Catherine Parr was born around 1512. She was Henry VIII’s sixth and final wife. Catherine had already been married to a man called Lord Borough. She was in her teens and he was in his sixties when they married. Lord Borough soon died but Catherine soon re-married to a man called Lord Latimer. He was a frequent visitor to the royal court and Henry soon took note of Lady Latimer – Catherine.
Latimer died in 1543 and Catherine was widowed for the second time. Henry quickly began courting Catherine. She had fallen in love with a man called Thomas Seymour (Jane Seymour’s brother) but Catherine was not in a position to refuse the attentions of Henry. They were married on July 12th 1543.
Henry was now 52 years of age. Catherine was about 31. She acted as a glorified nurse to the ailing king. Catherine bled his legs to relieve the pains he got in them and she read to him while he was confined to bed, which was frequently.
Catherine was a very good step-mother to all three of his children and she was instrumental in reconciling the relationship between Henry and Mary, his first child.
However, Catherine was not a pushover. She argued with Henry especially over religion. On one occasion, the arguing went too far and Henry ordered her arrest. When Catherine heard of this, she fled to her bedroom and stayed there crying. Henry was so upset by this that he immediately ordered the cancellation of the arrest warrant.
Henry died on January 28th 1547. Catherine was now free to marry Thomas Seymour which she did in the same year. Catherine died in September 1548 from complications that arose as a result of childbirth.
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