Which of the wives is your favourite to read about and who do you think you’d get along best with? Let me know below. You can also find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/historycalling and on my Amazon storefront at www.amazon.com/shop/historycalling
My favourite to read about might be Jane… Weirdly- I’d probably get along best with Anne of Cleves or Katherine of Aragon, but my favourite is by far Katherine of Aragon❤️ Adore her
My favorite is Catherine of Aragon. She was very intelligent and well-educated, and was successful as regent when Henry was off campaigning (she had probably learned quite a bit about handling kingdoms from her remarkable mother). She knew who she was and what she stood for, and didn't allow herself to be bullied by the men around her - even the King! She would also have been my choice to spend time with, as I share many of her interests, and one would always know that her yes meant yes and her no meant no - unlike so many others at the court of Henry VIII.
It has always irritated me that Henry was upset with Anna of Cleves, because she ignored him when he came to visit her in disguise. It seems that is the Eco typical and narcissistic. King would have been pretty ticked off if any of Cleves had showed interest in a man who was not her intended. What if she had talked with Henry in disguise, not knowing that it was her future husband, and seemed too friendly or flirty? He would have been outrage. I swear there was nothing anybody could do to make that man happy.
Henry VIII was once described as the handsomest man in all of Christendom and, no matter how old and fat he got, that’s how he continued to see himself. However, that night, all Anne saw was a dirty, old, overweight man. Henry never forgave her for that🙁
Henry viii was in love with the idea of love. One of the courtly games was for the man to dress in disguise. He would approach his intended and she would instantly recognise him as her soulmate. Unfortunately no one told Anne this and no doubt with her background she probably didn’t have patience with such childish games. Henry had been spoiled by the court for so long that this rejection must have stung her deeply
My favorite of Henry's wives has always been Anne of Cleves. She might not have been educated as Henry's other wives had been. But she had common sense. She agreed to Henry's terms to end their marriage without arguing with him or making demands. And out lived the King. To me she was one smart lady..
Anne of Cleves is my favorite. She was so smart and outlived all of them. She just seem a good person, despite being a queen and noble. Even the servants describe her as kind
Anne Boleyn has always been my favourite. I think she had a great personality, a strong and beautiful woman who believed in herself but so sadly betrayed.
I honestly admire Anne of Cleves’ story. Even though she was scorned by Henry the amount of optimism she had is truly admirable other women would’ve suffered the same fate as Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn if they were in Anne’s shoes. But she was determined to leave this world with her head on her shoulders and I truly believe that the title of “Survived” should be granted upon her.
Katherine of Aragon was amazing - it takes a strong woman to stand up to Henry, she maintained that she was Queen up until her death and while Henry was away in France, she defended England from a Scottish invasion. The plea/speech she made to Henry when he was trying to secure the annulment was masterful; she shot down all his arguments whilst still appearing humble and servile to the King. I feel really sorry for Catherine Howard, poor girl wasn't much more than a child had a questionable upbringing and seems to have been a pawn in other people's quest for power, particularly the Boleyns. She's also remembered poorly as an 'adulteress', which seems unfair.
My favorite is Catherine of Aragon. She inherited her tenacity from her mother, Queen Isabella I of Castile. Also she became the first female ambassador in European history. Ironically , Catherine 's badge depicts a Pomegranate, an ancient symbol for fertility in early modern times. I don't know if I would get on with her though. Great video, as always, and look forward to your next video.
I always felt that Katherine of Aragon seemed the most Queenly and dignified. She was so poorly treated. However I think Anne Boleyn was treated so cruelly at the end of her life and would have suffered greatly as her brother and friends were executed prior to her own death.
Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves are my favourites. The wit of both women, Boleyn wanting to actually improve things for the people in the country, Cleves knowing when to run and using her position for good.
I used to be quite fascinated with the Anne Boleyn story, but now I believe that Catherine of Aragon is my favourite of Henry's wives. She was much more kind and principled than the others were - she was also the most intelligent. If she had given Henry the male heir he so desperately wanted, he would never have replaced her with Anne Boleyn. It is ironic that her sister Joanna, who was by all accounts not of sound mind, managed to produce countless children. I often ponder on how different English history would have been if Catherine had produced a male heir. Henry would never have broke with Rome and England would still be a Catholic country. It is ironic also that her successor, Anne Boleyn, ended up in exactly the same situation as the woman she replaced. Anne was no princess of Spain and was of course beheaded on trumped up charges of adultery.
I find their whole love triangle to be very interesting. Anne is certainly fascinating, but I agree that Catherine seems like the more decent person. You never know, maybe Protestantism would have found a different way into England.
@@HistoryCalling Well, although Henry broke with Rome and proclaimed himself Head of the Church of England, he was still basically a catholic. In fact he ordered the execution of Anne Askew, who believed the bible should be read in English, and Catherine Parr narrowly escaped execution when she began preaching at Henry to get rid of Catholicism completely from England. I think that the religion of the country depended upon which monarch was in power at the time. This of course changed when William of Orange became king jointly with his wife Mary and protestant Christianity became the recognized religion of the country.
@@susangavaghan Yes H8 was a life long catholic. All that protestant stuff was just an instrument how to get Anne. Anne on the other hand was seriously interested in protestantism.
Catherine of Aragon is awesome. Anne Boleyn is even more awesome. Not only she was incredibly intelligent and well educated, she brought a French charm to the Englands court. She was different and she was very principled, very pious and she refused to sleep with Henry as his mistress (unlike her sister) She made many enemies by being herself, self confident (at least on the outside) and speaking before thinking which is exactly how I am making enemies:-). She upstaged Henry from time to time and IMHO he didn´t like it.
I agree, Anne Boleyn is a fascinating and enigmatic figure to learn about. I'm also not sure that I'd particularly get along with her; but if I could, I'd tell her that she got the last laugh in the end. I like think she'd be at peace knowing her daughter's place in history.
A lovely addition to your excellent collection of podcasts on Tudor history. I'm not sure which of Henry's wives I'd get along with, but most likely my favorite, Anne Boleyn. Not only do we share a name and a background in French language and culture, but also because her story is so sad, Moreover, she gave birth to the first truly great female ruler of modern times (at least the first to rule alone and entirely in her own right). I do also admire the other Anne, because she had the good sense to know where her best interests lay, to mind her p's and q's as far as getting into any kind of court intrigue, and to agree immediately with the king's wishes, understanding that he was making her an offer she couldn't refuse. As a result, Anne of Cleves got to live on as a royal companion to two Tudor queens, which must have been a great comfort to them in an age when a queen couldn't trust anybody.
To me the most admired and relatable were Anne of Cleves and Katherine Parr. Anne because she was wise enough to see the writing on the wall and do what was in her own best interest ( allow annulment and enjoy a good life). Katherine because she was literate, articulate and smart enough to talk Henry out of arresting her. I would enjoy a beer and long conversation with either of them
I've said this numerous times, but it's still true: Katherine of Aragon will always be my favourite of Henry's wives. She was everything that a Renaissance Queen of her time should have been: beautiful, pious, kind and gentle with a good temperament; well educated, intelligent and with a great sense of duty with a strong pedigree from her family line. Not to mention that she was also courageous, and a wonderful mother to her daughter. She really was the gold standard of what any King of the age would've wanted for a wife or as a wife for their heir. It really is such a disservice to her memory and character that people remember her as some sort of failure for not being able to give Henry a son who lived past infancy. She deserved much more than what she got in life from her husband and Anne Boleyn (sorry, nott sorry);and still deserves more in death by being remembered for her achievements rather than being tossed aside by an ungrateful husband for a younger model.
I completely agree. She was (by the standards of the day) a perfect wife and Henry didn't deserve her. I also couldn't agree more that it is despicable that she is judged so much on her childbearing record. Women are so much more than that, then and now.
I Agree 100 % !! She got the Best Deal of All his wives....living Out her life Until her natural death ! I Absolutely LOVE your description of her... Just Excellent & Educated , Thank You!!!!!!
@@HistoryCalling I completely disagree. Catherine was basically a victim of her period and her own choices. Has she been given the freedom to marry a Spanish older man of her choosing, her life could have been happier and freer. Unfortunately, she was not given that and never returned to Spain, and became a cougar and ultimately on more than one account disobeyed the real God of the Bible.
Due to malpractice I had a uterine infection after the birth of my son. I thought I was excessively tired from giving birth and the trauma of having the placenta removed by hand, but woke to being in the most extreme physical agony, worse than any I had endured, including broken bones. I could not even crawl and my husband carried me to the car to get me to the ER. Thank goodness for modern medicine; antibiotics saved my life. I only suffered for a few hours. My heart goes out to all the beautiful women throughout history, and nowadays, that contract childbed fever. It is an excruciating way to die.
I really admire each of the 6 wives, and find each one of them interesting. I have to say that I feel like Anne and I would get on really well. I am French and English, and much of my family still resides there. Anne was such a fiery person, so passionate about what she believed in, and made a difference. She wasn’t afraid to stand up. That’s what I love about her.
