Elizabeth Blount
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Blount who was better known by her nickname of "Bessie", was a mistress of Henry VIII of England.
, Bridgnorth
, Shropshire. Sir John Blount was a loyal, if unremarkable, servant to the Royal Family, who accompanied King Henry to France in 1513 when he waged war against Louis XII of France
.
Little is known of Elizabeth Blount's early years, except for her reputation as a beauty, and for her famous affair with King Henry VIII (born 28 June 1491, he was 8-to-10 years older than Bessie). There is no known portrait of her in existence. As a young girl, she came to the King's Court as a maid-of-honour to the King's wife, Catherine of Aragon
. It was there that the young teenager caught the eye of the King and became his mistress, beginning sometime around 1514 or 1515, and continuing for approximately eight years.
, and who was later created Duke of Richmond and Somerset
and Earl of Nottingham
. He was the only illegitimate son of Henry VIII whom the King recognised as his own. After the child's birth, the affair ended for unknown reasons. For proving that King Henry was capable of fathering healthy sons, Elizabeth Blount prompted a popular saying, "Bless 'ee, Bessie Blount", often heard during and after this period.
Soon after the birth of his son, the King began an affair with Mary Boleyn
, who may have been partly the reason for Blount's dismissal. Like Blount, Boleyn was never officially recognised as the King's official mistress and the position of public maîtresse en titre was never offered by Henry to anyone but Anne Boleyn
, who rejected it.
(sometimes spelt "Talboys"), whose family was said by some to have a history of insanity. After her marriage, Blount does not figure much into the day-to-day affairs of the Tudor monarchy or in the official records. A fleeting comment was made about her in 1529, when a palace chaplain remarked that she was (or had been) better-looking than Henry's then-fiancée, Anne Boleyn, who he concluded was competent belle ("quite beautiful") in her own right.
On 23 July 1536, her son Henry FitzRoy died, probably of tuberculosis
("consumption"). Her husband, Gilbert, Lord Tailboys, also preceded her by dying in 1530, leaving her a widow of comfortable means. Through her marriage to Gilbert Tailboys, she had three children – two sons, George and Robert, and one daughter, Elizabeth.
After the death of Tailboys, Elizabeth Blount was wooed in 1532, but unsuccessfully, by Lord Leonard Gray
. She subsequently married a younger man whose Lincolnshire lands adjoined hers, Edward Clinton or Fiennes, 9th Baron Clinton
(therefore becoming Elizabeth Fiennes). They were married sometime between 1533 and 1535. This union produced three daughters. For a short while, she was a lady-in-waiting
to Henry's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves
, but owing to her own health problems she left the Queen's service at around the time the royal marriage was dissolved and did not serve Anne's successor, Catherine Howard
. Blount returned to her husband's estates, where she died very shortly afterwards. It has traditionally been asserted that the cause of her death was consumption.
and Anne Boleyn
, Blount's importance to history was negligible. However, she was certainly more important than any other extra-marital relationship the king had during his first marriage. Blount was the mother of Henry's only acknowledged illegitimate child and, at one point in the 1520s, it was suggested that her son should be named the King's legal heir. Although nothing came of these plans, and Blount had little to do with her son's upbringing, the fact that she was the mother of such an important child made her an object of interest to many of her contemporaries.
It is precisely because he fathered a healthy son with Elizabeth that Henry was convinced his wife's inability to bear him a son was Catherine's fault. She gave birth to at least three boys, yet only the first lived as long as seven weeks. These facts led Henry to believe there was something wrong with his marriage to Catherine, and that he needed to annul his marriage.
From her first marriage to Gilbert Talboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme:
From her second marriage to Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
:
Bessie's son Henry Fitzroy dies of the sweating sickness at age three in the series.
Early life
She was the daughter of Sir John Blount and Catherine Pershall, of KinletKinlet
Kinlet is a civil parish of Shropshire, England. Most of the land within Kinlet, including Kinlet Church and Kinlet Hall, are the inheritance of the Childe family. The Hall had formerly been held by the Blount family and subsequently the Lacon family, and dates back to the Domesday Book...
, Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
, Shropshire. Sir John Blount was a loyal, if unremarkable, servant to the Royal Family, who accompanied King Henry to France in 1513 when he waged war against Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
.
Little is known of Elizabeth Blount's early years, except for her reputation as a beauty, and for her famous affair with King Henry VIII (born 28 June 1491, he was 8-to-10 years older than Bessie). There is no known portrait of her in existence. As a young girl, she came to the King's Court as a maid-of-honour to the King's wife, 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...
. It was there that the young teenager caught the eye of the King and became his mistress, beginning sometime around 1514 or 1515, and continuing for approximately eight years.
King's mistress
Her relationship with Henry VIII lasted for some length of time, compared to his other affairs, which were generally short-lived and unacknowledged. On 15 June 1519, Blount bore the King an illegitimate son who was named Henry FitzRoyHenry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his teenage mistress, Elizabeth Blount, the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry acknowledged.-Childhood:...
, and who was later created Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Duke of Richmond
The title Duke of Richmond is named after Richmond and its surrounding district of Richmondshire, and has been created several times in the Peerage of England for members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families...
and Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham is a title that has been created seven times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Nottingham, First creation :* John de Mowbray , 5th Baron Mowbray-Earls of Nottingham, Second creation :...
. He was the only illegitimate son of Henry VIII whom the King recognised as his own. After the child's birth, the affair ended for unknown reasons. For proving that King Henry was capable of fathering healthy sons, Elizabeth Blount prompted a popular saying, "Bless 'ee, Bessie Blount", often heard during and after this period.
Soon after the birth of his son, the King began an affair with Mary Boleyn
Mary Boleyn
Mary Boleyn , was the sister of English queen consort Anne Boleyn and a member of the Boleyn family, which enjoyed considerable influence during the reign of King Henry VIII of England...
, who may have been partly the reason for Blount's dismissal. Like Blount, Boleyn was never officially recognised as the King's official mistress and the position of public maîtresse en titre was never offered by Henry to anyone but Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
, who rejected it.
Later life
Bessie had an arranged marriage in 1522 to Gilbert Tailboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of KymeGilbert Tailboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme
Gilbert Tailboys or Talboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme was an English courtier and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII of England.-Life:...
(sometimes spelt "Talboys"), whose family was said by some to have a history of insanity. After her marriage, Blount does not figure much into the day-to-day affairs of the Tudor monarchy or in the official records. A fleeting comment was made about her in 1529, when a palace chaplain remarked that she was (or had been) better-looking than Henry's then-fiancée, Anne Boleyn, who he concluded was competent belle ("quite beautiful") in her own right.
On 23 July 1536, her son Henry FitzRoy died, probably of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
("consumption"). Her husband, Gilbert, Lord Tailboys, also preceded her by dying in 1530, leaving her a widow of comfortable means. Through her marriage to Gilbert Tailboys, she had three children – two sons, George and Robert, and one daughter, Elizabeth.
After the death of Tailboys, Elizabeth Blount was wooed in 1532, but unsuccessfully, by Lord Leonard Gray
Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane
Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane , known as Lord Leonard Grey prior to 1536, served as Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1536 to 1540....
. She subsequently married a younger man whose Lincolnshire lands adjoined hers, Edward Clinton or Fiennes, 9th Baron Clinton
Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
Edward Fiennes, 1st Earl of Lincoln, KG, also known as Edward Clinton was an English nobleman and Lord High Admiral.-Background:...
(therefore becoming Elizabeth Fiennes). They were married sometime between 1533 and 1535. This union produced three daughters. For a short while, she was a 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 Henry's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
, but owing to her own health problems she left the Queen's service at around the time the royal marriage was dissolved and did not serve Anne's successor, Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard , also spelled Katherine, Katheryn or Kathryn, was the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England, and sometimes known by his reference to her as his "rose without a thorn"....
. Blount returned to her husband's estates, where she died very shortly afterwards. It has traditionally been asserted that the cause of her death was consumption.
