Difference between revisions of "Anne of Cleves" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Infobox Monarch|royal|consort
 
{{Infobox Monarch|royal|consort
| name           =Anne of Cleves
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| name     =Anne of Cleves
| title           =[[Queen Consort]] of England
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| title     =[[Queen Consort]] of England
| image           =[[Image:AnneCleves.jpg|200px]]
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| image     =[[Image:AnneCleves.jpg|200px]]
| caption         ='''Anne of Cleves''', painted by [[Hans Holbein the Younger]]
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| caption     ='''Anne of Cleves''', painted by [[Hans Holbein the Younger]]
| consortreign   =January 6, 1540 - July 9, 1540
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| consortreign =January 6, 1540 - July 9, 1540
| spouse         =[[Henry VIII of England]]
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| spouse     =[[Henry VIII of England]]
| issue           =
+
| issue     =
| royal house     =
+
| royal house   =
| othertitles     =
+
| othertitles   =
| father         =[[John III, Duke of Cleves|John "the Peaceful," duke of Cleves]]
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| father     =[[John III, Duke of Cleves|John "the Peaceful," duke of Cleves]]
| mother         =[[Maria of Jülich-Berg|Maria von Jülich-und-Berg]]
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| mother     =[[Maria of Jülich-Berg|Maria von Jülich-und-Berg]]
| date of birth   ={{birth date|1515|9|22|df=y}}
+
| date of birth ={{birth date|1515|9|22|df=y}}
| place of birth =[[Düsseldorf]], [[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]]
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| place of birth =[[Düsseldorf]], [[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]]
| date of death   ={{death date and age|1557|7|16|1515|9|22|df=y}}
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| date of death ={{death date and age|1557|7|16|1515|9|22|df=y}}
| place of death =[[London]], [[Kingdom of England|England]]
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| place of death =[[London]], [[Kingdom of England|England]]
 
|}}
 
|}}
 +
'''Anne of Cleves''' (September 22, 1515 – July 16, 1557) ([[German language|German]]: ''Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg'') was the fourth [[Wives of Henry VIII|wife]] of [[Henry VIII of England]] from January 6, 1540 to July 9, 1540. Their brief [[marriage]] was a political one, and Henry seems never to have been attracted to her physically once he saw her in the flesh.
  
'''Anne of Cleves''' (22 September 1515–16 July 1557) ([[German language|German]]: ''Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg'') was the fourth [[Wives of Henry VIII|wife]] of [[Henry VIII of England]] from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540.
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Knowing the fate of other wives of Henry who resisted his marital whims, Anne did not resist when Henry wanted to annul the marriage, which was reportedly never consummated. For her cooperation, she was rewarded with [[property]] and other financial support. She elected to remain in [[England]] after the [[divorce]] and developed a friendly relationship with Henry, including being given frequent access to the royal children. She was particularly important in the process of Henry's reconciliation with his daughter [[Mary I of England|Mary]], who would later become queen.
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Anne died in London in 1557, aged 42, surviving both Henry and his son, [[Edward VI]]. Despite the failure of her marriage, she is considered the happiest of Henry's six wives.
  
 
==Biography==
 
==Biography==
Anne was born at [[Düsseldorf]]<ref>At the time, the area was in the Duchy of Cleves.</ref>, the daughter of [[John III, Duke of Cleves|John III]], ruler of the [[Duchy of Cleves]], who died in 1538. After John's death, her brother [[Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|William]] became Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, bearing the promising epithet "The Rich." In 1526, her elder sister [[Sybille of Cleves|Sybille]] was married to [[John Frederick, Elector of Saxony|John Frederick]], [[Elector of Saxony]], head of the [[Schmalkaldic League|Protestant Confederation of Germany]] and considered the "Champion of the Reformation." At the age of 12 (1527), she was betrothed to [[Francis I, Duke of Lorraine|Francis]], son and heir of the [[Antoine, Duke of Lorraine|Duke of Lorraine]] while he was only 10, so the betrothal was considered 'unofficial.' While her brother William was a [[Lutheran]], the family's politics made them suitable allies for England's King Henry VIII in the aftermath of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], and a match with Anne was urged on the king by his [[chancellor]], [[Thomas Cromwell]].
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Anne was born at [[Düsseldorf]],<ref>At the time, the area was in the Duchy of Cleves.</ref> the daughter of [[John III, Duke of Cleves|John III]], ruler of the [[Duchy of Cleves]], who died in 1538. After John's death, her brother [[Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|William]] became Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, bearing the promising epithet "The Rich." In 1526, her elder sister [[Sybille of Cleves|Sybille]] was married to [[John Frederick, Elector of Saxony|John Frederick]], [[Elector of Saxony]], head of the [[Schmalkaldic League|Protestant Confederation of Germany]] and considered the "Champion of the [[Reformation]]."
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At the age of 12 (1527), Anne was betrothed to [[Francis I, Duke of Lorraine|Francis]], son and heir of the [[Antoine, Duke of Lorraine|Duke of Lorraine]] while he was only ten, so the betrothal was not considered official. The family's politics made them suitable allies for England's King [[Henry VIII]] in the aftermath of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], and a match with Anne was urged on the king by his [[chancellor]], [[Thomas Cromwell]] after the death of Henry's third wife, [[Jane Seymour]].
  