My introduction to English history was watching "Anne of the Thousand Days" and I've been fascinated wirh AB ever since. I think I would probably get on best with Anne of Cleves, tho. Thanks for another great video!
About to watch the video, but I can say that i'd just love to meet Katherine Howard. I feel for her the most because she died so young that she didn't even have a chance at life, poor thing was used and abused by everyone around her and that's all she had the time to experience.
I think I have the most respect for Catherine of Aragon. I love that she never gave it to Henry. She never denied that her marriage was valid. I feel like if I was in her position I probably would have done the same. I think the rest of his wives are all very tragic stories. I think I would get along with Anna Cleves. I’m not sure why on Only because she seemed pretty meek. And even though I just said that I think I would’ve acted more like Katherine , as Eragon had, I’ve been married to King Henry, there is a part of me that can empathize with Anne of Cleves. I think I would’ve taken the role of King’s sister as opposed to fighting for him if I had only been wet to him for six months. I think Katherine Parr is the saddest. She was finally married it to her greatest love, even though he was a complete dirtbag. She finally got pregnant, and gave birth to her own child after four marriages. She finally gets her own child and then dies days later. I just think it’s so sad. She survived Henry the eighth only to die shortly after.
Yes, one can't but help admire Catherine of Aragon (I wonder if Henry did too) and Catherine Parr's story reads like a Greek tragedy in her final years.
It's a tough call, but I think my favorite is Anne of Cleves. I think she fared better than the others in the long run. She was level-headed and smart, and, much to her credit, knew how to play "the game," so she could have the best outcome possible in her situation with Henry. All six are fascinating and the fact they are remembered with much more affection and respect than Henry is testament to their importance in history. I have learned so much about them from your videos! Thank you! ❣
Well said! I like Anne of Cleves ,also! Very Smart young Lady ?( she was 24) only thing that was messed up is Anne had to stay in England , she couldn’t go back to her homeland. But then she ended up with her head intact & a very rich woman for the rest of her life. ❤👵🏼💕👸
Great vid! I think the queen I'd get along the most with would be Anne Boleyn. Her dark humor and stubborn determination I can definitely relate to. I think the queen I'd get along the least with is Catherine of Aragon. While she's an amazing woman in her own right and did a lot of great stuff she's a bit too pious and dignified for me. Although I think they're all awesome and would love to have a conversation with ALL of them. My favorite queen would be Anne B. for the above reasons (Also I love learning about her). My second favorite is Anna of Cleves. I think we would get along decently and I really admire her.
I know very little about the Tudors, but from your videos I think that I'd get on best with Anne of Cleves. I'm a quiet sort myself and fond of needlework.
I think Anne Boleyn is my favorite to learn about, for the same reasons as you. She was also the first I heard much about from “historical” dramas that I was probably far too young to be watching, lol. But I think I’d get along best with Anne of Cleves as she seems quiet (like me) and we both enjoy our needlework. Great video, as always, and I look forward to next week!
I'm sure this has been asked before but what do you think about the musical SIX? i discovered it last year after being interested in the Tudors for most of my life. I think it's a fun way to introduce people to the six wives without Henry 8th overshadowing them👍 great video as always, HC🧡
In my opinion, I adore SIX. All the Queens have distinct personalities to them and aren't defined by their place in the rhyme. While sometimes innacurate, it's mostly a faithful retelling of history and it still manages to be modern.
Absolutely Anne of Cleves. Seemed very kind hearted and easy to be around. The ability to have good fun without putting on airs or putting down others.
One thing I admire in Katheryn Howard is that, unlike Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, she was kind to her predecessor (granted, Jame didn’t have a chance to be rude or kind to Anne, but, as you said, she walked over her grave to rise to Queen, and given her disdain of Anne over the Reformation and her mistreatment of Katherine and Mary, both of whom she loved, I doubt she would have been the kindest of successors)
She was indeed, though I will say that Anne of Cleves made it a lot easier than Catherine of Aragon did. It would be interesting to know how AC and CP got along, but I can't think of any records indicating that they met. That said, they must have done, because Anne said she was the better looking of the two, so she must have seen Catherine.
@@HistoryCalling She did, but we must take into consideration that Katherine of Aragon was married to Henry for 24 years and truly loved him- and he, for a great while, seemed to love her too-. Anne was married to him for 6 months, many of which he wasn’t even with her- their marriage was nothing compared to Katherine and Henry’s.
Jane deliberately acted in the conspiracy against Anne’s downfall, though we don’t know if she knew what Anne’s exact fate was to be. Nonetheless, she doesn’t seem to have given any pause to marrying a man who just beheaded his wife on charges that probably most people didn’t actually believe. As much as people blame Anne for Katherine’s fall, Anne very clearly resisted Henry’s advances for a long time and that likely was at first because she didn’t want to be the mistress of a married man and probably never thought he’d try to annul Katherine’s marriage. For that reason, I think Jane is far more ‘guilty’ of husband stealing than Anne was. I have no love for her, even if she was a possible pawn in her brothers’ ambitions.
Anne of Cleves - sharp, witty, & actually KIND…so that she wound up as a trusted friend, & a ‘darling companion’ to Henry himself! His gratitude shows, in the fabulous gifts (houses, land, & personal items) that he bestowed upon her: Anne kept a cool head (literally!) above the Court Clique & Henry’s whims, but it’s doubtful that she gloated - in a word, she was DECENT! Anne of Cleves is on my list of ‘people I would like to have been’! 🙏🏽💔🙏🏻
I think, personally, I would have gotten on well with Anne of Cleves. She seems very level headed, kind and generous from the videos I have seen about her, and from what I have read of her. As well as this, she seems to me to have been a humble woman in many ways. Plus, I like to think she could have helped me with my sewing! But, similarly to yourself, Catherine Parr seems like someone who would have nice to talk about deep issues with, and I love the fact that she had illegal books in her room- what a rebel of sorts!
Yes, if I could speak German, I think Anne and I would get along well too. Yeah, CP was a bit of a rebel. You only have to look at how fast she remarried as well after her various husbands' deaths. :-)
I would love to know Anne of Cleves. My grandmother grew up near her home. I think a she’s fascinating woman who also helped bring King Henry 8 children back in touch with the king after their divorce. I would love to know if Anne and Catherine stayed in touch after he died. I’m sure they did to some degree. I love your channel ❤❤❤!!!
Anna of Cleves. She was damn-smart and made off like a bandit. She became wealthy, was recognized at court, and controlled her own life at a time when women had nothing. She outlived them all and was well-liked by everyone who knew her. She lived her life not being under the tomb of either a husband or brother. She even got to be pretty good friends with Henry. After Katherine Howard got the axe, she was briefly considered as a “retry” for Henry but he squashed that idea and moved on to Catherine Parr. Anna dodged a bullet there and lived out her life in the lap of luxury. Too bad she died in her early 40’s.
She didn’t dodge a bullet, she manoeuvred to get herself married to Henry again and when it did not happen and Catherine Parr was married, Anne of Cleves publicly commented that she was ugly and of lower rank and snubbed her during Parr’s Queenship. I don’t get the ‘hype’ around her, for me she is the most uninteresting of the Wives - the others had intellect, passion, ambition, vision, in varying quantities, but with Anne of Cleves everything was so… bland, I suppose.
I like Anne of Cleves. I feel like she understood the "game" and played it well. She comes across to me as someone you could sit and talk about all sorts of things.
My favourite wife is Catherine Parr, followed closely by Anne of Cleves and Anne Boleyn. I’ve always liked Catherine Howard for some weird reason and I do admire Catherine of Aragon. My least favourite wife is Jane Seymour but I’ve started to become more interested in her because of her mysteriousness. I’ve always felt like there was more to her, and she’s normally the wife I watch more videos on. I’d probably get along with most of them, but mostly with Anne of Cleves because of how calm and tranquil she was noted to be, and Anne Boleyn because her witty remarks and cattiness would crack me up and entertain me.
I respect CofA the most, for how she held such dignity and self respect despite how she was treated, and that she never lost sight of her innate beliefs that she was the King's true wife and Queen. She never once lost herself or her faith. I think A.B is the most fascinating, and that people forget when they're judging her that whilst she may have desired being Queen (who wouldn't) and thus contributed to the cause, she was a puppet for her Father and Uncle who wished for power, titles, and wealth through her (and possibly her sister beforehand.) The King wanted her. You don't say no to the King, and even if she wanted to walk away her family wouldn't have allowed it. I believe actually she did attempt to avoid her fate by returning home to Hever at one point, but she was called back to court. People didn't like her because God forbid a woman was educated, witty, flirty, and expressed opinions. Obviously she must be a witch 😅 and of course she was blamed for the break with Rome, the dissolution of the monasteries, and for Henry discarding a very popular Queen 'for her.' I personally think CofA would have been replaced anyway because she physically could not produce any more children and Henry's driving force, aside for his lust/love interest in Anne, was his desire for Male issue. I think K.H is the most tragic. She was abused her whole life, what little of it she had to live.
