anna of kleve the princess in the portrait

Her father's ongoing dispute over Gelderland with Charles V made the family suitable allies for England's King Henry VIII in the wake of the Truce of Nice. Her brother William was a Lutheran but the family was unaligned religiously, with her mother, the Duchess Maria, described as a 'strict Catholic'. But because Francis was under the age of consent (10 years old) at the time of the arrangement, the betrothal was considered unofficial and was cancelled in 1535. In 1527, at the age of 11, Anne was betrothed to Francis, the 9-year-old son and heir of Antoine, Duke of Lorraine. In 1526, her elder sister Sibylle was married to John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, head of the Protestant Confederation of Germany and considered the 'Champion of the Reformation.'

After John's death, Anne's brother William became Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, bearing the promising epithet 'The Rich'. He decided to side with the Schmalkaldic League and opposed Emperor Charles V.

She grew up in Schloss Burg on the edge of Solingen.Īnne's father was influenced by Erasmus and followed a moderate path within the Reformation.

She was born in Düsseldorf, the second daughter of John III of the House of La Marck, Duke of Jülich jure uxoris, Cleves, Berg jure uxoris, Count of Mark, also known as de la Marck and Ravensberg jure uxoris (often referred to as Duke of Cleves) who died in 1538, and his wife Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg (1491–1543). Early life Īnne was born in 1515, on either 22 September, or more probably 28 June. Remaining in England, she lived to see the reign of Edward VI, and the coronation of Mary I, outliving the rest of Henry's wives. Following the annulment, Henry gave her a generous settlement, and she was thereafter known as the King's Beloved Sister. Īnne arrived in England on 27 December 1539 and married Henry on 6 January 1540, but after six months, the marriage was declared unconsummated and, as a result, she was not crowned queen consort. In March 1539, negotiations for Anne's marriage to Henry began, as Henry believed that he needed to form a political alliance with her brother, William, who was a leader of the Protestants of Western Germany, to strengthen his position against potential attacks from Catholic France and the Holy Roman Empire. Not much is known about Anne before 1527, when she became betrothed to Francis, Duke of Bar, son and heir of Antoine, Duke of Lorraine, although their marriage did not proceed. Anne of Cleves ( German: Anna von Kleve 1515 – 16 July 1557) was Queen of England from 6 January to 12 July 1540 as the fourth wife of King Henry VIII.

Anna of kleve the princess in the portrait