Biography of Queen Catherine Howard of England 1523-1542
Paternal Family Tree: Howard
Maternal Family Tree: Isabel Worsley 1460-1527
1491 Birth and Christening of Henry VIII
1504 Henry Tudor created Prince of Wales
1509 Marriage of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon
1533 Marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
1536 Marriage of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour
1540 Marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves
1540 Marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard
1542 Catherine Howard Tower of London Executions
On 28 Jun 1491 [her future husband] Henry VIII was born to King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 34) and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England (age 25) at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. He was created Duke Cornwall.
Before 1492 Ralph Leigh (age 13) and [her mother] Joyce Culpepper (age 11) were married.
In 1494 [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 2) was created 1st Duke York.
On 18 Feb 1504 [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 12) was created Prince of Wales and 1st Earl Chester. John Mordaunt 1st Baron Mordaunt (age 24) was created Knight of the Bath. Richard Empson (age 54) was knighted. 
On 21 Apr 1509 King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 52) died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace [Map]. His son [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 17) succeeded VIII King England. Duke York and Earl Chester merged with the Crown.
On 11 Jun 1509, one month after the death of his father, [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 17) and Catherine of Aragon (age 23) were married at the Church of the Observant Friars, Greenwich [Map]. She had, eight years before, married his older brother Prince Arthur Tudor - see Marriage of Arthur Tudor and Catherine of Aragon. She the daughter of Ferdinand II King Aragon (age 57) and Isabella Queen Castile. He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England. They were half third cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. 
After 06 Nov 1509 [her father] Edmund Howard (age 31) and [her mother] Joyce Culpepper (age 29) were married. He the son of Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 66) and Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.
Around 1523 Catherine Howard was born to Edmund Howard (age 45) and Joyce Culpepper (age 43) at Lambeth, Surrey [Map].
Around 1528 [her mother] Joyce Culpepper (age 48) died.
On 25 Jan 1533 [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 41) and Queen Anne Boleyn of England (age 32) were married by Rowland Leigh Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (age 46) at Whitehall Palace [Map]. Anne Savage Baroness Berkeley (age 37), Thomas Heneage (age 53) and Henry Norreys (age 51) witnessed. She the daughter of Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde (age 56) and Elizabeth Howard Countess of Wiltshire and Ormonde (age 53). He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England.
Sometime after the marriage Eleanor Paston Countess Rutland (age 38) was appointed Lady in Waiting to Queen Anne Boleyn of England (age 32). She would go to serve Henry's next three wives.
On 30 May 1536 [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 44) and Jane Seymour (age 27) were married at Whitehall Palace [Map] by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester (age 53). She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England.
Eleanor Paston Countess Rutland (age 41) and Margaret Dymoke (age 36) were appointed Lady in Waiting to Queen Jane Seymour (age 27).
Before 12 Jul 1537 [her father] Edmund Howard (age 59) and Dorothy Troyes were married. He the son of Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.
Before 12 Jul 1537 [her father] Edmund Howard (age 59) and [her step-mother] Margaret Mundy (age 27) were married. The difference in their ages was 32 years. He the son of Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.
In 1539 Catherine Howard (age 16) was appointed Lady in Waiting to Anne of Cleves Queen Consort England (age 23).
On 19 Mar 1539 [her father] Edmund Howard (age 61) died.
On 06 Jan 1540 [her future husband] Henry VIII (age 48) and Anne of Cleves (age 24) were married by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (age 50) at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. Anne of Cleves (age 24) was crowned Queen Consort England. The difference in their ages was 24 years. She the daughter of John La Marck III Duke Cleves and Maria Jülich Berg Duchess Cleves. He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England.
Catherine Carey (age 16) and Eleanor Paston Countess Rutland (age 45) were appointed Lady in Waiting to Anne of Cleves Queen Consort England (age 24).
Around Jul 1540 Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 35) was appointed Lady in Waiting to Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 17).
On 09 Jul 1540 [her future husband] Henry VIII's (age 49) marriage to Anne of Cleves (age 24) was annulled. He gave her a generours settlement including Richmond Palace [Map] and Hever Castle, Kent [Map]. Bishop Robert Parfew aka Warton signed the delcaration. She was given precedence above all other women other than the King's wife future wives and daughters, referring to her thereafter as The King's Sister. She lived seventeen more years outliving Henry's two next wives Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 17) and Catherine Parr Queen Consort England (age 27), and [her future step-son] King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 2).
