Catherine of Aragon

• Origins

  • She was born near Madrid
  • She was betrothed to Arthur at 3
  • She was tutored in religion and the classics
• In 1501 she came to England after a treacherous 3 month sea voyage.
• She married Arthur in old St Paul’s cathedral in 1501.
• Arthur dies shortly after their wedding. He contract a sweating sickness and dies in 1502.
• Catherine becomes betrothed to Henry . They weren’t married straight away due to wrangling between Catherine amd Henry’s father over Catherine’s dowry.
• Catherine was crowned Queen alongside Henry. It was an extravagant joint coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
• She proved to be a competent regent while Henry was away. She organised an army and defeated an invasion from Scotland in 1513 in the battle of Flodden
• In Jan 1510 Catherine gives birth to her daughter. But she is stillborn.
• All of her children died except one girl. Their daughter Mary who was born in 1516.
• Catherine died on the 7th of Jan 1536. This was at Kimbolton palace she was given a small funeral and buried in Peterborough Abbey.