CATHERINE PARR: The Queen who SURVIVED HENRY VIII and the SCANDAL of Elizabeth I and Thomas Seymour
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- čas přidán 4. 02. 2021
- Ever wondered how CATHERINE PARR became the Queen who SURVIVED HENRY VIII and what happened next? For managing to outlive Henry VIII, his sixth wife deserves to be remembered as one the most amazing women in history, but how did she do it? This Tudors documentary from History Calling will take you through Catherine’s life, showing how her background, temperament and intelligence made her the ideal Queen for Henry and helped her survive him, despite having a near miss in 1546 when he almost had her arrested. We’ll also look at the Tudor scandal which erupted when Catherine married Thomas Seymour as well as the childhood of Elizabeth I, her relationship with her step-mother before and after Henry VIII's death and the even greater scandal of Elizabeth I and Thomas Seymour’s relationship.
Remember to check out my videos on Henry's other Queens in my six wives documentary series to learn more about Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. Links below.
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What do you think was the main reason Catherine Parr survived Henry VIII? Let me know below and check out my PATREON site for extra perks at www.patreon.com/historycalling
Her maturity and life experience I guess
@@made-line7627 Definitely huge assets I agree.
Quick wits, articulacy and shrewd insight into Henry’s psychology. Also, the adrenaline rush from imminent arrest and horrible fate: “hanging concentrates the mind”! She must have been a likeable person, with great charm and persuasion, because the Doctor valued her enough to warn her and deliver the arrest warrant into her hands. Henry seems very willing to be talked round by her, calling her “sweetheart”, and abusing the captain of the guards who came to arrest her. Alison Weir calls her “the most charming of Henry’s wives”.
Yes, I think she probably did have great charm. You'd need it to deal with Henry, especially at that point in his life.
He died before he could kill her. It was only a matter of time but it turned out time was on her side. Thanks for the very interesting series.
She was smarter than him and pretended she wasn’t. Because he wasn’t that bright, he fell for it. Good for her.
Maybe all he cared about was that she grovel before him.
That's a good way of looking at it.
I think there’s a lot of sense in that. She knew how to “play the game”, as it were.
She can't have been that smart, though, judging by her behavior after his death. I know history is littered with women making terrible choices out of trying desperately to remain appealing to a specific man - but to drag an English princess into the situation is insane. She got very much used and I feel quite sorry for her. It's a shame she didn't have any close female friends to warn her about Seymour's obvious and clumsy scheming. I suppose it really is lonely at the top. Her's was not a happy story.
@@batintheattic7293 Thats becas she was actually in love with Seymour. As we all know how logic sometimes goes out the window when it comes to matters of love.
wow, I didn’t realise Catherine came so close to also being executed - desite everything I already knew, it's still shocking how ruthless Henry VIII could be!
I know. He really had no limits.
He was a cruel , fickle and rotten psychopath. He was literally rotting for years and his pain caused him to get grumpier and meaner.
I did read that he was different before his accident.
@@lisapeace1587 He'd always had painful injuries with is legs, but he definitely had a bad head injury in the accident... it's very strange to think how things may have been differently if the lance had been just a few inches higher... would make a good video - "Did Henry VIII really become more of a tyrant because of his accident?" 🧐
Though to be fair, by then he'd already rejected the entire Catholic Church to marry Anne Boleyn and was already getting bored of her with an eye on wife number three... so he always did kinda like things his own way, even for a King! 😁
@@lisapeace1587 That accident didn't cause him to become evil he chose that maybe he was good before or maybe he hid it well and got worse over time especially with all the power he had gained it surely went to his big fat head but his God punished him in the end the God he thought he had fooled you cannot fool God Henry he saw your evil ways! Especially he saw what you did to that poor kid Catherine Howard and you paid for it you still are how is hell treating ya? that leg rot off yet? How is the syphilis yeah probably should have kept it in your pants more often LOL and do not get me started on the Howard girl you cold bloodedly murdered her same as you did Anne when her child was 3 years old Henry!!!!!!!!! I am not completely sure who had it worse Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn yes you spared Catherine but you tormented her you banished her and made her to live alone for the remainder of her days and the worst of all you took her child away she was not allowed any contact with her daughter that to me is a fate worse than death to know my child is out there longing for me but I cannot see her? Had I been in her position I would have been killed or whatever he would have done because I would have defied him and found my child took off with her if I had to I cannot imagine not only the pain of Queen Catherine but the confusion and torment of her child yes her child you do not deserve the title of father forget Daddy that is a special title a man earns blood or not and you failed miserably with all your kids really you didn't love Edward either you needed him to feed your ego I think the only kids who had any chance at life were the illegitimate ones you ignored and had no part in their lives or I think thats how it went down but however it happened I hope you had no contact with the other kids you helped to make and I hope atleast some had good happy lives
Every time I hear that letter from Catherine to Henry it makes me absolutely furious. I feel so deeply for women who lived back then - that this state of affairs between the genders was considered normal and right. Those poor women.
Even from the letters, I can see the difference between the writing/english skills
Where are you living? In much of the world they are still much worse off.
It probably had more to do with him being the king & one with a certain reputation.