On 28 Jul 1540 Henry VIII (age 49) and Catherine Howard (age 17) were married at Oatlands Palace [Map] by Bishop of London Edmund Bonner (age 40). She by marriage Queen Consort England. The difference in their ages was 31 years. He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England.
Catherine Carey (age 16) and Eleanor Paston Countess Rutland (age 45) were appointed Lady in Waiting to Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 17).
Hall's Chronicle 1540. The eight day of August [08 Aug 1540], was the Lady Catherine Howard (age 17), niece to the duke of Norfolk (age 67), and daughter to the Lord Edmund Howard, showed openly as Queen at Hampton Court [Map], which dignity she enjoyed not long, as after you shall hear.
Around Apr 1541 Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 18) wrote to Thomas Culpepper (age 27) ...
Master Culpeper,
I heartily recommend me unto you, praying you to send me word how that you do. It was showed me that you was sick, the which thing troubled me very much till such time that I hear from you praying you to send me word how that you do, for I never longed so much for a thing as I do to see you and to speak with you, the which I trust shall be shortly now. That which doth comfortly me very much when I think of it, and when I think again that you shall depart from me again it makes my heart die to think what fortune I have that I cannot be always in your company. It my trust is always in you that you will be as you have promised me, and in that hope I trust upon still, praying you that you will come when my Lady Rochford (age 36) is here for then I shall be best at leisure to be at your commandment, thanking you for that you have promised me to be so good unto that poor fellow my man which is one of the griefs that I do feel to depart from him for then I do know no one that I dare trust to send to you, and therefore I pray you take him to be with you that I may sometime hear from you one thing. I pray you to give me a horse for my man for I had much ado to get one and therefore I pray send me one by him and in so doing I am as I said afor, and thus I take my leave of you, trusting to see you shortly again and I would you was with me now that you might see what pain I take in writing to you.
Yours as long as life endures,
Katheryn.
One thing I had forgotten and that is to instruct my man to tarry here with me still for he says whatsomever you bid him he will do it.
Letters and Papers 1541. 02 Jul 1541. 954. Chapuys (age 51) to the Queen of Hungary.
Almost immediately after Chapuys's return the [her husband] King (age 50) gave the people of Dunkirk permission to buy here a quantity of wood for their own use for curing herrings, and he has frequently reminded Chapuys of the favor, saying he was surprised that the town had not sent a deputation to say how much wood they required. The deputation has arrived, and now, after being kept 13 days without an answer, they have been told that it is mere loss of time to solicit such things till the Queen has promised to release the harness, copper, and war ammunition purchased by the King some time ago at Antwerp.
On St. Peter's eve lord Leonard (deceased), uncle of the Marquis of Osceter (age 24) (Dorset) and of the Chancellor's (age 53) wife, was beheaded in front of the Tower [Map]. Hears he was accused of letting his nephew (age 16), the young Earl of Kildare, escape to France and thence to Liege.
That afternoon two gentlemen were hung, one of whom had an income of over 12,000 ducats a year, and was the handsomest and best bred man in England [Note. Not clear as to who this is? If anyone has information on the identity of this person I'd be grateful if they would email Christopher Smith.], only 25 years old and married to a niece of the [her uncle] Duke of Norfolk (age 68). He was sentenced for having belonged to a set of eight rakish youths, one of whom had killed a poor old man in an unpremeditated fray. For the same cause lord Dacres (deceased) also, son1 of the Duke of Norfolk's (age 68) [her aunt] sister, and cousin of this Queen (age 18), 23 years old and possessing a property of about 5,000 ducats a year, was hung from the most ignominious gibbet, and for greater shame dragged through the streets to the place of execution, to the great pity of many people, and even of his very judges, who wept when they sentenced him, and in a body asked his pardon of the King. But the thing which astonished people most was, that, the same day lord Dacres was hung, another young man (age 28), son of the Treasurer of the Royal household (age 56), who was one of those present at the old man's death, was freely pardoned, though he had been already tried for some like misdemeanour.
At the same time in the North, Sir John Neville (deceased) and about 60 more, among whom at least 25 were ecclesiastics, were executed for the conspiracy of which Chapuys wrote some time ago. Has just heard of the arrival of a Polish gentleman with eight or ten servants. Will endeavour to discover who he is and what he comes for. London, 2 July 1541. Original at Vienna.
Note 1. Thomas Fiennes 9th Baron Dacre Gilsland (deceased), Lord Dacre, was the grandson of Anne Bourchier Baroness Dacre Gilsland who was the maternal half-sister of Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 68); Anne and Thomas' mother was [her grandmother] Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.
