE DIED OF CHILD-BED FEVER, LEAVING HENRY BROKEN-HEARTED. AFTER HER DEATH HE WENT INTO SECLUSION AND STARTED EATING MORE AND MORE. HE WAS EVEN WEARING BLACK FOR THREE MONTHS WHILE HE DID NOT REMARRY FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS. THE WOUND IN HIS LEG WAS ALSO SO PAINFUL THAT HE ALMOST DIED.HE NEVER RECOVERED.HIS OBESITY WAS ALSO TOO PROFOUND. 3 YEARS LATER HIS COUNCIL ADVISED HIM TO REMARRY WITH A GERMAN DUCHESS ANNE OF CLEVES.BUT THE MARRIAGE WAS NEVER CONSUMMATED SINCE HENRY STRONGLY DISLIKED ANNE'S APPEARANCE AND WAS DESIROUS FOR ANOTHER DIVORCE.WHEN HE GOT IT, HE WAS FREE TO MAKE THE YOUNG AND CHARMING KATHRINE HOWARD HIS NEXT WIFE. HIS PASSION FOR KATHRINE COST HIM A GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN GOWNS AND JEWELS FOR HIS NEW QUEEN. BUT AFTER 1 YEAR OF MARRIAGE HENRY DISCOVERED KATHRINES INFIDELITY AND TREASON.HE GREW EXTREMELY ANGRY AND HIS HEART WAS BROKEN.KATHRINE WAS EXECUTED LIKE HIS SECOND WIFE BY HIS ORDERS. HENRY DIED MOST PROBABLY OF DIABETES IN 1547 WHILE HE WAS MARRIED TO QUEEN CATHERINE PARR. QUEEN KATHERINE OF ARAGON:  KATHERINE CAME IN ENGLAND FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE TO MARRY PRINCE ARTHUR TUDOR.BUT THEIR MARRIAGE WAS SHORT SINCE ARTHUR DIED A FEW MONTHS LATER LEAVING KATHERINE IN DESPAIR NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO,WHILE HER INCOME WAS TOO SMALL AND SHE WAS IN THE EDGE OF POVERTY.AFTER HENRY VII'S DEATH HENRY VIII CAME TO THRONE AND MARRIED HIS BROTHER'S WIDOW MAKING HER HIS QUEEN.BUT THE HAPPY MARITAL YEARS DID NOT LAST FOR TOO LONG AS KATHERINE WAS BEARING STILLBORN CHILDREN OR MISCARRYING THEM MAKING THE KING FURIOUS AND DISAPPOINTED.KATHERINE WAS ALSO AFFECTED GREATLY BY THE KING'S AFFAIR WITH LADY BLOUNT AND THE SON SHE BORE HIM. SHE WAS CONTINUOUSLY WORRIED THAT HENRY'S BASTARD SON WOULD BECOME HEIR ABOVE HER DAUGHTER.WHEN HENRY'S INTENTIONS TO DIVORCE HER BECAME OBVIOUS SHE SUPPORTED IN EVERY WAY HER RIGHTS AS QUEEN AND HER DAUGHTER'S AS HEIR.BUT HER LIFE WAS NOT AS MERRY AS IT USED TO BE. KATHERINE'S PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH WAS NOT GOOD AND HER YOUTH HAD GONE.HENRY'S BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS HER WAS CRUEL ,AS SHE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE DIVORCE.IN HER LAST YEARS AS QUEEN SHE WAS LIVING USUALLY FAR AWAY FROM COURT AND IN SECLUSION WHILE IN HER POSITION A NEW WOMAN WAS FLOURISHING,ANNE BOLEYN.KATHERINE WAS SOON STRIPPED FROM THE TITLE OF QUEEN AND WAS BANISHED IN AN OLD AND FILTHY CASTLE WITH BAD EFFECTS FOR HER HEALTH. SHE WAS ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO SEE HER ONLY CHILD.SHE DIED IN POVERTY,THREATENING AND HUMILIATION IN THE AGE OF 53 FROM CANCER.MANY BELIEVED THAT SHE WAS POISONED BY HER HUSBAND. QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN:  ANNE'S TRAGEDY AND DOWNFALL STARTED SOON AFTER SHE