Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel
Encyclopedia
Anne Howard Countess of Arundel (21 March 1557 – 19 April 1630), was an English noblewoman, who became a Catholic
conspirator
, having converted to the faith in the early 1580s. Her husband, Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel
was imprisoned in the Tower of London
, and four centuries later in 1970, canonised a Roman Catholic saint.
Anne allegedly wrote poetry which was published under her own name.
of Gilsland, and Elizabeth Leyburne
of Cumbria. After her father's death in 1566, Anne's mother married Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
, the premier duke of England; she was his third wife. Her mother was openly Catholic
during the reign of the Protestant Elizabeth I. In September 1567, at the age of 10, Anne lost her mother in childbirth.
. Both bride and groom were twelve years old at the time. In the beginning, it was not a happy marriage and the couple saw little of each other. The couple were reunited after many years of estrangement, and developed a strong bond of affection.
Philip succeeded to the earldom of Arundel following the death of his maternal grandfather, Henry FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel. From 24 February 1580 onwards, she was styled Countess of Arundel. She converted to Catholicism afterwards, some time in the early 1580s, as did her husband. This religious conversion did not endear the earl and countess to the Protestant monarch Queen Elizabeth I
.
Her husband was imprisoned in the Tower of London in April 1585, although charges of High Treason
against him were never proved. Anne was sent to her estates where in July 1585, she gave birth to her only child, Thomas. The earl was attainted in 1589, and died six years later of dysentery. He was canonised as St. Philip Howard. The countess was involved in hiding priests and financially supporting the Jesuits in England. Queen Elizabeth's imprisoned Catholic cousin and rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, managed to communicate with her. In fact Mary had written to Anne addressing her as "cousin" in 1585.
Despite Anne's close links with the Catholic conspiracy to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Elizabeth did not have the Howards executed. Following the accession of James I
to the English throne, the Arundel titles and some of the estates were restored to her son, Thomas.
in Shropshire
on 19 April 1630, twenty-seven years after Queen Elizabeth. She was seventy-three years old. Anne was buried at the Howard family seat of Arundel Castle
in Sussex
.
. The choice of Eleanor as the subject of her verse is seen as evidence of her piety.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
conspirator
Conspiracy (political)
In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
, having converted to the faith in the early 1580s. Her husband, Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel
Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel
Saint Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel was an English nobleman. He was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970, as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales...
was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, and four centuries later in 1970, canonised a Roman Catholic saint.
Anne allegedly wrote poetry which was published under her own name.
Family background
Anne was born in Carlisle, England, on 21 March 1557, the eldest daughter of Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron DacreThomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre
Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre of Gilsland, also Baron Greystock and de jure Baron Boteler was an English Member of Parliament and after his father's death a peer and major landowner in the counties of Cumberland, Yorkshire and Northumberland.-Early life:Born about 1527, Dacre was the eldest of...
of Gilsland, and Elizabeth Leyburne
Elizabeth Leyburne
Elizabeth Leyburne, Duchess of Norfolk , was a member of the English aristocracy. She first married Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre; following his death in 1566, she secretly married Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. She was his third wife.-Family:Elizabeth was born in 1536, the daughter of Sir...
of Cumbria. After her father's death in 1566, Anne's mother married Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.Norfolk was the son of the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. He was taught as a child by John Foxe, the Protestant martyrologist, who remained a lifelong recipient of Norfolk's patronage...
, the premier duke of England; she was his third wife. Her mother was openly Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
during the reign of the Protestant Elizabeth I. In September 1567, at the age of 10, Anne lost her mother in childbirth.
Marriage and conversion
In 1569, Anne married her stepbrother, Philip Howard, who held the courtesy title of Earl of SurreyEarl of Surrey
The Earl of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of England, and has been created five times. It was first created for William de Warenne, a close companion of William the Conqueror...
. Both bride and groom were twelve years old at the time. In the beginning, it was not a happy marriage and the couple saw little of each other. The couple were reunited after many years of estrangement, and developed a strong bond of affection.
Philip succeeded to the earldom of Arundel following the death of his maternal grandfather, Henry FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel. From 24 February 1580 onwards, she was styled Countess of Arundel. She converted to Catholicism afterwards, some time in the early 1580s, as did her husband. This religious conversion did not endear the earl and countess to the Protestant monarch Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Her husband was imprisoned in the Tower of London in April 1585, although charges of High Treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
against him were never proved. Anne was sent to her estates where in July 1585, she gave birth to her only child, Thomas. The earl was attainted in 1589, and died six years later of dysentery. He was canonised as St. Philip Howard. The countess was involved in hiding priests and financially supporting the Jesuits in England. Queen Elizabeth's imprisoned Catholic cousin and rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, managed to communicate with her. In fact Mary had written to Anne addressing her as "cousin" in 1585.
Despite Anne's close links with the Catholic conspiracy to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Elizabeth did not have the Howards executed. Following the accession of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
to the English throne, the Arundel titles and some of the estates were restored to her son, Thomas.
Death
Anne died of natural causes at her manor of ShifnalShifnal
Shifnal is a small market town in Shropshire, England. It forms part of The Wrekin constituency, and is about east of Telford. It has a railway station on the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Line and is near to the M54 motorway.-Early medieval time:...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
on 19 April 1630, twenty-seven years after Queen Elizabeth. She was seventy-three years old. Anne was buried at the Howard family seat of Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Legacy
Anne had poetry published under her name although its authenticity is not certain. The verse is written in Latin and concerns her great-great-grandmother, Eleanor Percy, Duchess of BuckinghamEleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham
Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham , also known as Alianore, was a daughter of Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland by his wife Lady Maud Herbert, herself a daughter of the first Earl of Pembroke. She married Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, who was beheaded in 1521 on false charges of...
. The choice of Eleanor as the subject of her verse is seen as evidence of her piety.