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Thursday Book Club: Anne of Cleves

October 24, 2007 by WendyB

I am going to prove to you that Anne of Cleves was a damn genius.

Anne was the fourth wife of Henry VIII, or Henry teh 8, as we’ve come to know him. Did you know that in the ’60s, the English group Herman’s Hermits had a hit song called, “I’m Henry the 8th, I Am”? If you’ve ever seen the Demi Moore–Patrick Swayze movie, Ghost, you’ll remember the song. Patrick Swayze, the ghost, sang it to Whoopi Goldberg‘s character until she gave in to his demands. I warn you that when these lyrics get stuck in your head for a week or two, you might want to cross over to the other side yourself. I’m pretty sure this song violates the Geneva Conventions. That said, this YouTube video made me laugh my head off, as my friend Anne Boleyn likes to say.

Okay, back to business! For those who are new here, Henry VIII had six wives and the way to keep track of them is with this mnemonic: “Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived.” Anne of Cleves, or AnneC, as I’ll call her, is Divorced #2. If you’d like to review the previous three wives, here are the old posts:

  • Divorced #1: Katherine of Aragon
  • Beheaded #1: Anne of Boleyn, volumes I, II and III
  • Died: Jane Seymour

As I said in my Jane Seymour post, Jane gave Henry the male heir he always wanted in 1537. Unfortunately, Prince Edward wasn’t a particularly healthy little boy and it’s always good to have a spare. Breaking his pattern of overlapping wives, Henry waited a few years before looking for the next lucky lady but ultimately, a king’s gotta do what a king’s gotta do, and a wife had to be found. His advisers were eager to find a princess from another country, both to cement an allegiance with said country and because the families of home-grown queens tended to get all uppity.

Henry VIII action figure.
There should definitely be a line of “crazy tyrant” toys, don’t you think?

In the 16th century, people just couldn’t set up a Webcam, have sex with a stranger and share it with the world like we do now. It was a lot more difficult to figure out who was easy on the eye and fun in bed back then. Henry’s peeps did their best, sending painter Hans Holbein to do the portraits of various noble ladies. Henry’s reputation wasn’t the best at this point. Supposedly, the highly desirable 16-year-old Christina of Denmark told the English ambassador that she’d marry Henry only if she had a spare head. Oh, snap!

Christina of Denmark by Hans Holbein

Holbein also went to the Duchy of Cleves (in what is now Germany and the Netherlands) to paint our heroine, AnneC. The consensus was that she was kinda pretty. Henry had his doubts, because unlike his sophisticated and sexy second wife, AnneB, AnneC had no formal education and no interest in music, which was one of Henry’s passions. She spoke only German. But Henry’s chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, liked the politics of Cleves and its potential as an ally abroad, so he urged Henry on. He was all like, “Seriously, dude, she is hottt!”

“Am I hot or not?”
AnneC by Holbein

So, the deal was done and AnneC set off for England. Henry decided to surprise her by meeting her in the town of Rochester on New Year’s Day in 1540. This was a bad idea. By this time, Henry had become the guy we all know and have a love/hate relationship with: the obese king clutching a greasy turkey leg. In his youth, however, he was quite the looker. Fair haired, tall, built, unbeatable at tennis and jousting … he was the catch of Europe. “Bluff Prince Hal,” he was called (that was a good thing). He loved masquerades and would dress up as a Turk or a robber and “invade” parties. Since he was always the tallest man in the room, he fooled no one, but the court played along. Katherine of Aragon would pretend to swoon, Henry would whip off the mask and everyone would applaud because he was so just so cute and also he would kill them if they didn’t clap. Henry still thought of himself as that dashing prince of long ago, so he expected AnneC would be thrilled when he arrived unannounced and presented himself for her adoration. He thought wrong. In her historical novel The Boleyn Inheritance, author Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl), envisions old Henry strolling in disguised as a regular guy and planting a big kiss on AnneC who then … turns her head and spits. In the novel My Lady of Cleves, Margaret Campbell Barnes presents a more civilized encounter: their eyes meet across a crowded room and both are deeply disappointed.

