Margaret Beaufort: Mother to King Henry VII

Margaret Beaufort was a dynamic woman. A natural leader, she rather took charge of every setting she found herself in. In fact, prior to Catherine of Aragon's departure for England, Margaret sent her a bundle of written instruction to the young princess on life at the English court. It may be strange that this tutorial wasn't sent by her mother-in-law to be, Elizabeth of York.  But Margaret Beaufort Countess of Richmond functioned as Queen Mother in the court, and it was just as well for Elizabeth of York was a mere child of 12 years when she became bride of King Henry VII. Elizabeth very much needed her strong and organized mother in law. Margaret Beaufort understood Elizabeth's situation better than most, as she bore Henry VII at the shocking age of 13. Margaret would never again bear a child and it would thought that such early childbearing may have caused some permanent damage to her.

In our current age any physician would be aghast at such early motherhood; but the Tudor royal marriages were dynastic. People were certainly more fatalistic, and death in childbirth was no stranger to any family. Everyone knew someone, or was related to someone who had died in the birthing bed. It seems the fear of early childbearing, in Tudor days, was that a woman would permanently lose her figure if she bore children at such a young age.  It may be possible that Margaret did sustain some injury, since she was married a total of 4 times, and never again bore a child after her son Henry.

Margaret Beaufort was an exceptionally pious woman, and her son Henry had a great respect for her.  Margaret rose from bed at midnight to attend the Matins of the friars. She spent mornings in her chapel, and typically wore a St. Francis habit beneath her robes. Margaret kept a yearly Maundy, a practice which Catherine of Aragon would imitate. This was the old custom of royal persons washing the feet of the poor, and after this distributing a purse of money to those unfortunates.  (Anne Boleyn would also keep the practice of the Maundy. And some recipients noted that she was more generous in her distribution than had been Queen Catherine.)

For generations thereafter, Margaret Beaufort Countess of Richmond would be considered a fine example of piety, and of a new tradition of learning and study for women.

Lady Jane Grey: Queen for 9 Days

Lady Jane Grey was scarcely more than a girl when she came to the throne, unwittingly, and quite unexpectedly.  When she was later accused of treason by Queen Mary Tudor, Jane explained that she truly had never desired queen-ship, and that the events which precluded her coronation were not of her own desiring.

Jane was resting in Chelsea, trying to get over a stomach flu when a daughter of Northumberland arrived to spirit her off to Syon House. And there Jane was given the shocking and unwanted news that she would be queen. This may be the stuff of many a young girls' dream, but Jane Grey really wasn't the queenly type. Lady Jane Grey was an extremely serious girl, and likely the victim of severe child abuse. Jane was a pious child, who loved to study and learn. She might have lived the duration of her life doing just that, perhaps marrying--that is marrying someone more suitable to her person than the man who she was forced to marry--and raising a family. Instead she was used by ambitious, greedy individuals, and eventually branded a traitor, and died a traitor's death.

Interestingly, the Grey girls, Jane's sisters, would be the objects of great favour by Queen Mary. Mary would later make generous gifts to them, and gave the girls coveted positions at court. Did Mary feel guilt over the death of the young Jane, or did she truly love the Grey girls, close relatives of hers?  Conversely, Queen Elizabeth despised the Grey girls and would give them no such favours. In fact, she would distance herself from Jane's sisters soon after becoming queen.

Lady Jane Grey was born around the spring of 1547, daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and Lady Frances Brandon. Lady Jane Grey was the granddaughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, sister of King Henry VIII.  Jane was a tiny girl, painfully thin and very short.. She had the red Tudor hair so prominent in her bloodline.

Jane's mother, Francis, seems to have been cold and entirely lacking in affection toward her daughter. Francis was a selfish, indulgent woman, and seemed to inherit none of the grace and beauty of her mother Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Jane is thought to have suffered from abuse inflicted on her by her parents. Jane gave a nightmarish description of her home life to her tutor, Roger Ascham.

"For when I am in the presence of either Father or Mother, whether I speak, keep silence, sit, stand or go, eat, drink, be merry or sad, be sewing, playing, dancing or doing anything else, I must do it, as it were, in such weight, measure and number, even so perfectly as God made the world, or else I am so sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea, presently sometimes with pinches, nips and bobs, and other ways, (for which I shall not name, for the honour I bear them), so without measure misordered, that I think myself in hell."

