#katherine tilney

[edwardseymour]

How to evaluate the intimate relationship between Katherine Howard, Jane Parr, and Katherine Tilney? Why does Catherine like them?

✨ terfs/zionists fuck off ✨

i assume you mean jane parker, not ‘jane parr’. there was a parr in katherine’s household: anne herbert was a younger sister of katherine parr. she was entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the queen’s jewels. it’s not particularly evident if katherine had an especially close relationship with her, she likely retained her court position in the queen’s household due to experience rather than personal proximity to katherine, who would not have known her long at the point of her marriage. according to josephine wilkinson and james taffe, anne had a sexual relationship with thomas culpeper during katherine’s tenure in anne of cleves’ household, as supposedly katherine mocked him during one of their meetings over it: “i marvel that you could so much dissemble as to say you loved me so openly and yet would and did so soon lie with another, called anne herbert” (quoted in wilkinson)…. but other sources don’t specify her, and i can’t find anything corroborating anne’s involvement with culpeper. nevertheless, katherine possibly felt comfortable enough to voice her dislike for her uncle to anne, as thomas howard (norfolk) professed his niece’s disdain for him was “not unknown to such ladies […] as my lady herbert […] which heard what they [anne boleyn and katherine howard] said of me”. so… there’s that.

as for the women you named, it is not immediately clear why katherine favoured them. jane parker’s relationship with katherine howard is a mystery. they weren’t closely related or close in age so it’s hard to identify the foundation of their relationship. jane facilitated katherine’s rise by testifying against anna of cleves and disclosing the embarrassing details of anna’s ignorance around sex, and perhaps there is something to be said about that early collusion, but if so it’s not clear in the documentary evidence what their relationship was like while both were in anne’s household. strangely, historians/authors don’t seems to have made much of this point in their relationship; james taffe recently suggested her testifying against anna is what promised jane a position in katherine’s household, but there’s not much to go off there.

we have two recent revisionist attempts on jane’s biography. i would argue that both take their approach to an extreme i would not entirely agree with. both characterise katherine as an authoritative and demanding figure: “katherine could be difficult […] katherine could be as imperious and demanding as her royal husband” (fox), “frivolous, often juvenile and quick-tempered katherine was reportedly ‘more imperious’, ‘commanding’, ‘troublesome’, and could be ‘difficult to serve’” (taffe). but they view jane’s relationship with katherine differently. fox relies upon jane’s testimonies, and posits that jane was socially vulnerable as the wife of a convicted traitor, and therefore katherine entrapped jane, and that jane, once involved, had no safe way out, and had to go along with things as they escalated past the point of no return. the issue here is fox dismisses the evidence from multiple other parties, identifying jane as an instigator. by contrast, taffe gives more credence to the collective testimonies of culpeper, katherine, margaret morton, and katherine tilney, suggesting jane’s relationship with katherine developed from culpeper reaching out to jane, and jane using him to curry katherine’s favour. he directly disagrees with fox: “jane was not merely obeying orders. […] the meddlesome jane, by persuasion, and deception, recklessly, but quite deliberately, endangered the queen, her lover, and herself”. there are some complications in this reading, however, as taffe readily accepts that jane testified against the boleyns in exchange for security and profit, while fox dismisses this as a woman examined under pressure. this difference colours their view of jane’s relationship with katherine. ultimately, however, motivations come down to self-preservation and self-advancement: “her motive was thus political – it was power” (taffe). i don’t agree that katherine was effectively dominated by jane — and nor do i believe both women were being harangued into a treasonous affair by a controlling and abusive culpeper, as has been argued by others such as warnicke. equally, i don’t think there was some kind of sexual or romantic gratification on jane’s part. i think fox goes too far in casting jane as a victim without agency, while taffe over-compensates in challenging this by casting jane as “conniving, meddlesome, and an inveterate plotter and schemer”.

as for katherine tilney, i think there was an element of familiarity there. they both lived at the dowager duchess’s house and shared a bed. they had grown up together, which was a distinct experience and relationship for a queen who had not been at court long before becoming queen and therefore had not had the chance to form connections with courtiers before becoming everybody’s superior. that history might also have incentivised katherine to attempt to keep tilney quiet: “she had felt obliged to take katherine tilney into her household because of what tilney knew of her past” (wilkinson). i think it’s also worth remembering the feudal mindset of aristocratic relations and the fact that tilney was a blood relation to the dowager duchess and therefore had a familial connection to the queen — something joan bulmer lacked, hence her not getting a position at court despite her knowledge of katherine’s past. there’s no indication that katherine had any personal issue with tilney: “katherine seems to have got on quite happily with these women, who gave her every outward sign of deference. she remained close to katherine tilney, her old friend and bedmate from chesworth” (russell). considering katherine involved tilney in errands pertaining to her liaisons with culpeper, possibly there was a sense of trust — or, at least, wanting to keep her close, which would have been perceived as favouritism by the other women: “margaret morton […] had not liked being pushed aside after katherine tilney’s arrival” (clark). if jane parker was otherwise unfamiliar to katherine howard, tilney was the friendly — or at least familiar — face.

