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(1521-1542) The fifth wife of Henry VIII and first-cousin of Anne Boleyn. Katherine "Kitty" Howard was just 18 when she arrived at court. A diminutive, pretty redhead with a great joie de vivre but little formal education, Kitty was the daughter of impoverished nobles. Motherless by age 10, Kitty lived in dormitories at her step-grandmother's mansion with her numerous cousins and other noble wards. Largely neglected in a huge family, Kitty was seduced by her music teacher at age 15 and soon became romantically involved with courtier Francis Dereham, even promised to marry him. Always eager to please, she agreed to go to Henry's court as a lady-in-waiting for Anne of Cleves.
Henry was instantly smitten with her, although he was nearly fifty and obese, three times her size. Seeing a chance to seize power, the powerful Howard clan nudged Kitty into marrying Henry, who was assured of her chastity. Although accommodating, Kitty was disappointed by her old, fat husband and soon found herself enchanted by a young favorite of Henry, bad boy Thomas Culpeper.
Betrayed by a spiteful friend, Kitty's cover was blown; Henry had Dereham and Culpeper killed and Kitty's family imprisoned. Initially terrified, Kitty resigned herself to her fate and even had the chopping block brought to her before execution so that she could practice.
Henry was instantly smitten with her, although he was nearly fifty and obese, three times her size. Seeing a chance to seize power, the powerful Howard clan nudged Kitty into marrying Henry, who was assured of her chastity. Although accommodating, Kitty was disappointed by her old, fat husband and soon found herself enchanted by a young favorite of Henry, bad boy Thomas Culpeper.
Betrayed by a spiteful friend, Kitty's cover was blown; Henry had Dereham and Culpeper killed and Kitty's family imprisoned. Initially terrified, Kitty resigned herself to her fate and even had the chopping block brought to her before execution so that she could practice.
Anne of Cleves, already familiar with Katherine Howard as a maidservant, maintained their friendship. Kitty had also grown attached to her stepdaughter, Elizabeth I, although Mary Tudor resented her "stepmother", who was five years younger than her.
Katherine Howard, the least educated of Henry's wives and thoroughly spoiled by him, was not the woman for the office of queen. Still, Katherine's ambitious, heavily Catholic family knew that the teenager was reckless and too naive to handle the ruthless intrigue of the court, but they cared more for Henry's favor than about her safety; she was just another mouth to feed. In her hour of need, Kitty's family abandoned her to fend for herself.
In the end, Henry refused to be made to look like a fool and even thought of killing Katherine himself.
Katherine Howard, the least educated of Henry's wives and thoroughly spoiled by him, was not the woman for the office of queen. Still, Katherine's ambitious, heavily Catholic family knew that the teenager was reckless and too naive to handle the ruthless intrigue of the court, but they cared more for Henry's favor than about her safety; she was just another mouth to feed. In her hour of need, Kitty's family abandoned her to fend for herself.
In the end, Henry refused to be made to look like a fool and even thought of killing Katherine himself.
by Lorelili January 16, 2011
Get the Katherine Howard mug.A witch-hunter's guidebook, written in 1486 by German Dominican monks Jakob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer, and arguably one of the most blood-soaked and hateful books in history.
The main purpose of the "Malleus Maleficarum", or "The Hammer Against Witches", was to refute all arguments that witchcraft did not exist, refute those who were skeptical about its reality, to prove that witches were more often women than men, and to educate magistrates on the how to find witches and convict them.
This book reflects that Sprenger and Kramer not only severely lacked a sense of humor and were obsessed with sex, but also that they had major issues with women; the book singles women out as the weaker sex, weaker in faith, lustful and easy by nature, and thus easy prey for Satan's coaxing. The men even went so far as to state the etymology of "femina" (Latin for "woman") as "fe" ("faith") + "minus" ("less"), which it is not.
Indeed, the book uses the exclusively feminine "malefica" rather than the masculine (and more inclusive) "maleficus" to denote witches, a strong implication that only women were witches in their eyes. Also, Sprenger and Kramer stated that old women and Jews were most likely witches and should never be trusted.