 
===Wedding preparations===
 
===Wedding preparations===
The artist [[Hans Holbein the Younger]] was dispatched to paint portraits of Anne and her sister, Amelia, whom Henry was considering for the role of his fourth wife. While it was usual for court painters to be flattering in their portrayal of important people, the only truly important person here was the King: Henry hired the artist to be as accurate as possible, not to flatter these sisters. Holbein was a superb portraiture artist and there's every reason to believe his attractive portrayal of Anne was true, since Holbein remained at court and continued to win royal commissions. The portrait is currently displayed in [[The Louvre]] in Paris.
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The artist [[Hans Holbein the Younger]] was dispatched to paint portraits of Anne and her sister Amelia, whom Henry was considering for the role of his fourth wife. Henry hired the artist to be as accurate as possible, not to flatter these sisters. Holbein was a superb portrait painter, and there is reason to believe his attractive portrayal of Anne was true. Even though Henry was not attracted to Anne once her met her, Holbein remained at court and continued to win royal commissions. His portrait of Anne is currently displayed in The [[Louvre]] in [[Paris]].
  
Negotiations with the Cleves Court were in full swing by March 1539. Cromwell oversaw the talks and a marriage treaty was signed on 4 October of the same year. While Henry valued education and cultural sophistication in women, Anne lacked these in her upbringing; she received no formal education as a child, and instead of being taught to sing or play an instrument, she was skilled in needlework. She had learned to read and write, but in German only. Nevertheless, Anne was considered gentle, virtuous, and docile, qualities that made her a realistic candidate for Henry.  
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[[Image:Hans Holbein d. J. 049.jpg|thumb|left|'''Henry VIII''' King of England and Ireland. Portrait by [[Hans Holbein the Younger]].]]
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Negotiations with the Cleves' court were in full swing by March 1539. Cromwell oversaw the talks and a marriage treaty was signed on October 4 of the same year. A possible obstacle may have been that Henry valued education and cultural sophistication in women, but Anne lacked these in her upbringing. She received no formal education as a child; and instead of being taught to sing or play an instrument, she was skilled in needlework. She had learned to read and write, but in German only. Nevertheless, Anne was considered gentle, virtuous, and docile, qualities that made her a realistic candidate for Henry. Moreover, Henry's previous wife, [[Jane Seymour]], also lacked a sophisticated education, but this had proved no barrier to her success as a companion to Henry or to providing him with an heir.
  
Henry, impatient to see his future bride, journeyed to [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] on New Year’s Day 1540 and walked in on Anne unannounced. Without the benefit of an advance portrait to prepare her for Henry's appearance, she did not realise that 'this man' was to be her future husband, so she did not curtsy—or even rise from her chair—when Henry entered the room. The king took an immediate dislike to her because of it and announced: "I like her not." Henry urged Cromwell to find a legal way to avoid the marriage but, by this point, evading the marriage was impossible without offending the Germans.
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Henry, impatient to see his future bride, journeyed to Rochester, [[Kent]] on New Year’s Day 1540 and walked in on Anne unannounced. Without the benefit of a portrait of Henry to prepare her for his appearance, she did not realize that the intruder was to be her future husband, so she did not curtsy or even rise from her chair when Henry entered the room. The king reportedly took an immediate dislike to her and announced: "I like her not." Henry urged Cromwell to find a legal way to avoid the marriage but, by this point, such an outcome was impossible without offending the Germans.
  