Before Nov 1541 [her husband] King Henry VIII of England and Ireland (age 50) and Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 18) visited Chenies Manor House, Buckinghamshire [Map]. The house was subsequently mentioned in evidence against her as somewhere she had committed adultery with Thomas Culpepper (age 27).
On 01 Nov 1541 [her husband] Henry VIII (age 50) received a warrant for Catherine Howard's (age 18) arrest from Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (age 52) at Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace [Map].
On 07 Nov 1541 Catherine Howard (age 18) was interrogated by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury (age 52) and John Gresham Lord Mayor (age 46) at Winchester Palace in Southwark [Map]. 
On 23 Nov 1541 Catherine Howard (age 18) was stripped of her title as Queen and imprisoned at Syon Abbey [Map].
In Dec 1541 Francis Dereham (age 28) and Thomas Culpepper (age 27) were tried for adultery with Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 18). The former for adultery before Henry and Catherine's marriage, the latter for adultery after the marriage.
Both were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Both men pleaded for mercy. Culpeper, presumably because of his former closeness to the King, received a commuted sentence of beheading only.
On 13 Feb 1542 Queen Catherine Howard (age 19) and Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 37) were beheaded at Tower Green [Map]. Henry Howard (age 26) attended. They were both buried at St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map].
Mary Boleyn (age 43) was the heir of Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 37) being the sister of her deceased husband George Boleyn Viscount Rochford.
Chronicle of Greyfriars. 13 Feb 1542. And the 13th day of February was the Queen Katherine (age 19) and Lady Rocheford (age 37) be-heddyd within the tower, and there burryd.
On 12 Jul 1543 [her former husband] Henry VIII (age 52) and Catherine Parr (age 30) were married at Hampton Court Palace [Map]. She was crowned Queen Consort England. His sixth and last marriage, her third marriage; her previous husband had died four months before. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England. They were third cousin once removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Henry's two daughters [her former step-daughter] Mary (age 27) and [her former step-daughter] Elizabeth (age 9) attended, as did his niece Margaret Douglas Countess Lennox (age 27).
Catherine's sister Anne (age 28) attended with her husband William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke (age 42).
On 28 Jan 1547 [her former husband] Henry VIII (age 55) died at Whitehall Palace [Map]. His son [her former step-son] King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 9) succeeded VI King England. Earl Chester merged with the Crown.
Thomas Wendy (age 46) attended the King. He was one of the witnesses to the King's last will and testament, for which he received £100.
Letters and Papers 1542. II. Acts printed in the Statutes at Large, but not entered on the Parliament Roll, viz.:—
Cap. 2 [o.n. 2]. Buying of fish upon the sea.
C. 5 [o.n. 5]. Great horses.
C. 8 [o.n. 8]. Against conjurations and witchcrafts and sorcery and enchantments.
C. 14 [o.n. 14]. Prophecies upon declaration of names, arms, badges, &c.
C. 15 [o.n. 15]. Sanctuary of Manchester to be abolished, and the sanctuary men transferred to West Chester, which is to be a sanctuary.
C. 21 [o.n. 33 in the year 37 Henry VIII.].5 Attainder of Catharine Howard and others.—Catharine Howard whom the King took to wife is proved to have been not of pure and honest living before her marriage, and the fact that she has since taken to her service one Francis Dereham, the person with whom she "used that vicious life before," and has taken as chamberer a woman who was privy to her naughty life before, is proof of her will to return to her old abominable life. Also she has confederated with Lady Jane Rocheford, widow, late wife of Sir George Boleyn, late Lord Rochford, to "bring her vicious and abominable purpose to pass" with Thomas Culpeper, late one of the King's Privy Chamber, and has met Culpeper in "a secret and vile place," at 11 o'clock at night, and remained there with him until 3 a.m., with only "that bawd, the lady Jane Rocheford." For these treasons, Culpeper and Dereham have been convicted and executed, and the Queen and Lady Rochford stand indicted. The indictments of such as have lately suffered are hereby approved, and the said Queen and Lady Rochford are, by authority of this Parliament, convicted and attainted of high treason, and shall suffer accordingly; and the said Queen, lady Rocheford, Culpeper, and Dereham shall forfeit to the Crown all possessions which they held on 25 Aug. 33 Henry VIII. The Royal assent to this Act shall be given by commission. And where Agnes duchess of Norfolk, widow, and [her aunt] Catharine Countess of Bridgewater, wife of Henry Earl of Bridgewater, are indicted of misprision of treason for concealing the first treasons, and lord [her uncle] William Howard, lady Margaret Howard his wife, Edward Walgrave, Kath. Tylney, Alice Restwold, Joan Bulmer, Anne Howard, Robert Damporte, Malyn Tylney, Marg. Bennet, and William Assheby have been convicted of the said misprision, all of them shall forfeit their goods to the King, and be imprisoned for life, and the King shall take the revenues of their lands from 1 Oct. 33 Henry VIII. for term of their lives. To avoid doubts in future, it is declared that the Royal assent given by commission shall be valid in all cases hereafter, that any lightness of the Queen for the time being may be revealed to the King or his Council, and that an unchaste woman marrying the King shall be guilty of high treason.
