The daughter of a younger brother of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Catherine had few prospects. She asked for the block to be brought to her room, saying that she wanted to know how she was to place her head on it. WebOn the 13th February 1542, Catherine was executed at the Tower of London. There is no authenticated contemporary likeness of Catherine Howard,[47] and there is no documentary evidence that she ever had her portrait painted. 13 February 1542 Lady Rochford and Queen Catherine Howard died repentant, 10 February 1542 Queen Catherine Howard is escorted to the Tower, 12 February 1542 Catherine Howard prepares for her execution, 10 February 1542 Catherine Howard is taken to the Tower of London, 30 June 1541 Henry VIII and Catherine Howard Set off on Progress, The Executions of Catherine Howard, Jane Boleyn, Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpeper, The Marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard, Katherine Howard: Smeared Blood on an Angels Face, The arrests of Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford 2 May 1536, #fridayfun Quiz: Anne Boleyns siblings, #WednesdayFact Anne Boleyn said yes with a jewel, #portraittuesday The John Hoskins miniature of Anne Boleyn. Contrary to legend and The Tudors, Catherine did not utter the words I die a Queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpeper, although I so wish she had! In conclusion, the sudden and unexpected death of Catherine Cat Marie Howard on September 25, 2020, left her family and friends in shock and mourning. "[69] The painting was in the possession of the Cromwell family for centuries. But relations between the two women eventually began to settle down, and they treated one another cordially. The union between Henry and Catherine ended in tragedy when Henry discovered Catherines sexual past and she was charged with treason. Files Welcome Pack of 5 goodies. WebQueen Catherine Howard and Lady Rochford were both executed on 13 February 1542, and were buried in the Church of St Peter ad Vincula, within the Tower of London. WebKatharine came to public attention at the same time that her sister was supposedly being considered as a new wife for King Henry VIII, and was arrested and briefly imprisoned on suspicion of having made treasonable utterances. In the end, it did not matter the queens fate was already sealed. Related by blood (Elizabeths mother, Anne Boleyn, was Catherines first cousin), the pair are said to have enjoyed one anothers company during the few occasions on which they met. Meanwhile, Catherine found herself a fan in her younger stepdaughter, the Princess Elizabeth, who is thought to have been seven years old when Catherine married Henry VIII. [22], Culpeper called Catherine "my little, sweet fool" in a love letter. The general trend has been more fair to Catherine, particularly in the works of Antonia Fraser, Karen Lindsey, Joanna Denny, Conor Byrne, Josephine Wilkinson, and Gareth Russell. [41], Lady Rochford was executed immediately thereafter on Tower Green. Catherine's uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, found her a place at Court in the household of the King's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Meet Alex Sgambati Brother Family And Net Worth. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Writing for BBC History Magazine in 2016, the academic historian Josephine Wilkinson claimed that Catherine Howards relationships with Mannock and Dereham had been non-consensual. Cats funeral was held on September 30, 2020, at 1:00 pm in the Peachtree Corners Chapel of Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory. Her life has also been described in the five collective studies of Henry's queens that have appeared since the publication of Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1991)such as David Starkey's The Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII (2003). A birthdate of 1525 is consistent with Catherines career as a maiden of honour. [56] Moyle also noted that, though the portrait's subject wears jewels that were in Catherine's collection, jewellery was often passed between queens, and so could very well have been a part of Anne's as well. In 1536, Catherine received music lessons, which were intended to polish her in readiness to join Queen Annes court. Her execution followed the discovery by her husband, Henry VIII, of claimed affairs before their marriage and of alleged adultery afterward. The Spanish Chronicle goes further, asserting that Catherine was born in 1525, which would have made her no more than 17 when she died.. And because she had not consented, she thought that any contract or marriage between them was invalid. According to popular folklore her last words were, "I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpeper", but no eyewitness accounts support this, instead reporting that she stuck to traditional final words, asking for forgiveness for her sins and acknowledging that she deserved to die "a thousand deaths" for betraying the king, who had always treated her so graciously. The pair almost certainly became lovers, addressing each other as husband and wife; Francis even entrusted her with his money whilst he was travelling, says Philippa Gregory. Catherine met Henry through his wife, Anne of Cleves. She also had a nurturing side for animals, particularly dogs.