Category: This and That

This and That, Women

Katharine of Aragon and the Castilian Grain Crisis

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Katharine of Aragon spent an agonizing seven years in England waiting for her future to find her. Although it was surely a depressing, demoralizing time, going back to Spain might have been more dangerous for Katharine. Things were not safe and secure as the Iberian peninsula, and particularly the Crown of Castile and León, faced crisis after crisis. One … Continue reading Katharine of Aragon and the Castilian Grain Crisis

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This and That, Women

Katharine of Aragon’s Spanish Legacy in England

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Katharine of Aragon left an indelible mark on Tudor England that remains to present time. We are still talking about her. Katharine’s life and the struggle she faced impacted her tremendously, and left a huge impression on her daughter Mary. This very evident when looking at who Mary I, England’s first queen regnant, chose as a husband and the … Continue reading Katharine of Aragon’s Spanish Legacy in England

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This and That, Women

Urraca the Reckless: Katharine of Aragon’s Ancestress

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Thank you for joining me on the first stop of my blog tour celebrating the release of Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: ‘I am not as Simple as I may Seem’! When thinking of from whom Katharine of Aragon inherited her courage and her moxy, one’s mind instantly goes to Katharine’s mother, Isabella of Castile and Leon. While it … Continue reading Urraca the Reckless: Katharine of Aragon’s Ancestress

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This and That

Restoration of Anna of Cleves Portrait

by Heather R. Darsie, JD Please note that this was originally published at On the Tudor Trail. After decades of being on display at the renowned Louvre Museum in Paris, the dark, shadowy portrait of Anna of Cleves has been restored. The portrait was executed by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1539. An eager Henry VIII of England sent the German master to the United … Continue reading Restoration of Anna of Cleves Portrait

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This and That

A Personal Note on Internet Discourse and a Request

by Heather R. Darsie, JD Today, Dear Reader, 20 February, is the anniversary of Edward VI of England’s coronation in 1547. As I do from time to time, I posted a little info about it on social media. I also mentioned that Edward’s father, Henry VIII of England, was buried days earlier at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. A curious interaction followed afterward. A person … Continue reading A Personal Note on Internet Discourse and a Request

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This and That

Salisbury Cathedral during the Reigns of the Tudors

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. The current Salisbury Cathedral was constructed at a quick clip from 1220 to 1258. An impressive number of stone masons carved and formed the bricks, finials, and columns from three types of limestone. They filled in the spaces between the cathedral’s Early English Gothic vaulted arches with tufa. The building dominated the building when it was built, but needing … Continue reading Salisbury Cathedral during the Reigns of the Tudors

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This and That

The Consummation of Anna of Cleves’ and Henry VIII’s Marriage

by Heather R. Darsie, J.D. For decades, if not centuries, it has been assumed that Henry VIII of England and Anna of Cleves never consummated their marriage. The Secret Council that met to devise a way for Henry to have an annulment of his marriage to Anna, rather than a divorce, knew that they had to create air-tight documents to support the idea that Henry … Continue reading The Consummation of Anna of Cleves’ and Henry VIII’s Marriage

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This and That

Origin of Anna of Cleves’ Family

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna von der Mark and her siblings, deemed by their father to be known as being “of Cleves”, his family’s territory, came from a somewhat new line of ducal power. The Duchy of Cleves existed as a county for hundreds of years before becoming a duchy. From whom the dynasty descends is a bit of a mystery, but thankfully, … Continue reading Origin of Anna of Cleves’ Family

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This and That

Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Illness of the human body is nothing new. Humans have contended with bacterial and viral infections, and injuries, since time immemorial. One thing which has fortunately changed since the 16th century is medical treatment. Before science provided modern society with antibiotics, medical doctors relied on sometimes ancient remedies to heal their patients. This was particularly true of the 16th … Continue reading Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

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This and That, Women

The False Anna of Cleves

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna of Cleves died in July 1557, having reached her forty-second birthday weeks before. Curiously, in 1558, a woman who possessed Anna’s signet ring showed up at the court of Anna’s nephew, John Frederick the Middle. She had an interesting story for the young man, Who was this woman? Was she an illegitimate half-sister of Anna’s, or a cousin? … Continue reading The False Anna of Cleves

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