Catherine of Aragon is my favourite, for her ability to maintain her faith and dignity despite all the humiliation she was subjected to. Not sure I would enjoy the company of any of the Tudor toffs, though, I couldn't do with the cap doffing!
After learning so much about these women from you in recent years, I really loved the personal thoughts shared at the end. And as I've stated before, I hope Henry is in the eternal clutches of all six of them in the afterlife, getting a big dose of their religion this time around- provided, of course, that they've put all their own differences aside and identified the common malefactor. And to that end, I think a scorned Anne Boleyn would be the scariest, though Cleves looks like she might open a big can of freak.
I absolutely love your videos, and I have the exact same opinion on who’s my favourite ie Ann Boleyn but also the fact that I don’t think we would get on for the same reasons you said 😂, my favourite would be Catherine of Aragon, so educated, went into battle, I get the feeling she was a very gentle soul but fierce also ❤❤
Thanks Lynsey. Catherine of Aragon would be fantastic too I'm sure. I just don't know if I could do as many church services as I think she'd want me to attend. 😅
I admire all of his wives. Henry doesn't seem like he would have been an easy person to be married to. My favorite to read about is Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn for different reasons. Katherine for her strength of character and Anne for her sheer determination. Both are fascinating. I don't think I would get along well with Anne Boleyn for very long but I think I would get along just fine with Anne of Cleves or Katherline Howard as we could talk about dogs.
No, he definitely wasn't, at least not from the late 1520s onwards. The triangle between Henry, Catherine and Anne will fascinating for another 500 years I'm sure, as will both women.
Back whern the dinosaurs and I roamed the earth (circa early 1970s), a relatively well-known British keyboardist named Rick Wakeman released an album called "The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth", with a track for each wife. I haven't listened to it for years, but following your "six wives" overview, I am going to listen to the album again to see how Mr. Wakeman's interpretations compare to historical portraits. Your videos are quite good! Cheers!
I admire Katherine of Aragon, what a tower of strength she was. I think I would have got on with Anne of Cleeves. Wise, generous and with a good dollop of self preservation, it is a shame she didn't last longer, but then she might have been mighty glad to be divorced from Henry. She even came out of it a wealthy woman. Bit of a winner really. 😊
Yes, I always think she was overall the luckiest of Henry's wives (though the bar was admittedly quite low - keeping your head and making it to 40 was a major achievement for those women).
Catherine Parr seemed to be the most level headed of them all and was able to temper henry. When she told him she was only trying to help him by debating him to keep his mind off his numerous painful ailments I believe her.
Anne of Cleves is always my favorite, mainly because I'd love to know her motivations. (I'm also interested in Jane Seymour for similar reasons.) Not sure who I'd get along with the best, but those are the ones I'd want to meet and pepper with questions.
I think I'd probably get along best with either Anne Boleyn or Anne of Cleves. While seemingly very different, the one thing they had in common was the amount of time they lived before settling down. Each seemed to have their own interests that stemmed beyond just becoming a wife someday and especially Anne of Cleves had a level of independence that until relatively recent history was unheard of for most women. Independent and accomplished, I feel like they would both be fascinating to talk to
Yes, Anne (of Cleves) certainly was unusual for having so much money and independence, though I still feel for her for having to stay in England when it became apparent that she wanted to go home. I'd love to hear about Anne Boleyn's time on the continent. It's a period of her life we know so little about.
Anne of Cleves by far, for me. For so many reasons. But mostly because she escaped the marriage to this monster, The King of England, with her life. Not just her life, but to be honored as "The Kings Sister", in court and all of England, a couple of houses, and a life long stipend. She had a happy, peaceful and enjoyable life after this failed marriage to the King, and she was all the better for it. She knew to give the man what he wanted, a divorce, and not to play around with him too much, so she done exactly as she was told and with bells on her toes, too. And I admire that, because she knew her head and her happiness depended on it. 💫 I also think she was the most beautiful too! 🐞
She did well, but unless you know whether she longed to have a normal marriage and children, which she was essentially forbidden to have, I'm not sure we can say she was all the better for it.
@@HistoryCalling Mine is pretty crazy. Henry is my 16th great uncle as I also decend from Mary Tudor. My 5th great grandmother was a Nancy Lumley: a Decendant of the Earls of Lumley and Margaret Plantagenet Lumley illegitimate daughter of Edward IV. Follow it back far enough I decend from James IV and Joan Beaufort Queen of Scots via Douglas-Hamilton/Stewarts. Three of my 4 grandparents are Plantagenet decendants. Your ancestry might be more exciting than you even know.
I'm with you, I would love to meet Anne Boleyn, to experience her incredible intelligence and of course, being the mother of Elizabeth I! However, my favorite queen would have to be Catherine Parr! I can see myself enjoying a wonderful and stimulating conversation with her (without the fear of being double-crossed or a plot being contrived against my person).
I’ve been fascinated by Anne Boleyn since the first time I learned of her as a child. I have to say she’s my favorite. I have great compassion and love for all of the wives and the pain that they endured. Anne of Cleeves seems to be the one along with Catherine Parr of that suffered the least. Who would I like to sit around with and talk to? I think Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr would probably be the most interesting. I’m sorry for Jane Seymour’s untimely death but I think she’s probably seems the least interesting and the least strong character.
Yes, I think Anne and Jane CP would be excellent conversationalists. I wonder what they would have made of each other actually? I don't think they would have ever met.
@@HistoryCalling It’s hard to say because at that time I’m not sure how the contract of friendship worked. Women didn’t go out for coffee and go out to lunch and talk. I think their strong intellects would’ve bonded them to a certain degree although I don’t know if Ann would’ve ever thought of writing a book as did Catherine.
Amazing video! I'd love to see a video on the happiest marriages in royal medieval history. Don't think any of these would make it (at least none ended on good terms)😅 My favorites are probably Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves, but I feel sorry for all of them.
Thanks, HC! Favorite: Catherine Parr hands down. My admiration and respect for her only deepened after reading Susan James' book (your recommendation, of course 👏). Chances are I'd be intimidated by her were time travel possible and be tongue-tied. 😉
I feel most sorry for Katherine Howard. Katherine was young, impulsive and married to a man who’s main (only?) appeal to her seems to be the that he was the King. Katherine simply did what trophy wives have done for time immemorial - had a good time; except she didn’t have the capacity to do so while keeping an elderly and dangerous tyrant oblivious to her dalliances. I don’t know what the Howard’s were thinking, they had already seen Anne Boleyn, who was a master at the political and romantic games played in Henry’s court, stumble and loose all and yet they seem to have been OK with their second chance at the throne being a teenager with little education, a dodgy past and a flighty nature. Katherine seems to me to have been truly a victim of the power games played by Englands noble families, the saddest of all of Henry’s wives.
Number 1 - Has to be the original and true queen, Katherine of Aragon. Loyal and brave she did not deserve the treatment that she and her daughter Mary received at the hands of Henry and the woman who took her place. 2 - Catherine Parr - I admire her for how she tried to reunite Henry with Mary and Elizabeth and create a family for these children damaged by their father's treatment of them. 3 - Ann of Cleves. - She was wise enough to recognise the situation she was in and took a way out that saved her a lot of grief. 4 - Katheryn Howard - Poor, poor girl! Got in over her head and paid the price. 5 - Jane Seymour - Copied the tactics of her predecessor and only succeeded because she had a son and then died before Henry found a way to get rid of her. At least she got to turn the tables on Anne B and show her how it felt to lose the love of her husband. 6 - Anne Boleyn - How I loathe that woman. The way she manipulated the narcissistic Henry. I have to say they deserved each other. She treated Queen Katherine and her daughter abysmally and I feel she deserved everything that was done to her. That truly was Karma. She played with fire and she got burned. The only good thing she did was give birth to Elizabeth who was a much better woman than her mother ever was.
Thanks for this fantastic, interesting and exciting video 📽️🎥 Made my day. I think my favourite person to spend time together is Anne of Cleeves. Not because she was german, like i am, but she seemed to have a heart of gold
just happen to be ripping my DVDs of Elizabeth R to a hard drive when your vid showed up - nice digestible summary of Henry and the wives - Anne Boleyn is the most fascinating of the 6 for me - her daughter ruled England rather well - 🛸✨
Agreed!! My favorite is Anne Boleyn - she was smart and calculating, but ultimately over played her hand. I, too, feel Catherine Paar would have been the most genial. Plus, also very smart, she was much more patient, analytical and could certainly ‘read the room!’ I became fascinated with this part of English history in 1967 when I read “Brief Gaudy Hour” by Margaret Campbell Barnes and subsequently read all (or most) of her novels. Ultimately, I went on to write my senior class history thesis on Henry VIII whom I’ve concluded many years later was a disgusting, syphilitic pig who was likely very poor in bed. I love your channel and appreciate the many hours of research you invest into bringing us these studies of the past! 😊🙏💕
My favourite wife is Anne Boleyn. I have thick skin so I think I could get along with her. I can see myself getting along with Catherine Parr. Thank you for another great video. Happy St. Patrick’ Day! ☘️☘️
Katherine of Aragon will always be my favourite. A well educated, well mannered princess with extremely strong will. She was also very brave and took the role of a man in many occassions. In war and in peace as well. I also remember reading that she advocated the necessity of educating girls better and not limiting their potencial. I know that people consider her as a boring zealot for staying true to Henry and begging him her entire life. But I think she might be the closest wife of Henry, who would be considered as a feminist.