[catherinesboleyn]

ANNE BOLEYN & KATHERINE HOWARD were first cousins, but how?

Anne Boleyn’s mother, Elizabeth Howard, and Katherine Howard’s father, Edmund Howard, were brother and sister. Therefore, Anne and Katherine shared a same set of grandparents, Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Tilney.

[trivial-cloud]

Northanger Abbey (2007)

[thefreelancehistorywriter]

Agnes Tilney Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Agnes Tilney Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Agnes Tilney is one of those women who wittingly or unwittingly had a considerable impact on events in Tudor history. She married into the rich and powerful Howard family and would have great influence at the court of King Henry VIII. Queen Anne Boleyn and Queen Catherine Howard were her step-granddaughters.

The Howard’s were magnates who supported Kings Edward IV and Richard III during the…

[bethanydelleman]

The Jealousy Trope in Romance and Fan Fiction

No man is offended by another man’s admiration of the woman he loves; it is the woman only who can make it a torment. - Henry Tilney, Northanger Abbey

No one is offended by another's admiration of the person they love, it is only the partner who can make it a torment

As I recently wrote while reviewing Everingham by Katherine T, there is an extremely problematic trope that I still see in Romance fiction today and very frequently in Fan Fiction (especially with Darcy), where jealousy, to the point of rage, is considered good, sexy, or appropriate in a long term relationship.

It is not.

Now that is not to say that people shouldn’t experience jealousy at all. There are very normal, healthy kinds that just go along with being in love. It is common for a person with a crush to be jealous of the person their crush likes. That’s normal and basically unavoidable. The important thing is that it needs to stay internal. At that point, you don’t have the right to command that person’s attention.

In a relationship, you might find yourself getting jealous of how much time your partner spends on a hobby, with a friend (same gender or not), or with a pet. Again, that is normal, but it is something to talk about with your significant other and work out together. It’s very normal to have discussions about how much couple time you need to feel appreciated and there are reasonable limits.

But unhealthy jealousy is part of coercive control abuse and it’s really, really bad. Like Arthur Huntington in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte bad, where he accuses Helen of loving their son too much because it is stealing love from him.

Everingham is not alone in using this trope, but it actually displays a whole bunch of the unhealthy jealous behaviours:

Expected to Spend All Your Time with Them 

Required to Check-In

Rules About Who You Can Talk To

Suspicious without cause

Possessive

Quick Temper

Emotionally Intense

That is the beginning of an unhealthy and abusive relationship! Of restricting contact with friends and family. Because in this story, the accused partner (Fanny) did not give their SO (Henry) any real reason to be jealous. In fact, he gave her reasons to be jealous and then was told she was wrong. It’s now creeping me out how extremely problematic that relationship is being portrayed. And again, I’m not specifically calling out the author, as this is a common trope, but this FF is widely recommended to fans of Mansfield Park and it has this major issue.

Because Henry Tilney is right when it comes to jealousy. In Northanger Abbey, Isabella was not just being admired as a beautiful woman, she was encouraging flirtation in the hopes to “trade-up” to a better man than James Morland. That is proper jealousy, but James also does the healthy thing, he leaves. Because the point is, Isabella is not faithful, the relationship is doomed.

So to sum up, if your partner flies into a jealous rage because you talk to an important person in your life and you have given absolutely no cause for your partner to be jealous, then get out of that relationship.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Royal Households and How they Work

When I say Households, I mean the entourage that follows around the royal family. The household went everywhere with them to care for their needs from the people who would empty their chamber pots to their noble companions. Most royal households are basically the same as noble ones, only on grander scale. Every royal had a household and an entourage as well as every noble at court.

Palace Personnel ~ The Commons

The commons were an intregal part of every household. They made up perhaps 80% of the work force. Royal courts were often on the road and never spent more than a few months at every palace. The court was constantly moving. Some positions were not permanent, meaning certain servants did not travel with the court because they were employed at the palace only. They would be paid by the Monarch's paymaster.