[9]. In other words, though she was innocent of any actual crime, the terms of the 1534 Treasons Act allowed Henry to condemn her for presumptive treason. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. In her 2010 book Mary Tudor: England's First Queen, Whitelock details how, on 5 December 1540, Eustace Chapuys [Spanish ambassador to Henry VIIIs court from 1529 to 1545] told the emperor Charles Vs sister that the young queen Catherine had tried to remove two of Marys attendants because she believed that the princess was showing less respect to her than to her predecessors.. The palaces chief curator, Lucy Worsley, says: I have never see the ghost, but there genuinely is one peculiar spot at the turn in the gallery where, with no obvious explanation, you can feel the temperature drop., Emma Mason is the Digital Editor at HistoryExtra. In the summer of 1541, as Henrys court embarked upon a royal progress to the north country, rumours of Catherines previous indiscretions continued to haunt her and she was forced to give favours and positions in return for silence, says Philippa Gregory. [60][63][64][65], Portrait of a Lady, probably a Member of the Cromwell Family c. 15351540(Toledo Museum of Art)[65][64], Portrait of a Lady, thought to be Catherine Howard, 16th century, follower of Hans Holbein the Younger (Hever Castle)[62], Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard, late 17th century, after Hans Holbein the Younger[65][64], Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard, 1902, after Hans Holbein the Younger[65][64], In 1967 art historian Sir Roy Strong noted that both the Toledo portrait and the National Portrait Gallery version appear in the context of a series of portraits of members of the family of the Protector's uncle, Sir Oliver Cromwell (c.15621655), and have provenances linking them with the Cromwell family. Writing in The Telegraph, Worsley highlighted the queasy fact that the girl at the centre of [this] was quite possibly still in her early teens., She added: Its all very well to describe [Catherines] easy charm and her abundant store of good nature, but it is questionable to do so about a girl who, from the age of 11 or 12 onwards, had older men coming into her bedroom. Many of Catherine's relatives were also detained in the Tower, tried, found guilty of concealing treason and sentenced to life imprisonment and forfeiture of goods. This was typical of the speeches given by people executed during that period, most likely in an effort to protect their families, since the condemned's last words would be relayed to the King. Henry called her his 'very jewel of womanhood' (that he called her his 'rose without a thorn' is likely a myth). Chapuys says of Lady Rochfords execution:-, Then Lady Rochford was brought, who had shown symptoms of madness till they told her she must die. After the service, she was laid to rest at Peachtree Memorial Park in Peachtree Corners, GA. On All Saints' Day, 1 November 1541, the King arranged to be found praying in the Chapel Royal. Next was the turn of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, wife of the late George Boleyn, and the woman who was accused of committing high treason by helping Catherine commit adultery. [16] As a young and attractive lady-in-waiting, Catherine quickly caught Henry's eye. While he could have annulled their marriage on the grounds that Catherine had really been Derehams wife he chose not to. [51] In it, she wears a pendant jewel that is similar to that shown in Holbein's portrait of Jane Seymour at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, and identical to that shown in the portrait of Henry VIII's third queen, in the Mauritshuis, The Hague. The details and dates of this relationship are debated between modern historians. In May 1541, Chapuys reported that Catherine had countenanced with good grace her husbands decision to allow Mary to reside at court. [53] The necklace and pendant may have been given to Catherine by Henry VIII on their marriage in 1540, and she is the only queen to fit the dating whose appearance is not already known. Henry VIII first became attracted to the young girl in 1540, when he was seeking to end his politically motivated marriage to Anne of Cleves, to whom Catherine was a maid of honour. Catherine steadfastly denied any precontract, maintaining that Dereham had raped her. Catherine Howards execution What happened? Nevertheless, every night Sir Thomas Heneage, Groom of the Stool, came to her chamber to report on the King's well-being. He was 49, and she was between 15 and 21 years old. Catherine was beheaded at the Tower of London at 9am on Monday 13 February 1542 along with Lady Jane Rochford. In her BBC miniseries Six Wives she states that today, instead of the "good-time girl" some historians accuse her of having been, we would call her an "abused child."