The Malleus Maleficarum accuses witches of cannibalistic infanticide, casting evil spells to harm their enemies, and holding the power to steal men’s penises (even make them come to life). It goes on to give accounts of witches committing these crimes.
The Malleus also delves deeply into the Bible, astrology, and philosophy, as this book was published during the Renaissance.
This whole book is one long tirade not just against women, but also heretics, independent thinkers, romantic lovers, the sensitive passions, human sexuality, and compassion.
The reasoning and logic used are bewilderingly outlandish... as horrible as the the images and reasoning are, they are also so ridiculous that it would be funny if the subject matter were not so grim.
Amazingly, in its day, this book of intolerance and persecution was second most popular after the Bible.
Thousands of innocents were killed because of Sprenger and Kramer, because of the hysteria and paranoia that they sparked, eventually leading to the Burning Times.
The main purpose of the "Malleus Maleficarum", or "The Hammer Against Witches", was to refute all arguments that witchcraft did not exist, refute those who were skeptical about its reality, to prove that witches were more often women than men, and to educate magistrates on the how to find witches and convict them.
This book reflects that Sprenger and Kramer not only severely lacked a sense of humor and were obsessed with sex, but also that they had major issues with women; the book singles women out as the weaker sex, weaker in faith, lustful and easy by nature, and thus easy prey for Satan's coaxing. The men even went so far as to state the etymology of "femina" (Latin for "woman") as "fe" ("faith") + "minus" ("less"), which it is not.
Indeed, the book uses the exclusively feminine "malefica" rather than the masculine (and more inclusive) "maleficus" to denote witches, a strong implication that only women were witches in their eyes. Also, Sprenger and Kramer stated that old women and Jews were most likely witches and should never be trusted.
The Malleus Maleficarum accuses witches of cannibalistic infanticide, casting evil spells to harm their enemies, and holding the power to steal men’s penises (even make them come to life). It goes on to give accounts of witches committing these crimes.
The Malleus also delves deeply into the Bible, astrology, and philosophy, as this book was published during the Renaissance.
This whole book is one long tirade not just against women, but also heretics, independent thinkers, romantic lovers, the sensitive passions, human sexuality, and compassion.
The reasoning and logic used are bewilderingly outlandish... as horrible as the the images and reasoning are, they are also so ridiculous that it would be funny if the subject matter were not so grim.
Amazingly, in its day, this book of intolerance and persecution was second most popular after the Bible.
Thousands of innocents were killed because of Sprenger and Kramer, because of the hysteria and paranoia that they sparked, eventually leading to the Burning Times.
"What else is a woman but a foe to friendship-! They are evil, lecherous, vain, and lustful. All witchcraft comes from carnal lust, which is, in women, insatiable."
-The Malleus Maleficarum
That sums up the tone of the book. Here's more:
"When a woman thinks alone, she thinks evil."
“For though the devil tempted Eve to sin, yet Eve seduced Adam. And as the sin of Eve would not have brought death to our soul and body unless the sin had afterwards passed on to Adam, to which he was tempted by Eve, not by the devil, therefore she is more bitter than death.” (Kramer, Question 6)
"She is a liar by nature."
"...they have slippery tongues... they are intellectually like children... she is more carnal than a man, as is clear from her many carnal abominations."
And on and on; it's basically the work of two sexually repressed, frustrated monks who were so alienated towards women that the only way that they could deal with women was to slander them. They basically claimed that women were frivolous, stupid, dirty, weak, emotionally unstable, faithless trollops who were up to no good.
Because of the Malleus Maleficarum, women could be accused to witchcraft because a few men had an erotic dream about her or because she made a correct prediction about the weather or some other mundane thing that could be logically explained.
-The Malleus Maleficarum
That sums up the tone of the book. Here's more:
"When a woman thinks alone, she thinks evil."
