Why was Catherine Howard not beheaded with a sword, like Anne Boleyn ?
Rating: -1
It is said that Henry VIII commuted Anne Boleyn's sentence from burning at the stake to beheading by axe and then beheading by sword as an act of mercy. There are many different theories as to why Henry VIII decided to book the French swordsman:-
1) Anne requested it - Can't be true as he would have had to have booked the swordsman before her trial.
2) It was to allow him to use a more merciful death as a bargaining chip to annul the marriage.
3) It was in honour of Anne's "Frenchness".
4) It was a political move to show Europe that he was showing Anne mercy or giving her a more queenly death.
5) He wanted to give her a more merciful death because he knew she was innocent.
Of course, none of these reasons apply to Catherine Howard who was never crowned queen, who was guilty of adultery (well, plenty of evidence was given) and had no "Frenchness". By this time, Henry did not need to worry about what Europe thought of him executing his Queen and he had no need to bargain with Catherine.
Just my opinion, I'd love to hear what others think.
This is a great question. I am not historian, so my opinion is solely based on my own readings of Anne Boleyn and Tudor history. The difference between Anne and Catherine Howard was Anne was coronated. While Catherine was Henry’s wife, and ergo, Queen, she was never officially (through a coronation ceremony) anointed with the God-given rights of a Queen, as Anne Boleyn was in 1533.
Another issue at hand is, according to many sources I’ve read, Anne was more French than English. An execution by sword appears to be more regal and more noble than the axe. I am not sure how endemic French executions with swords were, but it may speak to Henry’s respect for Anne’s position as Queen, and perhaps, her own identification as a Frenchwoman.
There is a great series entitled “The Tower” (now on DVD in North America; aired on British TV a few years back) that examines the Tower of London from different perspectives. One topic was about prisoners; another the Old Mediveal Palace where Anne was housed for both her coronation and execuation. The Tower’s historian noted that all prisoners would have been treated according to their social poistions. So, Anne’s treatment in the Tower was that of Queen. I suspect even her execution followed these tenents. While she was, according to the King’s court, a traitor-she was a Queen. Even near the end of her days, Anne’s treatment by Kingston, Henry, and others was of someone who would die a Queen.
I hope this post makes some sense. Again, I am not an educated historian, so there are my inclinations about a woman I admire greatly. I believe Anne to be completley innocent of all the charges brought against her, and no one argues that position better than Eric Ives.
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Maybe it was because Ann had an official coronation so was Queen and no Englishman could legally kill her as it would be Regicide? Or the term they used then would be treason? I don’t know if that’s accurate though
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I think that reasons 4 and 5 are closer to the truth. Henry tried to appear merciful or he knew deep inside that she was innocent, so he wanted her end to be quicker and less painful. The fact that she was officially coronated is also a possible reason.
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I think it has alot to due with what everyone else is saying that Anne was coronated Queen and Catherine just became queen via her marriage with Henry. Also Henry wanted to be rid of Anne and the swordsman was ordered even before she went to trial ergo the conclusion was always going to be “guilty”–where as Catherine completely blindsided Henry who thought her “a rose without thorn” and she actually DID dally with Culpepper and had a precontract with Drerham– worst move ever, Catherine appointing Dereham as secretary– And yes I agree that at this point why would Henry care to uphold what was right or deserving of a woman after mistreating KOA, killing Anne, and anulling Anne of Cleves. Im sure Europe was not surprised at all that he cut of Catherine Howards head. It seemed the “HEnry” thing to do.
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