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10:19 am
June 27, 2009
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Who is your LEAST favorite of Henry's six wives and why?
Mine is definitely, hands down Jane Seymour. I mean, since im such a huge Anne fan, I suppose Jane seems the obvious choice, but that's not the only reason. I also have never found her fascinating. History remembers Jane as a shy, quiet, 'doormat' type of woman, which certainly doesn't interest me. I also think that Jane always being referred to as henry's 'true love' simply because she gave him a son &, as my one teacher once said 'died before henry could get bored with her' is a stretch, as i certainly feel he loved anne most.
ive wondered a lot about jane though, such as- how big of a role did jane's family play in putting her in the king's way? did jane have a secret, ambitious side unknown to history, if she was able to mirror anne's strategy of not sleeping with the king unless they were married? did jane feel any guilt that anne was about to be beheaded just as she was being engaged to the king? did SHE ever love the king?
Anne Boleyn: Laetissima
"for all those who meddle in my cause, i require them to judge the best"
12:59 pm
February 16, 2009
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I agree with you – Jane Seymour. All the other 5 had real characters whereas I think Jane's was an act. She does interest me in that I'd like to know more about her feelings and I want to know whether she was a doormat or whether, like Elizabeth Norton thinks, she was cunning, shrewd and intelligent and knew, from seeing Catherine and Anne, how to please the King and what kind of wife he needed. She intrigues me but not to the extent of Henry's other 5 wives.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
8:52 pm
June 23, 2009
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I'm going to go with Catherine Parr…yeeeeyawn. So what? She nursed his royal highness into his last years. While perhaps she pined away for another love she just put her head down and went along with whatever. At least she survived his royal horribleness.
Diem et animus scire cupio: I desire knowledge of the soul.
8:20 pm
June 21, 2009
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Jane Seymour. Ugh. She sounds like a woman with not a lick of spirit or personality. I am always annoyed by the misconception of her being a sweet, fair young maiden. And I'll be completely honest – her supplanting Anne is probably the biggest reason for my dislike of her. 😉
Noli me tangere
11:13 pm
June 20, 2009
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Jane..
I don't think it was an act. She played the same game that Anne did to get Henry, and I'm sure she noticed how he was getting annoyed with Anne's temperament. I personally think she chose to be that way.
I'm sure her hideous brother Edward coached her along…
Let not my enemies sit as my jury
7:09 am
July 7, 2009
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Jane and Katherine Parre.
YAWN. Jane might of been more interesting to us if Anne had died naturally and had become the third wife the proper way, the fact of the matter is she was as shrewd and capable of getting her way just as Anne was.(ie; politician)
A nasty bit of work who thought nothing of picking out her wedding outfit the DAY our belived Anne was getting her head smitten off.
YAWN Katherine Parre to me is another boring wife, she was in love with someone else. she was a good Queen but had none of the qualities the others had, she was more a nirse maid, theres no big love story or no massive dramas apart from the one 'religious' issue that ammounted to nothing.
ANNE BULLEN ALL THE WAY!
1:51 pm
December 8, 2009
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I`m going to break the chain here, I really love Jane Seymour's style. Using all those meek and humble feminine wylies to get her own way! Love it, love her!
My least favourite wife is Katherine of Aragon. I find her pride, her stubbornness and utter inflexibility extremely frustrating. If Katherine had just found it within herself to give an inch, to backdown just a little, then a lot of trouble could`ve been spared for a lot of people. She was offered an honourable way out several times, the last thing Henry wanted to do was to humiliate her, but her insufferable haughtiness and pride just wouldn`t let up. Even at the expense of her poor daughter, who`s health was broken by the \”great matter\”. Love fades and marraiges die, but Katherine just couldn`t/wouldn`t grasp that.
Be daly prove you shalle me fynde,nTo be to you bothe lovyng and kynde,
2:29 pm
February 16, 2009
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I can see your point, Hannah, about Catherine and I've often thought the same, that she should have gone to a nunnery and saved everyone a lot of hassle and pain, but we've got the benefit of a hindsight. Catherine had a strong faith and believed that the vows that she and Henry made were eternally binding and could not be broken, she feared for her soul and for Henry's, plus she was afraid that Mary would suffer if she did not back down. I know that Mary suffered as a result of Catherine not backing down but Catherine felt that she had to fight for Mary's right to the throne. Love may indeed fade and marriages die but marriage was forever in Catherine's eyes.