BECAME QUEEN,WHEN SHE DISAPPOINTED STRONGLY HENRY BY DELIVERING A GIRL.A COUPLE OF MISCARRIGES AND STILLBORN SONS FOLLOWED WHICH MADE HER DESPERATE AND TURNED HENRY AGAINST HER.IN HER LAST YEARS AS QUEEN SHE WAS LIVING WITH THE FEAR OF MARY TUDOR AND HER MOTHER KATHARINE AS WELL AS WITH THEIR CATHOLIC SUPPORTERS WHO HATED HER AND WAS DESIROUS TO SEE HER DEAD. SHE WAS ALSO CALLED A ***** AND WITCH FROM THE MAJORITY OF ENGLISH PEOPLE. ANOTHER STRONG RIVAL AND DANGER FOR HER WAS HER LADY IN WAITING,JANE SEYMOUR WHO HAD ALREADY GAINED THE KING'S AFFECTIONS.ANNE'S QUICK TEMPER AND JEALOUSY FOR THE KING'S AFFAIRS AFFECTED HER MENTAL HEALTH GREATLY AND CAUSED THE LOSS OF HER SON.THE KING WANTED TO BE RID OF HER, SO FALSE EVIDENCE WAS MADE FOR HER GUILT AS A TRAITOR AND ADULTERESS. THAT EVIDENCE CONDEMNED HER BROTHER AND HERSELF TO DEATH BY DECAPITATION.SHE WAS STRIPPED FROM HER TITLE AS QUEEN AND HER CHILD ELIZABETH WAS DECLARED A BASTARD.SHE DIED ALONE,ABANDONED,HATED AND BANISHED FROM HER THEN BELOVED HUSBAND.HER BODY WAS NOT EVEN BURIED PROPERLY. QUEEN JANE SEYMOUR:  JANE MARRIED THE KING TEN DAYS AFTER ANNE'S DEATH AND THE FEAR FOR HER OWN FATE WAS INEVITABLE. HER AFFINITY FOR PRINCESS MARY AND HER CATHOLIC BELIEFS THREATENED A LOT HER POSITION AND SAFETY AND HENRY WARMED HER NOT TO MEDDLE IN SUCH MATTERS REMINDING HER OF THE TWO PREVIOUS WIVES' FATE. BUT JANE'S KINDNESS AND TENDERNESS BROUGHT AT LAST PEACE AND QUIET TO THE KINGDOM AND HER HUSBAND.AFTER JUST ONE YEAR OF MARRIAGE SHE HAD A VERY PAINFUL BIRTH WHICH LASTED FOR HOURS, BUT SHE FINALLY GAVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY PRINCE MAKING HENRY THE MOST HAPPY.JANE WAS THEN FORCED TO QUIT HER BED AND ATTEND THE PRINCE'S CHRISTENING ALTHOUGH SHE WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THIS .DESPITE THE HAPPINESS AND JOY THE QUEEN'S HEALTH WAS RAPIDLY DETERIORATED AND HER DEATH FOLLOWED AFTER ONLY 12 DAYS OF HER ONLY SON'S BIRTH.JANE WAS NEVER EVEN CROWNED QUEEN DUE TO A PLAGUE IN LONDON. QUEEN ANNE OF CLEVES:  ANNE WAS CHOSEN AS THE FOURTH WIFE OF HENRY VIII WHO DISLIKED HER APPEARANCE GREATLY.DESPITE HER TRIES TO CONSUMMATE THEIR MARRIAGE, ANNE WAS APPALLED BE HENRY'S OBESITY AND THE WOUNDS IN HIS LEG WHICH SMELLED. HER HUSBAND NEVER FELT ANY LOVE OR AFFECTION FOR HER AND WANTED TO DIVORCE HER AFTER ONLY SIX MONTHS OF MARRIAGE.ANNE WAS HUMILIATED UPON THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO ANNUL THE MARRIAGE BUT SHE WAS STRONG AND SMART ENOUGH TO OBEY THE KING AND HIS WILLS. SHE ACCEPTED THE SETTLEMENT THAT SHE WAS GIVEN AND RETIRED AT HEVER CASTLE.SHE DIED OF ILLNESS SOON AFTER QUEEN MARY I'S CORONATION. QUEEN KATHERINE HOWARD:  KATHRINE WAS CONSIDERED AS A VICTIM OF HENRY'S CRUELTY. SHE WAS A YOUNG AND VIVACIOUS GIRL, WITH NO PARENTS TO SUPPORT AND BRING HER UP AND NO PROPER EDUCATION.SHE WAS GIVEN UP TO HER FATE BY HER OWN FAMILY.IN HER YOUTH SHE