C. 25 [o.n. 23]. Denization of children of Thomas Poyntz, of London, grocer, William Castelyn, of London, mercer, and John Dymock, late gentleman usher, born beyond sea of wives who were not denizens.
C. 26 [o.n. 24]. Certain crafty conveyances executed by Sir John Shelton, dec., declared null.
C. 28 [o.n. 26]. That the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Chancellor of Augmentations, the Chancellor of First Fruits and Tenths, the master of Wards and Liveries, each of the General Surveyors, the treasurer of the Chamber, the treasurer of Augmentations, and the groom of the Stole, may each retain one chaplain holding one benefice with cure of souls and not resident upon it.
C. 29 [o.n. 27]. Religious persons of houses and monasteries which have been translated from their old corporations into new corporations, without being suppressed, to enjoy the benefits of the Act of 31 Henry VIII., enabling religious persons in houses suppressed to sue and be sued, &c.
C. 30 [o.n. 28]. Authority of the dean and chapter of Lichfield in making leases, &c.
C. 31 [o.n. 29]. Bishoprics of Chester and of the Isle of Man transferred from the jurisdiction of Canterbury to that of York.
C. 32 [o.n. 30]. Whitegate made a parish church separate from the parish of Over.
C. 33 [o.n. 31]. Privileges of Kingston-upon-Hull.
C. 34 [o.n. 32]. The two annual fairs granted to King's Lynn by pat.
7 July 29 Henry VIII. taken away, because of the regrating of salt fish practised there, to the detriment of Styrbridge fair, Ely fair, and other fairs in cos. Camb. and Hunts.
C. 35 [o.n. 33]. Water conduits of Gloucester.
C. 39 [o.n. 37]. Establishment of the Court of General Surveyors.
Note. 5. Received the royal assent, 11 February, Lords' Journals.
Kings Wessex: Great x 14 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings England: Great x 7 Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Malcolm III King Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King Franks
Kings France: Great x 8 Grand Daughter of Philip "Bold" III King France
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Howard
2 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Howard 3 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Scales 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Howard 4 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Tendring
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Tendring
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Mowbray 4th Baron Mowbray Baron Segrave
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Segrave 5th Baroness Segrave Baroness Mowbray
Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Mowbray Baroness Grey Ruthyn 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 9th Earl Surrey 11th Earl Arundel
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bohun Countess Arundel and Surrey
Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
GrandFather: Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William de Moleyns
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Moleyns
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margery Bacon
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Moleyns 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Beaumont 3rd Baron Beaumont
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Beaumont 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Vere Baroness Devereux and Beaumont
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Katherine Moleyns 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Father: Edmund Howard 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Tilney
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick Tilney
Great x 2 Grandfather: Philip Tilney
Great x 1 Grandfather: Frederick Tilney
GrandMother: Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Henry Cheney
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Cheney
Great x 2 Grandfather: Lawrence Cheney
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cheney 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Cockayne
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Cockayne
Great x 4 Grandmother: Cecilia Vernon
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cockayne 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reginald Grey 2nd Baron Grey Ruthyn 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Ida Grey 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alianore Strange Baroness Grey Ruthyn
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Queen Catherine Howard of England 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Geoffrey Culpepper
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Culpepper
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Culpepper
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Culpepper
GrandFather: Richard Culpepper 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Groby
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Hoo
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Hoo Baroness Ferrers Groby
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel St Leger
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Ferrers 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 3rd Baron Clifford
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Clifford 5th Baron Clifford 4 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Berkeley Baroness Clifford Baroness Musgrave
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa Clifford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Beauchamp Baroness Clifford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Mortimer Countess Warwick
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Mother: Joyce Culpepper 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Otewell Worsley 
GrandMother: Isabel Worsley
