Personal Note (Jody Gray): even though Catherine is a 'twig' of the Woodhull Branch [1st cousin, 14x removed -her father 14th Great-Uncle]; after reading her biography, I found her so compelling a woman and Queen that I desired to create a Blog Post for her. Catherine's Lineage: Elizabeth FitzHugh, daughter of Henry FitzHugh, 1st married William Parr; their son, Thomas Parr (1483-1517), married Maud Green; their daughter Catherine Parr married Henry VIII, King of England.
- 1st cousin 14x removed -Catherine Parr (signed ‘Kateryn the Quene KP’) b. 1512, London, England d. 9/5/1548, Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England. Buried: St Mary’s Chapel, Sudeley Castle.
On, 7/12/1543, married (one of six wives) King Henry VIII (she was the final queen consort of the House of Tudor). She was also the most-married English queen, with four husbands. She was appointed Regent from July to Sept 1544 while Henry was on a military campaign in France and in case he lost his life, she was to rule as regent until Edward came of age. Henry died, 1/28/1547, six months later, she married her fourth and final husband, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley; she died, Sept 1548, probably of complications of childbirth.
Noteworthy: She published her first book, Psalms or Prayers, anonymously in 1543. Her book Prayers or Meditations became the first book published by an English queen under her own name; she published a second book, The Lamentations of a Sinner. She was fluent in French, Latin, and Italian, and began to learn Spanish after becoming Queen.
Family: daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, Lord of the Manor Kendal in Westmorland (now Cumbria), and of the former Maud Green, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Thomas Green, Lord of Greens Norton, Northamptonshire. The Sire Thomas Parr was a descendant of King Edward III, and the Parrs were a substantial northern family which included many knights. Sir Thomas was a close companion to King Henry VIII, and was rewarded as such with responsibilities and/or incomes from his positions as Sheriff of Northamptonshire, Master of the Wards, and Comptroller to the King, in addition to being Lord of Kendal, Catherine’s mother was a close friend and attendant of Catherine of Aragon, and Catherine Parr was probably named after Queen Catherine, who was her godmother. She married secondly John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer, her father’s second cousin and a kinsman to Lady Strickland. With this marriage, Catherine married into the peerage (Latimer was twice her age); she now had a husband with a position and influence in the north, and a title. Latimer was a supporter of the Catholic Church… Latimer was a supporter of the Catholic Church and had opposed the king's first divorce, his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn, and the religious consequences. In October 1536, during the Lincolnshire Rising, Catholic rebels appeared before the Latimers' home threatening violence if Latimer did not join their efforts to reinstate the links between England and Rome. Catherine watched as her husband was dragged away. Between October 1536 and April 1537 Catherine lived alone in fear with her step-children, struggling to survive. It is probable that, in these uncertain times, Catherine's strong reaction against the rebellion strengthened her adherence to the reformed Church of England. In January 1537, during the uprising of the North, Catherine and her stepchildren were held hostage at Snape Castle in Yorkshire. The rebels ransacked the house and sent word to Lord Latimer, who was returning from London, that if he did not return immediately they would kill his family. When Latimer returned to the castle, he somehow talked the rebels into releasing his family and leaving, but the aftermath would prove to be taxing on the whole family.
The King and Thomas Cromwell heard conflicting reports as to whether Latimer was a prisoner or a conspirator. As a conspirator, he could be found guilty of treason, forfeiting his estates and leaving Catherine and her step-children penniless. The King himself wrote to the Duke of Norfolk, pressing him to make sure Latimer would "condemn that villain Aske and submit to our clemency". Latimer complied. It is likely that Catherine's brother William Parr and his uncle, William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Horton, who both fought against the rebellion, intervened to save Latimer's life. Although no charges were laid against him, Latimer's reputation, which reflected upon Catherine, was tarnished for the rest of his life. Over the next seven years, the family spent much of their time in the south. For several years, Latimer was blackmailed by Cromwell and forced to do his bidding. After Cromwell's death in 1540, the Latimers' reclaimed some dignity. In 1542 the family spent time in London as Latimer attended Parliament. Catherine visited her brother William and her sister Anne at court. It was here that Catherine became acquainted with her future fourth husband, Sir Thomas Seymour. The atmosphere of the court was greatly different from that of the rural estates she knew. There, Catherine could find the latest trends, not only in religious matters, but in less weighty secular matters such as fashion and jewelry… Lord Latimer died in 1543; he left Catherine the manor of Stowe and other properties -leaving her a rich widow. it is likely that Catherine sincerely mourned her husband; she kept a remembrance of him, his New Testament with his name inscribed inside, until her death… (after her husband’s death) Catherine established herself as part of the household of Lady Mary (daughter of the former queen -her godmother- Catherine of Aragon); it was there Catherine caught the attention of King Henry VIII; they married on 7/12/1543 at Hampton Court Palace. She was the first Queen of England also to be the Queen of Ireland following Henry’s adoption of the title King of Ireland.
