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Anne of Cleves
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| Born | 1515 |
| Married | 1540 |
| Divorced | 1540 |
| Died | 1557 |
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After Jane Seymour's death, Henry mourned for several years. Thomas Cromwell then began the task of finding a suitable replacement wife that would be politically advantageous to England. He looked at the newly converted protestant Kingdoms in the Low Countries.
Famously, Anne had been painted to look much more beautiful than she actually was. Henry did not realise this until after he had agreed to marry her. He unflatteringly referred to her as the 'Flander's Mare.' It did not take Henry long to seek yet another divorce. Anne had few of the court skills required in Henry's court. Besides, the political situation in Europe had changed and there was a now a danger that Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves might actually pull England into an unwanted war. Anne realised that Henry was not attracted to her in the slightest. She was prepared to say that the marriage had never been consumated. For her acceptance of the divorce, she was rewarded with the former home of Anne Boleyn. |
