Anne of Cleves

Anne of Cleves also known as "The Mare of Flanders" (see below) (September 22, 1515 ? July 16, 1557) was the queen consort of Henry VIII of England from January 6, 1540 to July 9, 1540.

Related Topics:
September 22 - 1515 - July 16 - 1557 - Queen consort - Henry VIII of England - January 6 - 1540 - July 9

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Anne was born on September 22, 1515, at Düsseldorf, the daughter of John III, ruler of the duchy of Cleves, who had died in 1538. Now her brother was Duke of Cleves, Jülich and Berg, bearing the promising epithet "William the Rich". Her elder sister Sybille was married to John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, head of the Protestant Confederation of Germany, the "Champion of the Reformation". William was a Catholic personally, but the family politics made them suitable allies for Henry in the aftermath of the Reformation, and the match was urged on the king by his chancellor, Thomas Cromwell. The artist Hans Holbein the Younger was dispatched to paint a portrait of Anne, and Henry was pleased with the result. It was usual for court painters to be flattering in their portrayal of important people, and it is likely that Holbein covered up the evidence of Anne's smallpox scars.

Related Topics:
September 22 - 1515 - Düsseldorf - John III - Duchy of Cleves - 1538 - John Frederick, Elector of Saxony - Reformation - Thomas Cromwell - Hans Holbein the Younger - Smallpox

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This traditional image of Anne being "the ugly queen" was very prevalent amongst traditional historians however more recent viewpoints suggest that it is more likely she found Henry to be the ugly one (he was by this time grossly obese) and purposefully made him dislike her.

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Another theory suggests that they agreed that they just did not gel with each other,— Anne had been raised in the small provincial court at Dusseldorf and shared none of the musical and humanistic literary tastes of Henry's court— and they split on amicable terms ? this theory is supported by the good settlement she received.

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The marriage occurred on January 6 at the royal Palace of Placentia in Greenwich, London despite any misgivings by either party. The marriage was annulled on July 9, 1540, on the grounds that their marriage had never been consummated, and she was given a generous settlement, including Hever Castle, home of Henry's former in-laws the Boleyns. Made a Princess of England and called "sister" by her former husband, Anne remained in England for the rest of her life. She was the last of Henry's six wives to die, in London, on July 16, 1557, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. By then, she had converted to Roman Catholicism, and remained on good terms with one-time stepdaughter Princess Mary (also known as "Bloody Mary") Tudor.

Related Topics:
Palace of Placentia - Greenwich, London - July 9 - 1540 - Hever Castle - London - July 16 - 1557 - Princess Mary

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