 
===A doomed marriage===
 
===A doomed marriage===
 
{{Henryviiiwives}}
 
{{Henryviiiwives}}
The two were married on 6 January 1540 at the royal [[Palace of Placentia]] in [[Greenwich, London]] by [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop]] [[Thomas Cranmer]], despite Henry's very vocal misgivings. If his bride had objections, she kept them to herself. The phrase “God send me well to keep” was engraved around Anne’s wedding ring.  
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The two were married on January 6, 1540, at the royal [[Palace of Placentia]] in [[Greenwich, London]] by [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop]] [[Thomas Cranmer]], despite Henry's vocal misgivings. If his bride had objections, she kept them to herself. The phrase “God send me well to keep” was engraved around Anne’s wedding ring.
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Henry was frustrated, and he took out his feelings on Anne. He was described as trying repeatedly to upset her by sending away her personal ladies-in-waiting from Cleves and replacing them with Englishwomen instead. However, Anne made friends quickly and soon enjoyed the lively company of the English maids of honor who attended her.
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Henry also ordered that she put aside her traditional and cumbersome Germanic clothing and adopt more streamlined English styles. She liked this idea and immediately ordered a large, lavish wardrobe, straining Henry's finances. He commanded that she speak only English and arranged for her to be tutored intensively. She learned English with amazing speed, so much so that the king was reportedly shocked.
  
Henry was frustrated, and he took out his feelings on Anne. He tried repeatedly to anger and upset her by sending away her ladies from Cleves and replacing them with Englishwomen instead. Anne made friends rapidly and enjoyed the lively company of the maids of honor who attended her.  
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Regarding her [[virginity]], which Henry had questioned because of her supposedly sagging belly and breasts, she answered with a naivety that betrayed a basic ignorance of the facts of life. "I surely cannot be [a virgin], because every night when the King comes to bed, he kisses me on the cheek and says 'Good-night, sweetheart.' Then he goes to sleep. In the morning, when he rises, he kisses me on the cheek again, and says 'Have a good day, sweetheart.' So you see, I cannot still be a virgin."
  
He ordered that she put aside her traditional and cumbersome Germanic clothing and adopt more streamlined English styles. She liked this idea and immediately ordered a large, lavish wardrobe straining Henry's finances.  
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When Anne heard about real sexual relations as described by her maids, she was amazed, and stated that nothing like that had passed between her and the king, or between her and any other man. This news, rapidly spread, made Henry a laughing stock to his people.<ref name=geocities>[http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1344/cleves.html?200725 Geocities' article on Anne of Cleaves] ''www.geocities.com'' Retrieved May 11, 2008.</ref>
  
He commanded that she speak only English, and arranged for her to be tutored intensively which shocked him as she learned English with amazing speed.
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Anne was commanded to leave the king's court on June 24, 1540, and on July 6, she was informed of her husband's decision to reconsider the marriage. In a short time, Anne was asked for her consent to an annulment, to which she agreed. The marriage was [[annulment|annulled]] on July 9 on the grounds both of non-consummation and of her previous contract to Francis of Lorraine.
  
Anne's life in Cleves had focused only on homemaking and domestic skills, and she was untutored in the artistic and musical pursuits so dear to Henry. But he refused to to find a way for them to enjoy something together.  
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She received a generous settlement, including [[Hever Castle]], home of Henry's former in-laws, the Boleyns. [[Anne of Cleves House]], in [[Lewes]], Sussex, is just one of many properties she owned, but she never lived there. Made a Princess of England and called "the King's Beloved Sister" by her former husband, Anne remained in England for the rest of her life.
  
Anne was commanded to leave the Court on June 24 and on July 6 she was informed of her husband's decision to reconsider the marriage. In a short time, Anne was asked for her consent to an annulment, to which she agreed. The marriage was [[annulment|annulled]] on July 9 1540, on the grounds both of non-consummation and of her pre-contract to Francis of Lorraine. She received a generous settlement, including [[Hever Castle]], home of Henry's former in-laws, the Boleyns. [[Anne of Cleves House]], in [[Lewes]], Sussex, is just one of many properties she owned; she never lived there. Made a Princess of England and called "the King's Beloved Sister" by her former husband, Anne remained in England for the rest of her life.
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==Why the marriage failed==
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Sir [[Horace Walpole]], writing in the eighteenth century, resurrected the myth which described Anne as "The Flanders Mare"—a monument to her supposed ugliness. This view persisted, and it is still a popular stereotype. Most modern historians, however, disagree with it, and the Holbein portrait certainly contradicts Walpole. Portraits other than the famous Holbein miniature portray the same face—strongly featured, with a large nose.
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[[Image:CatherineHoward.png|thumb|Katherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife]]
  
