Anne
of Cleves, the daughter of John, Duke of Cleves, was born in 1515.
Jane
Seymour,
the 3rd wife of Henry
VIII died
in 1537. Henry now
began to look for another wife. His Lord Chancellor, Thomas
Cromwell, wanted England to form an alliance with the Protestants
in Saxony. One way Henry could do this was by marrying Anne of Cleves.
In 1539 Henry was sent
paintings of Anne but he suspected that the artist had exaggerated
Anne's beauty. Henry therefore sent Hans
Holbein to Saxony to paint her picture. On the evidence of Holbein's
painting. Henry decided to sign the marriage contract. However, when
Anne arrived in England for the wedding Henry was very disappointed
with her. Although he agreed that Holbein had captured her physical
likeness. Henry did not like her personality.
Henry divorced Anne in
1540 and married Catherine Howard. Anne
was granted a pension and lived in England until her death in 1557.
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