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Secondary sourceArtifact1536

Tomb of Catherine of Aragon, Peterborough Cathedral

1536

The burial place of Catherine of Aragon at Peterborough Cathedral, where she was interred in 1536 with reduced royal honours.

This tomb marks Catherine's burial, where Henry denied her royal honours despite her long reign as his queen.

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Stone tomb slab of Katharine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral, behind an ornate wrought-iron screen. Gold letters on the wall read 'KATHARINE QUEEN OF ENGLAND'. Pomegranates, a pink flower and a framed portrait are placed nearby.
Tomb of Catherine of Aragon, Peterborough Cathedral, 1536.

About this source

What it is

This is the tomb of Catherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral, where she was buried in 1536 after her death. A stone slab behind an iron screen marks the site, with gold lettering naming her "Katharine Queen of England."

Why it matters

Although Catherine had been Henry VIII's queen for many years, he had her buried with the honours of a dowager princess rather than a queen, reflecting his refusal to recognise their marriage after seeking an annulment. The tomb remains a place where her memory and status as a wronged queen are still marked and visited today.

Look closer

  • Why might the honours given at a burial say something about how a person was viewed at the end of their life?
  • What symbols near the tomb connect to Catherine's own identity and heritage?
  • What does the gold lettering calling her "Queen" suggest about how later generations have remembered her, compared to how Henry treated her at the time?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Catherine of Aragon on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Circular miniature portrait of a woman with brown hair under a light headdress, wearing a red and white gown with a pearl necklace and a gold cross pendant, set against a dark blue background with gold Latin inscriptions reading REGINA, ERIUS, KATHERINA and VXOR.Painting

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Katherine of Aragon

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Photograph of a large medieval parchment document with handwritten Latin text in black ink, decorated initial letters, and red wax seal fragments at the top left. Several ornamental knotwork seal or signature designs appear down the left margin.Document

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Verdict of Annulment of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon

1533

Detail of an illuminated tournament roll painting. A knight in blue armour with gold trim, on a dark horse with a blue caparison marked with gold letters, charges along a tilt barrier toward the left. Behind, a timber stand with a gold-and-patterned roof holds richly dressed spectators, and a crowned figure sits under a blue starred canopy. Foreground figures in tunics and hats stand near the barrier. Other knights in dark armour appear at the right edge.Painting

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1511 Westminster Tournament Roll

Thomas Wriothesley · 1511

Painting of a young woman with auburn hair parted in the middle, wearing a gold-ribbed bonnet edged with gold, a dark red gown, a white partlet with gold beaded trim, a jeweled gold collar, and long gold chains. A faint gold halo circle appears behind her head against a dark background.Painting

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Portrait of a Young Woman, possibly Catherine of Aragon

Michael Sittow · c. 1502

Book

Primary source

Anglica Historia

Polydore Vergil · drafted from 1505, printed 1534

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