==Annes' influence==
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Another theory suggests that Henry and Anne agreed that they simply did not get along well with each other. Anne had been raised in the small provincial court at [[Düsseldorf]] and shared none of the musical and humanistic literary tastes of Henry's court. Another theory suggests that shifts in a threatened Catholic French-Spanish alliance removed any diplomatic motivations for their union. Finally, there is a theory that the marriage was politically inconvenient because of the growing hostility between Henry and the duke of Cleves.<ref name=bio>[http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/341:0/1/Anne_of_Cleves.htm Biography Channel] ''www.thebiographychannel.co.uk'' Retrieved May 11, 2008.</ref>
Anne's influence was much less than her predecessors. She managed to make good personal relationships and influence with each of the Royal children, who had up until that time, been raised largely in isolation by servants. Mary had loving memories of her mother, but Edward never knew his mother. Elizabeth had a short relationship with her mother and the painful shame of her "betrayal" and death. Anne developed a very important relationship with all three of Henry's children was invaluable, especially in trying to reconcile Mary with her father. She loved them effortlessly and unconditionally, giving them affection and support when they had little. <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1344/cleves.html?200725 Geocities' article on Anne of Cleves] ''www.geocities.com'' Retrieved May 11, 2008.</ref>
 
  
==Historiography==
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Anne never overtly resented Henry's new wife, [[Katherine Howard]], but actually was fond of her, first as her own maid of honor and later when she became Henry's fifth queen. Anne was said to be genuinely distressed by Katherine's fall from grace and execution on grounds of [[adultery]] and [[treason]]. However, Anne reportedly did not like [[Katherine Parr]], Henry's sixth wife, whom she considered far less attractive than herself.<ref name=bio/>
Sir [[Horace Walpole]], writing in the 18th century, resurrected the myth which described Anne as "The Flanders Mare"—a monument to ugliness. This view persisted, and it is still a popular stereotype. Most modern historians, however, disagree with it, and the Holbein portrait certainly contradicts Walpole. Another point of view is that Anne found Henry repulsive because of his obesity, and set out to make him dislike her.
 
  
Henry described her as "monstrous", probably exaggerated, but may have done so due to  her failure to give him the necessary respect at their first spontaneous meeting and he was  determined that the match would be dissolved. Portraits other than the famous Holbein miniature portray the same face — strongly featured, with a large nose. For the public, they saw her covered with a black veil when she arrived in England and people who saw her from a distance assumed that her hair was black, and thus she gained the nickname "blackamoor." Anne's hair was actually light brown and curly!
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==Life after the annulment==
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Anne adamantly desired to stay in England after her annulment. She thus fully cooperated with Henry, supporting his claims, and probably testified that her marriage had never been consummated, as well as that her previous betrothal to the son of the Duke of Lorraine had never been legally broken. She gratefully accepted Henry's offer of several houses, a princely income, and the honorary title of "the King's Beloved Sister." She also accepted the condition that, having been the king's wife, she would not be permitted to remarry.
  
Another theory suggests that they agreed that they simply did not get along well with each other—Anne had been raised in the small provincial court at Düsseldorf and shared none of the musical and humanistic literary tastes of Henry's court. Another theory suggests that shifts in a threatened Catholic French-Spanish alliance removed any diplomatic motivations for their union. Henry and Anne split on amicable terms. This theory is supported by the fact that she received a good settlement.
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[[Image:El bieta I lat 13.jpg|thumb|Anne of Cleves enjoyed a close relationship with the royal children, especially the young Elizabeth.]]
  
Finally, there is the theory that the marriage was politically inconvenient because of the growing hostility between Henry and the Duke of Cleves <ref>[http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/341:0/1/Anne_of_Cleves.htm Biography Channel] ''www.thebiographychannel.co.uk'' Retrieved May 11, 2008.</ref>.
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Anne did not wish to return to her home and risk being married off to another ally of her brother. Like a number of women of her time, she may have tired of being a political pawn through marriage. She returned her wedding ring to Henry, requesting that he break it in half to symbolize that the bond between them as husband and wife was broken.
  
