Maria de Salinas
Encyclopedia
María de Salinas, Lady Willoughby (ca 1490 - 1539) was a noblewoman from Spain
, she served as confidante and lady-in-waiting
to Catherine of Aragon
, Queen of England.
, and probably related to the royal family.
, and they had one child, Catherine Willoughby, who became the 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Duchess of Suffolk, (1519-1580). She was probably the goddaughter of Catherine of Aragon. Grimsthorpe Castle
was granted by Henry VIII
to the de Eresby family on the occasion of Maria's marriage. Henry esteemed Maria so much, that in 1522 he named a ship 'HMS Mary Willoughby
' in her honour.
In 1511, Maria became the godmother to Mary Brandon, the daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
and his second wife Anne Browne. The Duke of Suffolk would make Maria's daughter, Catherine, his ward and then his fourth wife. In October 1526, Lord Willoughby died. Maria then spent several years fighting for control of the Willoughby estates on behalf of her daughter, against her brother-in-law, Sir Christopher Willoughby.
to see Catherine, having again been refused permission to visit. Catherine died in her arms two days later.
Maria lived for another three years, spending much of the time in her London residence at the Barbican. Her daughter, Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, became a close friend of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr
, who was also the goddaughter of Catherine of Aragon. In 1546, there were rumours that Henry was planning to have his marriage to Catherine Parr annulled and make Catherine Willoughby, by then a widow, his seventh wife.
and Charles
Brandon, who died in their teens, and Peregrine Bertie
and Susan Bertie, countess of Kent
, who both survived to continue the family line.
Maria has numerous descendants in the British peerage and gentry, including Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby
, her direct descendant and present Baroness Willoughby de Ereseby, and Diana, Princess of Wales
She is mentioned in the "My Story" book "Anne Boleyn and Me," in which the main character names her first born daughter after her.
Catherine Willoughby has been the subject of several historical works, including Evelyn Read's Lady Suffolk.
In the 1971 BBC
series The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Maria de Salinas was played by Margaret Ford. She appeared in the episode on Catherine of Aragon
.
Maria appears in the Jean Plaidy books Kathryn the Virgin Widow and The King's Secret Matter as Catherine of Aragon's most trusted friend.
In the book, The Stolen One, she appears (incorrectly) as Lady Ludmore, originally introducing herself as Mrs. Salinas.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, she served as confidante and lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, Queen of England.
Family background
Maria was the daughter of Martín de Salinas (d. 1503), and Josefa González de Salas, who were employees of the royal household in CastileCrown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
, and probably related to the royal family.
As a lady-in-waiting
The exact date that Maria became a maid-of-honour to Catherine of Aragon is unknown, but is thought to have been in 1501 Maria remained unmarried until 5 June 1516, when she married the English nobleman, William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de EresbyWilliam Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was an English baron and the largest landowner in Lincolnshire. He was the son of Sir Christopher Willoughby William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1482–1526) was an English baron and the largest landowner in Lincolnshire. He was...
, and they had one child, Catherine Willoughby, who became the 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Duchess of Suffolk, (1519-1580). She was probably the goddaughter of Catherine of Aragon. Grimsthorpe Castle
Grimsthorpe Castle
Grimsthorpe Castle is a country house in Lincolnshire, England four miles north-west of Bourne on the A151. It lies within a 3,000 acre park of rolling pastures, lakes, and woodland landscaped by Capability Brown...
was granted by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
to the de Eresby family on the occasion of Maria's marriage. Henry esteemed Maria so much, that in 1522 he named a ship 'HMS Mary Willoughby
HMS Mary Willoughby
Mary Willoughby was a ship of the Royal Navy. She was appears in the navy lists from 1535, during the reign of Henry VIII. She was named after Maria Willoughby, a lady-in-waiting and close friend of Catherine of Aragon. The ship was taken by the Scots in 1536 and joined the Royal Scots Navy, The...
' in her honour.
In 1511, Maria became the godmother to Mary Brandon, the daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII. His father was the standard-bearer of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and was slain by Richard III in person at...
and his second wife Anne Browne. The Duke of Suffolk would make Maria's daughter, Catherine, his ward and then his fourth wife. In October 1526, Lord Willoughby died. Maria then spent several years fighting for control of the Willoughby estates on behalf of her daughter, against her brother-in-law, Sir Christopher Willoughby.
The death of Catherine of Aragon
Maria was a devoted friend to Catherine of Aragon. In August 1532, shortly before Catherine's marriage to Henry was annulled, she was ordered to leave Catherine's household and not to make any attempt to communicate with her. In September 1534 when Catherine's health deteriorated, Maria begged permission to visit her but was denied. On 5 January 1536 she forced her way into Kimbolton CastleKimbolton Castle
Kimbolton Castle in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, is best known as the final home of King Henry VIII's first queen, Catherine of Aragon. Originally a medieval castle but converted into a stately palace, it was the family seat of the Dukes of Manchester from 1615 until 1950...
to see Catherine, having again been refused permission to visit. Catherine died in her arms two days later.
Maria lived for another three years, spending much of the time in her London residence at the Barbican. Her daughter, Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, became a close friend of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, who was also the goddaughter of Catherine of Aragon. In 1546, there were rumours that Henry was planning to have his marriage to Catherine Parr annulled and make Catherine Willoughby, by then a widow, his seventh wife.
Descendants
Maria had four grandchildren, HenryHenry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk , styled Lord Henry Brandon before 1545, was an English nobleman, the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his fourth wife, the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
and Charles
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk , known as Lord Charles Brandon until shortly before his death, was the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk and the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
Brandon, who died in their teens, and Peregrine Bertie
Peregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
thumb|Peregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de EresbyPeregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was the son of Catherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, and Richard Bertie. Bertie was Lady Willoughby de Eresby's second husband, the first being Charles Brandon, Duke of...
and Susan Bertie, countess of Kent
Susan Bertie, countess of Kent
Susan Bertie was the daughter of Catherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, née Willoughby, by her second husband, Richard Bertie. Susan was the noblewoman memorialized by Lanyer at the beginning of the Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum as the "daughter of the Duchess of Suffolk." At sixteen years of age, she...
, who both survived to continue the family line.
Maria has numerous descendants in the British peerage and gentry, including Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby
Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Nancy Jane Marie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby PC is the daughter of the late Gilbert James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster and Nancy née Astor....
, her direct descendant and present Baroness Willoughby de Ereseby, and Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
In popular culture
She is a character in the "My Story" book "My Tudor Queen".She is mentioned in the "My Story" book "Anne Boleyn and Me," in which the main character names her first born daughter after her.
Catherine Willoughby has been the subject of several historical works, including Evelyn Read's Lady Suffolk.
In the 1971 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Maria de Salinas was played by Margaret Ford. She appeared in the episode on Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
.
Maria appears in the Jean Plaidy books Kathryn the Virgin Widow and The King's Secret Matter as Catherine of Aragon's most trusted friend.
In the book, The Stolen One, she appears (incorrectly) as Lady Ludmore, originally introducing herself as Mrs. Salinas.