25 Interesting Facts about Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr was Henry VIII's sixth and final wife, but she's a fascinating Tudor lady in her own right.
Hear 25 interesting facts about Catherine Parr from historian and author Claire Ridgway in this latest "Facts about" talk.
Here's the link to my video on Catherine Parr's death and the story of her remains - • September 5 - Death of...

[@kevinbergin9971]

Her cat shows up at (1:17) and meows at (1:37) for those who are keeping score.

[@Lyndell-P]

🇭🇲🦘 Catherine Parr - such a highly educated and intelligent woman. She could definitely think for herself. Her 'quick thinking' most likely saving her life when she 'calmed' the King. ... All these facts given, a marvellous reminder (and summary) of Catherine Parr's life and death. These 'facts about' videos always interesting. Also the links you provide to previous videos are a great help. I usually (like today) go back to view them, even if watched previously. Always appreciate the links. .. GREAT video - "Thank you" Claire 👑👍

[@exileinderby51]

These, facts about series, are fascinating, more please.

[@cathryncampbell8555]

Another illuminating video, Claire: thank you! I automatically click on the 'Thumbs Up' icon when your videos appear, as they are uniformly delightful. Thank you for pointing out Catherine Parr's remarkable work as a translator -- as well as the fact that she served in the household of Princess Mary. An amazing lady who got along with every Tudor royal, which was no small accomplishment.

[@leticiagarcia9025]

A remarkable woman. So sad about her daughter. I added Sudeley castle to my list of places to visit when I visit England. Still not completely recovered from covid. I think I’ll 100% by fall.

[@BlackCatMargie]

Catherine is the wife I need to read much more about. I've always found the story about her holding Elizabeth while Thomas ripped her gown to be so contrary to everything else I understood about her, but I really do need to read more. Her role in Elizabeth's education was very important, and the fact that she got along with all of Henry's children shows she could bridge the religious divide between them too. Do you have a favourite book on Catherine?

[@sandisteinberg1579]

Yes. Is there an accurate biography of Queen Catherine Parr that you might recommend? Thank you.

[@pamelamorgan7354]

I’d love 25 facts about Thomas Seymour! Thanks for all the effort you put into your programs!,

[@maryannlockwood7806]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these!👑👑👑👑👑👑

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Wasn't expecting this Facts About video so soon after the Facts About video featuring Catherine Howard. I've always held Catherine Parr in high regard. An incredibly intelligent, caring, and graceful lady. She does not get enough attention or credit. The fact that she is the first English Queen to publish a book under her own name is quite a big deal! Amazing to learn she was multi lingual, a translator and had an interest in medicine. If times were different, Catherine could've done great things in different fields. Always shocks me to hear that Catherine briefly participated in Seymours inappropriate visits to young Elizabeth. Such behaviour does not fit her character. So sad Catherine did not get to enjoy marriage to her true love Seymour or the beauty of Sudeley for long. Tragic also that she never lived to be a mother to her newborn daughter that she must of craved for so long to have. Catherine may have survived Henry but didn't get to enjoy her freedom and happiness for long.

[@randyherbrechtsmeier4796]

Outstanding Young Claire!!! Im still sticking with ya. 3 plus years now. Really enjoy the longer ones. Todays was Very informative !!!

[@gonefishing167]

Do you think at first she thought it was just childish pranks and teasing they were doing with Elizabeth. Maybe she was a bit naive or was sort of inwardly hoping it was all innocent fun. Poor woman, I think she woke up to what she was frantically trying to inwardly deny - then sent Elizabeth away. Sad end for a lovely lady. One perhaps wonders if all her romantic illusions were crushed. I’d hate to think she was sad for the rest of her pregnancy. She’d married a cad , hadn’t she? Poor, poor lady. 🙏🙏🙏🦘🦘🦘🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Maybe she was afraid that Thomas was losing interest in her in favour of a younger woman so maybe she was trying to please him and keep his interest. Desparation makes people do uncharacteristic things. Catherine loved Thomas so I do hope he held some love for her as was not just using her. After Catherine died, Thomas had hopes to marry Elizabeth. A very sad end indeed for Catherine.