Tudor parents were noted for being harsh with their children, but Jane's complaint was so chilling that Ascham felt disturbed for his pupil, who he regarded as an exceptional child, brilliant and of kindly character. Frances did not enjoy a good reputation amongst her contemporaries.  Francis' father, Charles Brandon, was infamous in his day, considered quite the libertine, and was likely a bigamist. Some feel that Francis' reputation was unfairly slandered by her enemies, which were not a few. However, and given Jane's chilling description of her life with her parents, it does suggest that Francis may have well deserved her reputation.

Once Jane was informed of her imminent duty, events would follow at dizzying speed. From Syon House Jane was taken to the Tower of London to live as queen. For this, her mother Francis carried her train and fawned over her daughter. People were gathering to watch.  Between the strange events and her mother's sudden over-affection, Jane must have felt the whole spectacle to be surreal. Jane, already married, rather unhappily, had her husband Guildford Dudley walking alongside her. Sadly, and though it would have been a comfort for a girl who found no soft place in her own mother, she also did not get on well with her in-laws. Within the two families, there was a mix of euphoria, then frustration, then euphoria again when it seemed Jane would accept the crown. When Jane had demurred, Guildford and his mother had thrown tantrums. But Jane would finally do as she was told.  But Mary did not take this move passively. She lay in wait, and organised an army to strike at the opportune moment. Mary had never, not for a second, accepted Jane as queen, and had rejected this as soon as it had been reported to her. Her response was that she was queen, and if her subjects were loyal, Mary warned, they had better align themselves with her.

The people, for the most part, were solidly with Mary on who should be crowned. Mary was exceedingly careful to give no indication of what her plans were for the Protestants in those all-important and uncertain days. The English people in their honest loyalism believed that Mary, as Henry VIII's next remaining heir, should naturally succeed  Her subjects had no idea of the horror and anguish which awaited them under the reign of Queen Mary Tudor.

Jane was eating in the Tower when the duke of Suffolk swept in to inform his daughter she was no longer queen. Jane's colours were removed, and with Mary's accession, Jane was left entirely in the cold.  Mary ordered Jane's house to be emptied and inventoried.  The Greys and Dudleys were likely left in a state of thick dread, knowing that their actions would almost certainly have severe consequence under the new queen. And they would, with the guilty and the innocent brought on charges of high treason.

Jane's mother Frances, was understandably panicked and begged to speak with Mary as soon as possible. What is less understandable, is that Frances wished to beg for mercy only for herself and her husband. Jane was now Mary's prisoner, but Francis, never having had a maternal bone in her body, did not surprise, and now wholly abandoned her daughter. Mary flatly refused to grant the duchess an audience. No soft touch, even a hint of treason was something Mary Tudor would never abide. Frances now began a letter writing campaign, pleading with those who had access to the queen to spare herself and her husband. Frances would be spared; Jane Grey would not.

Jane and her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley were both charged with high treason.  Jane, having been found guilty of signing documents as "Jane the Queen," received a sentence which read that she would "be burned alive on Tower Hill or beheaded as the queen pleases." Though Renard urged Mary to have Jane executed, Queen Mary said she would not, that she would spare the young girl.  But Mary was demonstrating herself to be as arbitrary as her father had been, and even more capable than he had been at instilling terror in her subjects. After the Wyatt rebellion, Mary decided that she had been far too kind to those she regarded as traitors and rebels. Over 100 of those who had participated in the Wyatt rebellion were beheaded.  Some of the convicted men had appealed to Mary for mercy. Without exception, she refused to pardon them. However, her council, worried about her public image, managed to convince Mary to make a public show of mercy so as to appear more benevolent. About 400 prisoners who had not been prosecuted for treason were directed to to the courtyard of Whitehall. Mary appeared at the balcony and  pardoned the prisoners.  Lady Jane would not be amongst the lucky who were given pardons.

Mary decided to go back on her own word, and have Lady Jane and her father executed.  On 12 February 1554, Jane's husband Guildford was taken from the Tower to Tower Green and beheaded. Jane screamed out Guildford's name from her rooms when she saw his corpse as it was carried on a horse and cart below. Now would come Jane's turn and she was escorted to Tower Green. After climbing unto he scaffold she gave her death speech.  Then the young girl recited Psalm 51, handing her gloves and kerchief to her maid. She blindfolded herself, after which she could not find the fearful block and cried out "Where is it?  What shall I do?"  A deputy guided her to the block, and then Jane commended her spirit to her Lord Jesus Christ. And so was Lady Jane Grey dispatched into eternity, into a far better world, I trust, than she had known in her earthly life.

Jane had been queen from 10 July 1553-19 July 1553.

