Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England. Her marriage resulted from England’s effort to establish alliances with other Protestant powers in Europe. Soon after the wedding, diplomatic changes in Europe made the alliance less necessary. Henry had the marriage annulled (canceled) after only six months.
Anne was born in Düsseldorf, in what is now western Germany, on Sept. 22, 1515. Her father’s lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire, a German-based empire that stretched across western and central Europe. After the start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517, the rulers of the territories within the empire became split between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Anne’s father and her brother, who succeeded to the Duchy of Cleves in 1539, were leaders among the Protestant rulers.
The English Parliament had rejected the Catholic pope’s authority and established an independent Church of England in the early 1530’s. These changes occurred during Henry VIII’s efforts to annul his first marriage, to Catherine of Aragon, and marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, died following childbirth in 1537. Thomas Cromwell, the king’s chief adviser, urged the king to marry again to help establish a Protestant alliance to counteract a growing bond between the powerful Catholic kings of France and Spain.
England and Cleves signed a marriage treaty in late 1539, and Anne traveled to England. The initial meeting between Henry and Anne went poorly. Nevertheless, they married on Jan. 6, 1540. Soon, relations between Spain and France broke down, eliminating the diplomatic reason for the marriage. Henry also became attracted to Catherine Howard, one of Anne’s ladies in waiting. In July, Henry had the marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled, and Anne accepted the arrangement. Cromwell, whom Henry blamed for the disastrous marriage plan, was charged with treason and executed.
Anne remained in England. Henry granted her several houses and properties. At court, Anne was treated as the king’s honorary sister. She developed good relations with Henry’s children from earlier marriages. She outlived Henry, who died in 1547. Anne died on July 16, 1557, and was buried in Westminster Abbey in London.