Scullion: The scullion was a relatively easy position to fill so they were often changed as the court went from palace to palace. They would be responsible for scrubbing and cleaning the servants quarters and the kitchens. They would scrub floors with lye, scour pots with sand, sweep put the fireplace and clean up after the other servants. They were the first to rise in a castle and tasked to light all the fires in the kitchens. Scullions would just be employed to the palace and serve a multitude of chambers

Laundress: The laundress was responsible for the cleaning of anything made of fabric in the household. Since they are handling unmentionables, they knew what happened behind closed bedchamber doors. They knew when the King visited the Queen or hadn't, they knew when marriages were consummated or not and they knew when the Queen and royal women were not pregnant. They often sold secrets to pad their pockets. Laundresses might be permanent staff but sometimes not.

Minstrels: The minstrel was a commoner hired to play an instrument or sing for the entertainment of the royal. A royal might staff a few at a time but they would always have one on hand. The minstrel would likely come with their masters as they travelled. The minstrel might serve the main royal household but a royal might retain their own.

Cook: The cook was one of the most important servants in the household. They would have the task of overseeing the running of the kitchens and keeping supplies in order. They would likely be on call at all times. Henry VIII's cook was often woken in the night because his royal master wanted a midnight snack. The cook was a valued member of the household and would have been highly sought after if they were a very skilled cook. They would have travelled with the joint. Cooks were apart of the greater royal household but often royals retained private cooks for their own use.

Maidservant: The maidservant cleans the castle. She would sweep the floors, scrub them, empty the chamberpots, get rid of the ashes from the fire and ready the fire for later. She would make up the bed or strip it for the laundresses. She would wash anything that needed washing including furniture and ornaments. She was likely not a travelling servant and would be strictly employed at a single palace.

Jester: The jester was the hired entertainer. Working under the master of revels, the jester had the daunting task of making the monarch and their family laugh. They would tell jokes, tell stories, cause havoc in the court for laughs and lighten the mood. The most successful jester of all time was Will Somers, jester to Henry VIII. Will broke bad news to the infamously bad tempered monarch and got away with things that would have sent others to the block. Will survived most of Henry's reign, his head intact. Jesters would be apart of the main household though each royal might have one of their own.

Positions within the Royal Household ~ Noble

Nobility were always welcomed at court. They eat at court, slept at court and were cared for by the monarch. Some nobles had to sing for their supper and most were hired as royal servants. They weren't exactly scrubbing floors and would be paid handsomely with land that would generate wealth for them

The Steward/Seneschal: This person was the head of the royal's staff. They would have the task of running the lands and servants their master or mistress. The steward served as a backup and assistant in all the tasks even representing their master or mistress when they were unavailable. Would be a high ranking noble. Each royal household would have them.

Treasurer of the Household: The treasurer was the accountant and pay master. They would be in charge of ensuring debts were settled, wages were paid and the household was running within the budget. This was a coveted position because it gave the treasurer insight into the financial situations of the royals. Such info was wroth its weight in gold. Each royal would have one.

Usher: The Gentleman Usher would be in charge of escorting guests into the royal chambers and into the royal presence. They would act as a go between their royal master/mistress and the guest often going back and forth with messages. It was just as coveted as the position of chamberlain but with less responsibilities.

Master of Horse: The Master of Horse was in charge of seeing to the horses of their master. They would oversee the grooms or the stableboy/hands who were employed at the stables to actually care for the horses. The master of horse would ensure that the stables were in order and the horses were up to parr in order to bear royalty across the kingdom. Each royal would have one but there would a main one who acted as overseer.

Master of the Wardrobe/Mistress of the Robes: These are the nobility who are employed to look after the clothes of the royal they serve. This would mainly involve a managerial position, overseeing the inventory of the royal wardrobe (a warehouse like building that housed the clothing) and placing orders for new clothes. It was a tidy job that rarely involved getting the hands dirty. Each royal would have one.

Chamberlain/Valet: The chamberlain is employed to look after the Lord's bedchamber. This was the most sought out position as they effectively were the gateway into the royal presence. Their main task was making sure their boss was comfortable and happy. Could be a well born commoner or a noble. Each royal would have one.

The Page: All royal households had pages. They would be a young noble boy about seven years old sent to their royal master. He would be in charge of tidying up after the lord, carrying messages to other servants and occupants of the castle and serving him at meals. Unlike others on the list, the page would not be paid. His experience was his payment as he would learn the running of a court and how to be courtier. Each royal would have one.