Earl Of Surrey: "A Night Discharged of All Care"

The Earl of Surrey seemed to have a particularly accurate understanding of his fellow man, and what it is that ails us all. Before this brave man was executed, another victim of Henry VIII's paranoiac rule, he penned a heart breaking and utterly poignant poem.  Listen to his brilliant summation of mankind:

Lady Salisbury: Unjustly Put to Death

I hesitate to use the word execution for the manner of Lady Salisbury's death. For that word implies some sort of orderly judgement, some semblance of procedure, implies guilt, perhaps.  But none of these terms can ever be applied to the shameful and cruel death of Countess Margaret Pole.

Margaret Pole The Blessed, was one of the last remaining Plantagenets. Born on 14 August, 1473, she was the daughter of George of Clarence, who was brother to King Edward IV and King Richard III.

Lady Salisbury was known as a gentle, serious woman.  She was studious, known for her pious character.  Lady Salisbury had a delicate, long face, very much reminiscent of her Plantagenent roots.

The countess played a very important role in the life of Princess Mary Tudor, and served first as her godmother for her christening, and then as Governess of the Household for Catherine of Aragon's home. Her son Reginald would be a close friend of Mary's throughout her life.  Amazingly, Reginald and Mary would eventually die only 12  hours apart.

King Henry VIII had long since developed a severe case of paranoia for anyone who had royal blood and claims to his throne. He and the Duke of Buckingham were at heated odds until Henry found it necessary to have Buckingham put to death. Buckingham was quite arrogant and refused to be a flattering courtier to the king, feeling instead that he should be king, as a descendant of Edward III. Buckingham had carried himself like the king he felt he should be, and dressed himself magnificently. Wise courtiers knew that to outshine their monarch was a decidedly dangerous thing to do. Not only did the Duke of Buckingham walk around like a proud peacock; he also dared to verbalise his resentments, and loudly.  In a court filled with spies and overly ambitious courtiers, Buckingham might as well have signed his own death warrant. Predictably, Buckingham was arrested and taken to the Tower in April 1521, executed a mere month later.  After Buckingham came tumbling down, the Pole family would also feel the king's wrath. Lady Salisbury was promptly demoted from her position as Governess to Princess Mary. Her son, Lord Montague was sent to the tower. Arthur Pole was booted from court, and it was made quite clear to Reginald Pole, who was in Venice, that he was equally unwelcome at court. It was not enough to incarcerate, or kick the Poles out into the cold.  The arbitrary Henry wanted any threat to his throne done away with. And because the king could not be satisfied until even the possibility of a Plantagenet claim to his throne was removed, worse was still to come.

After all the years of trouble for the Pole family, Lady Salisbury was still holding on, even as she spent the last two years of her life in the Tower. Suddenly Henry issued a stunning order; the tower was to be cleaned of prisoners of state. At the same time he issued the order for execution of the countess. That the king could issue such an order for this particular woman was evidence of how hardened Henry's heart had become. It was a depraved act against a lady who had been like family to his own, who had lovingly cared for his wife and daughter throughout the years. She was his daughter's very own godmother.   On 27 May 1541, the gentle lady was told she must die. Lady Salisbury was nearly seventy years old and was about to endure a shameful, and agonizing death.  Chapuys would report the bloody scene with horror; a completely inexperienced youth had been hired to wield the axe! A successful decapitation, if such gruesome fate can be called such, required a strong, experienced executioner. A mere child with no such macabre work history would never be able to adequately and quickly dispatch the condemned, and one must wonder who hired the unfortunate youth for the job.

There would be no clean decapitation; the helpless lady would be butchered to death.

The death of Lady Salisbury was almost immediately considered to be that of a martyr, and would come to be known as one of the blackest blots on the reign of King Henry VIII.

George Boleyn: Viscount Rochford

George Boleyn had shared a very close relationship with his sister Anne. The two siblings had always been close, and eventually excluded their sister Mary.  But what might have then been a painful estrangement for Mary would later save her very life.

The infamous character of George Boleyn, popularized in modern media is likely exaggerated. George was probably not the vicious misogynist of the series, The Tudors, portrayed by the handsome Padraic Delaney. However, George was known in his days as an inveterate womaniser, and he didgive some indication of youthful riotous living in his poignant scaffold farewell speech.  But he probably was not the nasty creature who used woman and brutally mistreated his wife, as he is commonly portrayed. 

In reality, it is most likely his wife, the villainous Lady Rochford who deserves such notoriety.

