Catherine Howard's abusive past and the misconceptions that live on.
TRIGGER WARNING // sexual assault of a minor
Catherine Howard's story is grim and heart-breaking; she was born circa 1524 in Lambeth, London to Lord Edmund Howard and had a severely troubled upbringing. When her father died, she was sent to her grandmother, Duchess of Norfolk and was abused on several occasions.
It is thought that in 1536, whilst she was 12, she was sexually abused frequently by her music teacher Henry Mannock, who boasted to friends that he had touched her in inappropriate ways. When her grandmother found out, Mannock was ordered to never be alone with Catherine again, and the young child was beaten for disposing of her virginity at such a young age, of course she could never have had a choice.
Tragedy would strike again for Catherine when the next year, Francis Dereham, a low birth noble, was installed as 'Gentleman Usher' in her grandmother's household. Dereham had access a set of keys that unlocked the girls' bedrooms where they all slept, and Dereham would take advantage of Catherine many times, under the premise that he would marry her. There are accounts of Dereham lifting up her dress and 'laying' with her in bed. A jealous Henry Mannock informed the Duchess in 1539 and Dereham was sent away. Although, he would later return to her life when she was Queen and blackmail her into persuading the King to giving him a seat at the Privvy Council. (An important detail to note is his action of calling her "wife" and her's of calling him "husband" during the time he abused her.)
Catherine married the king on the 28th of July 1540, aged just 16, after he had taken a liking to her when she was a lady-in-waiting for Anna of Cleves. Henry was 34 years older than her, and the young girl was indeed eight years younger than his eldest daughter, Mary. It is said that Catherine and Elizabeth had a good relationship, being separated by only a few years, and being related by blood - Catherine was Anne Boleyn's cousin - and they enjoyed the few occasions they met each other.
Henry heard about Catherine's previous sexual experiences through Lady Jane Rochford - who had testified against her husband, George Boleyn and Anne to increase her power at court - and Henry immediately started investigating. They discovered rumours of Catherine's affair to Thomas Culpeper, an affair which there is still little evidence for it being consensual and two sided. All three - Culpeper, Dereham and Mannock - were interrogated under torture and Dereham admitted to "laying" with the Queen at the given dates of 1537-39.
It is important to note Culpeper's background here, he had been accused of being a rapist and a murderer but was let off by the King without a trial, despite there being enough evidence.
Dereham's admittance to acting as husband and wife with Catherine meant that in the eyes of the church, they had consummated and carried out a marriage, meaning Catherine was already married when she wed the King. This was treason, punishable by beheading.
Dereham was hanged, drawn and quartered, and Culpeper was beheaded, both their heads stuck on spikes at London Tower.
Catherine would have seen these spikes as she walked to her death on Monday 13 February 1542. She was executed at 9am along with Lady Jane Rochford. She had been married only 28 months, and was only 18. She is buried alongside Anne Boleyn, her own cousin.
Catherine Howard's past was tragic and devastating, and she was not the girl many believe her to be. She was never the "slutty one", perhaps a recognition of her abuse fits the more modern times. Its truthful, Henry's fifth Queen was a young girl trapped in a world of abusive suitors and manipulative courtiers who wanted nothing more than to use her and her body for their own personal gain.
Did you know?
It is said that Catherine Howard's ghost haunts the gallery corridor at Hampton Court, after she ran to beg for mercy from her husband, and historian Lucy Worsley says there is a "distinctive drop in temperature" along one section of the gallery. (However she also says that is the same place where there is a draft from the stairs, so take from that what you will!)
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