Howard, CATHARINE

Howard, CATHARINE, fifth queen of Henry VIII., was a granddaughter of the second Duke of Norfolk. The year of her birth, not known with certainty, was probably 1521 or 1522. Catharine was brought up partly in her father's house, partly in that of her grandmother, the Duchess of Norfolk. In 1540 the king married Anne of Cleves. But it was a marriage for which he had no liking; and Gardiner, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Winchester, being just then recalled to favour, he and his party endeavoured to bring the king and Catharine together. Anne of Cleves was divorced on the 9th of July, and Henry married Catharine Howard on the 28th of the same month. But in November the queen was accused to Henry of having been guilty of immoral conduct with two gentlemen of her grandmother's household, but previous to her marriage with the king. The evidence against her was convincing, and on this charge she was beheaded on 13th February 1542.