If this question has already answered, I aplogize, please just direct me into the correct archives.
When Cathrine of Aragon was dying, Henry VIII would not let their daughter Mary visit her.
Why could she not just take a few trustworthy friends and go for a little trip? Henry VIII would, I'm sure find out, but so what, he would have been upset but would have forgiven her later.
Why were they not allowed to travel freely? Also, same for Anne Boleyn, when the noose was getting tight why not sneak off and start a new life elswhere?
Thank you for any comments that will help me understand tudor times.
Mary and Katherine weren't just kept apart to punish them, though of course that was part of it. Henry was astute enough politically to be aware that Katherine and Mary were very popular with the English people, and he lived in constant fear that they would plot against him. Mary traveling to see her mother against his consent would have been taken as proof of treason and she would have been imprisoned in the Tower at best and executed at worst. Henry wasn't exactly known for his forgiving nature...
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, Katherine would never had agreed with such a plan. She refused to directly disobey Henry, except when obeying him would have meant heresy, as she believed giving into his requests for a divorce would have been. She also admonished Mary to obey her father second only to God.
As for Anne Boleyn, she certainly knew she was falling out of favor and that she had her enemies, but she didn't know that Henry would go so far as to have her executed, she also didn't know what would be used to cause her fall. She likely thought that he would put her aside as he had done Katherine. Further, Cromwell and the council put their plan into action very quickly, with little to no forewarning, there was no time for her to escape even if she had had the means or the help. Unlike Katherine, Anne had no powerful allies to protect her or help her. Even her kin turned against her at the end, despite having benefited from her rise.
ReplyDeletePrincess Mary did have a chance to leave. There was talk between Ambassador Chapuys and Charles V about smuggling Mary out of England, but Queen Catherine would not give her approval. Plus, Mary and Queen Catherine knew that if Mary was to leave England, their friends,and supporters would suffer,and might even had been sent to the scaffold.
ReplyDeleteAs for Anne, I'm not sure if she was aware of the danger she was in. I have read conflicting stories in regards to the incidents leading up to Anne's arrest. Ambassador Chapuys reported that Anne was in great fear after the lost of her last child. While others reported that she was in great spirit,and her and the king was on good term. If Chapuy was right,and Anne was in great fear as he stated, than she would have had a idea that the king was planning on getting rid of her..but that wouldn't cause her to be in great fear,unless she knew that they were planning on charging her with Treason,or something like that. On the other hand, if Henry VIII was still fighting for the
Holy Roman Emperor to recognize Anne as Queen,and wanted/tricked Chapuys into acknowledging Anne, than Anne would have not have been aware of the danger she was in,and would not have known to run.
If Mary did go see her mother, could Henry charged her with a crime?
ReplyDelete@anonymous,
ReplyDeleteIf Mary was to sneak off and see her mother, Henry VIII would have likely charge her with treason.