by Carol H. Morgan

Created on: June 02, 2010

Anne of Cleves is recorded as one of the most famously unattractive women in history.  The German duchess received this unhappy label as she met her choosy husband, English King Henry VIII, upon her arrival in the English Isles.reportedly he stormed from the room where he had arranged a surprise meeting, hastily leaving presents he had purchased for her with a servant and bellowing "I like her not!." 

So something apparently went wrong when the famous monarch met his fourth bride to be, but is it true that the reason was Anne's looks?  Or was this just one of the other myths that formed around his wives such as the famously-untrue rumor that Anne Boleyn had six fingers?

One guess as to why Henry and Anne of Cleves didn't hit off is the length and awkwardness of their wedding arrangements, which are the first circumstances to indicate that the reason Henry was disappointed by the match was more complicated than simply her looks.  This marriage was long awaited and anticipated by the monarch, and it may be that the reality of the woman didn't live up to the expectation that he had built up in his mind.  That possibility plus the likelihood that another woman may have already entered the scene (the even more ill-fated Catherine Howard) made for an awkward situation that Henry wanted to get out of, and he couldn't undo her with the fate of his second wife.  No one would have believed that the shy, awkward girl was repeatedly unfaithful as he had accused his more worldly and alluring second wife of being.  And as European royalty she was protected from execution if he didn't want to touch off a diplomatic powder keg.

The second-biggest myth surrounding the Cleves marriage itself was that Henry was in such heavy mourning after Jane Semour (his third wife) died in childbirth that he put off remarriage and had to be coaxed back to the altar.  The truth is that he sent out enquiries not a month after Jane died.  The problem that he encountered, however, was what actually took the time.  The princesses of Europe were none too eager to follow in the fate of Catherine of Aragon (his first wife that he put aside), Anne Boleyn that was beheaded without evidence, and Jane who rumor had it was mercilessly cut open to save his heir, Edward VI. 

There are even fewer clues in Anne's early years. She was princess in all but name to a very large conglomeration of nations loosely held together by their dis-affinity to the Pope. 

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