“For though the devil tempted Eve to sin, yet Eve seduced Adam. And as the sin of Eve would not have brought death to our soul and body unless the sin had afterwards passed on to Adam, to which he was tempted by Eve, not by the devil, therefore she is more bitter than death.” (Kramer, Question 6)
"She is a liar by nature."
"...they have slippery tongues... they are intellectually like children... she is more carnal than a man, as is clear from her many carnal abominations."
And on and on; it's basically the work of two sexually repressed, frustrated monks who were so alienated towards women that the only way that they could deal with women was to slander them. They basically claimed that women were frivolous, stupid, dirty, weak, emotionally unstable, faithless trollops who were up to no good.
Because of the Malleus Maleficarum, women could be accused to witchcraft because a few men had an erotic dream about her or because she made a correct prediction about the weather or some other mundane thing that could be logically explained.
by Lorelili February 21, 2009
Get the Malleus Maleficarum mug.1. Enjoying pleasures and luxury.
2. Of a very fine and comfortable quality.
3. Often describes a voluptuously sensuous figure, either on a man or woman.
2. Of a very fine and comfortable quality.
3. Often describes a voluptuously sensuous figure, either on a man or woman.
"The bedroom was sensually luxurious with its canopy bed, silk bed curtains, lace drapes, soft throw rugs, overstuffed sofa, voluptuous pillows, satin sheets, and deep mattress."
"The low neckline of her bodice accentuated her luxurious figure, her sash wound around her waist just tightly enough to call attention to her full, shapely hips under her flowing, luscious skirt."
"The low neckline of her bodice accentuated her luxurious figure, her sash wound around her waist just tightly enough to call attention to her full, shapely hips under her flowing, luscious skirt."
by Lorelili December 26, 2012
Get the luxurious mug.The daughter of a king and queen.
The wife of a prince or a woman who holds the office in her own right.
In England, before the Tudor era, there was no female equivalent to princes, dukes, earls, or barons; every female of royal or noble rank below the queen was simply known as "The Lady..."
The vast majority of the female population who is called "princess" is not of royal or noble ancestry... and they probably should count that as a blessing, since royal ancestry does not guarantee power, beauty, intelligence, or any gifts; as pawns in a big political chess game, princesses and queens and noblewomen in general usually had no real power. With a few exceptions, a noblewoman was usually just a manager for the estate and a baby machine for the family dynasty.
The wife of a prince or a woman who holds the office in her own right.
In England, before the Tudor era, there was no female equivalent to princes, dukes, earls, or barons; every female of royal or noble rank below the queen was simply known as "The Lady..."
The vast majority of the female population who is called "princess" is not of royal or noble ancestry... and they probably should count that as a blessing, since royal ancestry does not guarantee power, beauty, intelligence, or any gifts; as pawns in a big political chess game, princesses and queens and noblewomen in general usually had no real power. With a few exceptions, a noblewoman was usually just a manager for the estate and a baby machine for the family dynasty.
Katherine of Aragon was demoted from Queen to Dowager Princess of Wales when Henry VIII divorced her for Anne Boleyn. Katherine's daughter was demoted from "The Princess Mary" to "The Lady Mary".
The Disney Princess and media portrayals are often highly inaccurate portrayals of royalty; real princesses usually did not befriend commoners and were often married off into other royal families to act as clown cars for their in-laws. Contrary to Disney, any fun and games generally ended at an early age for noble children; they had jobs to do as heirs to family politics. Court intrigue was also a major threat to them and their families; they were never really sure of where their friends and families stood. And as long as she was of royal blood, it didn't matter whether a princess was ugly, stupid, deranged, or sickly; royals marry other royals or nobles, for commoners are generally discouraged (regardless of inbreeding).
Disney's only real princesses are Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, and Pocahontas; Cinderella was either nobility or gentry while the rest were commoners.
The giggly young woman with clothes scrawled with "Princess" in sparkly letters gave little thought to the actual significance of the word. She also had no idea that her Han zi tattoo actually said "prostitute" instead of "princess".