I also don't think that she was haught or proud, just a woman fighting for her marriage and for her beliefs. They had been married a long time and Catherine loved Henry with all her heart and all her might, I think I'd fight for my husband too, particularly if I thought that the other woman was just a passing fancy or that he had been \”bewitched\”.
Sambo, I actually don't agree with you about Catherine Parr – I'm obviously in a \”disagreeable\” mood today! – and I think that the idea of her as a nurse maid needs to be done away with. She was an intelligent woman who actually managed to escape a plot against her by her quick thinking and by using her wits. She was a passionate reformer and had a huge influence on Elizabeth as her stepmother.
Come on, let's challenged the stereotypes concerning these women:-
Catherine of Aragon was not a boring, religious fuddy duddy who should just be known for the divorce.
Anne Boleyn was not an adulteress or witch.
Jane Seymour was not meek and mild.
Anne of Cleves was not a Flanders Mare.
Catherine Howard was not a sex crazed teenager.
Catherine Parr was not an aged nursemaid.
!!
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
6:01 pm
May 2, 2010
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Jane Seymour, by far.
Although Jane was Henry's “favorite” wife, and the one that he “loved” the most, I don't doubt for a minute that it was for anything other than the fact that she gave him a boy. First, look at Henry's personality. He was a spoiled child, used to getting everything he wanted. Being a king, he was the same way. All he wanted more than anything was a male heir. Jane Seymour gave him that male heir, and Henry wanted that so badly, so obviously that would love her more than any of his other wives. So the arguement that Jane was his most beloved wife is a load of BS. Jane gave him an heir, that's it.
Jane was just dull. She is described as “silent, respectfull, sweet tempered”. Although thats what was wanted in the 16th century, it just proved that Jane was a dime a dozen. Let me be clear – I have nothing against Jane Seymour. Nothing at all. But she was just a dime a dozen. There was nothing about her that made her stand out.
Honestly, she was just dull. Nothing special about her. She was a dime a dozen, extremely religious and nothing to write home about in terms of looks. Though I do respect the woman for giving England a male heir.
2:56 am
June 7, 2010
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jane Seymour for sure – she was cold and manipulative and literally stepped over Annes dead body to be Queen and apparently had no troube doing so plus she was never reviled as a homewrecker like Anne even though she was
4:23 am
June 11, 2010
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When I first shifted my attention from Elizabeth to Anne; I literally forgot all about the other wives. None of them seemed to matter- My entire Tudor ..world revolved around Anne and Henry; and I'll never forget when I was talking to a fan of the show 'The Tudors', and they mentioned that they admired Catherine of Aragon- and I immediately lashed out at her about.. Nothing, really.
If you had've asked me back then my LEAST favourite wives; I would've said something along the lines of; “He had one true wife; ANNE” and pretty much left it at that. I was so shockingly prejudiced against them all- and to be honest; I still can't bring myself to hold ANY of them apart from Anne in such high thoughts or in league with her- because it was HER that brought about the change in England, who.. fought for the crown; who brought Elizabeth into the world..
Katherine of Aragon was.. well; I respect her fight for her daughter. But she could've saved herself a lot of trouble and despair in the long run.
Catherine Howard was just stupid. “=D I'M GONNA CHEAT ON THE KING NOW” Good job; darl. I sympathise a little.
Catherine Parr was just.. ..Catherine Parr.
Anne of Cleves- She's a'ight. ..Not remarkable. But you know; I don't have anything to hate on her about.
But mostly; I will always resent Jane for trying to take Anne's place. … womancouldn'tevengivehimasonthatwashealthyinthelongrun.
-Cough-
GoAnneandElizabeth.
2:48 pm
April 4, 2010
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i vote jane seymour as well, just for the fact that she is not nearly as fascinating as the others.