Henry died in 1547… Catherine retired from court after the coronation of her stepson, Edward VI 1/31/1547), to her home at Old Manor in Chelsea. She married her old love, Sir Thomas Seymour, in secret… Catherine died on 9/5/1548, only six days after the birth of her only child, Mary Seymour, probably from ‘childbed fever’ (a common illness due to the lack of hygiene around childbirth). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Seymour,_1st_Baron_Seymour_of_Sudeley
Sudeley Castle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudeley_Castle Cotswolds near Winchcome, Gloucestershire… burial place of Queen Catherine Parr…
Sudeley passed to the new King, Henry VIII, who then gave it to his uncle, Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford. By the time Henry VIII succeeded to the throne, the castle was the property of the Crown again… When King Henry died, the castle became the property of his son, Edward VI of England, who gave it to his uncle, Thomas Seymour who he made Baron of Sudeley… [1547] Thomas married Edward’s stepmother, the Dowager Queen Catherine Parr…. Thomas began to renovate the castle for Catherine’s use… [1549], Seymour’s ambitions led him to being arrested and beheaded; after which, Sudeley Castle became the property of Catherine’s brother, William Parr, Marquess of Northampton…
Husband of 1st cousin 14x removed -Henry VIII, King of England, b. 6/28/1491, Greenwich Palace, Greenwich d. 1/28/1547, Palace of Whitehall, London. Coronation: 6/24/1509. He was the first English King of Ireland, and continued the nominal claim by English monarchs to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the 2nd monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Besides his six marriages, Henry VIII is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. His disagreements with the Pope led to his separation of the Church of England from papal authority, with himself, as king, as the Supreme Head of the Church of England and to the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Because his principal dispute was with papal authority, rather than with doctrinal matters, he remained a believer in core Catholic theological teachings despite his excommunication from the Catholic Church.
Domestically, Henry is known for his radical changes to the English Constitution, ushering in the theory of the divine right of kings to England. Besides asserting the sovereign’s supremacy over the Church of England, thus initiating the English Reformation, he greatly expanded royal power. Charges of treason and heresy were commonly used to quash dissent, and those accused were often executed without a formal trial, by means of bills of attainder.
His contemporaries considered Henry in his prime to be an attractive, educated and accomplished king, and he has been described as “one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne.” ...he was also an author and composer.
The two things for which Henry is most remembered: his six marriages (to provide a male heir to the throne of England) and his break with the Pope (who would not allow an annulment of Henry’s first marriage)... it is known that Henry took mistresses (some say many other say few)... Mistress Elizabeth Blount gave birth (June 1519) to Henry’s illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy.
Henry conducted an affair with Mary Boleyn, his wife’s lady-in-waiting. Later, he became enamoured of Mary’s sister, Anne, then a charismatic young woman of 25… it soon became his desire to annul his marriage to Catherine… she was banished from court and her rooms were given to Anne… in 1532 Henry and Anne went through a secret wedding service; she soon became pregnant; there was a second wedding service in London on 1/25/1533. Cramer, sitting in judgment at a special court convened at Dunstable Priory… declared the marriage of Henry and Catherine null and void and on 5/28/1533 declared the marriage of Henry to Anne to be valid. Catherine was formally striped of her title as queen… Anne was crowned queen consort on 6/1/1533; she gave birth to a daughter 9/7/1533’ christened Elizabeth… With the Acts of Supremacy in 1534, Parliament also recognized the King’s status as head of the church in England and, with the Act in Restraint of Appeals in 1532, abolished the right of appeal to Rome. It was only then that Pope Clement took the step to excommunicating Henry and Thomas Cramer, although the excommunication was not made official until some time later.
In 1534, Henry saw Anne’s failure to give him a son as a betrayal… he discussed with Cranmer and Cromwell the chances of leaving Anne without having to return to Catherine… Although the Boleyn family still held important positions on the Privy Council, Anne had many enemies… the King had a new mistress, 28-year-old Jane Seymour, who was moved into new quarters… Anne was arrested, accused of treasonous adultery and incest; she was found guilty and condemned to death; she was executed 5/19/1536. The day after her execution, Henry became engaged to Seymour; they were married. Jane gave birth to a son, Prince Edward, 10/12/1537; she died 10/24/1537 from an infection.
The Second Succession Act (1536) declared Henry’s children by Jane to be next in line of succession and declared both Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate, thus excluding them from the throne.
Henry married Anne of Cleves (recommended by Cromwell)... however, it was not long before he wished to annul the marriage so he could marry another; Anne did not argue, and confirmed the marriage had never been consummated. Henry desired to marry 17-year-old Catherine Howard, the Duke of Norfolk’s niece, the politics of which worried Cromwell, for Norfolk was a political opponent… Cromwell had many enemies at court, he was charged with treason… attained and beheaded. On 7/28/1540 (the same day Cromwell was executed), Henry married Catherine, a first cousin and lady-in-waiting of Anne Boleyn. Soon after the marriage, Queen Catherine had an affair… Henry refused to believe it… her lover confessed… he was executed and Catherine was beheaded 2/13/1542.