Squires: Squires were like pages though they only served the men. They would accompany their royal master to battle, look after his armour and mail, ensure that his lord's horse was saddled, caring for their master's weapons. The squire would always be a young nobleman on the cusp of becoming a knight.

Governess: The governess is a noblewoman woman employed to oversee the Monarch's children's household. She would be the first teacher a royal child would have and would oversee the nursemaids who would have care of the physical person of the child. She would be appointed when the child was four or five. Notable governesses include Katherine Swynford (wife of John of Gaunt and mother to the Beaufort line), Margaret Pole (wife of Tudor Loyal Sir Richard Pole, sister of the last York heir Edward of Warwick, daughter of George Duke of Clarence and niece to King Edward VI and Richard III), Kat Ashley, Margaret Bryan, Madame de Maintenon and Baroness Lehzen. Most unmarried Princesses retained their governesses while Princes generally outgrew their governesses after they were breeched.

Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber: They were the male companions of a King or Prince, sort of like ladies in waiting but manly. They would accompany the King or Prince everywhere they would go and shared duties with Groom of the Stool (royal toilet paper dispenser) and the Chief Gentleman of the Chamber (overseeing the staff and maintaining the chamber). They would help their master get ready, serve him at the table and organize hunting and games to keep him entertained. Gentlemen and companions where often chosen for their connections as well as their master's own opinion. Henry VIII's gentlemen included: Sir William Compton (ward of Henry VII and heir to rich lands), Sir Henry Norris (the grandson of William Norris who fought with Henry's father at Stroke and a relation to the Yorkists Lovells), Sir Anthony Denny (son of Sir Edmund Denny Baron of the Exchequer) Sir Michael Stanhope (brother in law to Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset), Charles Brandon (ward of Henry VII and son of Tudor Loyalists)

Ladies in Waiting and Maids in Waiting or Maids of Honour: These are the female attendants to the Queen or Princess. Ladies in Waiting were married while the Maids were unmarried. They would have to attend their mistress wherever she went, help her get ready, keep her chambers in order, write letters for the Queen and maintaining her honour. They were chosen for their connections. Using Katherine of Aragon as an example, her Ladies in Waiting included: Maria de Salinas (daughter of Juan Sancriz de Salinas secretary to Isabella, Princess of Portugal and a Spanish courtier in the service to Katherine's parents, wife of Baron Willoughby de Ersby), Elizabeth Howard (the daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, sister to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and wife to Thomas Boleyn, ambassador to France), Anne Hastings (daughter of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, wife to George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury and Lord Steward.), Agnes Tilney (wife to Thomas Howard, Earl of and 2nd Duke of Norfolk.), Elizabeth Scrope (wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a loyal Tudor lord), Margaret Scrope (wife of Sir Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk cousin to the King), Anne Stafford (sister of the Duke of Buckingham, married Sir George Hastings, Earl of Huntington and daughter of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (cousin to the King) and Lady Katherine Woodville (sister of King Henry VIII's grandmother and his great aunt by her marriage), Elizabeth Stafford (sister to Anne Stafford wife Robert Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwalter and Earl of Sussex around). Their connections are what got them their places and you can see why they were chosen.

Accommodation

Accommodation can be a difficult thing to sort both as a writer and a steward. You might have a palace of 200+ bedchambers in which you must house a staff of 500-/+, a varying amount of nobles, the royal family (of a varying amount) and their own households. When assigning rooms it is best to think of a Russian nesting doll. Start from the inside and work your way to the outside.

The best rooms go to the monarch, their consort and their children/siblings/parent(s). These chambers would include the bedroom, a drawing room/ common area, a privy, a closet (a small chamber that can be used for prayer or work). They would be furnished with the best cloth, the best candles and whatever furniture brought by the resident since most royal courts travelled from palace to palace. They will also have chambers for their personal servants such as ladies in waiting and grooms.

The second best set of rooms would go to the highest ranking nobles/people in the court. These rooms would be less fancy and a little smaller. These would be given to from titled nobility descending from those of Ducal rank (Dukes/Duchesses) or even members of the council such as Thomas Cromwell in Tudor times.

The next set would be considerably smaller, perhaps minus a closet or a drawing room. Given to lower nobility.

The next level of chambers would be smaller perhaps only the bedroom and a common area given to minor nobles.

The last set of rooms would be small and only hold enough room for a bedroom. Servants would have to sleep on the ground on pallets beside their masters.

Any other guests at court would have to stay at off-site locations around the palace in the city. Some nobles at houses around major palaces just in case they arrived late or were kicked out of court.

