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3:29 am
June 7, 2010
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Anne first – for all the obvious reasons followed by Catherine Parr. Felt really sorry for Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr especially given how she was in love with Thomas Seymour and for all her marriages she married only once for love and was cheated out of potentially happy years with him because of Henrys selfishness. Not a fan of Katherine of Aragon and positively loathe Jane Seymour.
4:24 am
June 24, 2009
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Katherine Parr is making a bit of a comeback since that recent book by Linda Porter – Claire reviewed it. http://reviews.theanneboleynfi…..porter/322
Her influence on Elizabeth was very powerful, I think, and often overlooked. I think Elizabeth's remarks about those who bring us up being most important is telling in this respect. Yes, Katherine has to be up there with the best of them.
9:18 am
February 16, 2009
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I've just reviewed Elizabeth Norton's biography of Catherine Parr too – http://reviews.theanneboleynfi…..norton/348 – and I'm really glad that Henry's sixth wife is getting some attention at long last. I think I've said this before but I do feel that Catherine P had Anne's “spark” and intelligence, along with her passion for reform, but with the common sense and patience of Catherine of Aragon. I think Henry was attracted to her because she reminded him of Anne, but Catherine fortunately did not have Anne's quick temper or loose tongue.
Catherine was also the friend that Mary needed and a mother figure to Elizabeth and Edward. I admire her for taking on Henry, when she loved Seymour so much, for bringing Henry's family together, for being a published author in her own right and spreading the Protestant message. An amazing woman.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
9:17 am
August 2, 2010
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Other than Anne-ofcourse-I simply adore Katherine of Aragon and Katherine Parr.
Katherine of Aragon just commands respect for the way she handled the divorce proceedings. I love how she never backed down and refused to give in and say that her marriage was invalid. She was gracious, strong and determined not to forfeit her daughter's claim to the throne.You have to admire her nerve to walk out of court and never return.
Katherine Parr published a book! That alone speaks volumes. The way that she reached out to Mary, Elizabeth and Edward and brought the family together is so wonderful. I think she does get over-shadowed a lot which is a shame because she was an incredible woman in her own right.
I like Anne of Cleves as well. What a smart woman she was to take the divorce deal! I don't think she was as bad as Henry made her out to be: she was from a different court and Cleves didn't value the same things that Henry's court did and by that token, the same things that Henry found attractive.
Katherine Howard was really just a child. I do wonder what she would have become had she not been executed.
I cannot get into Jane Seymour for the life of me. I do not think she was a door mat at all; I think she knew exactly what she was doing and I'll give her credit for being clever enough to present herself as the complete opposite of Anne, but other than that, I find something lacking about her. I cannot connect with her like I do with the other wives.
3:52 pm
August 3, 2010
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Other than Anne Boleyn–she's an obvious first!! That's a hard choice, because on one hand I agree that Catherine of Aragon was strong, a fighter, a loving mother willing to give up her life for her daughter, a devout Christian and a loyal and kind person, but I'm automatically prejudiced against her because she was Anne's enemy! I also greatly admire Catherine Parr. If I had to choose, I probably still like Catherine of Aragon, despite the prejudice.
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
8:11 am
June 24, 2010
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I can't believe I am about to defend Jane because as a devotee of Anne Boleyn's, I have always despised Jane and blamed her for Anne's demise. However, it is unfair to judge Jane with our 21st century eyes. Life was very different 500 years ago, especially for women. Jane did what she had to do to survive at the court of Henry VIII. Jane's behavior on Anne's execution day was really no better or worse than Anne's on the day Katherine of Aragon died. Had Jane lived and not borne a son, she too would have been cast aside, possibly executed for some contrived crime. It is at Henry that we should all throw our loathing. He deluded himself into thinking Jane was his true wife because her absence made his heart fond. Who knows what life would have been like for her had she survived the birth of her son? She was still a subject of Henry's regardless of Edward's birth and his capricious nature could never guarantee her security.
