Anne of Cleves (22 September 1515 – 16 July 1557) was Queen consort of England from 6 January to 9 July 1540 as the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. She was the sister of Duke William of Julich-Cleves-Berg, and King Henry was persuaded to marry her by his chief minister Thomas Cromwell, who believed that a marriage alliance with Julich-Cleves-Berg would be useful against the Holy Roman Empire and France. However, Henry found her unattractive, and the marriage went unconsummated before it was annulled just six months later.
Biography[]
Anne meeting Henry
Anne of Cleves was born in Dusseldorf, Duchy of Berg, Holy Roman Empire on 22 September 1515, the daughter of Duke John III of Cleves and Maria of Julich-Berg, and the sister of William of Julich-Cleves-Berg. In 1527, she was betrothed to Francis, the heir to Lorraine, but the betrothal was cancelled in 1535 due to the youth of the betrothed. In 1539, King Henry VIII of England's chief minister Thomas Cromwell pushed King Henry to marry Anne in order to secure an alliance with the Protestant league against the Holy Roman Empire and France, which allied against England at Pope Paul III's instigation. Cromwell had ambassador John Hutton lie about her appearance in order to make her more appealing to King Henry, and Henry was excited about her arrival in England on 1 January 1540.
Marriage[]
Anne and Henry at their wedding
However, Henry was unpleasantly surprised by Anne, whom he found unattractive. Anne lacked the education and cultural sophistication that King Henry desired, and Henry claimed that she looked like a horse, despite many saying that she had a lovely face. Despite Henry's very vocal misgivings, the two were married on 6 January 1540 in Greenwich by Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer. The marriage went unconsummated, as Henry refused to have sex with her on their wedding night. Henry felt her breasts and vagina that night, and he deduced that, because of their looseness, she was not a virgin. On 24 June, Henry commanded her to leave the court, and Anne consented to an annulment, which was executed on 9 July on the grounds of non-consummation and pre-contract to Francis of Lorraine.
Life after marriage[]
Anne and Henry dining together, spring of 1541
Anne received Richmond Palace and Hever Castle, and she remained friendly with the King, who referred to her as his "sister". Anne decided to stay in England, and she was constantly in contact with the King's daughters, who loved her due to her kindness; she also attended the King's New Year's Eve celebration on 31 December 1540, and the King gave her gifts. In the spring of 1541, she was visited by King Henry, and they played cards together. Henry, impressed by Anne's newfound skill at cards, asked to go to her bed with her, and they finally had sex, ironically after being divorced. Anne died at Chelsea Manor in 1557 at the young age of 41.