I'd like to just say that Katherine Parr isn't nearly as dull as many people think. She was the first queen of England to be a published author I think (if not the first, one of the first), with her book “Lamentations of a Sinner”. Also, she was almost executed as Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard before her were, because of her religious ideas. She was a courageous woman, and obviously had a way with words, since she managed to turn that situation around, and convince Henry that she did not actually harbor Protestant sympathies. In fact, Henry was so convinced that he became enraged at the very people who had originally convinced him of Katherine's heretical sentiments. Very interesting, and a very clever woman.
She is definitely not the most exciting wife though. I think that title is reserved for Anne. 🙂
5:49 am
February 8, 2010
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I'd go for Jane Seymour following by Katherine Howard – Praise for Katherine of Aragon who was Royal (but could be Rigid), Anne Boylen, because she had a style like no one else, Anne of Cleves because not only she was Royal but think very clever to get out of a loveless marriage and reap benefits and Katherine Parr for being able to go through teh whole thing and survive
11:05 am
June 7, 2010
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Jane Seymour is my least favourite wife. Her marriage to Henry was too short for her to make any actual contribution, except of course giving birth to Prince Edward. I would also say Katherine Howard holds little interest to me, again for being Queen for such a short time. However, she did not deserve her fate. She was a naive youth, who was beguiled by extravagence and pretty gifts.
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
9:48 am
February 16, 2009
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I agree with you redrose_2121, Catherine Parr was an incredible woman. She was educated and intelligent, she had strong reformist views and she was ahead of her time, she was her own woman and was a published authour, plus she had real courage and the intelligence to survive the plot against her, I really admire her. In my opinion, she was like Anne Boleyn in many ways and I wonder if that's what attracted Henry to her. Again, Henry had a wife he could debate with, someone on his level and someone who shared his interests, just like Anne. As I said previously, Catherine Parr also had a major influence on Elizabeth I so she deserves some credit for the woman and monarch Elizabeth became.
I still vote for Jane as my least favourite, although she intrigues me – was she manipulated and used by her family and Carew or was she actively playing a game? Hmmm… hard to say.
Catherine Howard I just feel desperately sorry for. She was no innocent but her upbringing let her down and she should never have been out into the position she was put in, she was not queen material. Poor girl!
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
2:59 pm
February 22, 2010
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I'd say Catherine Parr is currently my least fave, but I'm hoping that will change once I see her in season four of the Tudors!
2:59 pm
February 22, 2010
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regarding Jane Seymour, I am so torn over what to make of her
3:20 am
June 7, 2010
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The Other Boleyn Boy said:
regarding Jane Seymour, I am so torn over what to make of her
I have no problem with how I feel about Jane Seymour – not only is she my least favourite I think she was a despicable conniving homewrecker who has never been justly acknowledged as one. People say all sorts of things about Anne but to me Jane Seymour was far worse – and she literally stepped into Annes position over Annes dead body and there has been nothing to indicate any remorse at all or any guilt over what she did. She courted with Henry before Anne was dead and was just as pushy in her own way about becoming Queen. If people would tell the truth – that she was a sly manipulative homewrecker it may be different but when people write about her they gloos over ALL of that and focus on her so-called sweetness and giving birth to a son. I read a blog the other day that said something interesting – that some people are stating that Edward was not actually Henrys son that Henry was incapable of fathering a child and so Jane Seymour was with someone else – who they did not say – may be fan fiction but I would have no trouble believing it!
8:30 am
August 2, 2010
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I agree with everyone who doesn't like Jane Seymour! She is definitely my least favorite although, given that she was Anne's nemesis and the cause, or at least a major one, in her downfall, I'll admit I'm a bit prejudiced. Still, I think she wasn't the oh-so-innocent English rose she pretended to be. With an ambitious family like hers, how could she be? I posted a question about her (what everyone thinks: innocent or shrewd?) in the Tudor Personalities section. Anyway, I detest Jane Seymour! I like all the others (especially Anne Boleyn of course!) especially Katherine Parr and Catherine of Aragon.
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
6:31 pm
August 12, 2010
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I feel like Catherine Howard is my least favourite wife just because she was so foolish in knowing Henry's temper history and cheating on him anyways and not really realizing the responsibility of her position. But then again I do have sympathy for her because she was so young. But still I feel like she was a bit foolish.
I always have a soft spot for Catherine of Aragon I always feel like she was more of a modern ruler who realized that her position wan't all about her and she had to apply herself to the people also.