What I keep thinking about is how Jane Seymour would have felt re: her beloved brothers being executed at the order of her own son. Spine chilling.
I know. She probably didn't see that plot twist coming.
Wait did Edward execute both his uncles, Edward & Thomas?
@@obsessivefangirl5055 Yep, he sure did.
@@elisabetta611 like father like son :)
@@obsessivefangirl5055 To be fair, Thomas had it coming to him, his behaviour towards his brother, nephew and Elizabeth all indicate a very foolish man. Edward Seymour reluctantly allowed his brother to be executed as he was becoming dangerous. John Dudley was the driving force behind Edward Seymour's execution.
She had time to fight for her life by winning Henry over. Her arrest warrant was "accidentally"delivered to her.
Yes, I'd love to know exactly how that happened. Probably saved her life.
@@HistoryCalling - I had heard Henry intentionally did it, as a severe warning to his wife.
As I heard it the warrant was dropped and one of her ladies found it and brought it to her, it was also her skills at tending to his ulcerated leg that made her indespensible (not sure if I spelt that right) to him.
That what I read years ago but it may not be accurate.
@@wvrjl I believe this theory as well. I remembered reading that he did this to make a point to BOTH Katherine and Gardiner; Katherine to remind her who was the man in the charge and as for Gardiner, to prove that Henry saw right through his schemes. I'd like to think that maybe at that time he simply did not want the hassle of finding another wife. I know there were rumours that he was seeking a seventh wife but at this point whoever she would be, would have to be forced into the wedding via sword point. Executing one wife is alarming, two, terrifying and if he did go on and execute a THIRD wife then it would hard as hell for ANY family to put their daughter forth as the next Queen of England. Hell, Katherine even only agreed because a) she had no choice and b) she thought it was her God-given role to steer England to further Reformation.
@@alisonholland7531 I think its a possibility. By the time Henry married Catherine Parr, he was already very sick and weak and needed someone he could trust to take care of him. He did make a lot of enemies over the years.
I know it is believed that Catherine's daughter died young (aged 3 or 4). But I still hope that the little girl survived, somehow, being a survivor like her mother. Perhaps with such wit, she wisely chose to step back away from the throne, and royalty. Therefore she slipped out of history just as quietly as she slipped out of court life. Wishful thinking.
I feel the same. During Queen Mary I short reign she arranged a marriage between a duke and an unnamed woman. I hope it was her.
It's good to approach the topic in this way. One aspect of Henry VIII's character I wish I saw emphasized more was that he was an abusive spouse. Katherine Parr was an abuse survivor. I know that imposes a modern framing of the situation, but it's not necessarily wrong or unhelpful in understanding how people connected with him behaved.
It is not necessarily modern. People may not have seen his behavior as abusive but it doesn't mean the victims didn't suffer.
Henry sure was one of the worst people ever... How his wives had to grovel in front of him to not get killed - if they had the chance to even try. And for what reasons? "Did she just talk to me like she knows better!!? Off with her head!"
Baffling how some even _wanted_ to be his wife.
I think these women thought they could handle him. Not!
I don't think they wanted it..they just didn't have a choice
Ann Boleyn preferred another man, Henry refused to allow the marriage. Catharine part also.
@@jacquelinedeigan776Yes.
@@kitsiewr Yes.
She was a smart woman to basically tell him he was in charge and was trying to learn from him. She knew his ego.
Katherine Parr knew her role and played it well....unfortunately she desired Thomas Seymour, and that was her undoing.....RIP courageous woman! 🎆♥️🇺🇲
I know, she does seem to have had a thing for a bad boy when it came to Thomas. She deserved so much better than him.
I always thought Thomas Seymour was a scoundrel. He got what he deserved in the end.
@@dianetheisen8664 what happened to him
@@sanjidabegum4045 He was beheaded.
Well, if she was allowing her brand new husband to molest her teenager stepdaughter under her roof (and blaming the victim and sending her packing when she could not longer pretend ignorance) she was quite a piece of work.
I like how your series on the wives is framed around a question about them rather than being a straight biography. It's an interesting way to approach exploring their lives.
If the portraits are any indication, she was the prettiest of all of his wives in my opinion.
I was thinking the same exact thing!
