Question from Helen - Henry VIII's mistresses
posted by Lara | 7:17 PM
[I think we've had questions about several of Henry's mistresses, but I thought it might be nice to compile everything in one post/thread -- Lara]
How many mistresses did Henry VIII have? And how long of a period did he have each one?
How many mistresses did Henry VIII have? And how long of a period did he have each one?
7 Comments:
This is an area I'm really interested in - apparently a book's being published on it later in the year! It's likely he was with Mary Boleyn for three years - the grants made to her husband during 1522-1526 back this up. A sympathiser of Katherine of Aragon was his mistress in 1534, but we don't know her name, she's referred to by Chapuys as a 'handsome young lady.' Anyone have a clue who this means?
Then Madge Shelton in 1535. Beyond this there were rumours about his advances to Elizabeth Amadas, a 'witch and prophetess', Anne Basset, a young maid-of-honour; Elizabeth Brooke, Thomas Wyatt's scandalous wife and Anne Hastings, who later lived openly in adultery with Henry's friend, William Compton. Does anyone know of any more?
What about Bessie "Elizabeth" Blount? She fathered a boy by Henry - Henry Fitzroy.
That was a silly one for me to forget about!
In answer to your second question: how long they lasted. We don't know very much about this, but the evidence suggests:
Anne Hastings, brief fling, 1510
Bessie Blount, started between 1514 and 1517 and ended between 1519 and 1522, historians differ on this.
Mary Boleyn, started between 1519 and 1522, ended between 1522 and 1526.
The 'handsome young lady', several months in 1534; Madge Shelton, six months in 1535.
PhD, do you have any to add?
It is also said that Henry had a mistress shortly after the birth of Princess Elizabeth, with Anne Boleyn. She, I believe was named Lady Eleonor Luke. I think we can also agree that Jane Seymor could be added to the list of mistresses, though there is no solid proof that the relatioship had been consumated before the marriage. I think we can safely assume that Henry had a very healthy labido and probably many more mistresses than could ever be documented. Traci Cooper Orland, Ca.
I have heard that Elizabeth Stafford was one of Henry's first mistresses. Alison Weir, in "Britain's Royal Families, the Complete Genealogy," that she is the daughter of Henry Stafford and Katherine Woodville. Elizabeth is my direct ancestress, and so I prefer to believe the other rumor, that it was Anne, Elizabeth's sister who was his mistress. Elizabeth also had a first cousin by the same name, so it could refer to her.
Raven Thomas
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