I fell in love with history because of the Tudor period. I then watched the TV Series The Tudors and would spend most of the episodes scrolling through websites reading about the actual history, and piecing together a timeline. I often question what would have happened if...Anne has had a boy? Or if Henry had just been happy with a girl? What if he'd stayed married to Anne Boleyn just because he actually loved her? And most of my answers disappoint, as the Tudor dynasty could have disappeared into obscurity. No Elizabeth with the steely will she got from her mother. No scorned Mary with her burning Catholics. But who knows... That's why it fascinates me!
Kathryn Parr for me. It might have been Catherine of Aragon, but according to the historian Dr. Kat of the TH-cam channel, Reading the Past, Catherine was offered a deal by Henry that would have guaranteed that Mary would keep her place in the line of succession. However, Catherine refused as she wanted to remain queen. This always made Catherine seem sort of foolish to me and maybe even a bit selfish as it seems her fight was more about her position than the well-being of her daughter. I would love to hear your view on this offer from Henry to Catherine and hear more about the details of the offer.
I prefer Catherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr. They’re the ones who are usually overlooked or unfairly demonised. I don’t dislike any of them at all, but I’m also not as enamoured by Anne B as some people are.
I like Anne Boleyn the best. They're all good looking despite the insults I've heard. Your portraiture shows that quite well. Anne B is the mother of Elizabeth who is my favorite queen... Elizabeth II being my second favorite. Anne had a fascinating life before Henry and I think she tried her best to please him. She was probably railroaded in the adultery charges against her, which makes her an underdog. Katherine Howard being another underdog and I admire her. Lots of myth surrounding Anne B which adds mystery. Really enjoy the paintings and illustrations. Excellent work. Thanks for your skills and knowledge. Happy St.Patricks Day
Thanks David. Yes, I'd love to know more about Anne's life pre-Henry. She's a bit of an enigma. Those are probably my favourite two Queens/monarchs as well. It must be something about the name Elizabeth. :-)
I have all kinds of feelings for Katharine Howard. Perhaps not my favourite, I certainly wouldn't have much in common with her but I do have great compassion for her. I think maybe I want to "Mother" her.
I think they are all interesting in women in their own way, Catherine parr or Ann boleyn Ann could be a little fiery at times but she had passion, Catherine was more gentle soul, thank you as always HC. 😊
Catherine Parr is both my favorite to learn about and the one I think I would get along with best. I particularly share her interest in her religious faith and I am sure we would enjoy many discussions about it.
I find myself always thinking i’d get along best with Anne Of Cleves. Incredibly smart and admirable, and for some reason, I think she would be excellent company 😌
Thank you oh so much for mentioning the other Bible verse that you should marry your brother's widow. I've been bringing up that point for decades when people talk about Henry's reasoning for wanting an annulment. I've never heard any other historian talk about that point. A thorough job of research for this video.
OOPS!!! Forgot to wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day, HC! Lena and I have been enjoying bangers from our local market; they sell them once a year around St. Patty's day. Have a good one! 🍀
Anne Boleyn is my favourite, if only because I used to live within walking distance of Hever Castle and she is the mother of my favourite monarch; but I do also have respect for Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves for their dignity under extreme provocation
Another outstanding video. Thank you!! Catherine of Aragon is, of course, my first pick. HoweverAnn of Cleves is just as equal as those are the only two ladles with proper standing and rights to be called wife. My sympathy does go out for the all ladles, as I feel all ladies were nothing more than poker chips used by their families or in situations unable to say no. I feel Henry was a tyrant and later a bloated corpse walking.
Anne of Cleves. She kept her head. She agreed to an annulment and she was allowed to stay in England and live a happy life with an allowance from the king and homes gifted to her and he referred to her as his "sister". I honestly don't think she was "ugly" as Henry VIII said she was. She just was not his type and he wanted out of the marriage so ridiculed her in trying to find a way to dissolve the marriage. Things I have read about her tend towards she was kind to people, intelligent, and smart enough to keep her head on her shoulders.
Anne of Cleves seems to have pulled off the impossible. She somehow avoided marriage to Henry’s disgusting self without getting bumped off for bruising his fragile little ego when she failed to recognize him in disguise…with a title and stipend as well. I’d love to pick that woman’s brain.
Which of the wives is your favourite to read about and who do you think you’d get along best with? Let me know below. You can also find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/historycalling and on my Amazon storefront at www.amazon.com/shop/historycalling
My favourite to read about might be Jane… Weirdly- I’d probably get along best with Anne of Cleves or Katherine of Aragon, but my favourite is by far Katherine of Aragon❤️ Adore her
For me it's Anne Boleyn :)
Catherine Parr cos she seemed to want to reunite the family xxx
Ann of Cleves! Such a boss!
My favorite is Catherine of Aragon. She was very intelligent and well-educated, and was successful as regent when Henry was off campaigning (she had probably learned quite a bit about handling kingdoms from her remarkable mother). She knew who she was and what she stood for, and didn't allow herself to be bullied by the men around her - even the King! She would also have been my choice to spend time with, as I share many of her interests, and one would always know that her yes meant yes and her no meant no - unlike so many others at the court of Henry VIII.
It has always irritated me that Henry was upset with Anna of Cleves, because she ignored him when he came to visit her in disguise. It seems that is the Eco typical and narcissistic. King would have been pretty ticked off if any of Cleves had showed interest in a man who was not her intended. What if she had talked with Henry in disguise, not knowing that it was her future husband, and seemed too friendly or flirty? He would have been outrage. I swear there was nothing anybody could do to make that man happy.
Henry VIII was once described as the handsomest man in all of Christendom and, no matter how old and fat he got, that’s how he continued to see himself. However, that night, all Anne saw was a dirty, old, overweight man. Henry never forgave her for that🙁
I know. She was pretty much doomed no matter what she did. At least she escaped with her life though.
Enjoyed reading your comment Steffani👍🏼
@@HistoryCalling not just her life, a stipend , place at court. and title “sister of the king”…Anne was clearly a smart cookie.
Henry viii was in love with the idea of love. One of the courtly games was for the man to dress in disguise. He would approach his intended and she would instantly recognise him as her soulmate. Unfortunately no one told Anne this and no doubt with her background she probably didn’t have patience with such childish games. Henry had been spoiled by the court for so long that this rejection must have stung her deeply
My favorite of Henry's wives has always been Anne of Cleves. She might not have been educated as Henry's other wives had been. But she had common sense. She agreed to Henry's terms to end their marriage without arguing with him or making demands. And out lived the King. To me she was one smart lady..
She was indeed. I've always had a soft spot for her too and wished we knew more about her.
The favourite here. Great Gal.
Catherine Howard was preyed upon and suffered so much violence from men in her short life. She deserved so much better.
I like Catherine of Aragon best, she truly loved him and was dignified until her death. A true Queen
Yes, he really didn't deserve her.
Anne of Cleves is my favorite. She was so smart and outlived all of them. She just seem a good person, despite being a queen and noble. Even the servants describe her as kind
Anne Boleyn has always been my favourite. I think she had a great personality, a strong and beautiful woman who believed in herself but so sadly betrayed.
I wouldn’t call a professional side piece and child abuser a ‘beautiful woman’
My favourites are Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleve’s...most relatable to my sensibilities.
I wonder what the two of them would have made of each other. They were so different.
@@HistoryCalling Yes, both different and interesting indeed.
I honestly admire Anne of Cleves’ story. Even though she was scorned by Henry the amount of optimism she had is truly admirable other women would’ve suffered the same fate as Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn if they were in Anne’s shoes. But she was determined to leave this world with her head on her shoulders and I truly believe that the title of “Survived” should be granted upon her.
Katherine of Aragon was amazing - it takes a strong woman to stand up to Henry, she maintained that she was Queen up until her death and while Henry was away in France, she defended England from a Scottish invasion. The plea/speech she made to Henry when he was trying to secure the annulment was masterful; she shot down all his arguments whilst still appearing humble and servile to the King. I feel really sorry for Catherine Howard, poor girl wasn't much more than a child had a questionable upbringing and seems to have been a pawn in other people's quest for power, particularly the Boleyns. She's also remembered poorly as an 'adulteress', which seems unfair.