[skygifs]

under the cut you will find 40+ names from the TUDOR ERA (1485-1603 England) including examples of their usage in history & a few common historical nicknames. please like/reblog if you found this useful!

feminine names

anne/ann/anna (anne boleyn, anne of cleves) common nickname nan

katherine/katheryn/kathryn/kateryn/catherine (katherine of aragon, katheryn howard, kateryn parr, kat ashley, katherine willougby) most often spelt with a “k” during the period, kate/kat was around as a nickname during this period

elizabeth (elizabeth i, elizabeth of york, bessie blount, elizabeth howard)- nicknames include bess/bessie

jane (jane seymour, jane boleyn, jane grey, jane dormer)

joan (joan bulmer) 

frances (frances grey)

mary (mary i, mary queen of france, mary howard, mary shelton, mary boleyn)

margaret (margaret queen of scots, margaret shelton, margaret pole, margaret douglas) common nickname madge

jocasta (jocasta culpepper)

agnes (agnes tilney)

isabel (isabel leigh)

joyce (joyce leigh)

bridget (bridget of york, bridget wingfield)

cecily (cecily of york, cecily arundell)

alice (alice more)

ursula (ursula pole)

lettice (lettice knolleys)

dorothy (dorothy stafford, dorothy howard)

susan (susan stafford)

margery (margery horsman)

amy (amy dudley)

elinor/eleanor (eleanor browne)

magdalen (magdalen dacre)

sybil (sybil hampden)

barbara (barbara hawke)

cordelia (cordelia annesley)

blanche (blanche parry)

masculine names

henry (henry vii, henry viii, henry howard, henry duke of cornwall, henry carey, henry fitzroy, henry norris)

thomas (thomas more, thomas wolsey, thomas boleyn, thomas culpepper (x2, brothers) thomas howard, thomas cranmer)

george (george boleyn)

arthur (arthur prince of wales)

edmund (edmund howard, prince edmund)

jasper (jasper tudor)

edward (edward vi, edward seymour)

john (john howard, john dudley, john blanke)

charles (charles brandon, charles somerset)

robert (robert dudley, robert devereux)

guilford (guilford dudley)

william (william courtenay, william brereton,  william paulet, william howard)

philip (philip howard, philip tilney)

francis (francis russell, francis dereham)

walter (walter devereux)

piers (piers butler, piers dutton)

ambrose (ambrose dudley)

reginald (reginald pole)

richard (richard pole, richard howard)

mark (mark smeaton)

[minervacasterly]

5 September 1548: The Death of an Evangelical Royal Consort & Influential Protestant Writer & Defender of her Faith

Six days after Queen Dowager and Baroness of Sudeley had given birth to a daughter she named Mary (after her stepdaughter, the Lady Mary Tudor) Catherine Parr died of puerperal fever. Little before her death, while in a state of delirium she claimed: "Those that are about me care not for me". Her husband, Thomas Seymour, was by her side comforting her the entire time. Jane Grey and other ladies were also with her, reading her the scriptures.

Historian Amy Licence theorizes she could have been infected after the birth by the midwives' unclean hands which would have made possible the passage of bacteria to her body. (The lack of hygiene during childbirth was not uncommon. If she had lived through the same ordeal now she would have been treated right away and saved but as it was, the only medicine then was based on plants and folklore beliefs that Catherine, given her extensive knowledge of the former would have known very well. It is not known if he midwives or she used any of these methods. In any case it was too late, the fever spread rapidly and claimed her on the morning of September fifth).

Her husband was grief-stricken, unable to believe that she was gone that he later said: "I was so amazed that I had small regard to either myself or to my doings".

Catherine was buried days later with full pomp and ceremony, with Jane Grey acting as her chief mourner, walking behind her coffin with Lady Elizabeth Tilney carrying the long train. Catherine Parr was the first Royal and only Queen of Henry VIII's, to have a Protestant Funeral. Miles Coverdale headed the funeral which was in English and concluded it with this eulogy:

"A beautous daughter blessed her arms,

An infant copy of her parents' charms.

When now seven days this tender flower had bloomed

Heaven in its wrath the mother's soul resumed

Our loyal breast with rising sighs are torn,

With saints she triumphs, we with mortals mourn."

Her husband Thomas Seymour, Baron Sudeley and daughter, Mary Seymour, did not survive her for long. Sudeley was arrested at his house while entertaining a guest, and sent to Tower under charges of treason. He was found guilty and beheaded on March 20 1549. Afterwards, their daughter was given over to Catherine Brandon nee Willoughby, Duchess Dowager of Suffolk in whose care she probably died as she disappears from the records a year after.