[45]. Queen Catherine Parr died of complications from childbirth. She was known for her infectious smile and kind heart. Omissions? Updates? Catherine Marie Howard obituary revealed her sudden and unexpected death, leaving her family and friends in shock and mourning. Both men took advantage of their position of authority in the household and Catherine had no means of defending herself., The historian Lucy Worsley echoed Wilkinsons claims. She had considered marrying Culpeper during her time as a maid-of-honour to Anne of Cleves. [63] Inscribed ETATIS SV 21, indicating that the lady was depicted at the age of twenty-one, the portrait has long been associated with Henry VIII's young queen, but she is now thought to be a member of the Cromwell family. After he was given evidence that she had had affairs before their marriage and that she was having an affair with her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, Henry had her imprisoned and then beheaded for treason. But in November 1541, he learned that before their marriage Catherine had had affairs: Henry Mannock, a music teacher; Francis Dereham, who had called her his wife; and her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, to whom she had been engaged. Kids And Family. As a child, she enjoyed playing softball and basketball at the beach. [65] He stated that a "dated parallel for costume, notably the distinctive cut of the sleeves, is Holbein's Christina of Denmark of 1538. What was Catherine of Howard's childhood like? Despite these actions, her marriage to Henry was never formally annulled. Catherine was one of 10 children of Lord Edmund Howard (died 1539), a poverty-stricken younger son of Thomas Howard, 2nd duke of Norfolk. Especially when Mannock was placed in a position of responsibility towards Catherine as her music teacher., Enter your email address now to receive news, features, podcasts and more. Corrections? Historical novelist Philippa Gregory describes the Dowager Duchesss household as being full of her young wards and companions and says they received little supervision. With my experience, I have developed a talent for crafting articles, blog posts, and website copy that captures the attention of readers and drives engagement. [34][35] This measure retroactively solved the matter of Catherine's supposed pre-contract and made her unequivocally guilty. He was still living in Lambeth in 1541. On the evening of Sunday 12 February 1542, Catherine Howard, queen of England, was told to prepare her soul, for she was to be put to death the following The next day the bill of attainder received Royal Assent and her execution was scheduled for 7.00 am on Monday 13 February 1542. Whose souls be with God, for they made the most godly and Christian end [Catherine] uttered [her] lively faith in the blood of Christ only [she] desired all Christian people to take regard unto [her] worthy and just punishment.. Catherine Howard is buried in the Chapel of St Peter Ad Vincula at the Tower of London. But it was Catherines earlier liaisons that ultimately sealed her fate. Cranmer was told that Catherines music teacher, Henry Mannock, had boasted that he knew Catherines privates from all others by a privy mark, while Francis Dereham was so familiar with Catherine afore her marriage to the king that he did lie with her a hundred nights in the year in his doublet and hose abed between the sheets.. How did Catherine Howard become queen of England? Cats death left many questions unanswered. On the 27th of December 2021, TVDeathRay received information about the death of Catherine Marie Howard via a Social Media post. [46] There are no other plausible likenesses of her to compare to. Josephine Wilkinson is an academic historian who specialises in a wide range of periods, including 16th-century England, This article was first published in the April 2016 issue of BBC History Magazine, Enjoying HistoryExtra.com? I am justly condemned by the laws of this realm and by Parliament. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Her father's sister, Elizabeth Howard, was the mother of Anne Boleyn. However, Catherine was never to become Mrs Culpeper, for when King Henrys marriage to Anne of Cleves broke down, he fell head over heels with her new maiden of honour. It is thought that Catherines maid Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, (who had previously testified against her husband, George Boleyn, and her sister-in-law, Anne Boleyn) helped Catherine to meet Culpeper in secret while the king was away from court. Catherine Howards biggest mistake, many have argued, was continuing her affair with Thomas Culpeper after she had married Henry VIII. They married on 28 July 1540, just three weeks after the kings brief marriage to Anne of Cleves was annulled. Both men took advantage of their position of authority in the household and Catherine had no means of defending herself. According