My favorite is Catherine of Aragon. She inherited her tenacity from her mother, Queen Isabella I of Castile. Also she became the first female ambassador in European history. Ironically , Catherine 's badge depicts a Pomegranate, an ancient symbol for fertility in early modern times. I don't know if I would get on with her though. Great video, as always, and look forward to your next video.
I always felt that Katherine of Aragon seemed the most Queenly and dignified. She was so poorly treated. However I think Anne Boleyn was treated so cruelly at the end of her life and would have suffered greatly as her brother and friends were executed prior to her own death.
Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves are my favourites. The wit of both women, Boleyn wanting to actually improve things for the people in the country, Cleves knowing when to run and using her position for good.
Never get tired of hearing about all the Queens ❤
Same here :-)
Totally! These women and their daughters are the only royals I'm interested in.
I used to be quite fascinated with the Anne Boleyn story, but now I believe that Catherine of Aragon is my favourite of Henry's wives. She was much more kind and principled than the others were - she was also the most intelligent. If she had given Henry the male heir he so desperately wanted, he would never have replaced her with Anne Boleyn. It is ironic that her sister Joanna, who was by all accounts not of sound mind, managed to produce countless children. I often ponder on how different English history would have been if Catherine had produced a male heir. Henry would never have broke with Rome and England would still be a Catholic country. It is ironic also that her successor, Anne Boleyn, ended up in exactly the same situation as the woman she replaced. Anne was no princess of Spain and was of course beheaded on trumped up charges of adultery.
I find their whole love triangle to be very interesting. Anne is certainly fascinating, but I agree that Catherine seems like the more decent person. You never know, maybe Protestantism would have found a different way into England.
@@HistoryCalling Well, although Henry broke with Rome and proclaimed himself Head of the Church of England, he was still basically a catholic. In fact he ordered the execution of Anne Askew, who believed the bible should be read in English, and Catherine Parr narrowly escaped execution when she began preaching at Henry to get rid of Catholicism completely from England. I think that the religion of the country depended upon which monarch was in power at the time. This of course changed when William of Orange became king jointly with his wife Mary and protestant Christianity became the recognized religion of the country.
@@susangavaghan Yes H8 was a life long catholic. All that protestant stuff was just an instrument how to get Anne. Anne on the other hand was seriously interested in protestantism.
Catherine of Aragon is awesome. Anne Boleyn is even more awesome. Not only she was incredibly intelligent and well educated, she brought a French charm to the Englands court. She was different and she was very principled, very pious and she refused to sleep with Henry as his mistress (unlike her sister) She made many enemies by being herself, self confident (at least on the outside) and speaking before thinking which is exactly how I am making enemies:-). She upstaged Henry from time to time and IMHO he didn´t like it.
@@blackcat2628zd She was hoping to be allowed to retire to a nunnery instead of being executed and had a Catholic confession before her execution.
Anne of Cleves for sure. Her low key lifestyle and no risk of death by child bearing and freedom to just be seems a high value in my eyes for the era.
Yes, I think it's very sad she didn't live longer actually. How interesting it would have been to see how she responded to Elizabeth's reign.
I agree, Anne Boleyn is a fascinating and enigmatic figure to learn about. I'm also not sure that I'd particularly get along with her; but if I could, I'd tell her that she got the last laugh in the end. I like think she'd be at peace knowing her daughter's place in history.
Yes, I wish she could have known that too.
I have heard that when Henry was on his death bed, he called out for Ann and asked her forgiveness. Has anyone else heard of this?
@Sharon Ann Menefee please where did you hear this? I'd love to look in to it
A lovely addition to your excellent collection of podcasts on Tudor history. I'm not sure which of Henry's wives I'd get along with, but most likely my favorite, Anne Boleyn. Not only do we share a name and a background in French language and culture, but also because her story is so sad, Moreover, she gave birth to the first truly great female ruler of modern times (at least the first to rule alone and entirely in her own right). I do also admire the other Anne, because she had the good sense to know where her best interests lay, to mind her p's and q's as far as getting into any kind of court intrigue, and to agree immediately with the king's wishes, understanding that he was making her an offer she couldn't refuse. As a result, Anne of Cleves got to live on as a royal companion to two Tudor queens, which must have been a great comfort to them in an age when a queen couldn't trust anybody.
Yes, the two Annes are both fascinating (and of course they share a name with you 😀)
A story that never gets old, and one that got me obsessed with history. 🙌🏻
Same here! 😀
Same here! I was 6 when my mom was writing a college essay about Henry and his wives. I started reading one of her books and I was hooked.
@@bohemiia Amazing 😻
When I was little, I happened to see "Anne of a Thousand Days." I've been hooked ever since!
To me the most admired and relatable were Anne of Cleves and Katherine Parr. Anne because she was wise enough to see the writing on the wall and do what was in her own best interest ( allow annulment and enjoy a good life). Katherine because she was literate, articulate and smart enough to talk Henry out of arresting her. I would enjoy a beer and long conversation with either of them
Yes, it would be interesting to get the two of them together as well and hear them compare notes :-)
I've said this numerous times, but it's still true: Katherine of Aragon will always be my favourite of Henry's wives.
She was everything that a Renaissance Queen of her time should have been: beautiful, pious, kind and gentle with a good temperament; well educated, intelligent and with a great sense of duty with a strong pedigree from her family line. Not to mention that she was also courageous, and a wonderful mother to her daughter.
She really was the gold standard of what any King of the age would've wanted for a wife or as a wife for their heir. It really is such a disservice to her memory and character that people remember her as some sort of failure for not being able to give Henry a son who lived past infancy.
She deserved much more than what she got in life from her husband and Anne Boleyn (sorry, nott sorry);and still deserves more in death by being remembered for her achievements rather than being tossed aside by an ungrateful husband for a younger model.
I completely agree. She was (by the standards of the day) a perfect wife and Henry didn't deserve her. I also couldn't agree more that it is despicable that she is judged so much on her childbearing record. Women are so much more than that, then and now.
Agreed 100%
Yes!! I don’t have anything smart to say rn except I agree 100%!!
I Agree 100 % !! She got the Best Deal of All his wives....living Out her life Until her natural death !
I Absolutely LOVE your description of her... Just Excellent & Educated , Thank You!!!!!!
@@HistoryCalling I completely disagree. Catherine was basically a victim of her period and her own choices. Has she been given the freedom to marry a Spanish older man of her choosing, her life could have been happier and freer. Unfortunately, she was not given that and never returned to Spain, and became a cougar and ultimately on more than one account disobeyed the real God of the Bible.
I love Anne of Cleves! I hope there is more information about her life
Due to malpractice I had a uterine infection after the birth of my son. I thought I was excessively tired from giving birth and the trauma of having the placenta removed by hand, but woke to being in the most extreme physical agony, worse than any I had endured, including broken bones. I could not even crawl and my husband carried me to the car to get me to the ER. Thank goodness for modern medicine; antibiotics saved my life. I only suffered for a few hours. My heart goes out to all the beautiful women throughout history, and nowadays, that contract childbed fever. It is an excruciating way to die.
I really admire each of the 6 wives, and find each one of them interesting. I have to say that I feel like Anne and I would get on really well. I am French and English, and much of my family still resides there. Anne was such a fiery person, so passionate about what she believed in, and made a difference. She wasn’t afraid to stand up. That’s what I love about her.
Oh yes, I think if you could chat to her about France and in French, you'd be in her good books for sure :-)
My introduction to English history was watching "Anne of the Thousand Days" and I've been fascinated wirh AB ever since. I think I would probably get on best with Anne of Cleves, tho. Thanks for another great video!
About to watch the video, but I can say that i'd just love to meet Katherine Howard. I feel for her the most because she died so young that she didn't even have a chance at life, poor thing was used and abused by everyone around her and that's all she had the time to experience.
Yes, I think she's one of the great tragedies of the Tudor era.
I think I have the most respect for Catherine of Aragon. I love that she never gave it to Henry. She never denied that her marriage was valid. I feel like if I was in her position I probably would have done the same. I think the rest of his wives are all very tragic stories. I think I would get along with Anna Cleves. I’m not sure why on Only because she seemed pretty meek. And even though I just said that I think I would’ve acted more like Katherine , as Eragon had, I’ve been married to King Henry, there is a part of me that can empathize with Anne of Cleves. I think I would’ve taken the role of King’s sister as opposed to fighting for him if I had only been wet to him for six months. I think Katherine Parr is the saddest. She was finally married it to her greatest love, even though he was a complete dirtbag. She finally got pregnant, and gave birth to her own child after four marriages. She finally gets her own child and then dies days later. I just think it’s so sad. She survived Henry the eighth only to die shortly after.
Yes, one can't but help admire Catherine of Aragon (I wonder if Henry did too) and Catherine Parr's story reads like a Greek tragedy in her final years.