To be certain, Lord Rochford and his Lady had no love lost between them. It was a most unhappy marriage. Lady Rochford would demonstrate her depth of hatred for her husband when she made a monstrous accusation against him to Cromwell. The lady's horrific complaints against George may have been encouraged, prompted, or even created by the increasing anti-Boleyn faction at court. But in any case, Lady Rochford stood on her incredible claims, and did not back away from them full knowing that her testimony would likely cost George his life.

The icy Lady Rochford would have her own date on Tower Greene in a few short years. It is likely that she would then recall her own unjustly put to death spouse, with more than a little anguish.

A birthdate for George Boleyn is difficult to determine as most historians are not entirely in agreement as to the actual birth order of Anne, George and Mary.  George may have been born around 1500, possibly as late as 1504. George Boleyn was likely born and raised at Blickling Hall, the otherworldly beautiful mansion which is just short of two miles north west of Aylsham. Blickling Hall is a place of fairy tale beauty, surrounded by lush green woodlands, and old garden parks. It can be imagined that George, Anne and Mary spent many happy moments of childhood in such dreamy surroundings. This halcyon setting couldn't have given the Boleyn family an inkling of the tragedy which lay in wait for all of them, save Mary. Though Mary died not die with Anne and George, she had to have been deeply affected by the brutal end of her brother and sister. They had not been close those last years, but she likely loved her siblings dearly.

 Two other sons had been born to Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn,  Henry and Thomas. In fact, Elizabeth Boleyn was rather fertile. Her husband once commented, (or complained,) that his wife brought him every year a new child. But George was the only male child to reach maturity. The Boleyns were likely very proud of their only son. Interestingly, Thomas was not one to teach his daughters to speak only when spoken to, and take a quiet back seat to men as many fathers instructed daughters in Tudor times. Of course, his ambitions for his daughters were not entirely honourable and it seems he rather used them for his own personal promotion.

It is hard to imagine what George Boleyn may have looked like, as so little remains in terms of portraiture of the Boleyn family. By the end her life there was such hatred for Anne Boleyn, (or fear,)  that nearly every image of her had been destroyed. Given Anne's dark features, it is possible that George also had Anne's shining black hair and flashing dark eyes. Or he may have been fair complexioned with light eyes, as Mary is assumed to be. But these are only assumptions, and save for Anne, of which precious little imagery remains, it is difficult to determine how George and Mary Boleyn may have looked. (Given Mary's long term position as King Henry's mistress, and possible mother to one or two of his children, it is probable that she was anything from fairly attractive to beautiful, whether olive coloured or blonde.)  George's popularity with the ladies could indicate he wasn't hard on female Tudor eyes.  Perhaps his allure rested in the fact that he became very powerful at court when his sister was queen, as women have always been attracted to prestige and power. But given contemporary descriptions, (excepting a few of those of her detractors,) of Anne as very attractive, and the fact that Mary had a lengthy tenure as the mistress of the king, it may be assumed that the Boleyn girls were beauties increasing the likelihood that George was also a handsome man.

Much like Anne's, George's fall was meteoric. At one time George was one of the king's close confidants, and when Anne would reduce the huge king to tears, he often resorted to asking George to intervene with his sister, or Thomas to talk some sense to his daughter. It must have been a harrowing sensation when George first began to realise that the tables were turning against the Boleyn faction. As brother-in-law to the king, George had enjoyed incredible fortune and prestige. And he struggled mightily to hold onto his gain, as did his father Thomas, until it became obvious that all had been lost. For even as Jane Seymour was visibly eclipsing his sister, Lord Rochford tried to give every indication that all was well with the Boleyns. He was likely hoping against hope for a positive turn in their fortune. George was likely under intense pressure, trying to be a supportive brother to his miserable sister, and also dutifully following his demanding father's instructions.

On 18 April, Chapuys arrived at court and Rochford greeted him with such saccharine friendliness as to be off-putting to Chapuys. There had long existed a relationship of mutual loathing between the sharp Spaniard and the Boleyns. So the sudden magnanimous display on the part of Anne's brother and father was telling. Chapuys was acutely aware that something was amiss in the English court. And there was. George was living under threats that were following the Boleyn family, and these were growing more menacing by the day.

And soon enough Lord Rochford would find himself tottering at the edge of destruction, accused of some of most vile of offences.

Christmas Season Isn't Over Yet...

It is always so sad to bid farewell to Christmas. Though it should live in our hearts year 'round, it is still bittersweet to bring in the new year. Here is a beautiful look at Christmas...

 An Enchanted Cottage: The Miracle of Christmas...: And an angel appeared to Mary and said,   (Court, Christmas Angel, Nursery School Play, circa 1994)     "Rejoice, the Lord is wit...