From the portraits I've always believed Ann of Cleaves was the prettiest 😊
I don't know. Many still believe that Queen Catherine of Aragon or Queen Anne Boleyn was the most beautiful of the six wives of King Henry Viii. I personally think that all of six queens are beautiful in their own ways and they were all too good for Henry, especially Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. ❤
Catherine must’ve been so disillusioned when she discovered that Tom Seymour, hubby #4 and the only husband that she loved, was definitely NOT worth the wait. She’d been married to older men three times and nearly lost her life as Henry’s queen. Then to find out that the man she’d loved for years only married her as a way to get close to try to seduce her ward the king’s youngest daughter would’ve been the worst possible kind of betrayal. Even if she’d lived I don’t think that her marriage would’ve been a happy one and that Seymour would still have ended up being executed for treason. It’s too bad that it took so long for her to realize what grade A narcissist he was. My heart goes out to the poor lady.💔
As a former victim of the psych industries and who has studied those industries for over twenty years - you do realize that, in fact, there is no such thing as narcissism or narcissists - just as there is no such thing as empaths. Both terms were invented by the atheist-based psych industries rooted not in fact but based on Greek myth to label people who don't fit into the atheist mold of expectation. To simplify it - basically that kind of process would be like labeling every female victim of rape as a "Medusa" (though that term also would not only be inappropriate but inaccurate as well). In reality, Thomas Seymour was a selfish, greedy, unloving, abusive, depraved adulterer, and sadly Catherine became complicit in his depravity, though she was able to reel back when she saw that the love of her life betrayed her. He did betray her, and I do feel sorry for her, but she should have been wiser to what her love was really like. Henry was certainly not better, but he never tried to screw his children- at least as far as we know. I'd like to hope that in the end, Catherine perhaps prayed for the soul of her husband and at least forgave him of his wickedness. Otherwise, talk about how the mighty who have fallen. The only ones I feel sorry for in all this are their daughter and Elizabeth. At least, Elizabeth had the wisdom that her parents - Henry and Anne - and his wives and her half-siblings lacked. She made the choice to never marry, and in the end, it was for the best. She learned from all of their mistakes. She finally brought the whole debacle to its end, perhaps unintentionally or unconsciously, but nonetheless, she ended the reign of cheating and wrecked and ruined lives caused by her Dad's adultery and put an end to his legitimate line. However, who knows, Henry was such an adulterer (just like Thomas, ironically) - perhaps he sired a child by another woman who was able to escape or get away. Only God and perhaps any such child's mother knows.
@@EmilyGloeggler7984 Because your every opinion must be true. I could see where a narcissist would want to tell the world there is no such thing. All the better to manipulate unsuspecting victims. As someone who grew up with a narcissist as a sibling, I know your kind better than most.
nar·cis·sist noun--a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.
"narcissists who think the world revolves around them" There are certainly plenty of people like that in the world, including you.
Her first husband wasn’t old.
Tom wasn’t an adulterer…who was he sleeping with besides the queen?
@@AkathisiaWarrior teenage Elizabeth
Her death due to childbirth was one of the reasons why Elizabeth I decided never to marry
Quite possibly.
@@HistoryCalling Elizabeth probably had a long list of reasons never to marry. An entire series of videos could be done on this subject.
No one knows the exact reasons why and never will. It's dumb to assume you know for sure.
@@englishatheart she said “one of the reasons”. Never implied it was the one and only reason, it’s best to read before calling someone’s statement dumb. Like the comment above, I’m sure Elizabeth I had many reasons and quite possibly, that was ONE OF those🤷🏻♀️
Maybe. I think it was a lot more likely that she didn't want to lose her power to her husband.
Excellent exposition, thank you so much for including the transcript of the Henry / Catherine exchange about her religious opinions. This is the first time I’ve heard Fox’s account of that famous conversation. None of the numerous other historians on CZcams has ever included it, yet it’s such a key document, providing a fly-on-the -wall view of how Henry’s masculine royal ego is assuaged when Catherine deploys her formidable powers of expression to save her life. I love your dark humour, eg when you talk about Catherine managing to escape ending up “under the floor” like wives 2 and 5!
Hi Harriet, thanks for watching and commenting and for your kind words. I'm glad that Fox's account was useful (though I'd urge a grain of salt with it, as I'm not sure how he came up with his transcript - I'm sure he wasn't actually there. It's the best we've got though). Yes, it's typical of Henry that my 'buried under the floor' comment is literally true! Anyone with two wives under the floor nowadays would (hopefully) be in prison.
Catherine Parr was intelligent, right up there with Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon as the most intelligent of Henry's wives. That would have helped her immensely with Henry. I think it's a stark contrast with her predecessor, Katherine Howard, who wasn't very bright and who tried to lie her way out of the mess she got into by pointing the blame at everyone else. I think Catherine Parr worked Henry out very well, probably because she was mature and because she'd been married before. She knew how to deal with Henry and when to placate him. I also think Catherine Parr saw a purpose in her marriage to Henry. She really believed God wanted her to marry him, so she did. That said, she must have realised he wasn't going to live forever, not that it would have been safe for her to say so of course, so I think she always had an eye on what her future could be when he was gone. I don't think it is any coincidence at all that she married Thomas Seymour pretty quickly after Henry died. I'm certain that she regarded her duty done and now she could have what she really wanted. The tragedy for Catherine is that Thomas Seymour was probably far too ambitious for his own good. I also think it's a tragedy that though she'd been very involved with Elizabeth (until they fell out over Seymour) and Edward as their step mother, she didn't get the chance to enjoy being a mother to her own daughter, who probably didn't outlive her by very long.
Like Katherine Howard, Parr was also in love with someone else when she married King Henry but she was smart and actually waited for him to die before going back to Seymour, like you said. Somehow, I don't think Henry would have had Parr executed since he was already very sick and weak by the time they married and he needed someone he could trust to take care of him. Parr was more like Henry's nurse than his wife. Everyone knew he didn't have long to live even though no one dared to say it. If only Katherine Howard was as patient and smart. She could have ended up a very rich widow once Henry died and have the freedom to marry who she wanted.