It's a tough call, but I think my favorite is Anne of Cleves. I think she fared better than the others in the long run. She was level-headed and smart, and, much to her credit, knew how to play "the game," so she could have the best outcome possible in her situation with Henry. All six are fascinating and the fact they are remembered with much more affection and respect than Henry is testament to their importance in history. I have learned so much about them from your videos! Thank you! ❣
Well said! I like Anne of Cleves ,also! Very Smart young Lady ?( she was 24) only thing that was messed up is Anne had to stay in England , she couldn’t go back to her homeland. But then she ended up with her head intact & a very rich woman for the rest of her life. ❤👵🏼💕👸
Yes, it's hard to argue with the idea that AC was the most fortunate of the bunch.
@@t.m.a.3665 Definitely!
Great vid! I think the queen I'd get along the most with would be Anne Boleyn. Her dark humor and stubborn determination I can definitely relate to. I think the queen I'd get along the least with is Catherine of Aragon. While she's an amazing woman in her own right and did a lot of great stuff she's a bit too pious and dignified for me. Although I think they're all awesome and would love to have a conversation with ALL of them. My favorite queen would be Anne B. for the above reasons (Also I love learning about her). My second favorite is Anna of Cleves. I think we would get along decently and I really admire her.
It would be fascinating to be able to get them all together for a roundtable discussion, wouldn't it? 😅
I know very little about the Tudors, but from your videos I think that I'd get on best with Anne of Cleves. I'm a quiet sort myself and fond of needlework.
I think Anne Boleyn is my favorite to learn about, for the same reasons as you. She was also the first I heard much about from “historical” dramas that I was probably far too young to be watching, lol. But I think I’d get along best with Anne of Cleves as she seems quiet (like me) and we both enjoy our needlework.
Great video, as always, and I look forward to next week!
Thanks Cassi. See you next time. :-)
I'm sure this has been asked before but what do you think about the musical SIX? i discovered it last year after being interested in the Tudors for most of my life. I think it's a fun way to introduce people to the six wives without Henry 8th overshadowing them👍
great video as always, HC🧡
I haven't seen it yet, but I'm going to soon so I'll report back afterwards :-)
@@HistoryCalling I'd also like to know what you think. Maybe this is a good video topic?
Yes! I just discovered it recently and have been obsessed. Can't wait to actually see it and hear about History Calling talk about it.
In my opinion, I adore SIX. All the Queens have distinct personalities to them and aren't defined by their place in the rhyme. While sometimes innacurate, it's mostly a faithful retelling of history and it still manages to be modern.
@@HistoryCallingIndeed you have haha
Absolutely Anne of Cleves. Seemed very kind hearted and easy to be around. The ability to have good fun without putting on airs or putting down others.
Yes, if I spoke German I like to think I'd get along well with her too.
One thing I admire in Katheryn Howard is that, unlike Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, she was kind to her predecessor (granted, Jame didn’t have a chance to be rude or kind to Anne, but, as you said, she walked over her grave to rise to Queen, and given her disdain of Anne over the Reformation and her mistreatment of Katherine and Mary, both of whom she loved, I doubt she would have been the kindest of successors)
She was indeed, though I will say that Anne of Cleves made it a lot easier than Catherine of Aragon did. It would be interesting to know how AC and CP got along, but I can't think of any records indicating that they met. That said, they must have done, because Anne said she was the better looking of the two, so she must have seen Catherine.
@@HistoryCalling She did, but we must take into consideration that Katherine of Aragon was married to Henry for 24 years and truly loved him- and he, for a great while, seemed to love her too-. Anne was married to him for 6 months, many of which he wasn’t even with her- their marriage was nothing compared to Katherine and Henry’s.
Jane deliberately acted in the conspiracy against Anne’s downfall, though we don’t know if she knew what Anne’s exact fate was to be. Nonetheless, she doesn’t seem to have given any pause to marrying a man who just beheaded his wife on charges that probably most people didn’t actually believe. As much as people blame Anne for Katherine’s fall, Anne very clearly resisted Henry’s advances for a long time and that likely was at first because she didn’t want to be the mistress of a married man and probably never thought he’d try to annul Katherine’s marriage. For that reason, I think Jane is far more ‘guilty’ of husband stealing than Anne was. I have no love for her, even if she was a possible pawn in her brothers’ ambitions.
Anne of Cleves - sharp, witty, & actually KIND…so that she wound up as a trusted friend, & a ‘darling companion’ to Henry himself! His gratitude shows, in the fabulous gifts
(houses, land, & personal items) that he bestowed upon her:
Anne kept a cool head (literally!) above the Court Clique & Henry’s whims, but it’s doubtful that she gloated
- in a word, she was DECENT!
Anne of Cleves is on my list of
‘people I would like to have been’!
🙏🏽💔🙏🏻
I think Katherine of Aragon (and Howard too, despite her perceived immaturity) were kind too, but I agree that Anne’s life was the best out of the six
I think, personally, I would have gotten on well with Anne of Cleves. She seems very level headed, kind and generous from the videos I have seen about her, and from what I have read of her. As well as this, she seems to me to have been a humble woman in many ways. Plus, I like to think she could have helped me with my sewing! But, similarly to yourself, Catherine Parr seems like someone who would have nice to talk about deep issues with, and I love the fact that she had illegal books in her room- what a rebel of sorts!
Yes, if I could speak German, I think Anne and I would get along well too. Yeah, CP was a bit of a rebel. You only have to look at how fast she remarried as well after her various husbands' deaths. :-)
She was such a German, pragmatic and intelligent!!
Anne of Cleves has always been my personal favorite. She survived them all and became good friends with Henry after their marriage.
I would love to know Anne of Cleves. My grandmother grew up near her home. I think a she’s fascinating woman who also helped bring King Henry 8 children back in touch with the king after their divorce. I would love to know if Anne and Catherine stayed in touch after he died. I’m sure they did to some degree.
I love your channel ❤❤❤!!!
Thanks Leza. I don't know if Cleves and Parr stayed in touch either, but it's a nice thought for sure.
@@HistoryCalling wouldn’t it be amazing to find letters they wrote to each other!?!? Just dreaming though!!!
It would be incredible. All the Tudor historians would be wetting themselves with excitement 😅
I love this channel so much 👍
Thank you so much and Happy St Patrick's Day from Northern Ireland 😀 ☘
Anna of Cleves. She was damn-smart and made off like a bandit. She became wealthy, was recognized at court, and controlled her own life at a time when women had nothing. She outlived them all and was well-liked by everyone who knew her. She lived her life not being under the tomb of either a husband or brother. She even got to be pretty good friends with Henry. After Katherine Howard got the axe, she was briefly considered as a “retry” for Henry but he squashed that idea and moved on to Catherine Parr. Anna dodged a bullet there and lived out her life in the lap of luxury. Too bad she died in her early 40’s.
She didn’t dodge a bullet, she manoeuvred to get herself married to Henry again and when it did not happen and Catherine Parr was married, Anne of Cleves publicly commented that she was ugly and of lower rank and snubbed her during Parr’s Queenship. I don’t get the ‘hype’ around her, for me she is the most uninteresting of the Wives - the others had intellect, passion, ambition, vision, in varying quantities, but with Anne of Cleves everything was so… bland, I suppose.
I like Anne of Cleves. I feel like she understood the "game" and played it well. She comes across to me as someone you could sit and talk about all sorts of things.
My favourite wife is Catherine Parr, followed closely by Anne of Cleves and Anne Boleyn. I’ve always liked Catherine Howard for some weird reason and I do admire Catherine of Aragon. My least favourite wife is Jane Seymour but I’ve started to become more interested in her because of her mysteriousness. I’ve always felt like there was more to her, and she’s normally the wife I watch more videos on.
I’d probably get along with most of them, but mostly with Anne of Cleves because of how calm and tranquil she was noted to be, and Anne Boleyn because her witty remarks and cattiness would crack me up and entertain me.
Yes, I think AB, when she was on good form, might have been the best conversationalist of the lot of them.
I respect CofA the most, for how she held such dignity and self respect despite how she was treated, and that she never lost sight of her innate beliefs that she was the King's true wife and Queen. She never once lost herself or her faith.
I think A.B is the most fascinating, and that people forget when they're judging her that whilst she may have desired being Queen (who wouldn't) and thus contributed to the cause, she was a puppet for her Father and Uncle who wished for power, titles, and wealth through her (and possibly her sister beforehand.) The King wanted her. You don't say no to the King, and even if she wanted to walk away her family wouldn't have allowed it. I believe actually she did attempt to avoid her fate by returning home to Hever at one point, but she was called back to court. People didn't like her because God forbid a woman was educated, witty, flirty, and expressed opinions. Obviously she must be a witch 😅 and of course she was blamed for the break with Rome, the dissolution of the monasteries, and for Henry discarding a very popular Queen 'for her.' I personally think CofA would have been replaced anyway because she physically could not produce any more children and Henry's driving force, aside for his lust/love interest in Anne, was his desire for Male issue.
I think K.H is the most tragic. She was abused her whole life, what little of it she had to live.
Anne was not the puppet of her father and family, ambitious as they may have been.
Thanks for such a concise and informative video. I look forward to your videos each week.