It is believed that Anne never resented Katherine Howard, but actually was fond of her, both as her maid of honor and then when she became Henry's fifth Queen. She was genuinely distressed by Katherine's fall from grace and execution. But she didn't care for Katherine Parr, Henry's sixth wife, whom, it was reported, she considered far less attractive than herself.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
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The was one matter, however, on which she insisted. Anne consented to the annulment only after the king allowed her to have access to the royal children. She had formed strong attachments to all three of them, particularly [[Elizabeth I|Elizabeth]]. As she could never remarry and was thus denied the chance to have children of her own, Henry agreed. As a tribute to her prudence and good sense, even allowed Prince Edward, the royal heir, to visit her on occasion.  
  
==Life after the annulment==
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Anne happily retired to the various country homes that Henry had given her and ended up with an income of £4,000 a year, the manors of Bletchingly and Richmond, Hever Castle, and the status of fourth lady in the kingdom (after any queen, the Lady Mary, and the Lady Elizabeth). She occupied herself with refurbishing the estates and other domestic occupations that were her chief interest. Later in life, she converted to [[Catholicism]], to her step-daughter Mary's delight. She founded an orphans' school on one of her estates, and she was frequently at court—where she became one of her "brother," King Henry's favorite visitors. It seems they had much in common, particularly an interest in upgrading and modernizing their houses. They frequently exchanged cooks and household gadgetry.
Anne adamantly desired to stay in England after her annulment. She eagerly supported Henry's claims and probably testified that her marriage had never been consummated, and that her previous betrothal to the son of the Duke of Lorraine had never been legally broken. She gratefully accepted Henry's offer of several houses, a princely income, the honorary title of "the King's Beloved Sister". She also accepted the condition that having been the King's wife, she would not be permitted to remarry.  
 
  
She did not wish to return to her home and loose her gifts from Henry and risk being married off to another ally of her brother. Like a number of women of her time, she may have tired of being a political pawn through marriage. She returned her wedding ring to him, requesting that he break it in half to symbolize that the bond between them as husband and wife was broken.
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[[Thomas Cromwell]] was less fortunate. His enemies, taking advantage of his misfortune in arranging of Anne's ill-fated marriage to the king, managed to persuade the king of his [[treason]] and [[heresy]]. He was imprisoned and executed on the same day as the king's marriage to his fifth wife, [[Catherine Howard]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/boleynfamily/ May 3, 2004: Biography of Katherine Howard] ''www.geocities.com''. Retrieved May 13, 2008.</ref>
  
Anne consented to the annulment only after the king allowed her to have access to the Royal children. She loved children, and had formed strong attachments to all three of them, particularly Elizabeth. As she could never remarry, Henry was effectively denying her the chance to have children of her own. Henry agreed, and as a tribute to her prudence and good sense, even allowed Prince Edward to visit her on occasion.  
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Anne died peacefully in 1557, aged 42, surviving both Henry and his son, Edward VI. Meanwhile, her step-daughter [[Mary I of England|Mary]] had become queen.
  
Anne happily retired to the various country homes that Henry had given her and occupied herself with refurbishing them and the domestic occupations that were her chief interest. She eventually converted to Catholicism, to her step-daughter, Mary's delight. She founded an orphans' school on one of her estates, and she was frequently at Court — where she became one of her "brother", King Henry's, favorite visitors! It seems they had much in common, particularly an interest in upgrading and modernizing their houses. They frequently exchanged cooks and household gadgetry.
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==Legacy==
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Anne's influence as queen was generally much less than her predecessors. However, she managed to make good personal relationships with each of the royal children, who had up until that time, been raised largely in isolation by servants. Later, she became particularly important in the process of reconciliation between Henry and Mary, his first daughter. She apparently loved each of the royal children sincerely which gave them affection and support when they had little.
  
