Katharine of Aragon: Three Novels in One Volume (The Wives of Henry VIII)

This book depicts the lives of King Henry VIII's wives like no other. It was full of rich history, and the telling was written in a way that kept my rapt attention. I could barely put the book down!!

The first of Henry VIII's famed wives, the Infanta of Spain was a courageous woman who stood her ground in the worst of suffering, only to love and forgive those who never once showed her compassion. The leading novel (Katharine, the Virgin Widow) contains the Princess' journey from the comfort of her mother, Isabella of Castile, to the loneliness of dreary England. Soon enough she is married to Prince Arthur to her delight, as they become great friends. Inevitably, the sickly Arthur dies shortly after the marriage, leaving Katharine alone in a foreign world. Still a virgin, she is sent away from court to remain a widow in poverty with only guidance from those she cannot trust. In this state of despair, she waits. Preceding the death of his father and brother, Henry VIII is crowned King and defies his father's wishes: he acquires the dispensation from the Pope and marries Katharine. The tale of their marriage is depicted in the "Shadow of the Pomegranate" as loving and hopeful. But when "Kate" cannot produce a male heir, the King grows restless as his attention wanders, until he finds true passion in the arms of a young Lady in Waiting, who shortly produces a son, much to Katharine's envy. The third and final novel, laughably entitled "The King's Secret Matter" is the last stand Katharine makes for herself and her daughter, the young Princess Mary. The pious Queen is shown with as much grace and wisdom that one in her situation can muster. Unfortunately, she lacks the health to survive her ordeal, and soon dies after being divorced by the King of England and sent to live in manors of appalling condition. No other Queen matches Catalina of Spain. She is often times found lost and hurt, but she always manages to spite what she is told and follow what she believes. If it weren't for her "inability" to produce a capable (male) heir and save her marriage, I would not believe the great lady was real or mortal. Thanks to Jean Plaidy (Eleanor Hibbert), Katharine can now be remembered as more than just one of the many wives of a promiscuous King, but as someone to be honored and loved among everyone.

I must confess that inexplicably there have been few great heroes of the female gender wirtten about throughout history as compared with men. So, as I matured, I sought the likes of Sir Thomas More, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and so many others. Then, I happened upon this astonishing book about a Queen with the courage to stand (no matter the consequences) against arguably one of the the mightiest men in all of history - King Henry VIII. And stand she did with grace, humility, wisdom, intelligence but above all her devout belief in a good and gracious God for whom she served above all - something that King Henry could never abide. If you would like to not only attain historical accuracy on this topic which many like myself did not have before, - buy this book as a present for yourself. No matter your faith or no faith, culture, class, race, or education...you will never be the same woman again.

This book is actually three books published as one volume for what may be the first time. This is the story of the Spanish princess Katherine of Aragon and it's beautiful, tragic and stirring. Katherine was the daughter of Queen Isabella of Spain. Isabella was a bold, powerful and capable ruler and there was no reason in Katherine's experience why she or a daughter of hers couldn't be the same way. And then she goes to England. As we all know Katherine's marriage to Prince Arthur lasted for one hot minute. The gentle, sickly boy dies leaving her in political limbo. It was an unpleasant time filled with worry but Katherine bravely gets through it and has a fairy tale ending. Henry, Arthur's younger brother marries her. Plaidy is particularly good at describing Henry. He goes from being a wonderful/horrible boy to a beautiful, dangerously sexy and impulsive young man. He's a romantic dream and all he wants is Katherine. And then a cloud appears. Katherine gets pregnant but her son dies. And then other babies are lost. In the end only her daughter Mary survives. Plaidy deftly shows Henry begining to change. He's still beautiful, still a romantic dream but he wants a son and he begins to stray. Some of the most touching passages in the whole series describe how Katherine toughs this period out. And then comes the final act. Henry turns mean and dangerous. Katherine is divorced, cast aside, friends are killed, her child is taken from her. Her faith, her dignity and her entire world is attacked and still she stands. The book ends with delicate touch. Katherine hasn't quite lost and Anne Boleyn, who is shown only from a distance in this series hasn't quite won. Jean Plaidy was a fabulous writer and the Katherine of Aragon series was one of the top five greatest things she ever wrote.

Katharine of Aragon, first of Henry VIII's six wives, is brought to life in the three books which make up this volume. Katherine comes to England from Spain to marry Henry's older borther, Arthur; after his death she marries Henry. The three novels cover the time she spent in England, up through Henry's divorce from her. Katherine is a figure who is often passed on for more exciting fare such as Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, and I'm pleased that Jean Plaidy chooses to spend time upon her. As always, each writer of historical fiction has a different conception of the people and places he or she writes about, but Plaidy plays much attention to detail- whether or not what she recounts in fact took place. This book follows the story of Katharine, but it doesn't focus soley uopn her; we also see bits and pieces of the politics which occur at court. Thomas Wolsley plays a small role here as the upstart butcher's son who dreams of someday becoming Pope. The Princess Mary, who later becomes the infamous "Bloody Mary," is only a child here, deeply devoted to her mother. Affianced to her cousin, the Emperor Charles, at the age of six, Mary is subsequently passed over in favor of a French Princess. The connection between Mary and Katherine is poignant, and shows a side of court life which is much different from what one would normally expect. The book also reveals Jean Plaidy's impression of Henry; he is made out to be less cruel than other writers would have him be. Anne Boleyn only appears as an afterthought; for more on her, read Jean Plaidy's excellent book on her life as recounted when Anne was in the Tower of London awaiting execution. Jean Plaidy for the most part is historically accurate, though to many this book might seem to be dry reading material. However, if you have even a passing interest in the lives of Henry VIII and his wives, Jean Plaidy's books are some of the best out there on the subject.

As the wife of a Crown Prince and a King, one would think that Katherine of Aragon led a charmed life, yet just the opposite is true. A match was made between Katherine and Arthur Tudor, Henry VIII's older brother, for state reasons and after only six months of marriage, sickly Arthur dies. While Katherine wonders what is to become of her now that her status as Queen-To-Be has been revoked, it is decided that although she was married to Henry's brother, the marriage was never consummated, so therefore, a dispensation can be made to marry her off to Henry, and this is where her true great love and eventual downfall begins. Beginning with Katherine, the recurring theme throughout Henry's six marriages was the inability to beget male heirs. She becomes pregnant many times, but suffers from miscarriages and stillbirths with the result that the only healthy, living child she produces is their daughter Mary. Of course, Henry won't stomach this and believes that the reason he can't get a male heir is because he married his brother's wife and God is punishing him. He petitions the Pope to annull his marriage, and when the Pope won't agree to do so, he breaks with the Catholic church and forms the Church of England with himself as the head so that he can divorce Katherine and marry Anne Boleyn (read Plaidy's The Lady In the Tower to find out her eventual fate). Katherine is sent into seclusion and separated from her beloved daughter, Mary, who isn't even allowed to attend to her mother as she hovers near death, as punishment for not making it easy for Henry to marry Anne by agreeing to an annulment which would have bastardized Mary and made her ineligible to inherit the crown of England. This novel is actually three books in one - Katherine, The Virgin Widow, The Shadow of the Pomegranate, and The King's Secret Matter - that are all meticulously researched and written in a way as to make you feel that you are actually there watching it happen. I think that even readers who aren't enamored of historical fiction will devour Plaidy's novels...you will learn much about English history and find yourself completely enjoying it!