To be fair, K. Howard was a child, so comparing their intelligence isn't very fair.
@@jaimedreamsx She was like 17 or so. I know a lot of smart teens and dumb adults.
@@Elly3981 Okay but still, comparing a 17 year old to a person much older and more experienced then them isn't fair. It just isn't.
@@jaimedreamsx Do you need to be in your 30s to know that a man who already killed one wife is dangerous?
Catherine Parr survived because she was the last wife and Henry VIII was old then.
The video is about her surviving an attempt to have her arrest and most likely executed. If she had not been able to talk her way out of it and been executed, it is most likely Henry may not have had a wife at the time of his death as it was only a few months after.
Henry was 55. Not that old. But he was very sick and weak by the time he married Parr and needed someone he could trust to take care of him. Especially since he did have a lot of enemies.
Your videos are excellent! Very sorry about Catherine's marriage to Seymour, and her death after childbirth. I believe the true tragedy was never having the opportunity to raise her own child.
Thank you :-) Yes, poor Catherine's story did indeed have a really tragic end :-(
Catherine Parr is my favorite and not just because she was such a loving and protective stepmother
Yes, I like her too. Very smart and savvy and good at handling Henry without getting herself killed.
She molested E1 🤦🏻♀️
She allowed her 4th husband to sexually abuse Elizabeth I...
@@jamellfoster6029 I think that's a modern interpretation. The truth is more complicated. In Tudor times girls could legally have sex at 12. The age of consent remained at 12 for girls right up until 1885. In boys the age of consent was 14. I'm not convinced what was going on with Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour was sexual abuse as we would define it. I think Elizabeth could even have felt romantically inclined towards him for a while, and I think what started out as Seymour being silly and having terrible judgement, went too far and became him having an eye on power and having no thought for how inappropriate the relationship was, but whilst I don't think it was wise or appropriate, I don't think it was abusive. Certainly the relationship was inappropriate, and there is evidence Elizabeth was confused by what was going on, but there is some evidence she also went along with it quite happily. I think Elizabeth's confusion lay in the fact that Seymour was virtually her step father, by virtue of his marriage to the closest thing to a mother Elizabeth had really known. However, if it was abusive, Catherine Parr colluded with it for a while, even, allegedly, holding Elizabeth down while Seymour slashed at her dress with a sword.
I think Anne Boleyn was treated unfairly. She was smart, witty and strong willed. This is what drew Henry to her then he listened to others that didn't like her and Henry believed it. So very sad.
I always wonder if Henry, in his old and infirm age, was just tired. And when it came down to the possibility of another scandal, execution, and talk of yet another wife, he just didn’t want to do it again.
A pawn is the weakest piece on the board, but if it reaches the other side, it can become a queen. She used her wit to become queen and to survive Henry, however at his death I believe all of her pent up emotion for Seymour overwhelmed her and then in her rush to finally have him, she made poor decisions. Love can blind you.
I think Cauherine Parr was clever she had been married to two older men and knew how to treat him. She was in love with Thomas Seymour, and died in childbirth, she had a daughter, and I am not sure what happened to her.
Sadly little Mary Seymour disappears from the records as a toddler and so most likely died at that point. :-(
Some women know how to please and assauge quarrel prone and temperamental men like Henry VIII. They know how to be partners and friends which most men want. She had what it took. She probably could have wrote a 16th Century version of the book "Fascinating Womanhood"!
I'm so happy I came across your channel! I love history and you have a very soothing voice. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
Hi Márcia, thank you. I'm so glad you like it. I hope you enjoy the other videos too. You stay safe as well.
It was not easy for a stepmother to unite her three stepchildren, all from different mothers, under the same household. Moreover, Catherine, a devout Protestant, must have been diplomatic and loving for her to win the admiration of her oldest stepchild, Mary, an ardent Catholic.
I want to like and respect Katherine Parr but her Ghislaine Maxwell moments with Thomas Seymour on teenage Elizabeth sticks in my craw.
I know. I'm not sure what she was thinking. My best guess is that she was in denial and convinced herself that he meant no harm. She'd loved Seymour for years and it must have broken her heart when she finally married him, only to discover that he didn't love her anywhere near as much and was in fact pursuing her step-daughter. All I can say in her defence is that when the penny finally dropped for her, she removed Elizabeth from the situation immediately. Nowadays of course, we wouldn't advocate punishing the victim by sending her away, but in the 1550s Catherine wasn't in a position to be able to kick her husband out of the house and in her mindset, she probably attributed at least some of the blame to Elizabeth (again, a very different outlook to what we would have now).
@@HistoryCalling Although sending the victim away does remove her from the situation so, even if it was intended to be a punishment, it was probably the best thing for Elizabeth’s safety.
Exactly! 🤮
It must have been really difficult for her… she was heavily pregnant and not much involved in what was happening in the household. I also don’t think she really believed that this man that had waited for years to marry her could be chasing Elizabeth. Yet, when Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting DID actually tell her what she had seen of his ‘grooming’ Elizabeth and then saw him kissing E and realised the truth, she reacted immediately and sent both Elizabeth and Lady Jane (later the 9-day Queen) away from her house. This must have been absolutely heartbreaking for her as it showed her the reality of her husband’s character, and because she adored Elizabeth and wanted E at her side when she gave birth. I suspect that when she became ill with the birth of her daughter that she didn’t have the will to fight for her life….