Anne & Catherine: A Royal Battle

Anne Boleyn may have managed to take Catherine of Aragon's king away from her. But Catherine did not go down easily. In fact, she was defiant until the very bitter end.

Though Catherine was known amongst her people as a smiling queen of hearts, she was inwardly made of steel with a rock-hard will.

Smiling and kindly, is how Catherine's subjects most often would see their queen.  But Catherine was actually a dead-serious woman, and though a queen, she found her life to be one of little joy and much pain and hardship. Sent from Spain to a foreign country, married, widowed, nearly abandoned, married again, marriage, pregnancy, loss of children and infertility--these experiences were ones that Catherine endured, some happy, some sad. The unexpected phase in her life where she was informed she was no longer Queen of England, no longer wife of Henry VIII, her daughter no longer a princess, but a bastard, that experience would be the one that would mark the fight of her life.

As Catherine aged, day by day, she was forced to give up the dream of bearing a son, a son to give to her beloved husband. She gradually accepted her station in life, its limitations, and it wasn't a bad one to her. Catherine loved Henry with every fibre of her being, and she adored her only child, Mary. She believed that Henry also adored the pretty little princess he doted on. The middle aged queen's world was turned on its ear by the appearance of a mysterious lady, one who seemed to be French in appearance and mannerisms. A lady who was seductive, witty, intellectually brilliant, a woman who was much younger than Catherine. This new, dark featured beauty, with shining black eyes and shimmering raven coloured hair was one who just might give Henry a son--a woman who had served in the French court named Anne Boleyn.

It wasn't that Catherine hadn't endured Henry's infidelity before. She certainly had; his beautiful mistress Bessie Blount had even borne a son, Henry Fitzroy by the king. Henry took great care to provide and arrange things very nicely for his illegitimate son and his mother, and Catherine responded with rage. This chapter in their marriage caused serious trouble, to be certain.  But Henry still remained at Catherine's side; she was still his queen. Mary was still his princess daughter. But this was different; this was no infatuation guaranteed to subside and fade with time.  Henry, to Catherine's horror, was not content to keep Anne as a mistress, not even a formal mistress. He didn't want illegitimate sons by Anne; he wanted a legitimate prince by her. And Henry proved that he would do whatever it took to accomplish those means, split his kingdom in half, and destroy Catherine and Mary if necessary  Catherine could not have dreamed that Henry would actually divorce her, and then declare their daughter a bastard. It was inconceivable; it was not possible. Catherine was blind sided  and absolutely refused to accept her new title as Dowager Princess and her daughter as the Lady Mary. She refused Henry's terms and counselled Mary to also hold her ground, and refuse the king's new terms. But Catherine would find that Henry's new love was also digging in her heels. Anne would not accept anything less than queen; the sons she expected to give Henry must be legitimate heirs. 

Catherine, though for all appearances seemed to face her situation bravely, probably felt more than a little frightened of Anne Boleyn and the power she had over Henry. The two women were opposites in every way. Catherine was past childbearing, and  had been sickly for years. The new lady, Anne, looked the picture of health. A tallish woman, with an almost athletic build; she appeared youthful and strong. She wasn't conventionally beautiful, but she was vivacious, with seductive French mannerisms, and radiated a sexy confidence. Henry was besotted, determined to make his raven haired sweetheart queen. As time passed, Anne only grew more confident.  Catherine worried and fretted constantly, and grew more sickly. Mary was filled with hate and rage toward the concubine, toward anything and anyone who had facilitated the shameful breakdown of her parent's marriage.

Then a new habit began to emerge between Henry and Anne; they began to argue. The stress of the king's great matter, and how the whole scandal was now dragging out into years, was taking a toll on the couple. Anne grew frustrated and resentful. Time was being lost! Time was being lost in which Anne could have made a good marriage and borne sons, she screamed at Henry. Henry may have hoped that Catherine would either give up, or face defeat via other means. But Catherine would never give up. She continued to call herself queen and Henry VIII's "rightful wife." Catherine refused to give in or give up, and held out even as she lay dying, some of her last words expressing her love for Henry.

This battle would have no winners.  All involved would pay terrible prices, as well as affect countless innocent people. Catherine would die an excruciatingly painful death in a lonely faraway castle, if the dreary and cold habitation she was sent away to can be called that. Henry and Anne would marry, but it would end horrifically,  ultimately with Anne holding out hope for a pardon almost until the very end. The years of anxiety and anger would take a terrible toll on Mary, who became extremely unstable, and would exact a terrible vengeance on her subjects years later.