Princess Mary & Eustace Chapuys
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“A Paragon of Beauty, Goodness, and Virtue” Princess Mary in the Writings of Eustace Chapuys
During his sixteen years as ambassador, Eustace Chapuys became a close friend of Henry VIII’s eldest child, Mary Tudor – who later became Queen Mary I.
Eustace Chapuys was Mary’s mentor, and comforted her during trying times.
He even persuaded her to submit to her father Henry VIII, during his divorce from her mother Katharine of Aragon.
The relationship between Chapuys and Mary, may have stemmed from the loyal friendship between Chapuys and Mary’s mother, Katharine of Aragon.
When Katharine was dying, it was Chapuys who went to Kimbolton Castle.
He visited her every afternoon for four days.
He may have felt some sort of responsibility to take care of the child of the queen, that he admired so much.
Chapuys also took a fierce dislike to Anne Boleyn, in that, both he and Mary were allied.
Chapuys could not disguise his contempt for Henry’s new Queen, Anne Boleyn.
From Anne’s earliest days with Henry, Chapuys predicted her downfall.
Chapuys despised Anne with such a passion, he didn’t even try to disguise it.
He constantly referred to her in his official communications as “the concubine” and “that wh0re”
If he was required to be polite he referred to her as “the Lady.”
Although he came to hate Anne Boleyn, in the end he admired her, and lamented her death.
When he heard about her arrest, and the arrest of her alleged lovers, he scoffed at the charges and wrote that she, and all the men who died before her, were innocent.
Chapuys stuck close to Mary, and vowed that he would do all that was in his power to see that she was given her rights as Princess – and that she would someday be queen.
It is very possible that he served not only as a political ally to Mary, but also as a religious support – considering they were both devout Catholics hailing from the very Catholic nation of Spain.
Mary and Chapuys spent a great deal of time together.
He visited her regularly, giving her counsel on all matters of court topics and discussing courtly drama and gossip.
It is thought that Chapuys was one of Mary’s few close friends during this time of her life, when her rank and station was always hanging by a thread.
Perhaps one of the most comforting aspects of Mary’s friendship with Chapuys was that he was the closest connection that she had with her mother.
Mary regarded her mother Katharine as a beloved, saint-like-figure for her entire life.
It must have been a great comfort and joy to have Chapuys by her side, especially given her extraordinarily difficult younger years.
Mary needed a friend who would not betray her, and Chapuys seems to be one of the only people in her life who would always be loyal to her.
In 1544 Chapuys asked to be relieved of his post, due to his ill heath.
Before Chapuys left England, Queen Katherine Parr, Mary and her ladies surprised him with a visit.
Chapuys told Queen Katherine that he was grateful for everything she had done for the Lady Mary, and added that there was no woman worthier in England to be Queen.
His last words with Mary were brief, and the two could not say much given his agonising departure.
