Catherine of Aragon

Queen of England

Catherine married for the second time, to Prince Henry and now heir to the British throne, married on June 11 1509,  just even years after Arthurs death, in a private ceremony in the church of Observants Friars outside Greenwich Palace. She was 23 years of age. 

On April 21 1509 aged 52 Henry's father King Henry VII had died, at Richmond Palace, in Surrey, more than likely of Tuberculosis. 

On Saturday 23 June, the traditional eve-of-coronation procession to Westminster Abbey was greeted by a large and exited enthusiastic crowd. As a tradition and custom the Royal couple stayed the night before their coronation at the Tower of London. On Midsummer Day, Sunday 1509, on the 24 of June, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon we're anointed with holy oil and crowned together by the Archbishop of Canterbury at a lavish and grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey.  

On January 31 1510 Catherine had her first child a daughter but sadly she miscarried at about six months. Catherine was told she had twins and the other was still alive, so the loss was kept secret as she prepared for birth. No child came. Then again in 1501 Catherine became with child again and gave birth to a son Henry on 1 January 1511 but sadly he died suddenly with no recorded cause of death on February 22 1511. 

On June 11 1513, Henry appointed Catherine Regent in England with Titles "Governor of the realm and Captain General", while he went to France on a military campaign. When Louis Orléans, Duke of Longueville, was captured at Thèrouanne, Henry sent him to stay in Catherines household. Catherine wrote to Thomas Wolsey that she and her council would prefer the Duke to stay in the Tower of London as the Scottish were "So busy as the now be"and she added her prayers for "God to sende us as good lukke against the Scots, as the King hath ther." The war with Scotland occupied her subjects, and she was "horrible busy with making standards, banners, and badges" at Richmond Palace. Catherine wrote to towns, including Gloucester, asking them to send muster lists of men able to serve as soldiers. The Scots invaded and on September 3rd 1513, she ordered Thomas Lovell to raise an army in the midland counties. 

Catherine was issued with banners at Richmond on September 8, and rode on house back north in full armor to address the troops, despite being heavily pregnant. Her fine speech reported to the historian Peter Martyr d'Anghiera in Valladolid within a fortnight. Catherine sent a letter to Henry along with a piece of a bloodied piece of coat from King James IV of Scotland, who died in battle, for Henry to use as a banner at the siege of Tournai. Catherine gave birth to a son on September 17 but sadly he died either of miscarriage, stillbirth, or lived after birth but died shortly. 

Catherine religious dedication to the Catholic church increased as she became older, as did her interest in academics. In either November or December Catherine gave birth to a still birthed son, and then again in 1515 Catherine came with child again and gave birth to a healthy and strong daughter Mary on the 18 of February 1516, Catherine had her last pregnancy in 1518 a stillborn daughter. Catherine continued to broaden her knowledge and provide training for her daughter, Mary. Education among women became fashionable, partly because of Catherine's influence, and donated big sums of money to several college's. Henry, however, still considered a male heir essential. The Tudor dynasty was new, and its legitimacy might still be tested. A long civil war (1135-1154) had been fought the last time a woman(Empress Matilda) had inherited the throne and the disasters of civil war was still a fresh living memory from the Wars of the Rose's. 

In 1520, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Catherine's nephew ,made a state visit to England, and she urged Henry to make an alliance with Charles rather then France. Immediately after his departure, she accompanied Henry to France on the celebrated visit to Francis I, at the field of the Cloth of Gold.