@@HistoryCalling - Yes, but IS that why? Or was it anger at, and jealousy of, Elizabeth?? The fact that she never saw Elizabeth again, makes me think it was the latter.
Since I watched the series, "The Tudors", many times, I knew most of this, but you filled in some details that were good to learn.
I especially appreciated the pictures you showed. Many I hadn't seen & were good to go with the narration.
Another reason I think Henry kept her, is because she was such a diligent, attentive & caring 'nurse'.
She knew his ailments, medications & could speak intelligently with the doctors. (I suppose)
This must have been of the essence to the long-suffering king.
Where would he get that again, & to have to have someone learn from scratch?
Too much to bear, probably.
Thank you.
PS I was bewildered at Henry's reply to the fellow asking about recinding the arrest warrant.
Is that factual? What was the king's meaning? Did he want the showdown he had in the park?
Oh God, the “nurse”. She was queen, not a woman on her knees changing bandages.
That doctor was a life saver in more ways than one. Maybe he couldn't bear to see yet another of Henry's wives lost to the scaffold.
And the last part of what Henry said in response to Katherine basically begging for her life, his words to me are so chilling...
"Then perfect friends we are now again, as ever at any time heretofore."
From my understanding, all that she did wrong was have a difference of opinion and for him to turn on her so quickly and be prepared to have her executed on a whim and then to take it all back and forgive her just as quickly. That is a very scary and unstable man and someone that you would have to walk on eggshells in order to be around him, if you are to survive. If I were in that position I wouldn't be able to deal with that kind of stress.
I know, it was as if they'd had a minor falling out over what to have for dinner that evening. Henry was very changeable and very dangerous. I will say that I doubt that source is a word for word account of their conversation, as I don't think anyone else was there, but it's the best we've got and I'm sure it gets the gist of what was said and what Henry's intentions were. Thanks for watching and commenting.
ovo
There have been many instances of married couples, relations, friends and acquaintances falling out because of differences of opinion about covid, the vax and the reasons behind Governments taking away our freedom and rights and destroying our economies for a flu with with an almost 100% recovery rate.
Trusting the "science" has become like the new Catholicism because critical thinkers are spoken about by the media the way the early Protestants would have been by the establishment in their day.
Feelings run high when it comes to the truth about something so vitally important and it's easy to get carried away in an argument about it.
Henry obviously enjoyed discussions and debates with Katherine and had encouraged her to debate freely with him as it took his mind off the pain of his ulcerated leg.
Katherine had taken him at his word and got carried away by her passionate convictions and possibly her ego.
Maybe she'd become so useful as a Nurse and companion to the King and used to him being vulnerable in her presence that she didn't realise that he'd turn on her and have her executed.
@@elliegreen4738 So basically there is NO topic you can't twist into your team chant !!?? 😄
@@HistoryCalling Henry was very mentally unstable and anything from anyone could have set him off whether that person was his wife or a servant. I think that Henry might not have executed Catherine Parr since he was very sick and weak by the time he married her and probably needed someone he could trust to take care of him since he did have a lot of enemies.
In a way you could say Mary Seymour is like an Anastasia story since there’s no records of her but just rumors she’s died young. I’ve read one book where they went on the theory she went to Ireland with one of Catherine parr’s ladies. Now mind you haha this is just a book with the theory or idea of that but it’s kind of cool to think if maybe Mary Seymour is an Anastasia 🤷🏻♀️🤔😎😯🤫
Anastasia's body was already found though unless you're talking about the Disney one
@@SM-ky6pb I meant the rumor of her not dying. I didn’t mean that Anastasia was never found haha and Mary Seymour May have been the true Anastasia story since there’s not really any proof of her remains
@@sierrahicks6298 oh okok i understand that haha
I found Catherine parr on my family tree as her brother was a descendant fascinating to hear about her
Cool!
I'm also a descendent!😁
Another excellent video Miss. Thank you.
"Post mortem" marriages is a subject that interests me personally -though I am far from a member of any Royal Family! My great grandfather's first wife died after giving birth twice. In due course he wanted to marry her sister but apparently this was not allowed (I am not sure whether by the State or the Church.) Nevertheless he had two children with her hence my eventual arrival some 50 years later! Following great grandmother's death in childbirth, GGF wanted to marry a third sister and by now such an marriage was allowed - but not by her family who thought he was a jinx! However he went on to marry soneone else from the village who produced four more children to add to his tribe! He died of thyroid disease (and possible exhaustion?!) aged 62 in 1927.
Found out I am related to Catherine so that’s pretty interesting! 😅
That was very interesting,I really enjoyed this. I'm glad I came across your channel.
Glad you enjoyed it :-)
Well presented and researched. Presentation flowed well for the viewer..
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Wow that must have been nerve-wracking for Katherine, thankfully she managed it with her iron will and shrewdness. Also props up to the ladies-in-waiting who successfully destroyed the alleged evidence held against them.