4:18 pm
August 13, 2010
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Claire said:
Who is your favourite wife apart from Anne Boleyn?
I choose Catherine of Aragon – she was dignified, she defended England againsts the Scots, she was “queenly”, she argued her case against the annulment well, she had a strong faith and was true to it, and she had Henry's respect. She was an incredibly strong woman.
Catherine has always been one of my favorites. Catherine, I believe did love Henry heart and soul to the end. I think she held herself with grace and dignity. I totally agree with what you said Claire. She was everything one would imagine a great queen to be. I find myself wondering often had her son with Henry lived if we would ever be talking about him as we are.
5:40 pm
August 3, 2010
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I understand your point about Jane Seymour, Littleneck. Still, I think that she connived to be Queen and, unlike Anne probably, knew that her marriage to Henry would end in either Anne's death or a miserable, alone end to life in a moldering castle. So, yes, she did need to survive at Henry's Court, but she could have without getting Anne killed.
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
12:26 am
October 12, 2010
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For me it is a tie between Katherine Howard and Anne of Cleves.
I feel so much for Katherine, she was only a young girl who was used by her family. She was thrown into a role that she had no idea how to play. She was married off to an obese, grumpy old man and sought comfort in the arms of another man (can you blame her!? If I was married to Henry at that time, I would have done the same thing!), and I believe I read somewhere that she had actually had a bit of a flirtation with Culpeper before she caught the King’s eye?
Every time I read about Katherine denying the existence of a precontract between herself and Dereham my heart breaks. I keep thinking that if only she had said that there was a precontract, she could have escaped with her life. Anyone with more political smarts would have said there was a precontract. But, all of that being said, with Henry one never can tell who he is going to execute and who he won’t.
And then there is Anne of Cleves. I just love her. I think she really came into herself once she was free from Henry and from her family. Not to mention she definitely got out of the marriage with the best deal. She was smart enough to know that getting the marriage with Henry annulled was her best option, and she bowed out with dignity and grace. She outlived all of Henry’s wives, and ended up being one of the most respected women in England. You can’t complain about that!
The thing that I like the most about her though was that she was so kind. Apparently in her will she mentions each and every one of her servants by name, something that I found to be a lot more telling about her than anything else that has been written.
9:08 am
July 9, 2009
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We’ll never know if Katherine Howard would’ve escaped with her life if she’s admitted to a precontract with Dereham, but it didn’t work for Anne Boleyn. She was executed for adultery after her marriage was declared invalid, but if there is no marriage, there can’t be adultery! Once Henry was done with someone, they had little chance of escaping with their life.
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
8:57 pm
October 31, 2010
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While I admire Katherine of Aragon, I can't say that she was my favorite. I guess I just don't understand her way of thinking when it was clear to everyone that the marriage was over emotionally and physically if not legally. I just think she could have negotiated more for herself and her daughter if she'd just let Henry have his way a lot sooner. However, any woman who puts up with all the crap that she put up with for as long as she put up with it for deserves some level of respect.
I think my favorite is Anne of Cleves. No man is worth losing your head over and she had the good sense to see that.
My gut feeling for Katherine Howard is “What a ninny”, but, admittedly, I don't know that much about her.
I do NOT like Jane Seymour. I think she was conniving and not this innocent little flower crushed upon the wheels of the world that she would have history believe. The best I can say about her was that she was an amazing actress.
"We mustn't let our passions destroy our dreams…"
2:08 pm
December 28, 2011
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Jane Seymour is my favourite wife of Henry because she is being herself, honest, genuine and loving to her family and to the people who know her.
6:10 pm
February 15, 2012
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For me it is Katherine Howard as i guess if i was born it that time i also would have met her fate . I'am naive and silly and my father is very determind. I see her as a someone i could relate too.
