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| A portrait by Juan de Flandes believed to be young Catherine. |
Many know Catherine of Aragon's tragedy as the famous first wife of Henry VIII of England. She is regarded as one of the key figures of the Tudor dynasty, remembered for her tenacity and devotion. Yet her youth up until her marriage to Henry is, in my view, equally as interesting, and should not be ignored in understanding the very character Catherine exuded upon becoming Queen of England.
Born the youngest child to Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, both rulers in their own right, Catherine's birthright implied a certain magnificence she to expect. Having royal blood from Spain, Portugal, and England, there was little reason young Catherine could not hope for a royal upbringing. She enjoyed a thorough education, studying a wide range of subjects from theology to canon and civil law to languages. As it was common among royal children in this time, she was taught a multitude of languages to prepare her for any diplomatic encounters; this would prove particularly useful when she moved to England. Catherine did not lack in the feminine arts either; she was instructed in the domestic life, skills she would come to use heavily in her marriage, such as embroidery. The young Infanta could hardly be accused of being lacking in skill.
Being a descendant of English nobility, it was thought early on that Catherine could become the wife of Arthur Tudor, the Prince of Wales. By this point, the Tudor claim to the throne, which had been won by warfare, was still under scrutiny. With Catherine's parents being famous rulers among European nobility, such a marriage would acknowledge the Tudors as monarchs of England, and would not be challenged by other European rulers. Catherine and Arthur were married by proxy in 1499, a preparation for their actual marriage in 1501 when Arthur had reached the age of 15. Interestingly, the two corresponded frequently in Latin, their common tongue. Both were willing to come together in marriage, most likely with a desire to please their families and advance their kingdoms. When the two finally met, they discovered that they could not converse with each other, despite their letters, as their pronunciation of Latin differed. Nonetheless, they were married in 1501, and sent to Ludlow Castle in Wales shortly after, where Arthur was to rule as Prince of Wales. However, within several months, they both fell sick with the sweating sickness, a common plague of this time, which resulted in Arthur's death, leaving Catherine a teenage widow.
It is unknown what went on between the two in the short time that they were married. However, due to certain complications, his death would complicate the rest of Catherine's life. The day after Arthur and Catherine's wedding night, Arthur was reputed to have boasted to his friends, "Willoughby, bring me a cup of ale, for I have been this night in the midst of Spain. Masters, it is good pastime to have a wife." It was suggested from this that the marriage had been consummated, but there were reports of the contrary. Many of Catherine's entourage from Spain noted that Arthur was a sickly youth, perhaps even smaller than Catherine, who sported a small figure. Later, when her marriage to Henry would come into question, Catherine swore on oath that she had never consummated her marriage to Arthur. I read in a biography that she had even spoken to Cardinal Campeggio in the confessional that she was "untouched and unviolated" as when she came from her mother's womb. She made these confessions public, and even gave Campeggio permission to break the seal of the confessional, something that could incur immediate excommunication. Given Catherine's piety and devotion to her religion, it is more than likely she did not consummate her marriage to Arthur. Yet Arthur's death brought about the question of whether Catherine could instead become a suitable mate for Arthur's younger brother, Henry. However, the Church, being aware of Leviticus 20:21, which stated that if a man took his brother's wife, the two will be childless, had to assess the matter, and based on Catherine's declaration, Pope Julius II issued a dispensation in 1503, declaring that the lack of a consummated marriage would allow Catherine to marry Henry.
Yet there were political complications that meant Catherine would not marry Henry until 1509. The death of King Henry VII's wife, Elizabeth of York, prompted him to consider marrying Catherine, but this idea was quickly dismissed following opposition. Furthermore, Queen Isabella's death resulted in Catherine's loss of status, as her elder sister, Joanna, would inherit Isabella's title. For 7 years, Catherine was stuck in a state of limbo in England. Returning to Spain would mean she would likely feel a sense of disgrace and exile. Having been brought up with the necessary skills of a future queen, she remained in England, even though she was forced to pawn her possessions for survival. Fortunately for Catherine, young Henry Tudor began to develop an affection for her. Initially he had not been keen on the marriage, but perhaps as he grew older, he knew that marrying Catherine would grant him enough power to hold influence in Europe, especially given that his younger sister would marry the King of France not long after.
