CATHARINE OF AR'AGON ( 1485-1536 ) . Queen of England. the first wife of henry and fourth daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, King. and Queen of Aragon and Castile. She was born in December. 11S5. Slte occupies a promi nent place in English history, not for what she herself was, but for what she was the occasion of—the Reformation. In pursuance of his foreign policy. Henry VII. negotiated a matri monial allia nee between Catharine and his son Arthur, Prince of Wales. She came to England in 1.501, and on November 14, a few days after the public betrothal, the marriage was cele brated. Never a wife, except in name, Catharine was left a widow by the death of Arthur on April 2, 1502. A few months later, a second marriage was projected for her by her father in-law, with his second son, Henry. as vet only a boy of 12 years. The Pope's dispensation (m olding such near relatives to marry was obtained in 1.504. and the marriage took place in June. 1500, immediately after Henry's accession to the crown as Henry V111. Although Henry was very far from being a model husband, he appears to have treated Queen Catharine, who bore him several children, with respect, until, sonic years after. he conceived a passion for Anne Boleyn (q.v.), by whom lie was attracted as early as 1522. Ile professed doubts as to the validity of his marriage, and in 1526 a collusive suit was secretly brought before NVolsey. Noth ing came of this: but in 1527 the question of divorce teas openly raised. Pope Clement VII. refused to declare the marriage void at Henry's request through the latter's secretary, Knight, whom the King had sent to Rome for that purpose. He, however. granted a commission to Campeggio and Wolsey, to inquire into the validity of the marriage: but before these prelates Queen Catharine refused to plead. and appealed to the Pope. The King craved judg ment. The legates cited the Queen, and declaring her contumacious when she did not appear, went on with the cause: but Cardinal Campeggio, anxious only to stay the proceedings when the King expected a decree, prorogued the court un til a future day. The king consulted the uni versities of Europe, many of which declared the marriage invalid. The l'ope now summoned the
King to Rome, but Henry haughtily refused to appear either in person or by deputy, for he maintained that such obedience would be to sacrifice the prerogatives of his crown, and, set ting the Pope at defiance, lie married Anne .January 25, 1533. On the 10th of the following May Crannier declared the first mar riage void, and on March 23, 1534, Pope Clement pronounced it valid, thus making the separation of England from Rome complete. Queen Catha rine did not quit the kingdom, but was closely guarded at Ampthill, in Bedfordshire. afterwards at Buckden. and then at Kimbolton Castle, Hunt iiwdonshire, until her death on January 7. 1536. In the meantime. although absolutely friendless and harassed by eeas•less she dis played heroic courage and surprising mental power:, defeating every base design of the King and his agents to induce her to sign away the rights of herself and her daughter Mary. Catha rine was educated under her mother's direction, and was a fair Latin scholar. her character was unimpeachable. and her disposition sweet and gentle. Consult: l'he Calendars of State rapers the edited by Brewer and Gairdn•r (1S50-90), and the Spanish series, edited by and Gayango, Vol. 11. (156S) ; I:re•er and Gairdner, Lett rs and Papers of the Reign of Henry VW. (London, 1502) chronietc (London, 1809) Pocock, History of the Reformation (new ed., London, 15731 : The Divorce, IS /7-33 (2 vol, Oxford, l5701 : Le G rand, History of the Divorce of Henry I III. and Catharine, With Burnet's answer ( London, 1690): Nicholas llarpstield, Treatise on the l're tended Dirorce, ed. by Pocock (London, 1575) ; Fronde. The Divorce (New York, 1S91) Fronde, History of England, Vol:. 1.-11. ( New York, 1571) Cavendish. Life of Cardinal Wolsey, 2d ed. (London. 1827) : Dixon, Tiro courrns (Lon don, 1573-74) Limmrd. History of Enyboul, Vol. VI. (Boston, 1553-551 and Brewer, Reign of Henry 01l1., ed. by Gairdner (2 vols., London, 15841. An excellent bibliography of the divorce controversy is provided by Huth. Marriayf• of K in, 2d ed. (London and New York. 1587).