to custom, their heads were placed on spikes on London Bridge. For the next 14 months Henry appeared to be much enamoured of his bride. Dereham also entrusted Catherine with various wifely duties, such as keeping his money when he was away on business. There was a time in the summer of 1546 when Katherine came within a [64], Historians Antonia Fraser and Derek Wilson believe that the portrait is likely to depict Elizabeth Seymour. When did she marry Henry VIII? Henry was nearly 50 years old when he married the teenage Catherine at least 30 years older than her and he was in failing health. After Anne's arrival at the Tower in April 1536 it was noted that her behaviour oscillated from a resigned calmness to occasional bouts of hysteria and depression. In the summer of 1541, the court embarked upon a royal progress to the north country. #portraittuesday The Hever Castle Rose portrait of Anne Boleyn, Anne Boleyn is a pivotal character in the novel, I am Henry, #fridayfun Anne Boleyns Early Life Quiz, #portraittuesday The NPG portrait of Anne Boleyn, Maundy Thursday Anne Boleyn, King Charles III and the Royal Maundy, 3 April 1538 Anne Boleyns mother, Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire, dies, Replay of my livestream The Making of a King: Henry VIIIs Education and Upbringing, The Making of a King: Henry VIIIs Education and Upbringing Livestream on YouTube 18 March. When her ladies had removed her mantle and hood, she knelt in the straw and placed herself on the block that was now so familiar to her. ", King Henry and Catherine were married by Bishop Bonner of London at Oatlands Palace on 28 July 1540, the same day Cromwell was executed. The King would be at Hampton Court, but she would not see him again. She remembered Catherines earlier sexual experiences with Henry Mannock and Francis Dereham, but blamed the young girl for what had happened. While at court Catherine Howard had a relationship with a Thomas Culpeper, a gentleman of the kings privy chamber, and rumours abounded that the pair were to be married. You can unsubscribe at any time. Henrys grief that Catherine had not been pure when she came to him was made worse when he discovered that she might never really have been his wife. Francis Dereham was hung, drawn, and quartered on December Biographer, Agnes Howard, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, "Katherine [Catalina, Catherine, Katherine of Aragon]", "Anne [Anne of Cleves] (15151557), queen of England, fourth consort of Henry VIII", "The Marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard", "Letter of Queen Catherine Howard to Master Thomas Culpeper, Spring 1541", "How Holbein Left Clever Clue in Portrait to Identify Henry VIII's Queen", "New Research Raises Questions About the Subject of a Celebrated Hans Holbein Miniature Portrait", "Wishful Thinking: Reading the Portraits of Henry VIII's Queens", "All that Glitters: Hans Holbein's Lady of the Cromwell Family", "Howard, Sir George (by 151980), of London and Kidbrooke, Kent", "Letters and Papers, Henry VIII (15091547)", "February 13th, 1542: The Execution of Catherine Howard and Jane Boleyn", Letter from Catherine Howard to Thomas Culpeper, Original images of the Act concerning the Attainder of the late Queen Katharine and her Complices, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catherine_Howard&oldid=1152494779, Burials at the Church of St Peter ad Vincula, People convicted under a bill of attainder, People executed by Tudor England by decapitation, People executed under the Tudors for treason against England, People from the London Borough of Lambeth, Converts to Anglicanism from Roman Catholicism, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 15:49. Her one surviving signature spells it "Katheryn". The girls stole food, wine, and gifts from the kitchens for these occasions. Celebrities and Famous People Who Passed Away Today in History. [23] It has been alleged that in Spring 1541 the pair were meeting secretly. Portrayal [ edit] Culpepper is referenced in nearly all biographies of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard. Who Is Matt Sgambati? On this day in history, the 13th February 1542, Catherine Howard was executed at the Tower of London. He claimed Lady Rochford had provoked him much to love the queen, adding that she said also to him how much the queen loved him by which means he was tricked and brought into the snare which blind youth hath no grace to foresee. He was therefore related by marriage to the king, "an event worth recording for posterity, by a portrait of his [Cromwell's] daughter-in-law. Investigations into Catherines past quickly followed: Dereham, who was arrested and tortured, confessed and named Culpeper, who was also arrested and confessed under torture, says Philippa Gregory. Establishing the existence of a pre-contract between Catherine and Dereham would have had the effect of terminating Catherine's marriage to Henry, but it would also have allowed Henry to annul their marriage and banish her from court to live in