[@oldbat2ccats]

I love it when your kitty shows up on a video.

[@matthewgilmartin1391]

I read somewhere that once Catherine of Aragon died, Henry VIII came back into good standing with the Roman Catholic Church. The reason I mention this, is that a television documentary it stated that Catherine Parr was the first queen to be buried under the reformed funerary rites. What are your thoughts about this?

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Henry wasn't fully Protestant when he died. He was hesitant about a full conversion. What appealed to him most was not being answerable to no one as Head of the Church of England. Catherine Parr died in the reign of Henry's son Edward VI so was the First English Queen to have a Reformed funeral.

[@JessRodr]

Loving these! Thank you 😊

[@sharoncole8249]

💖👑👑💖xx hello clare i like to think am a bit of a expert in my family about all things tudor .but i always find i l learn something new on your channel big thank you has always 💖😊💖xx

[@annfisher3316]

Thank you Claire, brilliant as always! 👍👏⭐😊

[@sharp52092]

Overall my favorite wife of Henry VIII, minus that whole episode with Thomas Seymour and a young Elizabeth.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

I hold Catherine Parr in high regard too. Very underrated. That episode with Thomas and Elizabeth is shocking. Very unlike Catherine's character to go along with it

[@jillianaprati108]

The mental picture I had changed dramatically after you said it was called Snape Castle 😂.

[@giraffequeen9437]

I think Parr is my favorite of his queens for some reason. I think she was interesting

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Incredibly intelligent, interesting and overlooked

[@Turefu2]

Fascinating woman. She lost Henry VIII’s favour and she won it back. Very few were able to do that. She should have remain widow though. Queen Dowager versus humiliated wife.

[@daver8521]

Catherine seems to have been by far the most intelligent and capable of Henry's wives.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Possibly but Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn were well educated and intelligent too

[@marionarnott750]

@@Shane-Flanagan Indeed they were. It's partly why I wonder about marriage to Katherine Howard. She had obvious attractions but Henry liked an educated intelligent wife who could deputise for him as Aragon and Parr did, or assist him in something like the Great Matter and managing a glittering court as Boleyn did He had been brought up by Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth York. They must have influenced him in liking a more queenly type of woman.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@marionarnott750 Yes Henry certainly liked educated, talented and spirited women who shared his interests. At the same time, he didn't like when they outsmarted or competed with him. There were many times when Henry was jealous of Catherine of Aragon such as her success as regent when she defeated the Scots. I think with Catherine Howard, Henry was having a bit of a mid life crisis. He was aging and not as agile as he once was. By marrying a young attractive girl, Henry was trying to prove to people that he still had it. Unfortunately for Henry, I think people pitied him rather than envied him

[@marionarnott750]

@@Shane-Flanagan Or were disgusted by his rotting body. Mid life crisis definitely. Also he might well have seen her youth as more fertile than older women's. When you think of the wives, I,m so sorry for all of them. What a life checking if you're pregnant yet, or knowing you' LL be blamed if you miscarry and that your husband sees an axe as a resolution

[@renshiwu305]

@@marionarnott750 Henry flip-flopped in his choice of consorts: from darkly-complected, brunette, outspoken Anne Boleyn to pale, blonde, demure Jane Seymour. From young, frivolous Catherine Howard to mature, serious Katherine Parr. I assume that Henry was choosing the opposite woman from the previous partly in order to correct his mistake from the last time. However, Henry was also inconstant as a general character flaw. Additionally, he was a spoiled child whose mother was beautiful and possessed many graces. When you have a mother like that, no other woman will compare and you will remain unsatisfied with your wife, whoever she is.

[@patriciapickett836]

I did not know about the stepchildren from the 2nd marriage! Did she remain close to them and/or bring them to court after her marriage to Henry? Did she mix all of her stepchildren in gatherings?