Ultimately I would like to point out the strength these and all women of the period had to display discreetly in order to ensure their survival, in addition to the inherent deadly danger that represented pregnancy/childbirth plus all the different lethal ailments that raided. Wow iconic 👏👏👏
Yeah, you have to love CP. I always think she'd be the wife I'd be best friends with if I could go back in time and meet them all.
Your channel is great
Don't stop.
Thank you. That's so kind of you to say :-)
It creeps me out hearing the way she talked to him (as formal as possible, with a lot of reverence and flourishing, calling him her "Lord and husband") justaposed to the way he spoke to her (so casually and direct, calling her Kate and sweetheart - even though he was very close to send her to her death)
And also how swiftly he changed his mind, as in sending her to die was not a decision that weighted at all, and just a passing fancy.
How little did his own wife's life mattered to him? I've been horrified by his actions to his wifes and daughter, Mary, before (I've been binge watching your videos), but this was what got under my skin. How casual all of this was to him. How 'nothing' all this woman were to such a important man in their life. It's genuinely scary
As noted Katherine Parr was in love with Thomas Seymour before Henry's eye fell upon her. After two arranged marriages to much older men Thomas was what she wanted. Katherine took the King, possibly for many reasons. Seymour would have seen his power over her as a way to Henry's approval, maybe. Thomas Seymour was guardian, at the time, to Lady Jane Gray. So there were two vulnerable girls in the Dowager Queen's household. Katherine's strange involvement in the abuse Elizabeth suffered is mysterfying. However she obviously was under Thomas's spell and wanted Elizabeth's carers' to believe it was 'just fun'. The scandal remained attached to Elizabeth after she was installed in her own household. Thomas Seymour continued to harasse her after Katherine's death. Elizabeth was lucky to be still alive to become the great Queen she became. It seems Elizabeth's wit, wisdom and courage was learnt the hard way.
Only one older man before Henry--her first was a young man--but one was enough, I'm sure.
Ha ha.."how did she do it?" Henry died.
Yes, I just wrote the same, lol.
That’s obviously the case but the video is more on her surviving the attempt to have her arrested and most likely executed.
I subscribed right away. Absolutely fantastic content.
Thank you so much. Glad to have you :-)
I have no idea, what possessed Catherine Parr to marry a repugnant tyrant?
History surrounding Henry VIII is fascinating
Being in Henry's good graces was a predisposed, possible death sentence ten years into his reign
Was it a sport to test an omnipotent psychopath in the 15th C?
Fear probably
Henry wanted her ro marry him, therefore she had no choice.
Like she had a choice?
@@annepollock8306 Exactly.. And he knew she & Seymour were into each other & sent Seymour packing.
It was another cruelty on his part.
Catherine didn't have a choice. Henry Viii was a man who couldn't take no for an answer. If he wanted to marry you, you couldn't say no, not without risking your life and livelihood anyway. Besides in hindsight, she ended up becoming known as the queen who survived King Henry Viii. Surely, that counts as an achievement right?
I love that you recommend books! And that you say "Keep learning!" I have learned a lot and you speak very well!
Your videos are so well done and addicting! I don't know what I'll do when I have watched all of them!
I wonder if she expected to be buried on the other side of Henry to Jane. And I wonder how she felt having Henry buried next to Jane.
Both excellent questions to which I sadly have no answers. If I had to guess I would say she understood why Henry would have wanted to be buried with the mother of his heir and why Edward would have wanted his parents buried together too. If she thought she could be buried with her 4th husband, she might have been happy enough with that.
I don't think she was buried next to him.
There's no record of Catherine making such a request. I don't think it mattered to her as her heart belonged to Thomas Seymour.
I doubt she would have wanted to be buried next to Henry. Next to either Thomas Seymour or John Latimer would have been more likely.
@@kate_cooper Not next to Thomas as he was another "under the floor" of St Peter ad Vincula.
Hi hi! I recently found your channel a few days ago and I love it so much! I have always loved history and I have always had a special interest in the Tudors. I didn't know about Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth though, I'll bet that contributed quite a bit to her never marrying.
Thank you. Yes, I think it may have had an impact too.
I'm so happy i found you!!! Well done 😁
Thank you! 😃
She did NOT cheat on him and she was tactful.
I just watched all your videos, new favourite chanel
Hi Scarlet. Thank you so much. I hope you also enjoy the upcoming videos.
Great history lesson on Catharine Parr. I enjoyed it 👍😀 can't wait to see more next time
He did not dump Jane #3
Great stuff I subbed . Keep up the good work
Thanks, will do!
Thank You for your excellent video.
My biological father's family insist that, through his mother, they are direct descendants of Catherine Parr. His mother's maiden name was Parrkin, or something like that, which they claim means "kin of Parr." My daughter and I did some research and found a story basically as you have presented it. We found dead ends with any male family members with the name of Parr and a dead end through Catherine herself with the disappearance of the baby Mary. Any other women of that family would not have retained the name Parr when they married, and neither would their children so we considered them as dead ends as well. The only way we can see any truth to the story is if little Mary had survived in secret with a name change (to erase any connection to her executed father?) and if her children retained that name change. We also found that Mary had been given into the care of a lady from the court who was a friend to Catherine ( I forget her name) and that she had petitioned for the money inherited by Mary be made available for Mary's care. This was granted but the money was never touched, and all information about Mary stops at about this point. So, what do you think? Are my biological father's family the idiots they appear to be , or could there be some hidden secret that has been passed down in their family?