LIVED WITH HER STEP GRANDMOTHER THE DUCHESS OF NORFOLK WHO WAS A STRICT AND CRUEL WOMAN.SHE NEVER PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THE GIRLS SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF AND LEFT THEM ABANDONED.KATHRINE WAS PROMOTED- BY HER UNCLE'S AMBITION TO SEE THE HOWARD AND CATHOLIC FACTION TO FLOURISH AGAIN -TO THE COURT AS LADY IN WAITING TO QUEEN ANNE OF CLEVES.SHE SOON CAUGHT THE KING'S EYE WHO BESTOWED ON HER HOUSES, JEWELS AND CLOTHES. POOR KATHRINE WAS FORCED TO MARRY THE ELDER KING TO AMUSE HIM AND GAIN POWER AND WEALTH FOR THE HOWARD FAMILY. BUT AS A YOUNG AND IMPULSIVE GIRL WITHOUT PROPER BEHAVIOUR SHE WAS NOT FIT TO HER ROLE AS QUEEN. SHE WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THE KING'S OBESITY AND FOUND HER DUTIES VERY DIFFICULT.S HE SOON FELL IN LOVE WITH A YOUNG COURTIER WITH WHOM SHE BEGAN AN AFFAIR.SOON HER ENEMIES AND SECRET LOVERS FROM THE PAST CAME TO COURT FOR FAVOURS AND HER LIFE BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. THE KING FOUND OUT ABOUT HER INFIDELITY AND ORDERED HER IMPRISONMENT. KATHRINE WAS SENT INTO SECLUSION AND BECAME EXTREMELY DEPRESSED AND PALE. A FEW MONTHS LATER WAS EXECUTED BY A COMMON AXE IN THE TOWER OF LONDON AND WAS BURIED NEXT TO HER COUSIN ANNE BOLEYN. HER LOVERS WERE ALSO EXECUTED AND HER FAMILY WAS IMPRISONED. QUEEN CATHERINE PARR:  CATHERINE HAD BEEN ALREADY MARRIED TWICE WITH ILL MEN, SHE KNEW HOW TO TAKE HER HER OBESE AND WEAK HUSBAND HENRY VIII. SHE WAS FORCED TO MARRY THE KING BY HER CONSCIENCE, BUT HER TRUE LOVE REMAINED THOMAS SEYMOUR. CATHERINE WAS A GREAT AND OBEDIENT WIFE TO HENRY AND A LOVING STEPMOTHER FOR HIS CHILDREN..BUT SHE WAS ALSO A PROTESTANT WITH VERY STRONG AND DIFFERENT BELIEFS FROM THOSE OF HER HUSBAND'S.HER CATHOLIC ENEMIES WHO WANTED TO GET RID OF HER FOUND OUT EVIDENCES WHO WERE ACCUSING HER AS A HERETIC.HENRY DISAPPROVED OF HER BEHAVIOUR AND BECAME ANGRY WITH HER.LUCKILY CATHERINE FOUND OUT ABOUT THOSE EVIDENCES AND SPOKE OPENLY TO THE KING BEGGING HIS FORGIVENESS.HENRY FORGAVE AND UNDERSTOOD HER.AFTER HIS DEATH SHE WAS FREE TO MARRY WITH THOMAS SEYMOUR.BUT THE AMBITIOUS THOMAS WAS ALREADY IN LOVE WITH THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH AND CREATED A SECRET AFFAIR WITH HER WHILE CATHERINE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD. WHEN CATHERINE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE AFFAIR SHE WAS BROKEN-HEARTED AND NEVER FORGAVE ELIZABETH. A FEW MONTHS LATER SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A GIRL BUT DIED A FEW DAYS LATER FROM CHILD BED FEVER. PRINCESS MARY TUDOR:  MARY'S LIFE WAS FULL OF TRAGEDIES AND DANGERS FROM HER TEENAGE YEARS. AT HER 15 YEARS SHE LOST HER FATHER'S AFFECTION WHO DECLARED HER A BASTARD IN FAVOUR OF ANNE BOLEYN'S DAUGHTER. SHE HAD ALSO TO DEAL WITH HER MOTHER'S BANISHMENT FROM COURT AND HER FATHER'S CRUELTY SINCE SHE WAS DENIED