Facts About Catherine of Aragon

Background, Family of Catherine of Aragon

Both of Catherine's parents were part of the Trastámara dynasty.

• Mother: Isabella I of Castile (1451–1504)
• Father: Ferdinand II of Aragon (1452–1516)
• Maternal grandmother: Isabella of Portugal (1428–1496)
• Maternal grandfather: John (Juan) of Castile (1405–1454)
• Paternal grandmother: Juana Enriquez, a member of the Castilian nobility (1425 - 1468), second wife of Juan II, and a great-great-granddaughter of Alfonso XI of Castile
• Paternal grandfather: John (Juan) II of Aragon, also known as Juan the Great and Juan the Faithless (1398–1479)
• Siblings:
  • Isabella, Queen of Portugal (1470–1498; married to Afonso, Prince of Portugal, then Manuel I of Portugal)
  • John, Prince of Asturias (1478–1497; married to Margaret of Austria)
  • Joanna of Castile (Juana the Mad) (1479–1555; married to Philip, Duke of Burgundy, later titled Philip I of Castile; six children included Holy Roman Emperors Charles V and Ferdinand I; Charles V played a key role in the struggle over Catherine's annulment and Charles' son, Philip II of Spain, eventually married Catherine of Aragon's daughter, Mary I)
  • Maria, Queen of Portugal (1482–1517; married to Manuel I of Portugal, widower of her sister Isabella; her daughter Isabella married Joanna's son Charles V and was the mother of Philip II of Spain, who married four times, including Catherine of Aragon's daughter, Mary I)
  • Catherine of Aragon (1485–1536) was the youngest of the siblings

Marriage, Children

• husband: Arthur, Prince of Wales (betrothed in 1489, married 1501; Arthur died 1502)
  • no children; Catherine asserted consistently at the end of her marriage that the marriage had not been consummated
• husband: Henry VIII of England (married 1509; annulled by Church of England in 1533, with Archbishop Cranmer approving the nullification of the marriage)
  • children: Catherine was pregnant six times during her marriage to Henry VIII:
    • January 31, 1510: daughter, stillborn
    • January 1, 1511: son, Henry, lived 52 days
    • September or October 1513: son, stillborn
    • November 1514 - February 1515: son, Henry, stillborn or died shortly after birth
    • February 18, 1516: daughter, Mary, the only one of her children to survive infancy. She ruled as Mary I.
    • November 9-10, 1518: daughter, stillborn or died shortly after birth

Physical Description

Often in fiction or depictions of history, Catherine of Aragon is depicted with dark hair and brown eyes, presumably because she was Spanish. But in life, Catherine of Aragon had red hair and blue eyes.

Ambassador

After Arthur's death and before her marriage to Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon served as ambassador to the English court, representing the Spanish court, thereby becoming the first woman to be a European ambassador.

Regent

Catherine of Aragon served as regent for her husband, Henry VIII, for six months when he was in France in 1513. During that time, the English won the Battle of Flodden, with Catherine taking an active role in the planning.

Catherine of Aragon Biography

• Catherine of Aragon: Early Life and First Marriage
• Catherine of Aragon: Marriage to Henry VIII
• Catherine of Aragon: The King's Great Matter