Anne died peacefully in 1557, aged 42, after Henry and King Edward VI had both died, and Mary had become Queen. Of all of Henry's wives, she was probably the most fortunate. <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1344/cleves.html?200725 Geocities' article on Anne of Cleves] ''www.geocities.com''</ref>
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Of all of Henry's wives, Anne of Cleaves was probably the most fortunate. Though a failure as a wife, she earned the king's respect and affection, and was able to live out her life in relative happiness.<ref name=geocities/>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
Line 72: Line 84:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/sixwives/meet/js_handbook_king.html PBS handbook on "The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Jane Seymour 1508-1537"]
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* [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/sixwives/meet/js_handbook_king.html PBS handbook on "The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Jane Seymour 1508-1537"] ''www.pbs.org''. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
* Fraser, Antonia. ''The Wives of Henry VIII'', Vintage 1993. ISBN 978-0679730019  
+
* Fraser, Antonia. ''The Wives of Henry VIII''. Vintage, 1993. ISBN 978-0679730019  
* Starkey, David. ''Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII'', Harper Perennial, 2004. ISBN 978-0060005504
+
* Starkey, David. ''Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII''. Harper Perennial, 2004. ISBN 978-0060005504  
* Weir, Alison. ''The Six Wives of Henry VIII'', Grove Press; 1st Grove Press Paperback edition, 1991). ISBN 978-0802136831
+
* Weir, Alison. ''The Six Wives of Henry VIII''. Grove Press; 1st Grove Press Paperback edition, 1991. ISBN 978-0802136831
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
All retrieved May 11, 2008.
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All links retrieved July 27, 2023.  
 +
 
 
* [http://tudorhistory.org/cleves/ A quick overview of Anne's life], including a very good portrait gallery. ''tudorhistory.org''
 
* [http://tudorhistory.org/cleves/ A quick overview of Anne's life], including a very good portrait gallery. ''tudorhistory.org''
* [http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/cleves.html A more in-depth examination of Anne's political career]. ''englishhistory.net''
 
 
* [http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/aboutAnneofCleves.htm More information on Anne's life after her annulment] ''www.tudorplace.com.ar''
 
* [http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/aboutAnneofCleves.htm More information on Anne's life after her annulment] ''www.tudorplace.com.ar''
*[http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=365164 A Google Earth biography tour] of the Six Wives of Henry VIII on the Google Earth Community. ''bbs.keyhole.com''
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*[http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1344/cleves.html?200725 A biography on her life] ''www.geocities.com''
 
  
 
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{{s-start}}
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{{English consort}}
 
{{English consort}}
  
{{Persondata
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|NAME=Anne of Cleves
 
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
 
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[Queen Consort]] of [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]]
 
|DATE OF BIRTH=September 22, 1515
 
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Düsseldorf]], [[Duchy of Cleves]] (now [[Germany]])
 
|DATE OF DEATH=July 16, 1557
 
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[London]], [[England]]
 
}}
 
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:history]]
 
[[Category:history]]
 
{{Credit|204568812}}
 
{{Credit|204568812}}

Latest revision as of 04:57, 31 July 2023

Anne of Cleves
Queen Consort of England
AnneCleves.jpg
Anne of Cleves, painted by Hans Holbein the Younger
Born September 22 1515(1515-09-22)
Düsseldorf, Cleves
Died 16 July 1557 (aged 41)
London, England
Consort January 6, 1540 - July 9, 1540
Consort to Henry VIII of England
Father John "the Peaceful," duke of Cleves
Mother Maria von Jülich-und-Berg

Anne of Cleves (September 22, 1515 – July 16, 1557) (German: Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg) was the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England from January 6, 1540 to July 9, 1540. Their brief marriage was a political one, and Henry seems never to have been attracted to her physically once he saw her in the flesh.

Knowing the fate of other wives of Henry who resisted his marital whims, Anne did not resist when Henry wanted to annul the marriage, which was reportedly never consummated. For her cooperation, she was rewarded with property and other financial support. She elected to remain in England after the divorce and developed a friendly relationship with Henry, including being given frequent access to the royal children. She was particularly important in the process of Henry's reconciliation with his daughter Mary, who would later become queen.

Anne died in London in 1557, aged 42, surviving both Henry and his son, Edward VI. Despite the failure of her marriage, she is considered the happiest of Henry's six wives.

Biography

Anne was born at Düsseldorf,[1] the daughter of John III, ruler of the Duchy of Cleves, who died in 1538. After John's death, her brother William became Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, bearing the promising epithet "The Rich." In 1526, her elder sister Sybille was married to John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, head of the Protestant Confederation of Germany and considered the "Champion of the Reformation."

At the age of 12 (1527), Anne was betrothed to Francis, son and heir of the Duke of Lorraine while he was only ten, so the betrothal was not considered official. The family's politics made them suitable allies for England's King Henry VIII in the aftermath of the Reformation, and a match with Anne was urged on the king by his chancellor, Thomas Cromwell after the death of Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour.