Second invasion of France and the “Rough Wooing” of Scotland. In preparation for the invasion of France, Henry moved to eliminate the potential threat of Scotland… victory would continue the Reformation of Scotland, which was still Catholic, and Henry hoped to unite the crowns of England and Scotland by marriage to James’ daughter, the future Mary, Queen of Scots, to his son Edward. Henry made war on Scotland for several years in the pursuit of this goal, a campaign dubbed by Victorian chroniclers as “the Rough Wooing.” ...The Scots repudiated the Treaty of Greenwich in December 1543… This war was nominally ended by the Treaty of Camp, although unrest continued in Scotland, including French and English interventions, up to Henry’s death.
Henry married his last wife, the wealthy widow Catherine Parr, in July 1543. She helped reconcile Henry with his daughters Mary and Elizabeth; in 1543, an Act of Parliament put them back in the line of succession after Edward, Prince of Wales. The same act allowed Henry to determine further succession to the throne in his will.
Late in life, Henry became obese and had to be moved about with the help of mechanical inventions. He was covered with painful, pus-filled boils and possibly suffered from gout… he died 1/28/1547 (age 55) in the Palace of Whitehall. He was interred in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, next to Jane Seymour.
Henry’s only legitimate son, Edward, inherited the Crown, becoming Edward VI. Since he was only nine years old… Henry’s will designated 16 executors to serve on a council of regency until Edward reached the age of 18… The descendants of Henry’s sister Margaret - the Stuarts, rulers of Scotland were thereby excluded from the succession. This final provision failed when James VI of Scotland became James I of England upon Elizabeth’s death.
Public image: Henry cultivated the image of a Renaissance man, and his court was a center of scholarly and artistic innovation and glamorous excess… He was an accomplished musician, composer, author, and poet.... He read and wrote English, French and Latin… Henry excelled at jousting and hunting; enhancing his athletic royal image, impressing foreign emissaries and rulers; conveying his ability to suppress any rebellion.
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| The division of Ireland in 1450 |
Ireland: At the beginning of Henry’s reign, Ireland was effectively divided into three zones: the Pale, where English rule was unchallenged; Leinster and Munster, the so-called “obedient land” of Anglo-Irish peers; and the Gaelic Connaught and Ulster, with merely nominal English rule. Until 1513, Henry continued the policy of his father, to allow Irish lords to rule in the king’s name and accept steep divisions between the communities. However, upon the death of the 8th Earl of Kildare, governor of Ireland, fractious Irish politics combined with a more ambitious Henry to cause trouble… Until the break with Rome, it was widely believed that Ireland was a Papal possession granted as a mere fiefdom to the English king, so in 1541 Henry asserted England’s claim to the Kingdom of Ireland free from the Papal overlordship…
Conclusion: “throughout the centuries [since his death], Henry has been praised and reviled, but he has never been ignored”
Sudeley Castle, Coltswolds, near Winchcome, Gloucestershire, England. The present structure was built in the 15th century and may have been on the site of a 12th-century castle. The castle has a notable garden, which is designed and maintained to a very high standard. The chapel, St. Mary's Sudeley, is the burial place of Queen Catherine Parr (1512–1548), the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, and contains her marble tomb. Unusually for a castle chapel, St Mary's of Sudeley is part of the local parish of the Church of England. Sudeley is also one of the few castles left in England that is still a residence. As a result, the castle is only open to visitors on specific dates, and private family quarters are closed to the public. It is a Grade I listed building (first listed in 1960), and recognised as an internationally important structure. In March 2014 the castle opened up more private rooms, including some that had never previously been open to the public, and devised a new route through the castle and gardens.
http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/glouces/castles/sudeley-church.htm St Mary's Church at Sudeley
History: Beside the castle at Sudeley stands the small Perpendicular church of St Mary’s. Around 1070 the Norman lord Harold de Sudeley built and endowed a church (provided money and income from his estates to maintain the church and a priest). Harold’s son John granted Winchcome Abbbey the right to collect tithes on all Sudeley lands, and the abbey sent monks to hold services at St Mary’s… In 1460 Ralph Boteler, Lord Sudeley, decided to rebuild the Norman church. He seems to have asked a stone mason to carve heads of his friends in the exterior window stops. Each face is different, though they seem to have been drawn from only two models. On the east wall, behind the high altar, are a pair of heads that may be Lord Ralph and his wife Elizabeth. The two heads flanking the west door are thought to be Henry VI and Queen Margaret… Above the west doorway in niches are Victorian statues representing Henry VI and Queen Victoria, in whose reigns the church was built and restored, respectfully.
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| Marble tomb of Catherine |
In 1547 Thomas Seymour gained control of Sudeley Castle on his marriage to Queen Catherine Parr, widow of Henry VIII. To prepare the castle for the new couple’s arrival a covered gallery was erected between Katherine Parr’s apartments in the castle, to the private family pew in the church. The route to this ‘Queen’s Walk’ is marked by trellises and stones on the turf leading from the castle to the south side of the church, where a large blocked arch shows the location of the family seating area. A small squint, or hagioscope, allowed family members a view of the high altar…
Katherine Parr died just a few days after giving birth to a daughter at Sudeley, and was buried near the altar of St Mary’s church. She is the only Queen of England buried in a parish church.
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