[@wandaholmes7125]

Catherine of Aragon Thanks Claire

[@michelleshephard9690]

Hi Claire 👋

[@amandahugginkiss55]

Yay, I'm "like" number 100!

[@Shane-Flanagan]

QUESTION: Is there any truth to the rumours Henry VIII considered taking a 7th wife before he died? QUESTION: Is there any truth to the rumour that Anne of Cleves did not like Catherine Parr?

[@Sun_Flower1]

🌻

[@kimvara7152]

Catherine parr godmother’s was Catherine of Aragon. Also where did Catherine send Elizabeth

[@jordanp4259]

Now I need to visit Sudeley castle to see her “in the flesh”! And I’m still a bit conflicted on if Catherine was complicit with Thomas Seymour abusing Elizabeth.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Her tomb in the Castle Church is beautiful probably the nicest of all the wives. Catherine's corpse no longer exists. After all the exhumations it turned to dust. Yes Claire said that Catherine participated in some of Thomas Seymours inappropriate visits to young Elizabeth's bedroom. Very shocking and unlike Catherine.

[@publius7682]

That claim is always called into question by some historians. Not sure what to think really.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@publius7682 Claire considers it a fact sadly. Claire is quite thorough about these things. I do hope it isn't true as I don't like to look upon Catherine negatively. Such actions do not fit her character.

[@SyIe12]

👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@imaginempress3408]

I love seeing your kitties.

[@camijaque2291]

Basically all wives are related to queen CoA :O

[@emilythorpe3141]

Why did he cut her gown into 100 pieces? That’s one thing that I cannot understand, and why did Catherine Parr restrain Elizabeth I?

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Elizabeth's carer Kat Ashley confronted Thomas Seymour. Thomas said he would not stop but meant no harm. At that stage, Elizabeth was of marital age so Thomas saw no harm in his inappropriate actions. As for Catherine Parr's involvement, it is very strange and unlike her. Maybe she was afraid her husband was losing interest in her so she went along with it just to please him. Desparation makes people do strange things

[@CoffeeLover-mz7bk]

Just curious how does Caius become Key? Wikipedia has Thomas Caius AKA Key.

[@anneboleynfiles]

In the source I used, this was Thomas Key (Key singular), but Caius is pronounced Keys so Caius College is Keys College.

[@CoffeeLover-mz7bk]

That is what I wanted to know.

[@SafetySpooon]

KITTY!!!!!

[@onemercilessming1342]

Given the supporating leg wound of Henry VIII, how on EARTH could any woman--even an ambitious one (and I'm not saying Catherine Parr was ambitious here)--stomach the smell?

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Everything and everyone smelled to some degree back in Tudor times

[@hayleytempleton5247]

Hello 😀 Why was it ok for the king to marry a woman who had been married 🤔 When all the others had to be virgins ? I think old Henry made the rules up as he went along in life

[@Shane-Flanagan]

I doubt Henry cared at that stage. He was no longer seeking a young attractive child bearing woman. He was looking for an experienced Lady to look after him in his last years and Catherine fitted the bill

[@neilbuckley1613]

Marrying widows was not a problem, Henry wasn't the first King of England to marry a widow, [ his maternal grandmother was a widow who married a King ] especially one who was a mother as this meant they had proved their ability to bear children.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@neilbuckley1613 Yes that is true. Catherine of Aragon was a widow which didn't bother Henry at first until he used it as an excuse to set her aside.

[@beth7935]

@@neilbuckley1613 Yes, it was only a problem if an unmarried woman wasn't a virgin. It was fine if she was a widow.

[@lauramason5667]

Catherine was so smart, diplomatic and seemed to lack any tendency towards manipulation and malice. The only flaw I see is her holding down Elizabeth for Thomas to molest her. Maybe it was her being submissive to the kman she loved? I am surprised that you didn’t mention that she was the only wife that wrote a book! A talk on her book would be very interesting !

[@EXCIT3D]

We have brought Anna von Kleve to life. In a 3D film and as an animated augmented reality model.kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ6mqYJ_nLKkpNk . We could do the same for Catherine Parr.