Thanks Helen. Glad you enjoyed it :-)
Catherine of Aragon is my favourite, for her ability to maintain her faith and dignity despite all the humiliation she was subjected to. Not sure I would enjoy the company of any of the Tudor toffs, though, I couldn't do with the cap doffing!
Better to doff one's cap than lose one's head 😅
It's so hard to pick a favorite, I like them all so much for very different reasons (*mumbles under breath* except for Jane Seymour)
Haha 😅
After learning so much about these women from you in recent years, I really loved the personal thoughts shared at the end. And as I've stated before, I hope Henry is in the eternal clutches of all six of them in the afterlife, getting a big dose of their religion this time around- provided, of course, that they've put all their own differences aside and identified the common malefactor. And to that end, I think a scorned Anne Boleyn would be the scariest, though Cleves looks like she might open a big can of freak.
Thanks Joe. Yes, I hope he's getting his comeuppance too. :-)
Catherine of Aragon is my favorite of the six wives. ❤ Love your videos!!
I absolutely love your videos, and I have the exact same opinion on who’s my favourite ie Ann Boleyn but also the fact that I don’t think we would get on for the same reasons you said 😂, my favourite would be Catherine of Aragon, so educated, went into battle, I get the feeling she was a very gentle soul but fierce also ❤❤
Sorry my favourite is Ann, but I think I would most get on with CoA 😂😂
Thanks Lynsey. Catherine of Aragon would be fantastic too I'm sure. I just don't know if I could do as many church services as I think she'd want me to attend. 😅
I admire all of his wives. Henry doesn't seem like he would have been an easy person to be married to. My favorite to read about is Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn for different reasons. Katherine for her strength of character and Anne for her sheer determination. Both are fascinating. I don't think I would get along well with Anne Boleyn for very long but I think I would get along just fine with Anne of Cleves or Katherline Howard as we could talk about dogs.
No, he definitely wasn't, at least not from the late 1520s onwards. The triangle between Henry, Catherine and Anne will fascinating for another 500 years I'm sure, as will both women.
Back whern the dinosaurs and I roamed the earth (circa early 1970s), a relatively well-known British keyboardist named Rick Wakeman released an album called "The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth", with a track for each wife. I haven't listened to it for years, but following your "six wives" overview, I am going to listen to the album again to see how Mr. Wakeman's interpretations compare to historical portraits.
Your videos are quite good! Cheers!
I admire Katherine of Aragon, what a tower of strength she was. I think I would have got on with Anne of Cleeves. Wise, generous and with a good dollop of self preservation, it is a shame she didn't last longer, but then she might have been mighty glad to be divorced from Henry. She even came out of it a wealthy woman. Bit of a winner really. 😊
Yes, I always think she was overall the luckiest of Henry's wives (though the bar was admittedly quite low - keeping your head and making it to 40 was a major achievement for those women).
Catherine Parr seemed to be the most level headed of them all and was able to temper henry. When she told him she was only trying to help him by debating him to keep his mind off his numerous painful ailments I believe her.
Anne of Cleves is always my favorite, mainly because I'd love to know her motivations. (I'm also interested in Jane Seymour for similar reasons.) Not sure who I'd get along with the best, but those are the ones I'd want to meet and pepper with questions.
I'd love to be able to ask Jane if she knew Henry was going to end up killing Anne for her, but I don't know that I'd get a truthful answer...
I think I'd probably get along best with either Anne Boleyn or Anne of Cleves. While seemingly very different, the one thing they had in common was the amount of time they lived before settling down. Each seemed to have their own interests that stemmed beyond just becoming a wife someday and especially Anne of Cleves had a level of independence that until relatively recent history was unheard of for most women. Independent and accomplished, I feel like they would both be fascinating to talk to
Yes, Anne (of Cleves) certainly was unusual for having so much money and independence, though I still feel for her for having to stay in England when it became apparent that she wanted to go home. I'd love to hear about Anne Boleyn's time on the continent. It's a period of her life we know so little about.
@@HistoryCalling Same, and I think hearing her take on things, including why things REALLY didn't work out with Henry would be fascinating
It's almost 5 Degrees Celsius in Missouri, and I am watching your video in wool socks. I hope Spring Comes soon!!!
At least 20, I hope.
Not much warmer on this side of the pond my friend. I'm looking forward to spring too :-)
Anne of Cleves by far, for me. For so many reasons. But mostly because she escaped the marriage to this monster, The King of England, with her life. Not just her life, but to be honored as "The Kings Sister", in court and all of England, a couple of houses, and a life long stipend. She had a happy, peaceful and enjoyable life after this failed marriage to the King, and she was all the better for it. She knew to give the man what he wanted, a divorce, and not to play around with him too much, so she done exactly as she was told and with bells on her toes, too.
And I admire that, because she knew her head and her happiness depended on it. 💫
I also think she was the most beautiful too! 🐞
Yes, she was certainly a winner when compared to his other wives.
She did well, but unless you know whether she longed to have a normal marriage and children, which she was essentially forbidden to have, I'm not sure we can say she was all the better for it.
Katherine Parr is my favorite, as she is my 16x great aunt.
Good family tree. I wish mine was that exciting :-)
@@HistoryCalling Mine is pretty crazy. Henry is my 16th great uncle as I also decend from Mary Tudor. My 5th great grandmother was a Nancy Lumley: a Decendant of the Earls of Lumley and Margaret Plantagenet Lumley illegitimate daughter of Edward IV. Follow it back far enough I decend from James IV and Joan Beaufort Queen of Scots via Douglas-Hamilton/Stewarts. Three of my 4 grandparents are Plantagenet decendants. Your ancestry might be more exciting than you even know.
I love listening to you, very interesting, and a nice accent. I've always liked Ann Boleyn, btw
I'm with you, I would love to meet Anne Boleyn, to experience her incredible intelligence and of course, being the mother of Elizabeth I! However, my favorite queen would have to be Catherine Parr! I can see myself enjoying a wonderful and stimulating conversation with her (without the fear of being double-crossed or a plot being contrived against my person).
Yes, they'd both be interesting conversation partners, but like you I think CP would be the better friend.
I’ve been fascinated by Anne Boleyn since the first time I learned of her as a child. I have to say she’s my favorite. I have great compassion and love for all of the wives and the pain that they endured. Anne of Cleeves seems to be the one along with Catherine Parr of that suffered the least. Who would I like to sit around with and talk to? I think Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr would probably be the most interesting. I’m sorry for Jane Seymour’s untimely death but I think she’s probably seems the least interesting and the least strong character.
Yes, I think Anne and Jane CP would be excellent conversationalists. I wonder what they would have made of each other actually? I don't think they would have ever met.
@@HistoryCalling It’s hard to say because at that time I’m not sure how the contract of friendship worked. Women didn’t go out for coffee and go out to lunch and talk. I think their strong intellects would’ve bonded them to a certain degree although I don’t know if Ann would’ve ever thought of writing a book as did Catherine.
Amazing video! I'd love to see a video on the happiest marriages in royal medieval history. Don't think any of these would make it (at least none ended on good terms)😅
My favorites are probably Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves, but I feel sorry for all of them.
Thanks, HC! Favorite: Catherine Parr hands down. My admiration and respect for her only deepened after reading Susan James' book (your recommendation, of course 👏). Chances are I'd be intimidated by her were time travel possible and be tongue-tied. 😉
THANK YOU FOR THE VERY KIND DONATION STEPHEN. Yes, I'd probably be unable to form coherent sentences in her presence as well :-)
I feel most sorry for Katherine Howard. Katherine was young, impulsive and married to a man who’s main (only?) appeal to her seems to be the that he was the King.
Katherine simply did what trophy wives have done for time immemorial - had a good time; except she didn’t have the capacity to do so while keeping an elderly and dangerous tyrant oblivious to her dalliances.
I don’t know what the Howard’s were thinking, they had already seen Anne Boleyn, who was a master at the political and romantic games played in Henry’s court, stumble and loose all and yet they seem to have been OK with their second chance at the throne being a teenager with little education, a dodgy past and a flighty nature. Katherine seems to me to have been truly a victim of the power games played by Englands noble families, the saddest of all of Henry’s wives.
Yes, Katherine is certainly the most tragic of the bunch. My heart breaks for her :-(
Number 1 - Has to be the original and true queen, Katherine of Aragon. Loyal and brave she did not deserve the treatment that she and her daughter Mary received at the hands of Henry and the woman who took her place.
2 - Catherine Parr - I admire her for how she tried to reunite Henry with Mary and Elizabeth and create a family for these children damaged by their father's treatment of them.
3 - Ann of Cleves. - She was wise enough to recognise the situation she was in and took a way out that saved her a lot of grief.
4 - Katheryn Howard - Poor, poor girl! Got in over her head and paid the price.
5 - Jane Seymour - Copied the tactics of her predecessor and only succeeded because she had a son and then died before Henry found a way to get rid of her. At least she got to turn the tables on Anne B and show her how it felt to lose the love of her husband.