I think anything is possible. If we could get a hold of Parr's remains and DNA, then it may be possible to prove if her daughter, Mary survived and had children of her own.
Was Parr her maiden name, or that of one of her husbands? Your family could be related to a lot of Parr males in either case.
Katherine Parr is my favorite Queen . She was smart
I'm very glad I live now. Having to reel off half a book by answering a question during those times would wear down my vocal cords!
Fantastic ! Thank you!
Is it possible that Catherine's perceived infertility was a bonus for Henry? After all, she hadn't fallen pregnant by either of her previous husbands and thus Henry could easily blame the lack of pregnancies on her rather than any impotence of his own.
They didn't even try to consummate, I think. He married for companionship.
@@spencerfrankclayton4348 Although his will made stipulation for potential children by Katherine should she have been pregnant at the time of his death. Whether this was wishful thinking on his part, I don't know.
Anne of Cleves also survived him.
How to survive the 8th Henry: Roll out those sons.
I like your sense of humor. :)
I try :-)
Interesting video! Anne strikes me as being kind and very generous.
I've always felt like I loved her the most...she was smart enough to protect herself very well...except for falling for Thomas Seymour later. She protected herself from Henry after his violence made him so volatile and dangerous. She was just brilliant.
Fantastic concise analysis
I loved this video! Do you have links to find more information about those letters she wrote? ❤️
I loved your video! Looking forward to checking out your other posts
Thank you so much!
Can’t believe I missed this video for a year! Lol.
one thing I’ve never understood why didn’t the New Queen Marry, Keep Elizabeth around in her care she was next in line after her technically, and keeping her around would mean he could control her meaning any protestant plots to raise her Elizabeth to the throne could be managed if that makes sense.
Also, I’m not 100% on Tudor law (little there was) but when her previous husband died did she in inherit all his money, lands and property and ergo Henry would then take it upon marriage? I wonder if that was also a factor for Henry.
I haven't watched your video yet, although I'm about to start. I just wanted to say thank you for telling the story of this amazing woman's extraordinary life ❤. Really, you couldn't make up what happened to Catherine Parr,could you? It really shows how truth can be stranger than fiction! She was only 32 years old when she Henry married her, and she had already been the young wife of 2 elderly men - Lord Latimer and then Lord Parr. But, they had both been kindly men, whereas Henry VIII, who was in great pain from his ulcerated and rotting leg, was very quick tempered and vicious.
Edit:: I'm so sorry 😞, I got it wrong, I was under the impression that Catherine was first married to Latimer and then Parr, but NO, I was completely wrong, I told you I hadn't watched your video!!! LOL 😆 🤣 and now my foolishness is on display, I left it there to show how easy it is to get the wrong idea. So, Catherine was first married to Lord B. Thank you 😊 💓 ☺ 💗.
No problem and thank you for watching. You might enjoy my more recent video on Catherine's early life too. It's a bit like a prequel to this one.
She truly got lucky, she didn't want to marry him specially knowing what he had done to two of his wives she had to be extremely careful with him, as she knew there would be no escaping him after he's proposal, by then he was also older and not so mobile had the son he wanted so didn't bother him much and I do think he liked her otherwise she would've been on the block and he saved/forgave her for the book she wrote and had published whilst he was away, the accusations of her being a heretic etc, the fact that she kept the estate running in his absence, took his kids as her own, even though Mary didn't much like and knew she was a Heretic, she had the guts to go and tend to his rotten wound and with all that he knew all there was to her was companionship also, he also died before anything else could be thrown at her so she had a lucky escape from a Tyrant. Her next husband was a bed egg with an ego, slightly crazy, and a groomer.
Thanks!
She married him to become Queen. She became his nurse
I don't think she wanted to be Henry's queen, but there was no saying no to the guy. Lord Latimer had been an older man whom she had to nurse, and though she knew how to be a good nurse, she was probably not enthused about the prospect of doing it again.
I love the way you say "eege" for age. I can't figure out your native language are you Irish or Scott?
I am from a part of the US where people make fun of our pronunciations too.
I'm Northern Irish (which has quite a lot in common with the Scots accent). Yes, there are a lot of uneducated, bigoted people in the world who just think everyone should sound like them, aren't there? I wonder if they know that not everyone speaks English too. I'm sure your accent (which I assume is Texan, given your username) is beautiful. Don't change a thing :-)
@@HistoryCalling I too wondered where you accent is from. It is very lovely to listen to and I think it sounds beautiful. I, sadly, do not have an accent at all but have always admired the accents of others :)
@@allisonwest7079 Everyone who speaks has an accent of some sort!
@@HistoryCalling ahhh i was sure it was scottish
Is it true that after Henry's death, she knew about her husband Thomas Seymour absuing and a******ing Elizabeth when she was a young adult?
Sudely Castle is well worth a visit, even without it being Jane Seymour's resting place.