Despite leaving everything to her husband, the Protectorate took her wealth and this made Sudeley angry, and he ended up conspiring with the Marquises of Dorset (Henry Grey) and Northampton (William Parr -Catherine's brother), against his brother. The Duchess Dowager of Suffolk begged the Council many times to help her with her charge's finances but they never took her pleas seriously until 1550 when Catherine Parr's wealth was given back to her daughter, but by then she was probably sick or dying because she is never mentioned again.

Catherine Parr has gone down in fiction and popular media as nothing more than Henry's nurse and staunch Reformer but she was so much more than that. She and Mary I's mother were the only two of Henry's wives who served as Regents during his absence, and they were two of the most learned women in England who caused great impact on their respective faiths and both were known for being kind and generous. Eustace Chapuys before he left England on the summer 1545, commented that out of all of Henry's Queens, with the exception of Katherine of Aragon, Catherine Parr was the only one who was worthy of her position. She was a good friend with Mary I, who was encouraged by her to translate one of the gospels of the New Testament and who followed her wherever she went.

Sources:

Katherine Parr by Linda Porter

Sister Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle

In Bed With The Tudors by Amy Licence.

[thetudorslovers]

"I realized that Kate had never intended any harm. She just hadn't thought; she never did. She was a girl who couldn't help but turn heads, she was a girl of no ambition who'd become queen."

"The confession of Katherine Howard" is not actually in Katherine's voice, but rather one of her maids-in-waiting. Her character is not that well sculptured as I have imagined. Brandy Purdy's version remains one of my very favourite in this matter.

Some people complain that Suzannah Dunn writes with too modern affinity ,especially in a 16thcentury personality's voice, but that's not a major for me. This novel is an intimate one , somptuous and rich in details,yet very simple and easily to follow . Also It's cleverly structured too, and filled with so many symbols and unexpected substrates .

"No wonder Katherine did as she did, I realized: this was how she lived her whole life, swanning around like this, garnering people's interest."

"The new novel from the bestselling author of THE SIXTH WIFE. 'England: firelight and fireblush; wine-dark, winking gemstones and a frost of pearls. Wool as soft as silk, in leaf-green and moss; satins glossy like a midsummer night or opalescent like winter sunrise!Little did we know it but that night we were already ghosts in our own lives!' When twelve-year-old Katherine Howard comes to live in the Duchess of Norfolk's household, poor relation Cat Tilney is deeply suspicious of her. The two girls couldn't be more different: Cat, watchful and ambitious; Katherine, interested only in clothes and boys. Their companions are in thrall to Katherine, but it's Cat in whom Katherine confides and, despite herself, Cat is drawn to her."

[edwardseymour]

How is the relationship between Katherine Howard and her maidservants?

✨ terfs/zionists fuck off ✨

i talked about this here.

there seems to have been some level of dysfunction in her household — gareth russell has claimed that “katherine’s household was festering with private tensions”, and josephine wilkinson has pointed out that “katherine’s ladies would find their mistress quite demanding […] while katherine had been taught to serve, and had gained experience in service, she was not yet used to being served”.

she apparently worked them hard, and asked strange and uneasy jobs of them, “treating her servants terribly, snapping at them and issuing orders that confused or upset them” (russell). katherine tilney reported being confused by messages she was asked to deliver, and margaret morton reported how they were kept up until the early hours of the morning, for reasons they could not understand, quoting tilney as complaining “jesus, is not the queen abed yet?” on one such occasion: “the chamberers were being dragged around back stairwells to spend half the night waiting in alcoves” (russell).

there was a further breakdown in the relationship between mistress and servant in terms of access to the queen. katherine denied ladies of the privy chamber access to her “unless called” — “this was very far from normal behaviours for a queen consort, considering that members of the queen’s household usually had access to all the spaces that the queen inhabited” (wilkinson). this was compounded by the preferential treatment shown towards katherine tilney: “margaret [morton] and maud [luffkyn] felt that closeness threatened, and they were not happy about it. ever since katherine tilney’s arrival, queen katherine howard ‘could not abide’ their presence” (clark). likewise jane rochford, who had more access to and involvement with katherine than the other ladies, prompted discontent: “the ascendancy of lady rochford provoked the jealousy of their female equivalents” (russell), “favouritism often created tensions within the household [… rochford’s] ascendancy in the queen’s affections provoked the jealousy of those less fortunate servants who did not share in her mind and favour” (taffe), “margaret’s words, written down later, suggest that she blamed jane, viscountess rochford for the current politics in the queen’s chamber. certainly the others had also noticed the queen’s extraordinary preference for jane” (clark). this can’t have helped the apparent sense of job uncertainty, as katherine threatened to dismiss two women (morton and luffkyn) at one point — “the queen was angry […] and threatened to put them away”.

