It wasn't long before their prayers were answered. Their first child Arthur was born on the 20th September 1486 in the Priory of Winchester Cathedral. He was soon joined in the Royal nursery by his younger brother Henry (the future Henry VIII) and two sisters, Margaret and Mary.
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| Prince Arthur, 16th Century, Private Collection |
Arthur was invested as the Prince of Wales and was the heir apparent to the throne of England. He was the apple of his dad's eye (who spent a lot of his time in preparing Arthur on how to become an effective ruler). With four children surviving infancy (Arthur also had another sibling Edmund who died young, a sister called Elizabeth, and a sister called Katherine who died a few days after she was born), Henry VII set about planning on how best to marry each of them off to suit England's dynastic needs (England did not become a super power until Henry VIII's reign) and to help strengthen the Tudors claim and hold on the throne of England. Following discussions with Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile ,'The Catholic Kings' a marriage contract was drawn up between Arthur and their youngest daughter, the Infanta Catherine (Catalina) of Aragon.
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| Catherine of Aragon, 1520, NPG |
Arthur and Catherine were married in a lavish ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral on the 14th November 1501. We know that Arthur was delighted with his new wife, but what we do not know is what exactly happened on their wedding night in regards to consummation (neither of them could have guessed that what did or did not happen on their wedding night would later be used as an argument in the divorce proceedings of Catherine and Arthur's younger brother Henry (later Henry VIII) many years later. We do know that Arthur had mentioned to some fellow courtiers the next morning that he had been in 'the midst of Spain', hinting that they had, had sexual intercourse the night before.
The newly wed couple soon moved to Ludlow Castle in England (which was close to the Welsh border), where Arthur was required to run his own court in miniature. This served as good practice for when Arthur was expected to become King of England following his father's death. But Arthur never outlived his father. Catherine and Arthur had contracted an unknown illness whilst at Ludlow (some believe it to be the sweating sickness) of which Arthur did not recover. He died on the 2nd April 1502. His parents were grief-stricken. Arthur's body was taken from Ludlow Castle to Worcester Cathedral, and following a funeral on the 25th April 1502 he was then entombed within a marble tomb displaying the royal arms.
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| Worcester Cathedral - Author's Image |
An elaborate chantry was later erected over Arthur's marble tomb. You can see it in the video below. It was planned that the chantry would be painted in bright colours, but following Catherine's later marriage to Henry VIII this plan was soon abandoned as it seemed more political to him not to draw attention to a king that never was, and especially to one that had married his wife beforehand.
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| Details on the Chantry relating to Catherine and Arthur, Author's Image |
I did not think I would be fortunate enough to view Arthur's tomb in the Chantry (I understand that it has been said his body actually lies a few feet away, but they aren't sure where), but I found the door to it open, and the Cathedral were allowing visitor's to look in.
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| Open door to the Chantry, Author's Image |
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| Arthur's Tomb, Author's Image |
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| Detail from the arms on Arthur's tomb, Author's Image |
If you are in the Worcester area and have time why not pay a visit to Arthur's tomb? I am still awe struck by just how beautiful it is.
1. http://www.npg.org.uk/research/conservation/henry-and-katherine-reunited-conserving-the-portrait-of-katherine-of-aragon
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur,_Prince_of_Wales#Marriage
3. http://piersperrotgaveston.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/arthur-tudor-prince-of-wales.html
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