poverty and disgrace instead of executing her, although there is no indication that Henry would have chosen that alternative. For female sitters, duplicate versions of miniatures only exist for queens at this period. [14] It is not true, as is sometimes stated, that this was because she began to spend more time at the Dowager Duchess's mansion in Lambeth, as Lambeth was Mannox's home parish and he also married here, perhaps in 1538 or 1539. Within a matter of weeks in what was a truly spectacular rise from obscurity to the seat of power Catherine Howard had become his fifth queen.". This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-Howard, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Catherine Howard, Historic Royal Palaces - Catherine Howard, History Learning Site - Biography of Catherine Howard, Catherine Howard - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Catherine Howard - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The community came together to offer their condolences and support for her family during this difficult time. She was reluctant to marry himhe had had his second and fifth wives executedbut saying no to a proposal from the king could have had serious consequences. He accused councillors of being "lying time-servers", and began to regret executing Cromwell. As a young teen, Catherine was romantically involved with her music teacher and also with Francis Dereham, who called her his wife. Each is more or less sympathetic, though they disagree on various important points involving Catherine's motivations, date of birth and overall character. Why not try 6 issues of BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed for 9.99 delivered straight to your door + FREE access to HistoryExtra.com, Save 70% on the shop price when you subscribe today - Get 13 issues for just $49.99 + FREE access to HistoryExtra.com. [59][60][61] The portrait (below), dated circa 15351540, is exhibited at the Toledo Museum of Art as Portrait of a Lady, probably a Member of the Cromwell Family (1926.57). Henry accused Catherine of having affairs before their marriage and of adultery, which led to charges of treason; she was executed on February 13, 1542. No plans were made for a coronation, yet she still travelled downriver in the royal barge into the City of London to a gun salute and some acclamation. In February 1542, Parliament passed a bill of attainder declaring it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king, and she was imprisoned and killed soon after. When the court returned from progress, Cranmer left the letter in Henrys pew for him to find. According to historian Anna Whitelock, relations between the two were initially fraught. She was executed at the Tower of London on 13 February 1542. She was a teenager and he was 49. Even the staunch Cranmer found the teenaged Catherine's frantic, incoherent state pitiable, saying, "I found her in such lamentation and heaviness as I never saw no creature, so that it would have pitied any man's heart to have looked upon her. After an extended honeymoon they settled into married life and Catherine showed every sign of becoming a good queen. In many cases, the cause of death is determined by a medical examiner or coroner. Save 70% on the shop price when you subscribe today - Get 13 issues for just $49.99 + FREE access to HistoryExtra.com, Enjoying HistoryExtra.com? Corrections? [61], Portrait of a Young Woman, ca. I am Aaryush Shrestha, a talented content writer with a passion for creating engaging and informative content. How did she meet Henry VIII, and is she related to Anne Boleyn? Catherine Howards death is made all the more tragic by the fact that she was younger than most historians have traditionally had us believe. Henry had only entertained the idea of a match with Anne because he desperately needed new allies, says Tracy Borman. But it was Henry who secured Catherines hand: having fallen in love with Catherine and sent her gifts and love letters, on 28 July 1540 just three weeks after the kings marriage to Anne of Cleves was annulled he married Catherine at Oatlands Palace in Surrey, making her his fifth queen. These professionals conduct autopsies and other tests to determine the cause of death in cases that are not immediately apparent. Knowing this, Cranmer detailed the allegations in a letter addressed to Henry. Henry adored Catherine, who restored to him the youth and vitality he thought hed lost. With little to sustain the family, her father often had to beg for the help of his more affluent relatives. When the Lords of the Council came for her, she allegedly panicked and screamed as they manhandled her into the barge that would escort her to the Tower on Friday 10 February 1542, her flotilla passing under London Bridge where the heads of Culpeper and Dereham were impaled (and where they remained until 1546). On the evening of Sunday 12 February 1542, Catherine Howard, queen of England, was told to prepare her soul, for she was to be put to death the following morning. Sadly, by the time