PERMISSION TO SEE HER OWN MOTHER. SHE NEVER LOST HER FAITH AND CONTINUED TO DECLARE HERSELF AS A TRUE PRINCESS AND HEIR. AFTER ELIZABETH'S BIRTH SHE WAS FORCED FROM HER FATHER AND OTHER NOBLEMAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE ELIZABETH AS A TRUE HEIR PRESUMPTIVE AND ANNE BOLEYN AS VALID QUEEN.SHE DENIED TO GIVE UP ON HER RIGHTS OR TO BETRAY HER MOTHER AND THE THREATS FOR HER LIFE BEGUN. ANNE BOLEYN WAS ALSO CRUEL TO HER. SHE DISMISSED SEVERAL OF HER SERVANTS AND TOOK HER JEWELS AND BAPTISMAL CLOTHES AWAY. SHE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO PRINCESS ELIZABETH'S HOUSEHOLD IN ORDER TO SERVE HER AS A MAID. MARY'S HEALTH WAS DETERIORATED AND SHE BECAME EXTREMELY WEAK WITH ANY HOPE FOR LIFE. AFTER ANNE'S EXECUTION THE SITUATION WORSENED.HER FATHER DEMANDED THAT SHE WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS SUPREME HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND HER MOTHER'S MARRIAGE TO HIM INVALID.IF SHE WOULD NOT ACCEPT TO OBEY, SHE WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH.A WEAK AND FRIGHTENED MARY FINALLY SIGNED A SUBMISSION AND WAS WELCOMED BACK TO COURT BY QUEEN JANE SEYMOUR. HER TRAGEDIES STARTED AGAIN WITH HER HALF BROTHER'S REIGN.HE BULLIED HER AND THREATENED HER LIFE AS HE COULD NOT ACCEPT HER CATHOLIC BELIEFS.SHE THEN HAD TO SUFFER THE PEOPLE'S AFFINITY FOR HER SISTER ELIZABETH AND EDWARD'S WILL WHICH PLACED JANE GREY AS QUEEN.WHEN SHE GOT RID OF JANE GREY SHE CAME TO THE THRONE AND BEGAN THE MARIAN PERSECUTIONS FOR THE PROTESTANTS, MAKING HERSELF HATED BY THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. SOON SHE GOT MARRIED WITH THE SPANISH KING WHO LATER ABANDONED HER.SHE DIED HATED,BETRAYED AND CHILDLESS FROM A TUMOR. PRINCESS ELIZABETH TUDOR:  THE CHILDHOOD OF PRINCESS ELIZABETH WAS A DIFFICULT ONE.WHEN SHE WAS BORN SHE WAS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT TO HER FATHER HENRY VIII, WHO WAS WAITING FOR HER TO BE A SON AND DID NOT EVEN ATTENDED HER CHRISTENING. WHEN SHE WAS 3 YEARS OLD SHE LOST HER MOTHER ANNE BOLEYN WHO WAS STRIPPED FROM HER TITLE AS QUEEN AND WAS BEHEADED AS A TRAITOR AND *****, AND HER TITLE AS A PRINCESS OF WALES.SHE WAS DECLARED A BASTARD BY HER OWN FATHER WHO DID NOT EVEN BELIEVE THAT SHE AS HIS CHILD.HER HOUSEHOLD WAS THEN IN CONFUSION AND TURMOIL.LADY BRYAN, HER GOVERNESS TRIED TO PROTECT HER FROM THOSE TRAGIC NEWS BUT THE LITTLE GIRL WAS STILL CONFUSED OF HER TITLE AS A LADY.SHE SOON STARTED TO OUTGROWING HER CLOTHES AND HAD NOTHING TO WEAR.THANKS TO QUEEN JANE SEYMOUR SHE WAS SHOWN SOME REMORSE AND SHE WAS ALLOWED TO ATTEND HER BROTHER'S CHRISTENING.AFTER HER FATHER'S DEATH ELIZABETH'S POSITION WAS THREATENED.SHE WAS ACCUSED OF TREASON AND WAS SENT TO THE TOWER BY HER OWN SISTER. SHE WAS THEN BANISHED TO HATFIELD HOUSE AND WAS ONLY ALLOWED TO RETURN TO COURT AFTER MARY I'S DEATH.SHE FINALLY BECAME QUEEN.          |