Unlike in China, in Europe, a king had only one wife, the queen. The king's marriage to the queen is also based on blood and political needs, so even if the king does not like the queen very much, he can only find a lover to mix, and the children born to children are illegitimate children who often have no inheritance rights, not only that, but may not even look at the ordinary nobles.
This rule was broken by Henry VIII of the Tudor dynasty of England, who initiated the first divorce of kings in English history and was divorced several times. Henry VIII's divorce and Henry VIII's Reformation have been remembered by later generations.
In fact, the sixth queen of Henry VIII also divorced several times, and was the most divorced queen in British history. She was married four times.
Today, let's talk about the queen of England who has been married four times, Catherine Parr.
Catherine Parr
Catherine was the eldest daughter of Baron Thomas Parr, a descendant of King Edward III of England and an important branch of the nobility of England. Baron Thomas Parr himself had a very good relationship with Henry VIII, and his wife, Catherine's mother, was a maid of Honor, Aragon Catherine, Henry VIII's first Spanish queen. Not only that, but this Aragonese Catherine was also Catherine Parr's godmother, and even Catherine's name may have been chosen by her.
Although Catherine's father had died at a young age, Catherine was raised by her mother and, like other noble girls, Catherine was educated, speaking French, Italian, Latin, and began learning Spanish after becoming queen. However, catherine did not like the study of female red and the like.
In 1529, at the age of 17, Catherine married Baron Edward Boro (his grandfather was also called Edward Boro, who was Baron Boro Borg II), but unfortunately, the twenty-something Baron Edward Boro, who was infirm and ill, eventually died in 1533 because he died too early and did not inherit the title of Baron Boro Borg.
In the summer of the following year after the death of her first husband, Catherine married her second husband, Baron Latimer III of Snape, John Neville. The baron was twice as old as Catherine and had two children with his ex-wife. Although Neville and his brothers had many financial difficulties in obtaining the title of Earl of Warwick through legal means, his influence in the north was quite strong. This was undoubtedly a good thing for Catherine, who had a big house, titles, and influence.
Baron Latimer III, a Catholic supporter, opposed King Henry VIII's annulment of the first marriage and King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn. In October 1536, during the Lincolnshire Revolt, Catholic rebels appeared in front of Latimer's house and dragged Baron Latimer III away. From October 1536 to April 1537, Catherine lived in fear with her two children, and the rebels undoubtedly strengthened her loyalty to the English Reformed Church. In January 1537, during the Northern Revolt, Catherine and her stepson were taken hostage at Snape Castle in Yorkshire. The rebels ransacked the house and warned Baron Latimer III, who was returning from London. Eventually, Baron Latimer III persuaded the rebels to release the family.
However, this matter was known to Henry VIII and Cromwell, who thought that Baron Latimer III must have directed the play himself, so they chased after Baron Latimer III, and if it were not for Catherine's brother and uncle, Baron Latimer III might have died. But the affair haunted Catherine like a nightmare, especially as Cromwell desperately squeezed her husband. In 1542, Catherine was given the opportunity to enter the court, and not only that, she also met her fourth husband, Baron Seymour.
Beginning in the winter of 1542, Baron Latimer III fell ill and Catherine remained by his care until his death in 1543. In his will, Baron Latimer III made Catherine the guardian of his daughter until adulthood, and if the daughter did not marry for five years, she would be able to withdraw thirty pounds a year from it. Overall, Catherine became a wealthy widow.
After her husband's death, she also borrowed her godmother's relationship and re-established a friendship with Princess Mary. Because of this, Henry VIII fell in love with her, and although Henry VIII's late queen, Jeanne Seymour's brother, Baron Seymour, whom Catherine had met earlier, proposed to her, she chose Henry VIII after consideration. Henry VIII immediately sent his lover to Brussels.
On 13 July 1543, Henry VIII married Catherine, a widow who had been married twice. It was also Henry VIII's last marriage. In terms of generations, Henry VIII and Catherine can actually be regarded as cousins, so Catherine also became the Queen of Ireland after marriage. After Catherine became queen, the daughter of her second husband became a maid of honor and her son was enabled. Catherine was always very kind to her children, not only handling the relationship with her second stepdaughter well, but also getting along harmoniously with Henry VIII's children, and playing a very important role in reconciling the contradictions between Henry VIII and her children. It can be said that although Catherine did not give birth to two husbands, she was a great mother herself. In July–September 1544, Henry VIII went to France for a campaign, leaving Catherine as his regent. Her regency as well as her usual strong character and religious beliefs deeply influenced the future Queen Elizabeth I.
In 1546, as bishops of Winchester and Lord Reosley tried to make the king oppose her. An arrest warrant was issued, but she quickly reconciled with Henry VIII, who had always been determined with her calm and intellect, explaining that she and the king were arguing religious issues only to make the king forget the pain of his festering legs.
After the death of Henry VIII, Catherine received an annuity of £7,000 a year, and in 1547, six months after Henry VIII's death, she married her fourth husband, Thomas Seymour, who had previously been sent to Brussels. This time, she was pregnant. It was her only pregnancy, and she died six days after giving birth to her 35-year-old mother.
Like Henry VIII's beloved Jenny Seymour, she also died of puerperium.
It can be said that Catherine's life is full of legends, and she has a profound influence on the successors after England.