Rachel Smith

Catherine of Aragon is an inextricable part of the Tudor dynasty narrative. As the first wife of the infamous Henry VIII, she is a figure modern works often struggle to understand. A devout Roman Catholic of royal blood, she seems an unlikely heroic figure, yet there is evidence she was that and so much more.Some authors prefer to depict her as simply ugly and unattractive to Henry. Some reason that it was appropriate for him to be attracted to more beautiful women. Others assume her religious devotion turned him away. Still others see her as a pious woman deserving of sainthood. Was Catherine any of these things, or was she all of them? Was she just a woman trying to make the best of a bad situation and failing? I see Catherine as a more nuanced character and an infinitely more human one. Hers is a life that will fascinate for a long time to come and without the possibility of a definitive work, will continue to be written about.So with a sense of humor that has often been described as 'unfortunate' and a longtime obsession with history, I make my contribution to Catherine of Aragon. My short biography is written for readers like me who don't want to slog through a dry tome to learn about history - and who don't want to be talked down to. Catherine's life plays out from birth to death, with attention to detail and examination of some of the circumstances surrounding the myths and misconceptions of her and her place in history. Using what is known about her, every effort was made to let Catherine speak for herself. She might just be telling us that she was in fact a heroic human with a story worth keeping alive.

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