Friday, June 15, 2018

Question from Ashley - Arthur and Catherine of Aragon and Ludlow

Did Arthur Tudor(Prince of Wales)and his new wife catherine of aragon go to ludlow castle of there own accord?or did henry vii(arthurs Father) instruct them to go there?

2 comments:

PhD Historian said...

Arthur was Prince of Wales, and at the time, Ludlow was the seat or main residence of the Prince of Wales. Whether Henry "instructed" the couple to go to Ludlow or whether they decided for themselves is not really the issue. They went there because it was the correct thing to do under the existing social and political culture. A newly married husband normally took his new wife to his own house to begin their life as husband and wife. Ludlow was Arthur's primary and official residence, so that is where they went.

PhD Historian said...

Ludlow Castle was the seat of the Princes of Wales in the Tudor era, and it was customary for the Prince to occupy Ludlow as his primary residence (though Henry VIII did not himself do so during his own tenure as Prince of Wales). And it was likewise customary for a large landowner, upon marriage, to take up residence at his principal seat for a period of "introduction" of the new lady to the estates. Whether Henry VII "instructed" Arthur to live at Ludlow (likely) or whether Arthur made the decision himself (unlikely) is less important than the social convention that called for the newlyweds to go there.