This contemporary woodcut of the coronation of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon has fascinated me for some time. Let me explain my thoughts.
Catherine of Aragon married Henry’s older brother Prince Arthur, Prince of Wales, in 1501. They were both young and Catherine claimed that their marriage had never been consummated due to their youth. That fact is important only as it relates to the fact that the Pope issued his permission for Henry to marry his older brother’s widow. Legend has it that Henry married Catherine because of a promise Henry made on his brother Alfred’s deathbed. Actually, that legend matters little because Henry was indeed in love with Catherine. How do we know this? During the Middle Ages, a Queen Consort was not crowned for at least a year after the King’s coronation and after the birth of their first child. This woodcut validates my suspicion that Henry truly loved Catherine and the coronation of Henry VIII was also the coronation of his consort Catherine of Aragon. The Queen was a powerful personality and was left as Regent on occasion when the King was away in battle. This marvelous bit of woodcut of great importance is revealing and insightful. The happy marriage story deteriorates after several years when the Queen did not produce a male heir and the King sought a divorce, leading to the English Reformation. And the story form there is amazing, on and on……
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