Why was Seymour killed?
He was the uncle of the king…
In a nutshell, he was one of the King's two uncles and was trying to supplant his big brother as Lord Protector. If you see my video on Edward VI, it goes into more detail on this whole episode. His brother ended up being executed a few years later too.
@@HistoryCalling
Thanks 😊
You're welcome :-)
Really enjoy your content and the effort behind it THC u
Thanks Sandra :-)
In Alison Weir’s novel Innocent Traitor, a fictionalized biography of lady Jane Grey, Jane is the person that delivered the warrant to Katherine
Now that would be interesting if it was true! :-)
I really like Weir's books about the Tudors.
Very interesting
Anne of Clives out lived Henry, Parr, Edward, and almost Mary.
Hands down...best, title.
THanks.
Intelligence and agility; an excellent mind. Her downfall was her heart...
Parr kissed Henry's 🐴(eloquently)and kept her head, well played. Great video!
Yes, she was a clever cookie. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching.
There are lots of comments here expressing sympathy toward Catherine Parr. I’m unable to feel much sympathy for someone who aided in the abuse of a child; a girl who looked to Catherine as a mother figure, having lost her own at a painfully young age. It’s not poor Catherine in my view; it’s poor Elizabeth…
As a matter of fact, it can be both. Victims often victimize others.
@@losingmymind611She was a grown woman (in her 30’s) who chose to marry Thomas despite both Edward and Mary disliking the match so soon after Henry’s death. No, she is not the victim.
I wonder if Henry's choice of Catherine was more thought out just her being still fairly young, pretty and good humoured. In a way it was a cautious choice for him. She was twice widowed, so no pretences of virginity (avoids surprises a'la Katherine Howard), her conduct as a wife and stepmother promised a good conduct in their marriage - less fear she will put horns on him. And she was childless, so there was no pressure on Henry to perform. If they have a child, good, if not, no one would question it. She was smart enough to have a discussion with, but clearly knew how to stroke his ego, or at least knew what to say when she overstepped. Many say that Henry grew tired of Anne because she was too confident in her opinions or something like that, things that are exciting in a mistress, bacame grating in a wife, etc. I wonder if Catherine offered the same balance as Catherine of Aragon.
It is shocking how Catherine went along with her debased husband, but she eventually did stand up to him and held him accountable. I feel sorry for her and their child. Thomas Seymour was an idiot and he sadly destroyed himself as well as his marriage to Catherine.
Tragedy if she lived with Henry, tragedy after outliving him too. All in all, tragic.
I really enjoyed this video! Can you tell us why the portrait of Katherine Parr was formerly thought to be of Lady Jane Grey?
I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one without further research. Maybe someone else here will be able to help you out though.
@@HistoryCalling The only thing I've read is that the lady in this portrait is wearing a jewel known to have belonged to Katherine Parr, so they assume it's her. But Lady Jane Grey lived in her household with Princess Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour, and when Katherine died Jane was chief mourner at her funeral. Maybe Katherine had left that jewel to Jane in her will?
Henry had a thing for women named Cathrine. Half his wives were named that!!
There's really only ONE reason Catherine survived Henry...she was smarter than he was. Period.
Chase the damn beast.. 😂 if he just like trading them ..I think Harem wasn't smiled at.
Brilliant. Love it. Thank you. From Africa.
Any woman today would have choked on their words if they had to say to their husbands what she said to Henry
at 2:10 she's really giving him the side-eye lol
I feel bad for Queen Catherine. First, she was forcibly married twice by her parents for power and gain and both of her husbands didn’t love her. Then she wed the King where he almost got her killed. Then, she finally is able to marry the love of her life in Thomas Seymour but he was never a good husband to her and only married her because she was the former Queen Consort of England and Ireland. And according to the records, he wasn’t even that sad when she died. Queen Catherine Parr deserved better. She was an extremely loving stepmother to all of King Henry VIII’s children but was unable to be there for her only biological daughter. She’s the Queen who I most pity out of them all.
What is up with the way they spelled back then ? That spelling could kill a person
Haha, no standardised spelling until the later 18th century I'm afraid. Everything was phonetic. There's not even an official way to spell Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn/Katheryn. If you think it's difficult reading it typed up, you should see what early modern handwriting looked like (you can see Henry VIII's in my video on he and Anne Boleyn's relationship and a copy of Anne Boleyn's teenaged handwriting in my video on when she was born). Thanks for watching :-)
Finally got there. Thanks Ms HC. Kipling's 'IF' springs to mind yet again. She kept her head. Kudos to her in that day and age. And very 'life experienced' (not a euphemism for dodgy). She knew what to say at the right time. It's probably that simple reason why she kept her head. Thanks for the insight.
Stephen Gardiner was a snake. There's a topic for you for the future ... nudge nudge, wink wink.
That's sad about Catherine's daughter.
Henry is such a spoiled, fickle, brat. He has a good wife, who is good to all his children. Puts up with his physical and emotional issues, but pouts and throws a fit. What a weak man.
Katherine’s pleas to Henry remind me of Kate’s last monologue in “Taming of the Shrew”. Saying that women were naturally inferior to men - 😣!!