The Disney Princess and media portrayals are often highly inaccurate portrayals of royalty; real princesses usually did not befriend commoners and were often married off into other royal families to act as clown cars for their in-laws. Contrary to Disney, any fun and games generally ended at an early age for noble children; they had jobs to do as heirs to family politics. Court intrigue was also a major threat to them and their families; they were never really sure of where their friends and families stood. And as long as she was of royal blood, it didn't matter whether a princess was ugly, stupid, deranged, or sickly; royals marry other royals or nobles, for commoners are generally discouraged (regardless of inbreeding).
Disney's only real princesses are Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, and Pocahontas; Cinderella was either nobility or gentry while the rest were commoners.
The giggly young woman with clothes scrawled with "Princess" in sparkly letters gave little thought to the actual significance of the word. She also had no idea that her Han zi tattoo actually said "prostitute" instead of "princess".
by Lorelili January 11, 2011
Get the princess mug.(1501-1536) The second wife of Henry VIII; she refused to be his mistress and would only give herself to him as his wife, never mind that Henry had been married to Katherine of Aragon for over twenty years.
Henry's efforts to discard Katherine, who had been able to produce one living child out of six, their daughter Mary, and Anne's determination to become the queen sparked the English Reformation.
Ultimately, Anne, like Katherine before her, was under enormous pressure to bear sons; she was only able to bear Henry a daughter, Elizabeth I, a stillborn son, and miscarried two other children. Impatient for a son and fed up by Anne's refusal to switch to the demure, submissive role of a wife, Henry had Anne arrested on fabricated charges of adultery, treason, and incest with her brother and had her beheaded.
Henry's efforts to discard Katherine, who had been able to produce one living child out of six, their daughter Mary, and Anne's determination to become the queen sparked the English Reformation.
Ultimately, Anne, like Katherine before her, was under enormous pressure to bear sons; she was only able to bear Henry a daughter, Elizabeth I, a stillborn son, and miscarried two other children. Impatient for a son and fed up by Anne's refusal to switch to the demure, submissive role of a wife, Henry had Anne arrested on fabricated charges of adultery, treason, and incest with her brother and had her beheaded.
An unremarkable brunette with piercing black eyes and olive skin, Anne Boleyn's charisma, wit, and charm, in addition to her sharp tongue and fiery temper, entranced Henry VIII... although the English people hated her, denouncing her as a whore, a heretic, and a witch.
Anne Boleyn, a complicated character, is admired for her bold, witty, outspoken nature and her stridently sexy allure, plus the fact that she bore Elizabeth I. Still, she was widely hated as a homewrecker and a Protestant. Katherine of Aragon was widely beloved by the people, especially among women, while Anne Boleyn was openly denounced and had only Henry's affections as defense.
Anne Boleyn, a complicated character, is admired for her bold, witty, outspoken nature and her stridently sexy allure, plus the fact that she bore Elizabeth I. Still, she was widely hated as a homewrecker and a Protestant. Katherine of Aragon was widely beloved by the people, especially among women, while Anne Boleyn was openly denounced and had only Henry's affections as defense.
by Lorelili January 1, 2011
Get the Anne Boleyn mug.A child born to unmarried parents, the most neutral way of describing a child as illegitimate or a bastard.
"Natural child" sounds much better than "love child"; George Carlin put it, "I have a love child who sends me hate mail."
"Bastard" is too loaded and "love child" sounds silly, since the "love child" is often the unintended result of one-night stands where love hardly features.
At least "natural child" is accurate without any silly, infantile euphemisms or insulting connotations.
"Bastard" is too loaded and "love child" sounds silly, since the "love child" is often the unintended result of one-night stands where love hardly features.
At least "natural child" is accurate without any silly, infantile euphemisms or insulting connotations.
by Lorelili July 22, 2014
Get the natural child mug.A style of theater/drama in which the characters sing all or most of their lines.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
Opera is a grim world; there's competition all over for parts... and not to mention some rather unusual situations: tantrums and refusals to do something that the director wants to be staged.
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
by Lorelili June 4, 2005
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