Birth of Katherine Willoughby
Katherine Willoughby was born in Suffolk, on 22nd March 1519.
She was the daughter of William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, and Maria de Salinas.
Maria de Salinas had come to the English court with Katharine of Aragon, and was one of the Queens Ladies-in waiting, and her closest friend.
Katherine was named after her mothers, closest friend.
On 14th October 1526, when Katherine was seven years of age, Lord Willoughby died after falling ill during a visit to Suffolk.
As his only surviving child, Katherine inherited the barony.
Her father held some thirty manors in Lincolnshire, and almost the same number in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Katherine is said to have been ‘one of the greatest heiresses of her generation’
After her father’s death, Katherine’s wardship fell to the king, who in turn ‘sold’ it to his brother-in-law Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk.
Katherine was betrothed to Charles Brandon’s son by his third wife Mary Tudor – Henry-1st Earl of Lincoln.
When Mary Tudor died on 25th June 1533, the young Katherine was one of the chief mourners at her funeral.
Six weeks after Mary Tudor’s death, instead of marrying her to his son, Charles Brandon took Katherine as his own bride.
Although Charles was forty-nine and Katherine only fourteen, the marriage was deemed a successful one.
The Duke and Duchess had two sons, Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, born September 1534 and Charles Brandon 3rd Duke of Suffolk born 1537.
Katherine, as the Duchess of Suffolk, was one of the highest ranking women at the Tudor court.
Katherine was present at many royal events.
She was the second mourner at Catherine of Aragon’s funeral, greeted Anna of Cleves on her arrival in England, and hosted King Henry and Catherine Howard on their Royal Progress up to York.
During the 1530s Katherine and her husband Charles Brandon embraced the new Protestant faith, having fallen under the influence of Hugh Latimer, who became bishop of Worcester in 1535.
It was during Henry’s marriage to Katherine Parr that Katherine really came to the foreground.
Katherine was passionate about the reformed religion, and she became close to Queen Katherine Parr, who shared her views.
Conservatives at court viewed her as a danger, and unsuccessfully attempted to neutralise her by implicating her in the trial of Anne Askew in 1546.
When Charles Brandon died on 22nd August 1545, it was rumoured that King Henry was considering the Duchess ~ still only in her mid-20s ~ as a potential seventh wife, after divorcing Katherine Parr.
Although Queen Katherine was said to be annoyed by the rumours, the friendship between the two ladies remained strong.
The death of Charles Brandon could have left Katherine in a precarious position, but the wealth he left her, along with her intelligence, fiery temper and powerful friends, made her a force to be reckoned with.
After the death of Henry VIII, her friendship with Dowager Queen Katherine remained strong.
She was one of the first people to know when the Dowager Queen secretly married Thomas Seymour.
Following Katherine Parr’s death and Thomas Seymour’s exEcution, their baby daughter Lady Mary Seymour was placed under Katherine’s care.
In 1551 both Katharine’s sons died within an hour of each other, of the sweating sickness.
It’s quite possible little Mary Seymour may have succumbed to this illness too, as she disappeared from the records after this time.
Katherine was devastated over the loss of her boys, but in the coming years found happiness again with her second husband.
A true love match, her second husband Richard Bertie, had served for several years as her Master of Horse.
Katherine continued to be known as the Duchess of Suffolk.
Katherine was dismayed when, following the accession of Mary Tudor in 1553, England returned to the Catholic fold.
Rather than conform to the return to the Catholic church, Katherine left for Europe in religious exile.
She ignored all commands to return to England, until Elizabeth I was crowned.
After their return to England, they lived at Katherine’s estate, Grimsthorpe in Lincolnshire.
Although Katherine didn’t serve Queen Elizabeth, she used her position in Lincolnshire, to promote religious reform.
Katherine clearly helped to foster the growing puritan movement in England thanks to her own religious convictions, and her status as an independently wealthy aristocratic woman.
The remainder of Katherine’s life saw her happy, with a growing family, but the perils of the Tudor court were never far away.
In 1567, her step-granddaughter Lady Mary Grey, was sent to live with her in disgrace.
Lady Mary Grey had secretly married a man far beneath her in station – a reminder of how precarious the choice to marry for love could be in the 16th century.
Katherine died after a long illness, aged 61 on 19th September 1580.
A lifelong supporter of the Protestant faith, many books on reform carried Katherine’s coat of arms, and were dedicated to her, including works by Erasmus and William Tyndale.
Katherine had lived a long and full life, in touching distance of some of the greatest scandals and changes within the Tudor court.
She managed to survive them all and come out on top as a rich, safe woman, with a family and loving husband – no mean feat for a 16th century woman.
? Henry Cavill as Charles Brandon & Rebekah Wainwright as Katherine Willoughby in ‘The Tudors’