katherine “applied her independent agency as queen. however, she had done it in a way that was not in accordance with gendered norms of queenly or wifely behaviour. she behaved in ways that were unusual and had caused suspicion among her chamberers by preventing them from accessing the private spaces that she inhabited” (wilkinson). then again, all these women were badly frightened and giving testimony against katherine (and jane) at this point. it’s possible that this context skews the veracity of their claims.

[catherinesboleyn]

New Things I Learned From Reading “The Life of Catherine Howard: Young and Damned and Fair” by Gareth Russel

Henry VIII started planning Katherine Howard’s coronation once he thought she was pregnant, but immediately dropped it when he found out she wasn’t.

The saying that Katherine Howard gifted clothes to Margaret Pole while she was imprisoned in the Tower isn’t true.

Margaret Pole prayed for every member of the royal family at her execution except for Elizabeth.

The theory that Thomas Culpepper figured Henry VIII was going to die soon and wanted the benefits of marrying Katherine Howard, a dowager queen.

Joan Bulmer had nothing to do with the Katherine Howard/Thomas Culpepper thing. It was actually another woman named Katherine Tilney, but The Tudors for some reason replaced her with Joan. Maybe because two Katherine’s would be confusing?

Katherine Howard and Thomas Culpepper definitely had a flirtatious relationship, but it is unlikely they ever slept together.

I definitely recommend this one! Now it’s time for The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory....

[thebritishmonarchycouk]

Historic Royal Signatures

Katherine Howard

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(b. c.1523 - d.13 February 1542)

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Katherine was queen consort of England from 1540 until 1541 as the fifth wife of Henry VIII.

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Katherine was one of the daughters of Lord Edmund Howard & Joyce Culpeper. Her father's sister, Elizabeth Howard, was the mother of Anne Boleyn. Therefore, Katherine Howard was the 1st cousin of Anne Boleyn.

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She also was the 2nd cousin of Jane Seymour, as her grandmother Elizabeth Tilney was the sister of Seymour's grandmother Anne Say.

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Katherine was not as well educated as some of Henry's other wives, although she could read & write. Her character has been described as vivacious, giggly & brisk, but never scholarly or devout. She displayed great interest in her dance lessons, but would often be distracted during them & make jokes. She also had a nurturing side for animals, particularly dogs.

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King Henry & Katherine were married at Oatlands Palace on 28 July 1540. She was a teenager & he was 49. Katherine adopted the motto, Non autre volonté que la sienne or "No other wish but his" using the English translation from French.

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Her youth, prettiness & vivacity were captivating for the king, who claimed he had never known "the like to any woman". Henry bestowed gifts of land & expensive cloth upon Katherine, calling her his 'very jewel of womanhood'. Holbein's portrait showed a young auburn-haired girl with a characteristically hooked Howard nose; Katherine was said to have a "gentle, earnest face."

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Katherine was young, joyous & carefree; & was taught to play the virginals. She was too young to take part in administrative matters of State. Nevertheless, every night Sir Thomas Heneage, Groom of the Stool, came to her chamber to report on the King's well-being. Every day she dressed with new clothes in the French fashion bedecked with precious jewels.

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The Queen escaped plague-ridden London in August 1540 when on progress. The royal couple's entourage travelled on honeymoon through Reading & Buckingham. The King embarked on a lavish spending spree to celebrate his marriage.

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Katherine was stripped of her title as queen on 23 November 1541 & imprisoned in the new Syon Abbey. She was beheaded three months later on the grounds of treason for committing adultery with her distant cousin Thomas Culpeper.

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The night before her execution Katherine is believed to have spent many hours practising how to lay her head upon the block, which had been brought to her at her request. She died with relative composure but looked pale & terrified; she required assistance to climb the scaffold. She made a speech describing her punishment as "worthy & just" & asked for mercy for her family & prayers for her soul. Katherine was beheaded with a single stroke of the executioner's axe.