Catherine was old enough to serve at court, Anne was dead. "[21], Catherine may have been involved during her marriage to the King with Henry's favourite male courtier, Thomas Culpeper, a young man who "had succeeded [him] in the Queen's affections", according to Dereham's later testimony. [60] Two copies are extant: a 16th-century version at Hever Castle is exhibited as Portrait of a Lady, thought to be Catherine Howard;[61][62] the National Portrait Gallery exhibits a similar painting, Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard (NPG 1119),[63] dating from the late 17th century. Today it is said that Catherines ghost can be seen and heard running and screaming along what is now known as the Haunted Gallery. [28] There he received a letter describing the allegations against Catherine. Catherine, who was at least two and possibly even seven years younger than Henrys elder daughter, Mary, found the role of stepmother difficult. After an extended honeymoon they settled into married life and Catherine showed every sign of becoming a good queen.. She was too young to take part in administrative matters of State. Her family and loved ones were devastated by her sudden and unexpected death. Also read: Who Is Matt Sgambati? Henry VIII | Biography, Wives, Religion, Death, & Facts | Britannica He had his marriage to Anne annulled on July 9, 1540, and some two weeks later he married Catherine. It was immaterial whether or not Catherine and Culpeper had actually had sex because malicious intent was enough and when it came to the safety of the king and the succession, anything could be deemed malicious. [54] The miniature has been linked to Catherine because it dates from 1540, the year in which she married the king, and because the sitter is "adorned with jewels that are comparable to items in her inventory. We bring you the facts about Henry VIII's fifth wife and the truth about her adultery and death Catherine Howard is thought to have been born sometime between 1518 and 1524, but the exact date is unknown. Both Dereham and Culpeper were tried and, their guilt being predicated on the presumption of Catherines, they were condemned to death for treason. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [46][52], Her necklace of pearls and rubies set in gold closely resembles those seen in portraits of Henry VIII's other wives, including Jane Seymour (Kunsthistorisches Museum) and is identical to that of Catherine Parr in the Hastings portrait. On 7 November 1541, Archbishop Cranmer led a delegation of councillors to Winchester Palace in Southwark, to question her. However, the obituary noted that her death was sudden and unexpected, indicating that it was not the result of a prolonged illness. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The headsman struck off her head with a single stroke of the axe. She was born into a very well connected family. days of their marriage, or to incite someone to commit adultery with her. That evening she asked to have the block brought in to her, that she might know how to place herself; which was done, and she made trial of it.1, Chapuys goes on to say that at 7am the next morning, the 13th, members of the Kings Council (Suffolk and Norfolk were absent)and other dignatories arrived at the Tower to serve as witnesses to Catherines execution. Born into an aristocratic family, Catherine Howard was the daughter of a younger brother of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk and was first cousin to Anne Boleyn. I pray for his preservation and beseech you all to do the same. [57][58], An unidentified woman c.153243, Hans Holbein the Younger[57], Unknown woman engraved as Catherine Howard, 1797, Francesco Bartolozzi after Hans Holbein[57], A contemporary portrait of a lady in black, by Hans Holbein the Younger, was identified by art historian, Sir Lionel Cust, in 1909, as Catherine Howard. Both bodies were buried in an unmarked grave in the nearby chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, where the bodies of Catherine's cousins, Anne and George Boleyn, also lay. There had been no talk of a mistress for some time., But while Catherine had no children of her own, she was, however, stepmother to Mary Tudor and the future Elizabeth I. The former lovers found themselves accused of malicious intent under the 1534 Treason Act, under which anyone could be judged a traitor, says Josephine Wilkinson. In her book Elizabeth's Women, profiling the rise of Queen Elizabeth I (Catherine's stepdaughter), Tracy Borman wrote that Catherine was "as much a sexual predator as [Francis] Dereham" and blamed Catherine almost entirely for her own fate. Those who had known Catherine in her youth were found guilty of misprision. Other writers, especially those studying historical trends larger than Catherine's life, have been much more critical towards her. For Catherine it was a truly spectacular rise from obscurity to the seat of power, says Josephine Wilkinson.
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catherine howard cause of death