Wedding preparations

The artist Hans Holbein the Younger was dispatched to paint portraits of Anne and her sister Amelia, whom Henry was considering for the role of his fourth wife. Henry hired the artist to be as accurate as possible, not to flatter these sisters. Holbein was a superb portrait painter, and there is reason to believe his attractive portrayal of Anne was true. Even though Henry was not attracted to Anne once her met her, Holbein remained at court and continued to win royal commissions. His portrait of Anne is currently displayed in The Louvre in Paris.

Henry VIII King of England and Ireland. Portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger.

Negotiations with the Cleves' court were in full swing by March 1539. Cromwell oversaw the talks and a marriage treaty was signed on October 4 of the same year. A possible obstacle may have been that Henry valued education and cultural sophistication in women, but Anne lacked these in her upbringing. She received no formal education as a child; and instead of being taught to sing or play an instrument, she was skilled in needlework. She had learned to read and write, but in German only. Nevertheless, Anne was considered gentle, virtuous, and docile, qualities that made her a realistic candidate for Henry. Moreover, Henry's previous wife, Jane Seymour, also lacked a sophisticated education, but this had proved no barrier to her success as a companion to Henry or to providing him with an heir.

Henry, impatient to see his future bride, journeyed to Rochester, Kent on New Year’s Day 1540 and walked in on Anne unannounced. Without the benefit of a portrait of Henry to prepare her for his appearance, she did not realize that the intruder was to be her future husband, so she did not curtsy or even rise from her chair when Henry entered the room. The king reportedly took an immediate dislike to her and announced: "I like her not." Henry urged Cromwell to find a legal way to avoid the marriage but, by this point, such an outcome was impossible without offending the Germans.

A doomed marriage

The Six Wives of
King Henry VIII
Catherine of aragon 1525.jpg Catherine of Aragon
Anne boleyn.jpg Anne Boleyn
JaneSeymour.jpg Jane Seymour
AnneCleves.jpg Anne of Cleves
HowardCatherine02.jpg Catherine Howard
Kathparr.jpg Catherine Parr

The two were married on January 6, 1540, at the royal Palace of Placentia in Greenwich, London by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, despite Henry's vocal misgivings. If his bride had objections, she kept them to herself. The phrase “God send me well to keep” was engraved around Anne’s wedding ring.

Henry was frustrated, and he took out his feelings on Anne. He was described as trying repeatedly to upset her by sending away her personal ladies-in-waiting from Cleves and replacing them with Englishwomen instead. However, Anne made friends quickly and soon enjoyed the lively company of the English maids of honor who attended her.

Henry also ordered that she put aside her traditional and cumbersome Germanic clothing and adopt more streamlined English styles. She liked this idea and immediately ordered a large, lavish wardrobe, straining Henry's finances. He commanded that she speak only English and arranged for her to be tutored intensively. She learned English with amazing speed, so much so that the king was reportedly shocked.

Regarding her virginity, which Henry had questioned because of her supposedly sagging belly and breasts, she answered with a naivety that betrayed a basic ignorance of the facts of life. "I surely cannot be [a virgin], because every night when the King comes to bed, he kisses me on the cheek and says 'Good-night, sweetheart.' Then he goes to sleep. In the morning, when he rises, he kisses me on the cheek again, and says 'Have a good day, sweetheart.' So you see, I cannot still be a virgin."

When Anne heard about real sexual relations as described by her maids, she was amazed, and stated that nothing like that had passed between her and the king, or between her and any other man. This news, rapidly spread, made Henry a laughing stock to his people.[2]

Anne was commanded to leave the king's court on June 24, 1540, and on July 6, she was informed of her husband's decision to reconsider the marriage. In a short time, Anne was asked for her consent to an annulment, to which she agreed. The marriage was annulled on July 9 on the grounds both of non-consummation and of her previous contract to Francis of Lorraine.

She received a generous settlement, including Hever Castle, home of Henry's former in-laws, the Boleyns. Anne of Cleves House, in Lewes, Sussex, is just one of many properties she owned, but she never lived there. Made a Princess of England and called "the King's Beloved Sister" by her former husband, Anne remained in England for the rest of her life.