Catherine, tenacious and devout, was only strengthened by what she had endured up until her marriage to Henry. It would be the reason she did not give into any weaknesses that tempted her in her trials. The Great Matter 20 years later would be her greatest test, one that she had the skill and strength to face up until her last defiant act of signing her last will and testament as Queen of England.
Being a descendant of English nobility, it was thought early on that Catherine could become the wife of Arthur Tudor, the Prince of Wales. By this point, the Tudor claim to the throne, which had been won by warfare, was still under scrutiny. With Catherine's parents being famous rulers among European nobility, such a marriage would acknowledge the Tudors as monarchs of England, and would not be challenged by other European rulers. Catherine and Arthur were married by proxy in 1499, a preparation for their actual marriage in 1501 when Arthur had reached the age of 15. Interestingly, the two corresponded frequently in Latin, their common tongue. Both were willing to come together in marriage, most likely with a desire to please their families and advance their kingdoms. When the two finally met, they discovered that they could not converse with each other, despite their letters, as their pronunciation of Latin differed. Nonetheless, they were married in 1501, and sent to Ludlow Castle in Wales shortly after, where Arthur was to rule as Prince of Wales. However, within several months, they both fell sick with the sweating sickness, a common plague of this time, which resulted in Arthur's death, leaving Catherine a teenage widow.
It is unknown what went on between the two in the short time that they were married. However, due to certain complications, his death would complicate the rest of Catherine's life. The day after Arthur and Catherine's wedding night, Arthur was reputed to have boasted to his friends, "Willoughby, bring me a cup of ale, for I have been this night in the midst of Spain. Masters, it is good pastime to have a wife." It was suggested from this that the marriage had been consummated, but there were reports of the contrary. Many of Catherine's entourage from Spain noted that Arthur was a sickly youth, perhaps even smaller than Catherine, who sported a small figure. Later, when her marriage to Henry would come into question, Catherine swore on oath that she had never consummated her marriage to Arthur. I read in a biography that she had even spoken to Cardinal Campeggio in the confessional that she was "untouched and unviolated" as when she came from her mother's womb. She made these confessions public, and even gave Campeggio permission to break the seal of the confessional, something that could incur immediate excommunication. Given Catherine's piety and devotion to her religion, it is more than likely she did not consummate her marriage to Arthur. Yet Arthur's death brought about the question of whether Catherine could instead become a suitable mate for Arthur's younger brother, Henry. However, the Church, being aware of Leviticus 20:21, which stated that if a man took his brother's wife, the two will be childless, had to assess the matter, and based on Catherine's declaration, Pope Julius II issued a dispensation in 1503, declaring that the lack of a consummated marriage would allow Catherine to marry Henry.
Yet there were political complications that meant Catherine would not marry Henry until 1509. The death of King Henry VII's wife, Elizabeth of York, prompted him to consider marrying Catherine, but this idea was quickly dismissed following opposition. Furthermore, Queen Isabella's death resulted in Catherine's loss of status, as her elder sister, Joanna, would inherit Isabella's title. For 7 years, Catherine was stuck in a state of limbo in England. Returning to Spain would mean she would likely feel a sense of disgrace and exile. Having been brought up with the necessary skills of a future queen, she remained in England, even though she was forced to pawn her possessions for survival. Fortunately for Catherine, young Henry Tudor began to develop an affection for her. Initially he had not been keen on the marriage, but perhaps as he grew older, he knew that marrying Catherine would grant him enough power to hold influence in Europe, especially given that his younger sister would marry the King of France not long after.
Catherine, tenacious and devout, was only strengthened by what she had endured up until her marriage to Henry. It would be the reason she did not give into any weaknesses that tempted her in her trials. The Great Matter 20 years later would be her greatest test, one that she had the skill and strength to face up until her last defiant act of signing her last will and testament as Queen of England.
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