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Location: The Tudors Historical Inaccuracies Season 1
Discussion: Post on Katherine of Aragon's haircolor a bit confusing because....
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littleone15 |
Post on Katherine of Aragon's haircolor a bit confusing because....
Feb 10 2012, 11:59 PM EST
I think there is no dispute as to the color of Katherine of Aragon's actual hair color (though in some paintings when she was older, it does look darker, as do many royal paintings made later in their years, perhaps to cover the actual age and grays? Not an art historian, so just a guess). However, that post is slightly confusing. By calling her great-grandmother "Katherine of Lancaster" instead of "Catalina of Lancaster" and focusing on her blonde-red hair makes it easy to think that it is a reference to Dutchess Katherine Swynford, John of Guant's third wife and mother of the Beauforts. She was well-known as his mistress while he was married to Costanza of Castile, which was when the Beauforts were born, and is well remembered for her red hair. John of Guant was a blonde (again, late in life painted with dark hair), but Costanza was known for her very dark hair. Catalina was their only surviving child, and when Costanza died he married Katherine, and the pope and King Richard II ligitimated their children. When Henry IV became King, he ammended it to state that while they were legitimate now and noble, they could not rule. Side note, in Season 4 when Surrey is talking to Suffolk about how Richard II was starved to death in Pontefract while they were visiting that castle, his actual cause of death is still questioned, but what is an interesting is that the constable of Pontefract was none other then Thomas Swynford, Katherine Swnford's eldest son, who was the step-brother to the now King Henry IV. Coincidence?
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MsSquirrly |
1. RE: Post on Katherine of Aragon's haircolor a bit confusing because....
Feb 11 2012, 12:13 AM EST
The reference is to Catherine of Lancaster ...daughter of John of Gaunt by his second wife, Constance of Castile (nothing to do with Katherine Swynford). http://www.thetudorswiki.com/page/Ancestors+of+Katherine+of+AragonMost movie & TV portrayals of Katherine of Aragon show her with dark hair and historically she was known for her red-gold hair which is why it was mentioned in the inaccuracies page. Not sure why you find it confusing? Do you find this valuable? |
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littleone15 |
2. RE: Post on Katherine of Aragon's haircolor a bit confusing because
Feb 11 2012, 2:33 PM EST
I apologize for an offense. When I read it, the Anglo names were a little confusing, which is why I wrote my comment with the Spanish versions. So many people were name for so many others that there are so few actual first names that have any sound of originality (I would say Arthur Tudor is an exception). In my head, I always think of her as Catalina. Plus, in the Simon biography of Margaret Beaufort they have a family tree that lists Katherine Swynford as the 2nd wife (and there's much, much more wrong with that book...)! Even in looking at the several biographies of Henry VII, Costanza is almost always left out of all family trees, guessing because it has nothing to do with the War of the Roses. Anyone looking for a "Katherine of Lancaster" in those texts would just find Katherine Swynford (especially in the Simon Biography, sigh). Much like Henry VIII's sister Mary was left out of the show for risk of confusing another Mary Tudor, I feel the definition is the same. Side note, I am descended from Katherine Tudor of Berain, through her son John Salisbury down to Sarah Lawton and her marriage to George Sisson in Rhode Island. When I first tried to research her by putting in "Katherine Tudor" it came up with nothing but Katherine of Aragon! Once I added Berain to it, then I was able to get the correct person.Like I said, it depends on how you look and where! Do you find this valuable? |