12:09 pm
June 9, 2012
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My favorite of the six is actually Katherine of Aragon. She went through hell to become Queen, and then went through hell again when Henry discarded her, but she always maintained her dignity and strength. She was courageous, intelligent, and very strong-willed, much like Anne Boleyn, who is my second favorite. Next would be Katherine Parr, who was also intelligent and had great survival skills. I admire Anne of Cleves too, though admittedly I know less about her than Anne B, KoA, or Katherine Parr. I don’t much care for Katherine Howard or Jane Seymour.
1:55 pm
January 3, 2012
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Next to Anne I would actually have to say AOC. She showed the good sence to take what was offered and run. As a result she lived a happy life.
KOA of course gets the respect she deserves to as she was a woman of tremedious courage, strength and nerve. A formidable woman who fought the Lion and actually won.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
2:40 pm
June 7, 2010
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Katherine Parr is probably tied with Anne as my favourite wife. KP was a woman of tremendous strength and compassion. She married Henry out of duty, making the best of a bad situation. She cared about Henry’s children, and in some way, cared for Henry. She was not the nursemaid of myth, but a powerful presence in court, and was named Regent by Henry in 1544.
Furthermore, she was a published author, a life long learner, and a passioned Protestant reformer. She was unafraid to give her opinion, but was also intelligent and tenacious enough to beg Henry to spare her life. A true survivor.
I do admit I cannot recify her being blind of Thomas Seymour’s treatment of Elizabeth. It seemed so against her character.
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
6:25 pm
January 3, 2012
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Agreed Duchess. Katherine Parr was very resolute in her opinion towards religion, in fact you could say that she and KOA were passionate about the same things. Personally I would have found her very dull, but all credit and praise to her she was a published Author, an extremely rare thing to happen in those days.
Like you I have trouble coming to grips with her behaviour when she married Tom. I think she was just so wrapped up in love for perhaps the first time in her life, that she was completely blind to Tom’s unseemly behaviour towards Elizabeth.
Did K.P know of Tom’s marriage proposals to both Mary and Elizabeth before he asked her to marry him?
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
12:32 pm
June 7, 2011
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WelshieHollie said
Jane Seymour is my favourite wife of Henry because she is being herself, honest, genuine and loving to her family and to the people who know her.
Eh? Sorry but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support any of that, quite the contrary.
"It is however but Justice, & my Duty to declre that this amiable Woman was entirely innocent of the Crimes with which she was accused, of which her Beauty, her Elegance, & her Sprightliness were sufficient proofs..." Jane Austen.
4:29 am
November 18, 2010
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Elliemarianna said
WelshieHollie said
Jane Seymour is my favourite wife of Henry because she is being herself, honest, genuine and loving to her family and to the people who know her.
Eh? Sorry but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support any of that, quite the contrary.
There’s some evidence to show she was concerned about Princess Mary, though that may have been politically based spin since she was the Imperial party’s canditate.
Henry certainly never enriched her family to the same extent as the Boleyns were, though the Boleyn/Howard faction had been far more prominant members of Henry’s court before Mary and Anne were introduced.
It's always bunnies.
8:51 am
June 7, 2011
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Anyanka said
Elliemarianna said
WelshieHollie said
Jane Seymour is my favourite wife of Henry because she is being herself, honest, genuine and loving to her family and to the people who know her.
Eh? Sorry but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support any of that, quite the contrary.
There’s some evidence to show she was concerned about Princess Mary, though that may have been politically based spin since she was the Imperial party’s canditate.
Henry certainly never enriched her family to the same extent as the Boleyns were, though the Boleyn/Howard faction had been far more prominant members of Henry’s court before Mary and Anne were introduced.
Well she was tutored on how to behave around Henry, so in my opinion she was behaving dishonestly and not being ‘herself’.
"It is however but Justice, & my Duty to declre that this amiable Woman was entirely innocent of the Crimes with which she was accused, of which her Beauty, her Elegance, & her Sprightliness were sufficient proofs..." Jane Austen.