6 - Anne Boleyn - How I loathe that woman. The way she manipulated the narcissistic Henry. I have to say they deserved each other. She treated Queen Katherine and her daughter abysmally and I feel she deserved everything that was done to her. That truly was Karma. She played with fire and she got burned. The only good thing she did was give birth to Elizabeth who was a much better woman than her mother ever was.
absolutely agree- though I don’t think Anne deserved to be killed, though I loathe her too
Thanks for this fantastic, interesting and exciting video 📽️🎥 Made my day. I think my favourite person to spend time together is Anne of Cleeves. Not because she was german, like i am, but she seemed to have a heart of gold
Yes, I think if (unlike me) you can speak German and were able to talk to her properly, she'd be very pleasant company.
just happen to be ripping my DVDs of Elizabeth R to a hard drive when your vid showed up - nice digestible summary of Henry and the wives - Anne Boleyn is the most fascinating of the 6 for me - her daughter ruled England rather well - 🛸✨
Ah, Elizabeth R - great show :-)
@@HistoryCalling - Glenda Jackson no less
I know. You can't really beat her.
@@HistoryCalling - nope
Agreed!! My favorite is Anne Boleyn - she was smart and calculating, but ultimately over played her hand. I, too, feel Catherine Paar would have been the most genial. Plus, also very smart, she was much more patient, analytical and could certainly ‘read the room!’ I became fascinated with this part of English history in 1967 when I read “Brief Gaudy Hour” by Margaret Campbell Barnes and subsequently read all (or most) of her novels. Ultimately, I went on to write my senior class history thesis on Henry VIII whom I’ve concluded many years later was a disgusting, syphilitic pig who was likely very poor in bed. I love your channel and appreciate the many hours of research you invest into bringing us these studies of the past! 😊🙏💕
Mary and Charles V would have been one heck of a power couple - missed opportunity there!
Busy day. I will have to watch later. Got to sing tonight and off to ireland tomorrow 😊
No problem. Enjoy your visit here :-)
@@HistoryCalling thanks for the help.
I have 2 favorites Catherine Parr and Anne Boleyn...because I am of protestant faith and I think that these two women shaped our world the most
i love your channel ❤️
Thanks Leah. I hope you enjoy this start to finish history of Henry's wives as well :-)
Anne is my favorite to learn about, but I think Catherine parr would be amazing to talk too
My favorite to learn about is probably anne boleyn. But the one I would most get along with would be Anne of cleves.
Yes, if I spoke German I like to think I could get along with AC as well.
My favourite wife is Anne Boleyn. I have thick skin so I think I could get along with her. I can see myself getting along with Catherine Parr.
Thank you for another great video.
Happy St. Patrick’ Day! ☘️☘️
Thanks Leticia and Happy St Patrick's Day to you too ☘
I have always been fascinated with Anne Boleyn and her rather tragic end. Not sure if we would get along or have had anything to talk about.
You could always ask her about her childhood. We know precious little about that unfortunately.
Love these Tudor times...have studied it immensley...still leaves me intrigued...so keep intrigues coming...
Katherine of Aragon will always be my favourite. A well educated, well mannered princess with extremely strong will. She was also very brave and took the role of a man in many occassions. In war and in peace as well. I also remember reading that she advocated the necessity of educating girls better and not limiting their potencial. I know that people consider her as a boring zealot for staying true to Henry and begging him her entire life. But I think she might be the closest wife of Henry, who would be considered as a feminist.
I fell in love with history because of the Tudor period. I then watched the TV Series The Tudors and would spend most of the episodes scrolling through websites reading about the actual history, and piecing together a timeline.
I often question what would have happened if...Anne has had a boy? Or if Henry had just been happy with a girl? What if he'd stayed married to Anne Boleyn just because he actually loved her?
And most of my answers disappoint, as the Tudor dynasty could have disappeared into obscurity. No Elizabeth with the steely will she got from her mother. No scorned Mary with her burning Catholics. But who knows...
That's why it fascinates me!
Yes, the two wives of Henry VIII doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it? After all lots of Kings have been married twice.
I think my favorites are Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Katheryn Parr
Kathryn Parr for me. It might have been Catherine of Aragon, but according to the historian Dr. Kat of the TH-cam channel, Reading the Past, Catherine was offered a deal by Henry that would have guaranteed that Mary would keep her place in the line of succession. However, Catherine refused as she wanted to remain queen. This always made Catherine seem sort of foolish to me and maybe even a bit selfish as it seems her fight was more about her position than the well-being of her daughter. I would love to hear your view on this offer from Henry to Catherine and hear more about the details of the offer.
Cleves. She had it figured out.
I prefer Catherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr. They’re the ones who are usually overlooked or unfairly demonised. I don’t dislike any of them at all, but I’m also not as enamoured by Anne B as some people are.
Anne Boleyn refused to call her daughter illegitimate, which gave england their greatest Queen
I like Anne Boleyn the best. They're all good looking despite the insults I've heard. Your portraiture shows that quite well. Anne B is the mother of Elizabeth who is my favorite queen... Elizabeth II being my second favorite. Anne had a fascinating life before Henry and I think she tried her best to please him. She was probably railroaded in the adultery charges against her, which makes her an underdog. Katherine Howard being another underdog and I admire her. Lots of myth surrounding Anne B which adds mystery. Really enjoy the paintings and illustrations. Excellent work. Thanks for your skills and knowledge. Happy St.Patricks Day
Thanks David. Yes, I'd love to know more about Anne's life pre-Henry. She's a bit of an enigma. Those are probably my favourite two Queens/monarchs as well. It must be something about the name Elizabeth. :-)
Catherine of Aragon will always be my faveee
Just to add happy St Patrick's day HC, 😊
And to you ☘
I have all kinds of feelings for Katharine Howard. Perhaps not my favourite, I certainly wouldn't have much in common with her but I do have great compassion for her. I think maybe I want to "Mother" her.
Yes, how different her life might have been if her mother had lived and she'd never to stay with her step-grandmother and met Mannox, Dereham etc.
I think I would've gotten along with Anne of Cleves, but Catherine of Aragon is probably my favorite.
Both were certainly pretty amazing :-)
I think they are all interesting in women in their own way, Catherine parr or Ann boleyn Ann could be a little fiery at times but she had passion, Catherine was more gentle soul, thank you as always HC. 😊
Thanks Simon. You're welcome. :-)
Catherine Parr is both my favorite to learn about and the one I think I would get along with best. I particularly share her interest in her religious faith and I am sure we would enjoy many discussions about it.
I find myself always thinking i’d get along best with Anne Of Cleves. Incredibly smart and admirable, and for some reason, I think she would be excellent company 😌
I think she would too - if only I spoke German :-(
@@HistoryCalling hahaha same!! In my imagination, I would know fluent German just for the occasion 😂
Thank you oh so much for mentioning the other Bible verse that you should marry your brother's widow. I've been bringing up that point for decades when people talk about Henry's reasoning for wanting an annulment. I've never heard any other historian talk about that point. A thorough job of research for this video.
Lots of people, including historians have mentioned this, actually. Henry just chose the verse that suited him, lovely gentleman.
OOPS!!! Forgot to wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day, HC! Lena and I have been enjoying bangers from our local market; they sell them once a year around St. Patty's day. Have a good one! 🍀
Thanks Stephen. Yes, there have been lots of parades etc here today. Have a good day as well.
Anne Boleyn is my favourite, if only because I used to live within walking distance of Hever Castle and she is the mother of my favourite monarch; but I do also have respect for Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves for their dignity under extreme provocation
Another outstanding video. Thank you!! Catherine of Aragon is, of course, my first pick. HoweverAnn of Cleves is just as equal as those are the only two ladles with proper standing and rights to be called wife. My sympathy does go out for the all ladles, as I feel all ladies were nothing more than poker chips used by their families or in situations unable to say no. I feel Henry was a tyrant and later a bloated corpse walking.
Good solid choices. They were both great women. :-)
I've always been fascinated with Anne. I would like to meet her and Catherine of Aragon. Would also like to spend time with Anne of Cleves.
Same here. A roundtable discussion with all three would certainly be interesting.
Anne of Cleves. She kept her head. She agreed to an annulment and she was allowed to stay in England and live a happy life with an allowance from the king and homes gifted to her and he referred to her as his "sister". I honestly don't think she was "ugly" as Henry VIII said she was. She just was not his type and he wanted out of the marriage so ridiculed her in trying to find a way to dissolve the marriage. Things I have read about her tend towards she was kind to people, intelligent, and smart enough to keep her head on her shoulders.
Anne of Cleves seems to have pulled off the impossible. She somehow avoided marriage to Henry’s disgusting self without getting bumped off for bruising his fragile little ego when she failed to recognize him in disguise…with a title and stipend as well. I’d love to pick that woman’s brain.
Yes, she was incredibly fortunate compared to the other wives.
Please tell me I'm not alone in the Jane Seymour camp!!!