Why the marriage failed

Sir Horace Walpole, writing in the eighteenth century, resurrected the myth which described Anne as "The Flanders Mare"—a monument to her supposed ugliness. This view persisted, and it is still a popular stereotype. Most modern historians, however, disagree with it, and the Holbein portrait certainly contradicts Walpole. Portraits other than the famous Holbein miniature portray the same face—strongly featured, with a large nose.

Katherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife

Another theory suggests that Henry and Anne agreed that they simply did not get along well with each other. Anne had been raised in the small provincial court at Düsseldorf and shared none of the musical and humanistic literary tastes of Henry's court. Another theory suggests that shifts in a threatened Catholic French-Spanish alliance removed any diplomatic motivations for their union. Finally, there is a theory that the marriage was politically inconvenient because of the growing hostility between Henry and the duke of Cleves.[3]

Anne never overtly resented Henry's new wife, Katherine Howard, but actually was fond of her, first as her own maid of honor and later when she became Henry's fifth queen. Anne was said to be genuinely distressed by Katherine's fall from grace and execution on grounds of adultery and treason. However, Anne reportedly did not like Katherine Parr, Henry's sixth wife, whom she considered far less attractive than herself.[3]

Life after the annulment

Anne adamantly desired to stay in England after her annulment. She thus fully cooperated with Henry, supporting his claims, and probably testified that her marriage had never been consummated, as well as that her previous betrothal to the son of the Duke of Lorraine had never been legally broken. She gratefully accepted Henry's offer of several houses, a princely income, and the honorary title of "the King's Beloved Sister." She also accepted the condition that, having been the king's wife, she would not be permitted to remarry.

Anne of Cleves enjoyed a close relationship with the royal children, especially the young Elizabeth.

Anne did not wish to return to her home and risk being married off to another ally of her brother. Like a number of women of her time, she may have tired of being a political pawn through marriage. She returned her wedding ring to Henry, requesting that he break it in half to symbolize that the bond between them as husband and wife was broken.

The was one matter, however, on which she insisted. Anne consented to the annulment only after the king allowed her to have access to the royal children. She had formed strong attachments to all three of them, particularly Elizabeth. As she could never remarry and was thus denied the chance to have children of her own, Henry agreed. As a tribute to her prudence and good sense, even allowed Prince Edward, the royal heir, to visit her on occasion.

Anne happily retired to the various country homes that Henry had given her and ended up with an income of £4,000 a year, the manors of Bletchingly and Richmond, Hever Castle, and the status of fourth lady in the kingdom (after any queen, the Lady Mary, and the Lady Elizabeth). She occupied herself with refurbishing the estates and other domestic occupations that were her chief interest. Later in life, she converted to Catholicism, to her step-daughter Mary's delight. She founded an orphans' school on one of her estates, and she was frequently at court—where she became one of her "brother," King Henry's favorite visitors. It seems they had much in common, particularly an interest in upgrading and modernizing their houses. They frequently exchanged cooks and household gadgetry.

Thomas Cromwell was less fortunate. His enemies, taking advantage of his misfortune in arranging of Anne's ill-fated marriage to the king, managed to persuade the king of his treason and heresy. He was imprisoned and executed on the same day as the king's marriage to his fifth wife, Catherine Howard.[4]

Anne died peacefully in 1557, aged 42, surviving both Henry and his son, Edward VI. Meanwhile, her step-daughter Mary had become queen.

Legacy

Anne's influence as queen was generally much less than her predecessors. However, she managed to make good personal relationships with each of the royal children, who had up until that time, been raised largely in isolation by servants. Later, she became particularly important in the process of reconciliation between Henry and Mary, his first daughter. She apparently loved each of the royal children sincerely which gave them affection and support when they had little.

Of all of Henry's wives, Anne of Cleaves was probably the most fortunate. Though a failure as a wife, she earned the king's respect and affection, and was able to live out her life in relative happiness.[2]

Notes

  1. At the time, the area was in the Duchy of Cleves.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Geocities' article on Anne of Cleaves www.geocities.com Retrieved May 11, 2008.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Biography Channel www.thebiographychannel.co.uk Retrieved May 11, 2008.
  4. May 3, 2004: Biography of Katherine Howard www.geocities.com. Retrieved May 13, 2008.

References
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External links

All links retrieved July 27, 2023.


English royalty
Preceded by:
Jane Seymour
Queen Consort of England
6 January–9 July 1540
Succeeded by: Catherine Howard


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