Another portrait of AnneC
From tudorhistory.org

Henry, who was probably the far less attractive one of the pair, made a big deal about AnneC’s looks behind her back. He said she was pockmarked, called her a Flanders mare and said he wouldn’t marry her. Cromwell convinced him and the wedding took place on January 6, 1540. Apparently, it took place in a drive-through chapel in Vegas because the ring was barely on AnneC’s finger when Henry started planning the annulment. Among his many complaints: her saggy boobs made him impotent.

My Cleves necklace design was inspired by the name of the home of the Dukes of Cleves: Schwanenberg. In English, it is “Swan Castle.”

Now I will prove AnneC was a damn genius. After a lot of behind the scenes drama — Henry couldn’t insult Cleves by sending Anne back but didn’t want to keep her — Henry offered Anne a deal. She would get lots of money and the respect due to a top lady in the land as long as she agreed to divorce him while remaining in England as his “dear sister” and never remarrying. Anne’s response was: “WHERE DO I SIGN?” This, my friends, is smarts. If a mercurial 16th-century wife-murderer ever offers you a sweet deal like this, my advice is to take it. Sure, you can stick to your guns and lose your house and custody of your child like Katherine of Aragon. You can refuse to compromise until it’s too late and lose your head like Anne Boleyn. You can get a boob job to make him happy, have a baby and die of medical malpractice like Jane Seymour. Okay, Jane didn’t get a boob job, but the rest is true. Or you can be a happy virgin, outlive your ex by 10 years and spend all your money on gorgeous clothes, fine dining and gambling. If the right choice isn’t obvious, I really fear for your sanity.

If you’re wavering, don’t think for a second that Henry had turned into King Nice Guy. Some bad boys can’t be tamed. Remember Thomas Cromwell, the guy who was so psyched for the Cleves marriage? Henry had him executed, specifically for his role in arranging the marriage. Again, Anne of Cleves = damn genius.

Anne doesn’t have a lot of literature devoted to her, but you can read about her in any of the nonfiction books on Henry’s wives. And I’ve already thrown in mentions to two novels but here they are again:

  • The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory. This novel is about AnneC; AnneB’s sister-in-law Jane Rochford; and Beheaded Wife #2, Katherine Howard. I’ll get more into this book when I do Katherine Howard.
  • My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes. Written in 1946, it does a good job of capturing the tenuousness of Anne’s position before her fate was decided.

Tune in next Thursday for another Book Club post!

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Filed Under: book club, my designs, necklaces, queens

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. G.G. says

    October 24, 2007 at 11:52 pm

    According to many of the sources, what turned Henry off more than her plain looks was that she had very pervasive BO… Alison Weir made a big point of that. How awful, to go down in history as “the chick with the BO”… I do think Holbein might have painted her with a clown sweater… she sure looks like she could have been improved by it 😛

  2. Lynn says

    October 25, 2007 at 2:07 am

    Damn right about being addicted! It keeps playing in my head, LOL! Wonderful history lesson for me as ever, thanks!

  3. WendyB says

    October 25, 2007 at 6:28 am

    Actually, G.G., Anne WAS wearing a lovely clown sweater at that first meeting, and Henry didn’t say anything about “B.O.” He really said, “What a bee-yoo-tiful sweater!” All historians know this.

  4. In Yr Fshn says

    October 25, 2007 at 6:37 am

    I liked Annie C because she had the only positive outcome. I kind of hate depressing stories and the wives of H8 seemed to have nothing but that. Though that Boleyn was sassy. That’s fun too.

  5. Arewa says

    October 25, 2007 at 7:17 am

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and for ur support. i really appreciate it… x x x

  6. Heather says

    October 25, 2007 at 8:02 am

    yay henry viii!

  7. Leah says

    October 25, 2007 at 10:52 am

    Now I want to read Phillipa Gregory’s book about Anne C.! Great post and what an AMAZING necklace. This might be my favorite of your designs.

    Leah

  8. The Clothes Horse says

    October 25, 2007 at 12:15 pm

    I like your description of classic history. Anne of Cleves was a remarkable woman. I’ve read a lot of Phillipa Gregory as well–she has so much material just from one man!

  9. riz says

    October 25, 2007 at 12:20 pm

    Do you think H8 was good in bed ?? 🙂 (giggle) That necklace is beautiful, not surprisingly

  10. WendyB says

    October 25, 2007 at 12:40 pm

    @Riz, it depends if turkey legs are your thing or not.

