There is just something almost magical in the way that the history of Henry and his wives enchants so many people. I’ve always loved history but it wasn’t until I began studying Medieval British history that I became obsessed!
Me, too, Angela! I never formally studied history but this part of history has always fascinated me. Henry's court was full of toxic and convoluted intrigue where people struggled to succeed, at times, at all costs. Blood was not thicker than water. The Boleyns and Howards got rich and received many honours when Henry married his 2nd and 5th wives but they quickly abandoned the women to save their own necks when the women fell from grace and were judicially murdered.
Who needs made up stories like the Game of Thrones when history, especially medieval history (minus the dragons and supernatural nightwalkers), delivers real and unforgettable stories of those who lived during a most tumultuous time in English history? There were huge political and religious changes which changed the country forever.
Many, but not all, portraits of his Queens show them wearing the Tudor Consort necklace (see recommended documentary below) which is evidence of their position as queen. The necklace consists of pearl clusters with rubies set in quatrefoil. Different pendants could be hung on it. It was part of the Crown jewels so it was not theirs to keep and was passed to the next queen in line.
Queen Jane (Seymour) wearing the Tudor Consort necklace. Painting by Hans Holbein |
Henry VIII was the third of 4 surviving children of Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York. He was never meant to be king because he had an older brother, Prince Arthur. Henry was largely ignored by his father because he was the spare. He was raised until he was 10 by his extremely doting and indulgent mother. He always got everything he wanted - an expectation which characterized the rest of his life.
Mary Tudor (Henry VIII's younger sister). Portrait by Jan Mabuse. Replica necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
Prince Arthur (shown below) was married to Catherine of Aragon when they were 15 years old. She was the daughter of the powerful King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Their parents wanted a strong alliance against their common enemy, France.
Prince Arthur (Henry VIII's older brother). Portrait by an Anglo-Flemish School artist. Replica brooch by TreasuresForAQueen |
Henry VIII and His Six Wives | Six the Musical
Catherine of Aragon c. at 17 yrs old (or possibly Mary Tudor).Portrait by Michael Sittow. Replica necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
Why was Henry so obsessed about begetting a legitimate son? He badly needed an heir to cement the legitimacy of the fledgling Tudor Dynasty. His father had a very weak claim to the English throne, having snatched the crown from the last Plantagenet king, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth. There were still plenty of Plantagenets around who could claim the throne if Henry could not produce an heir.
Catherine of Aragon. Unknown artist. Replica Necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
Anne Boleyn's famous B initial necklace. Portrait was painted by an unknown artist some time after her death. Replica necklace by TreasuresForAQueen. |
This Hans Holbein portrait of Catherine Howard is now thought to be that of Anne of Cleves although there is some disagreement as Anne of Cleves was not queen long enough to wear the Consort necklace for a portrait. Replica necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
Unlike what was sung in the catchy "Get Down" (Studio Cast Recording), there is no evidence to suggest Anne of Cleves ever had her own portrait at her palace.
Possible portrait of Catherine Howard (Henry's 5th wife) painted by Holbein. Replica Necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
Catherine Parr (Henry's last wife). Unknown artist. Replica Necklace by TreasuresForAQueen |
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1991) by Alison Weir
- The True History Behind ‘Six,’ the Tudor Musical About Henry VIII’s Wives (includes the songs' lyrics)
- Eat Like a King
- Henry VIII and his Six Wives (30 min overview)
- Henry VIII - Man, Monarch, Monster
- Henry and Anne : The Lovers Who Changed History
- The Scandalous Lives of the Boleyn Sisters
- Henry VIII- The Trial of Anne Boleyn
- Thomas Cromwell - Henry VIII's Partner in Crime
- Lady Rochford (Jane Boleyn)- The Most Evil Woman in the Tudor Court?
- History Calling : Tudor Queens' Necklace
My husband and I went to Six and absolutely loved it! I have done some of my own research regarding Henry VIII and his six wives but I learned so much more from your post! I loved seeing the videos of the songs again and I especially loved the video about the costume designs! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful post and for all your great research, Pearl!!! I spent my whole morning on your post! 💕💖
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your comment , Mary! It really made my day. I urge you to see the amazing documentaries on Youtube about the Tudors. The British presenters like Tudor historians, Tracy Borman and David Starkey, give so much more fascinating info. If you can, check out the links I shared at the end. Or search on Youtube.
DeleteAbsolutely fascinating Pearl! Thanks for the research and how well you've passed it along.
ReplyDeleteThe jewelry is incredible and I can see how Kotomi - you posted about her polymer clay work that looks very similar to these - has taken her inspiration from these and run with it.
I think I'd be more than happy to be wearing any of these creations.