Three Initially Named As Queens ... And Now One Of Them Features As A TimeLine Auctions Lot

King Henry the Eighth and his six queens have inspired artists, poets, playwrights, novelists, screenwriters, biographers, historians; and the general public around the world, for more than four hundred years. Whether we delve into the academic works of authorities such as Professor Tracy Borman for our in-depth study; or use asimple mnemonic to help us remember his wife’s names (Arrogant Boys Seem Clever; Howard in Particular, for example, to remind us of Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard, and Parr) we express fascination with the complexities of their relationships.

Many numismatists, amateur and professional, home-in on the narrower world of Tudor coins; specifically the three issues that carry an initial letter of one of Henry’s wives positioned, together with his initial, to left and right of a crowned rose on the obverse, and to left and right of a crowned shield on the reverse.
In 1526, Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey had reorganized England's coinage to address the growing financial strain caused by Henry's lavish spending and military ambitions. The two implemented a debasement that allowed the creation of more coins from the same amount of precious metal, generating more wealth for Henry. Several new denominations were created, including the Crown of the Double Rose which was worth five shillings. It featured a crowned Tudor rose with a letter “H” for Henry and a “K” for Katherine of Aragon, his first wife. The Latin inscription reads: RVTILANS ROSA SINЄ SPINA (A DAZZLING ROSE WITHOUT A THORN.) He would later acknowledge his two subsequent wives - Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour – in the same manner to legitimize their positions as his queens.

The swiftness with which the initial changed, as one queen replaced another, may be interpreted as an indication of Henry’s satisfaction to be rid of a wife who failed to give him the male heir he desired, and to begin a fresh chapter with his new love.

In addition to gaining the accolade of her initial flanking that of a Tudor king on one of his coins, each of the three queens also shared the honour of giving birth to a child who would become an English monarch (Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth I, and King Edward VI). Katherine of Aragon had initially married Henry's elder brother, Prince Arthur, who died in 1502, at the age of 15. Following that death, a papal dispensation allowed Henry and Katherine to marry in order to cement a political alliance between England and Spain. Henry and Katherine thus became king and queen of England in 1509. To the surprise of many, their marriage proved happy and produced six children; alas, all save one dying in infancy. The survivor would become the future queen of England, Mary I.

Henry’s desperation to sire a male heir drove him to seek annulment of his marriage to Katherine, citing a biblical restriction against marrying a deceased brother’s widow. When the Pope refused to grant an annulment, Henry VIII broke with Rome; established the Church of England, and made himself its supreme leader. He then exiled Katherine and denied her access to her daughter, Mary. Nevertheless, Katherine remained loyal to Henry until her death in 1536.
 
Anne Boleyn arrived in England in 1522 after completing her education in the Netherlands and France. She expected to marry the Earl of Ormond, but instead became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. At court she soon attracted Henry’s attention. He probably expected her to become his mistress, a route already pursued by her sister Mary. However, Anne resisted his courtship and instead set her hopes on becoming queen.That desire took almost a decade to fulfil; but eventually a secret marriage occurred in January 1533, soon followed by Anne's official coronation and the birth of a daughter who later would become Elizabeth the First. The reward of a Crown of the Double Rose bearing an initial A flanking his H came when the coin was issued in 1532 – 1536. Henry overcame his disappointment and hoped a son would soon follow; but Anne’s subsequent three miscarriages resulted in her fall from favour and to Henry’s quest for another wife. In 1536, Anne was falsely accused of adultery and soon afterwards executed, paving the way for Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour. 

Jane managed to avoid divorce or beheading but tragically not an early death. She died in 1537 of postnatal complications two weeks after giving birth to a son who would succeed Henry VIII as Edward VI. The initialled coin issues ceased following Jane’s death. TimeLine’s current auction includes an example of Jane’s initialled Crown of the Double Rose .. a rare opportunity for one of our bidders to own a coin of great historical significance.