  11. Kira Fashion says

    October 25, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    beautiful necklace!

    a kissss

  12. Carolina Lange says

    October 25, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Wow, great post, very interesting! I’ll come back for more next thursday!

  13. Lapa says

    October 25, 2007 at 3:14 pm

    enchenté

  14. Vintage Bunny says

    October 25, 2007 at 5:42 pm

    Wendy
    You would make a great history teacher!The students would be distracted though!!!
    that is a beautiful necklace.You have great,fantastic taste.

  15. -S says

    October 25, 2007 at 6:09 pm

    OMG! i am completely loving the tudors!

  16. maveri_ck<3 says

    October 25, 2007 at 6:32 pm

    the ring below is awsome!! very intresting post! and designs!

  17. Bobble Bee says

    October 25, 2007 at 7:49 pm

    Dearest Wendy, i wish i was as good writer as you are because i would write an Ode to your AMAZING capacity of writing funny and interesting posts, all at the same time.
    Bravo for this post.

  18. WendyB says

    October 25, 2007 at 8:22 pm

    Thank you, Bobble Bee and other sweet peeps. You are really too kind! I hope you all had a little laugh…from seeing Henry Kissinger’s face in the video if nothing else!

  19. Valley Girl says

    October 25, 2007 at 8:59 pm

    Dude, I’d take it, too! Smart lady! Btw, love the necklace.

  20. Moira says

    October 26, 2007 at 10:08 am

    I think I recall Margaret George saying Anne of Cleves had a mustache too. Hans Holbein must have used the oil painting equivalent of Photoshop on his portrait.

    On another note, did you see the NYT design article yesterday on Best Sellers and Busts in the design world?

    http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/10/25/garden/20071025_BBB_SLIDESHOW_index.html

    Owls AND Skulls were definitely Best Sellers!

  21. WendyB says

    October 26, 2007 at 11:01 am

    Moira, I’m not sure Holbein was to blame. He was known to do accurate, if flattering portraits, and everyone was conscious of this very problem. Also Henry didn’t do anything to punish him afterwards. I think Anne just wasn’t the hottie Henry was hoping for and he started bad-mouthing her like crazy to get out of the marriage. We know he would stop at NOTHING to get out of a marriage — saying his conscience bothered him, saying he was bewitched, breaking away from the Catholic church, accusing someone of incest, murdering. I think anything Henry said should be taken with a big grain of salt, as well as the remarks of anyone who agreed with him lest they be beheaded. I think it’s likely he blew any issues with AnneC’s looks out of proportion and people agreed with him because they had to. History is written by the winners and by men, so that’s why we have this myth about AnneB and her alleged deformities. I think it’s likely that AnneC is the victim of a similar smear campaign. She seemed to do quite well for herself after the divorce..no one was fleeing from her in disgust. Everyone except Henry seemed most dismayed by her dress and her German accent…not exactly things that couldn’t be improved. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 🙂
    I DID see that story in the NYT but I was so entranced by the sleeping piggy that I barely noticed anything else!

  22. Just a girl says

    October 29, 2007 at 1:59 am

    That Henry the 8 figurine isn’t fat enough. 🙂
    I enjoyed Philipa Gregory’s The Virgin’s Lover, which I think you’ll like if you enjoy historical novels, Gregory and Liz I. I shall add The Boleyn Inheritance to my To Read list.
    x
    Just a girl

  23. Iron Chic says

    June 21, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    STILL, the general, uneducated concensus is that AnneC
    was a smelly, hairy, gambling addict with an annoying laugh while some would argue that AnneB was the most influential Queen EVER. I def know that I wouldn’t want to be KatherineA (loser) or CatherineH (slut) and JaneS was apparently not the sharpest tool in the box.
    AND AnneC never got laid.
    So I’m going to go with AnneB. Final decision.

  24. Topaz Horizon says

    July 11, 2009 at 1:41 am

    I really love this post! You, WendyB, will definitely make a fantastic history professor. Or give Philippa a run for her money and write books on the Tudors!

    My favorite queen is also Anne. The second is Katherine Parr. I like to think I’m a combination of both =D I think you’re a combination of both, too! Although Katherine of Aragon is formidable herself.

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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