Reputation and importance
In comparison to Henry's first two wives, Catherine of AragonCatherine 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...
and Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
, Blount's importance to history was negligible. However, she was certainly more important than any other extra-marital relationship the king had during his first marriage. Blount was the mother of Henry's only acknowledged illegitimate child and, at one point in the 1520s, it was suggested that her son should be named the King's legal heir. Although nothing came of these plans, and Blount had little to do with her son's upbringing, the fact that she was the mother of such an important child made her an object of interest to many of her contemporaries.
It is precisely because he fathered a healthy son with Elizabeth that Henry was convinced his wife's inability to bear him a son was Catherine's fault. She gave birth to at least three boys, yet only the first lived as long as seven weeks. These facts led Henry to believe there was something wrong with his marriage to Catherine, and that he needed to annul his marriage.
Children
From her relationship with King Henry VIII:- Henry FitzRoyHenry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and SomersetHenry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his teenage mistress, Elizabeth Blount, the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry acknowledged.-Childhood:...
, 1st Duke of RichmondRichmond, North YorkshireRichmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
and SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, 1st Earl of NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, born 1519, died 1536. Married Lady Mary HowardMary FitzRoy, Duchess of Richmond and SomersetMary FitzRoy, Duchess of Richmond and Somerset , formerly Lady Mary Howard, was the only daughter-in-law of King Henry VIII of England, being the wife of his only acknowledged illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset.-Biography:Mary Fitzroy was the second daughter of...
. No children.
From her first marriage to Gilbert Talboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme:
- Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme, born c. 1520, died 1563, who at the death of her brother, the 3rd baron, became the 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme. Married firstly Thomas Wymbish, of Nocton (died 1553), who claimed the title in his wife's right. It was, however, ruled that a husband could not so bear his wife's title unless he had a child by her; this ruling was the final decision on the point. Married secondly, before 13 November 1553, as his second wife, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of WarwickAmbrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of WarwickAmbrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester...
(1529–1589) She died about 1560, and, as she had no children, the barony became extinct. - George Tailboys, 2nd Baron Tailboys of Kyme, born c. 1522, who succeeded as 2nd Baron Tailboys of Kyme, and died on 6 September 1539. Married Margaret Skipwith in 1539. No children.
- Robert Tailboys, 3rd Baron Tailboys of Kyme, de Jure Lord Kyme, born c. 1523, died 1541.
From her second marriage to Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
Edward Fiennes, 1st Earl of Lincoln, KG, also known as Edward Clinton was an English nobleman and Lord High Admiral.-Background:...
:
- Lady Bridget Clinton (born c. 1536). She married Robert DymokeRobert DymokeRobert Dymoke, Dymock or Dymocke, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire was Queen's Champion of England and a devout Catholic recusant and named a martyr after his death.-Life:...
, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, sometime around 1556 and had ten children. Dymoke (sometimes spelt Dymock or Dymocke) was a devout Catholic and named a martyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
after his death. - Lady Katherine Clinton (b. c. 1538 – d. 14 August 1621). She married William Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh of Gainsborough (c. 1522 – 10 October 1584), son of Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron BurghThomas Burgh, 1st Baron BurghThomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh or Borough , 1st Baron Borough of Gainsborough, also de jure 5th Baron Strabolgi and 7th Baron Cobham of Sterborough, was an English peer. He was knighted on Flodden Field in 1513 where he was one of the King's Spears . He was a Member of Parliament in 1529 and Lord...
. Had children including Thomas Burgh, 3rd Baron Burgh. - Lady Margaret Clinton (b. c. 1539). She married Charles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of ParhamCharles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of ParhamCharles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of Parham was the only son of William Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby of Parham and Elizabeth Heneage.Charles Willoughby was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford being under 14 years old in 1551...
(died 1603), and had five children.
Fiction
- Bessie Blount is a character in the television show The TudorsThe TudorsThe Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime...
, where she is played by the actress Ruta GedmintasRuta GedmintasRuta Gedmintas is an English actress known for her work on British television, primarily in Spooks: Code 9, The Tudors and Lip Service.-Biography:...
. It is the first time that a comprehensive portrayal of Blount has appeared on screen.
Bessie's son Henry Fitzroy dies of the sweating sickness at age three in the series.
Further reading
- Murphy, Beverley A. Bastard Prince: Henry VIII's Lost Son
- Hart, Kelly. The Mistresses of Henry VIII