[@marionarnott750]

Another kind and cons iderate wife who took her duties to all members of Henry' s family seriously. Really, Henry did not deserve her. Nor, come to that, did Thomas Seymour. I have sometimes wondered if Queen Anne or Queen Katherine Howard had been able to reach the king as Queen Katherine Parr did when she was in trouble, could they have been pardoned.

[@mariafury1047]

I think it would have been fruitless for Queens Anne and Katherine. Henry was well past being turned away from killing Anne. He was angry at her not providing the promised son and her temper and emotions. Katherine Howard had humiliated the King who had felt so proud that he had a young pretty wife. As many people knew of her infidelity Henry had to save face. In both cases killing them would have been the only option he saw available to him.

[@marionarnott750]

@@mariafury1047 That's probably true, Maria. I don't think Katherine could have been saved in but Anne... Claire's countdown made me appreciate just how fast and unexpected her fall was. She often got the better of him in arguments Perhaps...

[@a.munroe]

Would Thomas have been as reprehensible in his time if Elizabeth where not a princess and he not married? Because there was a time when their marriage was considered for political purposes.

[@lilenwasnothere6867]

thomas was originally arrested for attempting to kidnap the young king edward (and everyone knew about the last time that went down) and shooting his dog. then, because he had already attempted to marry both elizabeth and mary prior to marrying catherine parr and continued to harass elizabeth after catherine's death, meaning he was attempting to infiltrate the royal family in some other way. it seems like elizabeth's age wasn't a factor, sadly, mostly the fact that he kept trying to marry her. however, at this time people already thought this behaviour from a grown man towards a child was disgusting, so perhaps he would have been arrested anyway.

[@a.munroe]

@@lilenwasnothere6867 and I'm very sure Edward would have tried to spare his uncle if it hadn't been for the dog. Apparently it was his mother's? Would Seymour have impacted so much if he hadn't screwed up like that? Do you think he would have gotten what he wanted if he had been more careful that night? Considering his relationship to Edward?

[@lilenwasnothere6867]

@@a.munroe i don't know that edward would have tried to spare him. he even testified that thomas was bribing him. even if thomas hadn't killed the dog, he was still trying to kidnap edward and this was treason. add to that the disgusting behaviour towards elizabeth that, i believe, was uncovered during questioning by her servants. he still would have been executed on more than one charge.

[@a.munroe]

@@lilenwasnothere6867 I imagine it was seen as spending money at first? I wonder when the in the whole situation did Edward pick up on the shady behaviour? Because at first he suggested Mary as a match and Elizabeth was considered a good political prospect as well so he had to had been in some sort of favour with the King

[@lilenwasnothere6867]

@@a.munroe edward was 10/11, so i doubt he noticed anything weird going on. if his uncle gave him money, that was great. but he was bribing the little boy to gain his favour and to have a position above his own brother, who was actually the one to order his execution.

[@kathrynrae1808]

Catherine Parr:- a highly intelligent, educated woman. How is it, then, that she married Henry the Eighth AND Thomas Seymour? What was she thinking???!!!

[@Shane-Flanagan]

She had no choice to marry King Henry. She caught his eye and he decided that she would be his next wife. She put her position to good use and did good things. Catherine married Thomas Seymour for love. He must have had some redeeming qualities in order to have appealed to Catherine.

[@marionarnott750]

@@Shane-Flanagan She was a woman married young to older men. Seymour was dashing, handsome and virile. Perhaps Catherine felt like letting down her hair a little.

[@wendychavez5348]

@@marionarnott750, I was thinking almost exactly the same thing about 10 minutes before I read your comment! Her first husband was probably arranged by her family, and Henry was ,well, the King! Thomas was in high favor with the king, and handsome, and young (or at least youngish), and probably quite charming when he chose to be.

[@autumnpeacock4156]

It’s so weird to his last wife was literally naked after his first wife.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Not really weird. People named their children after Kings, Queens, Saints etc. Catherine Parr's mother Maud Green served Catherine of Aragon and they were good friends.