Visit our website for the full set

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Contact us here if you wish to play one of them: https://thetudors.forumotion.com/t3169-england?fbclid=IwAR3xzSVOvdNGu7fobnSbm7yV0aXjrTm11nBlURG7WFggJGSFWmrvq6l3c2Q#50665

Howard Family:

Jane Howard- was the daughter of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and Frances de Vere. Jane Howard married Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, with whom she had a four daughters. Katherine Stanley Howard sister to Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey ,Thomas Howard, 1st Viscount Howard of Bindon, Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond and Somerset. Margaret Neville- daughter of Jane Howard and  Charles Neville. Katherine Neville- daughter of Jane Howard and  Charles Neville. Anne Neville- daughter of Jane Howard and  Charles Neville. Sir George Howard- was an English courtier, politician, author and diplomat, and the brother of King Henry VIII's fifth queen, Katherine Howard Anne Howard-  was a daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney. Dorothy Howard was a daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney.

Mary Howard was a daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney.

Margaret Gamage daughter to  Sir Thomas Gamage of Colty Castle and  Margaret Gamage. Married to William Howard Richard Howard-courtier, was a younger son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk by his second marriage to Agnes Tilney Thomas Knyvett- husband to  Muriel Howard George Schroeder Jr- Son to Mary Howard Agnes Anne Paulet - daughter of William Howard and wife of William Paulet

[tudorsweekly]

Katheryn Howard: Part Four

Along the way I’ve discovered that Katheryn Howard had a more interesting life than I had expected – very similar to what happened when I researched Jane Seymour. Once you go back and learn about Katheryn’s childhood, and understand her relationship with men, it gives you a better idea of how she got herself into hot water later on. She was too young to be queen – her lack of education and her…

[inky-duchess]

Hey duchess! Quick question: how do queens or princesses choose their ladies in waiting?

They were chosen for their connections either by the monarch or the Consort in order to honour the nobles and keep the total woman in question among good company.

Using Katherine of Aragon as an example, her Ladies in Waiting included:

Maria de Salinas (daughter of Juan Sancriz de Salinas secretary to Isabella, Princess of Portugal and a Spanish courtier in the service to Katherine's parents, wife of Baron Willoughby de Ersby)

Elizabeth Howard (the daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, sister to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and wife to Thomas Boleyn, ambassador to France)

Anne Hastings (daughter of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, wife to George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury and Lord Steward.)

Agnes Tilney (wife to Thomas Howard, Earl of and 2nd Duke of Norfolk.)

Elizabeth Scrope (wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a loyal Tudor lord)

Margaret Scrope (wife of Sir Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk cousin to the King)

Anne Stafford sister of the Duke of Buckingham, married Sir George Hastings, Earl of Huntington and daughter of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (cousin to the King)

Lady Katherine Woodville (sister of King Henry VIII's grandmother and his great aunt by her marriage)

Elizabeth Stafford (sister to Anne Stafford wife Robert Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwalter and Earl of Sussex around).

[aethelfleds]

Some notes from researching Elizabeth Boleyn’s mother, Elizabeth Tilney, that I thought were neat:

- She was a maternal descendant of the Welsh Prince, Gruffydd ap Madog as well as the de Grey family, making her a distant cousin of Elizabeth Woodville’s first husband Sir John Grey. 

- Coincidentally, Elizabeth was a lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth Woodville and carried her train at her coronation. She also went into sanctuary at Westminster with queen Elizabeth in 1470. 

- I’d say she was quite Yorkist, as her first husband died fighting for Edward IV at Barnet. Then Edward himself arranged her second marriage to Thomas Howard. 

- Elizabeth was the only child of Sir Frederick Tilney and Elizabeth Cheney, so she was the sole heir of her father’s properties which would come in handy later. Elizabeth Cheney married a second time to John Say and their daughter Anne Say would be the maternal grandmother of Jane Seymour. So that's a closer link between Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Katherine Howard.

- Elizabeth’s father-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk, was killed at Bosworth. Her husband, the Earl of Surrey, was taken prisoner. Because he fought for Richard III, Henry VII passed an act of attainder which stripped Thomas of his title and inheritance. 

- Without her husband or his Howard inheritance, Elizabeth had to take charge of her family. The attainder did not strip her of her own lands, so she must certainly have made use of them while providing for her children. 

- Two months after Bosworth, Elizabeth was staying on the Isle of Sheppey. My theory is that she also made use of her Cheyne relations. At that time her distant cousin, John Cheyne, owned Shurland Hall on the isle. He had also served in Elizabeth Woodville’s household and was then in good standing with Henry VII, so I think Elizabeth looked to him for help.

- At some point she moved to London to be near the Tower, where her husband was imprisoned. Ride or die. He was eventually released and both of them were given positions at court again. Elizabeth even stood in as a joint godmother to Margaret Tudor.