Fifth wife of Henry VIII who was soon executed for adultery, Catherine Howard was a silly little girl who thought marrying a king was fun, not understanding the grave implications of what she was about, but also a poor victim of her uncle's political plotting.
One of ten children of a down-n-out English nobleman, Catherine Howard caught the attention of Henry VIII in 1540 when he was trying to disengage himself from the politically-motivated marriage to Anne of Cleve. Henry managed to get Bishop Cranmer to annul his marriage to Anne on 9 July; 19 days later he was married secretly to Catherine Howard, then perhaps 16 but no more than 21 (her date of birth is not known). The marriage was made public only on the 8 August.
The marriage did not have what was needed to last long. He was already 50, the ulcer he had sustained in a joust years ago was now constantly infected and a painful operation had to be performed every so often to drain it of pus. He was constantly in a temper, his conscience vexed with regrets that he had executed Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell, two of his most loyal friends and counselors. She was young and vivacious. There was one point when things seemed to be taking a turn for the better; his wound had healed somewhat and Catherine was reported to be pregnant. The pregnancy proved false and the king's old ghost came back to haunt him.
Despite the king's prayer in the royal chapel on 1 November 1541, praising God for having been "pleased to give me a wife so entirely comfortable to my inclinations," the fault in the sky of their marriage had cracked open. A secret informer had reported to Cranmer of her sexual indiscretions before her marriage. When informed, Henry would not believe it but charged Cranmer to investigate it. The charges did not turn out false. Foolishly, Catherine had installed one of her former lovers in her employment as her private secretary and usher of her chamber.
On 11 Feb 1542 Parliament passed a bill declaring it a treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king. Catherine was beheaded two days later in the Tower of London.
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