Brush up on your knowledge of the SIX wives of Henry VIII before seeing them perform live in Denver! Learn about each Queen’s interests, their families, and…their causes of death.

Catherine of Aragon

Birth and death
December 15, 1485 – January 7, 1536

Marriage
One: to Arthur (Henry’s older brother), November 14, 1501 (aged 15)
Two: to Henry VIII, June 11, 1509 (aged 23)

Children
Mary, born February 18, 1516 (later Queen Mary I).
Catherine also had two other children who died as infants, three stillborn children, and several miscarriages.

Interests
Religion, sewing, dancing, a bit more religion.

Cause of death
Probably a type of cancer.

Remembered for…
Her refusal to accept that her marriage was invalid; her faith; her dramatic speech to Henry when he had her brought to court to seek the annulment of their marriage.

Did you know?
While Henry fought in France in 1513, Catherine was regent during the Battle of Flodden; when James IV of Scotland was killed in the battle, Catherine wanted to send his body to Henry as a present.

Anne Boleyn

Birth and death
c. 1501 – May 19, 1536

Marriage
January 25, 1533 (aged 31)

Children
Elizabeth, born September 7, 1533 (later Queen Elizabeth I).
Anne also had at least two miscarriages.

Interests
Fashion, dancing, flirtation, collecting evangelical works.

Queen Links
Lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon.

Cause of death
Executed on Tower Green, London.

Remembered for…
Headlessness; bringing about England’s break with the Pope; having a sixth fingernail.

Did you know?
Because she was fluent in French, Anne would have acted as a translator during the visit of Emperor Charles V to court in 1522.

Jane Seymour

Birth and death
1507 or 1508 – October 24, 1537

Marriage
May 30, 1536 (aged 28 or 29)

Children
Edward, born October 12, 1537 (later King Edward VI).

Interests
Religious faith, obedience.

Queen Links
Lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn.

Cause of death
Hemorrhage after the birth of Prince Edward; her child with Henry.

Remembered for…
Being the “only one he truly loved”; having two troublesome brothers who fought over the regency of the young Prince Edward after King Henry’s death.

Did you know?
While Anne Boleyn was still alive, Henry sent Jane a gift of money which she refused, apparently saying there “was no treasure in this world that she valued so much as her honor.”

Anna of Cleves

Also known as
Anne of Cleves (the Anglicisation of her name)
She is referred to as Anna here to distinguish between the two Annes & to honor the name she would have called herself in her own language.

Birth and death
1515 – July 16, 1557

Marriage
January 6, 1540 (aged 24)

Children
None.

Interests
Staying alive.

Queen Links
Anna visited Katherine Howard once she became queen and bowed down to her.

Cause of death
Probably cancer.

Remembered for…
Being chosen from her portrait and then rejected when Henry met her.

Did you know?
When Henry first met Anna of Cleves, he disguised himself, possibly imagining some sort of a romantic reaction. According to a witness, when Henry kissed Anna, she turned away coldly from the hideous stranger molesting her. The witness, Lord Russell, observed that he “never saw His Highness so marvelously astonished.”

Katherine Howard

Birth and death
c. 1523 – February 13, 1542

Marriage
July 28, 1540 (aged 17)

Children
None.

Interests
Religious faith, obedience.

Queen Links
Lady-in-waiting to Anna of Cleves; cousin to Anne Boleyn.

Cause of death
Executed on Tower Green, London.

Remembered for…
Being completely used (and abused) by those with power over her.

Did you know?
From her arrest on November 8, 1541 until her execution three months later, Katherine stayed under house arrest at Syon House; in late January of 1542, an act was passed in Parliament that rendered it treason for a woman to become the king’s wife without “plain declaration before of her unchaste life,” meaning Henry could have her killed.

Catherine Parr

Birth and death
c. 1512 – September 5, 1548

Marriage
One: to Sir Edward Burgh, a courtier, 1529-1533
Two: to John Neville, Lord Latimer, 1534-1543
Three: to Henry VIII, July 12, 1543
Four: in secret to Thomas Seymour, May, 1547

Children
A daughter (to Thomas Seymour) who died as an infant.

Interests
Writing books, encouraging education, the Reformation.

Queen Links
Catherine’s mother was lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon and Catherine was friendly with Aragon’s daughter, Princess Mary.

Cause of death
Childbirth.

Remembered for…
Surviving.

Did you know?
Catherine was the first woman in England to publish books under her own name and in English.

This article features information supplied by SIX on Broadway.